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NEW SERIES Yol. IX. AUGUSTA, FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1831. No. 22.
FROM THE OEOUGI \ JOURNAL.
Co t\\e. UUixeus of I Vie U uv
felaioa.
The appearance of the address of the Vice
President, of the U. S. renders it unaeces j
snry to offer any apology for the fullowi ,g{
address. The Review of the correspon
dense signed A. B originally published in
the Georgia J mrnal, of the 2ist of Apriil
last, and several a> tides in the G obe k otherj
newspapers have in my judgment sufficiently
explained my conduct to all impartial and|
unprejudiced minds; and those of a differ-'
«it description, it is improbable that any,
thing that 1 can urge will convince. Besides;
it is not very important to the people of the!
United Scales before whom, there is no pro-'
bability, I shall ever again be. placed, to
form any definite, opinion of my motives or,
conduct in the transactions, developed in the,
correspondence, be'ween the President and
Vice President, i say it is not very im
portant, to the citizens of the United States;
but it il important to me individually, to,
have my conduct correctly understood ; for
no man however retired he may live ought tul
be indifferent to public opinion. It also ap 1
pears from the newspapers, that an explana-i
tion from me is expected, and desired. 1
therefore submit to the apparent necessity
of appearing, before the public.
I understood from letters received during
the last session of Congress, that the Vice
Piesident, and his friends were endeavoring
to make the impression that the difficulty
between him and the President, had been
p. oduced, by me from a desire on mv par
to ingratiate myself widi the President. If
this impression had been made by their join
efforts, the Vice President has dispelled the
illusion ; for by his publication, it is clearly
established that the measure did not origin
ate with me; but that in the whole aff.ir I
have been passive. In fact I assert wi ll
out (he fear of contradiction, that no in or
course, either verbal or written has tak- 1,
place between the President and my sell
aiuce a few days after the Presidential Hec-i
tion iu the House of Representatives in F* b
ruary 1825. During the call General Jack
•on than made upon me no reference what
«.tr vas made to what had passed, in rela i
tnin to the Gen. or myself. I considered
the call as evidence of a better state of feel
■ing on his part than had been understood to
have previously existed ; and r.i I lu.d ne
ver cherished any feelings of hostility to-!
wards him, I was perfectly willing .hai the;
past should be buried in oblivion. But the
publication of the correspondence, has re
lieved me from the necessity, of saying any
thing more upon this subject.
Two other charges have been made a
gainst me : Ist. That the confidential let
ter of Geo. Jackson, which I say was pro
duced and read in the cabinet, was not pro
duced and read. And 2d. That I have im
properly, disclosed cabinet secrets.
Upon the Ist. objection negative testimo
ny is relied upon. Mr. Monroe, Mr. A
dams and Mr. Wirt, do not recollect that it
was produced and read : or rather Mr. A
dams, and Mr. Wirt, do not recollect it ;
for it is manifest tha- Mr Monroe, has no!
recollection upon the subject, having relied
wholly upon Mr. Wirt. Bui Mr. Calhoun,
hss a distinct recollection that it was not
produced, and read. Without relying up
on that rule of legal evidence, which de
clares, that one affirmative witness counter
vails many negative ones, there is I oelieve
abundant evidence in the correspondence
Usaif to support my statement. H-e I
beg leave lo transcribe an article |- m .h ;
Globe of the 20th February last, which has
much force and cogency, and proves at leant
presumptive l }, that my statement concern,
ing the confidential letter is correct. The
GU.be says, " After all the statements and
{(tractions, about (he production of Gen.
Jackson’s letter before the cabinet in July
1818, Mr. Monroe's letters published by
Mr Calhoun, go far to confirm Mr. Craw
ford’s statement. In the conclusion of Mr.
Monroe’s letter to General Jackson, dated
December the 21st. 1818, (printed 1830 by
mistake in the pamphlet) Mr. Monroe thus
speaks of the confidential letter: your let
ter of the 6th ot January, was received
whilst I was seriously indisposed : observ
ing that it was from you 1 handed it to Mr,
Calhoun to read » after reading one or two
tines myself. The order to take command
in that quarter had before then been issued. 1
i Me remarked after reading the letter that r
was a confidential one relating to Florida
whicli I must answer. I asked him, if he
hud forwarded to you the orders that had
been given to Qeu. Gaines on that subject.
He replied that he had. Your letter to me
with many others from friends was pat a
side in Consequence of my indisposition ;
and the great pressure upon me at the time
and never recurred to, until after my return
from Loudon on the receipt of yours by
Mr. II unbly, and then on the suggestion of
Mr. Calhoun. Now wtun did Mr. Mon
roe, return bom Loudon, and when was the
< letter by Mr. Ilambij received f Mr, Cal-
houn has given us the evidence to shov, 1
In ore of nis n >tes he teils us ih.it the la.
Cabinet meeting on that Hubj-'c to k place! l
on the liihor l 6 hos July 1818 M , Vlon-I
roe having returned on the I 4 h from his !
j residence in L u.lon Mr Monroe’s letter
j o Gen. J.uk m dated 19 h J ily 1818, be ;
jK v .- .ha- “ I received 'ately your letter of
J-oe 2lsi by *T. H imbly, at my farm in
jL nido ub .” Thus the time when (he.
jcoili-e- n tat er w up, on the
sUKzesti n .f \lr. Culho m is identified
I'vilhio a Ivw d,.ys L was after Mr. M »n
--!io.’., r-turr tion Loudon, on the 14 h and
.before 19 \ ol Jij.y 1818, the very period
ijat wnich the c«.bi lei were deliberating a
• bout the Hemi iole War, and at the very
•"me Mr. Crawford say* it was produced
ibt re h m There i» a rein likable coin-|
ictdtoce, between the details of Mr. Craw-
n cent statement and Mr. M uuroe’tfj
1 acomnVnt this If ir made in 1818. which
. proves the idee, y of th - incidents alluded
- ti ; Mr. Cr .wtoid says Mr Calhoun made
, some allusion io a letter ihe G-neral had 1
• written io th P sident, who had forgotten '
i(U*i» he hid re ,v d such a teller, but said 1
Jif he had received such an one he could ti d 1
iit, and went directly into his t b -jet, : * '
, orougni -he letter out. Mr. Monroe in his 1
letter of he 2lst December 1818 says,l’
jyour i.- ter, Btc was put aiide, kc. and ne- 1
, v< *r recuned u> until af'er my return from
I L udoo, kc. and then on the suggestion of
, Mr. Calhoun. Here is conclusive proof olj
'tw ■ Ist. -e confidential letter mas
, produced on the suggestion of Mr Cuihoun ,•
, at <-i Vi,. ,1 . ; ,roe’» return from Loudon on.
I die 14 ti. at d b lore ihe w riting of his letter;
tn Gji. J tkson the I 9 u ol July 1818
,21. Mi, Crawford w„s present when tne
! s igge.iiun was made and the letter produ
ced. ihe C b.net it seems were several 1
[ days m deliberation. Mr Wirt, might not
h.;v<- been present when the letter was pro- 1
duced. At any rate the proof is coucu
'sive that the leer was produced to Mr, i
I Ci jwfoid, o;i Mr. Calhou/i’s suggestion . ;l
Mr. Calhou.% owuatcounioi tuaiicUcU*)
iocnrrec'. He says, my recollection io re-!
lat ion to i accords with Mr. Monroe's state-!
ment. I came into the room when he had 1
juppareotly just received the letter. He
I was indisposed at ihe time. 1 think he o- '
pened the Ivtter in my preaeuce, and find-' 1
, iug hat was from you, he gave to me the
ilelier to read. 1 cast my eyes over it, and
remaiked that it related to the Seminole!
/war, and would require his attention or,!
to that effect. 1 ihought no more
ot it. Long after 1 think ii wa s at the com i!
, mencement, of the next session of Congrtu,
1 heard some allusion wmch bruugh. the let-,
ter to my recollection. It was from a qoar-!
ter that induced me >o beli ve it came trunk;
Mr. Crawtord. 1 called and mentioned iti
’ to Mr. Monroe and found that he had entire- 1
‘ly forgotten the letter. After searching!
‘ some time, he found i‘ amongst some otherj
papers, and read it as he told me for the
first time M . Monroe’s account of the:
,rn..ier w.i e.i in D c-mber 1818, shoitly
»latter the meeting of Congtes.-, proves tliai
"his story as to time j» entirely fabulous.
; ; That le ter connected with ,ha- of the 19di
•of J ' >y- prov?» that the hunting up of the
l,letiei on the suggestion of Mr. Calhoun,
, and ’ho reading for :he first time took place
1 doectly alter Mr. Monroe’s return from
Loudon on the 14th July 1818 during the
• ieoperations of the cabine'. Upon this e
• vide ce. mav Mr Crawtord turn round and
! -Pi*y A,,( l taunt Mr Calhoun tor decay of his
'm rn oy. He has notoriously published to
Tdie world - g oss misrepresentation of this
M«tt-ir with he did -nee of its incorrectness
s.before him, in his own documents. If me-
I mory had tailed him, ho might have relied
tor correct information on 'heaccoun* given
yby Mr. Mo Toe in 1818, which is certainly
1 more likely to be correct, than any state
• meet made by him now. He, Mr. Monroe,!
1 iCOuld not have forgotten the facts. Thusl
f vanishes one of Mr, Calhoun’, clouds of
-'dust, which he had raised, Io blind the pen
• pie in relation lo his own conduct towards 1
I General Jackson.”
'I 1 ihall DOt » however, turn upon Mr. Cal-'
• jhouo and reproach him with his decay of
memory, for if he is In be believed, he neverl
had any lo decay, an I shall show before this
review is closed. No, it is (he want ol ve-!
• racily which musi be reproached to Mr. Cal-!
1 houn, and not the decay ol h:s memoryln.
I support of (he argument of the Giobu. J<mnd-{
■'etl on Mr. Momou’a latter" of (lie 19th of
Jo y, and 21st of Uecemb- r, 1818, I shall 1
• produce a passage from Mr. Monroe’s letter*
'■ to me of the Bih August, 1830.—" I lay in
I bed more than a wt-ek during which that
• letter (the confidential one,) was removed,
: and every thing relating so that war having
■ bean previously arranged, ii was f.rgo-tern
» and never read by me until af;er ihe meeting
- ol the administration, and ihe decision as to 1
i me course lo be pursued in reference to iis :
1 mauagemen . My impression is that I reud!
f i. then, on a suggestion of Mr. Calhoun ,
mat st required my alien'ion. Had I read
e it when 1 receiv d it, I should have consid
■ tred it confidential, and never have shewn it
to in a ons, however great my confuhnce in
them might he ” Lis HO'Sjwliat J'tficult to
;H»cer taiu vv'iat Vlr. Monroe’s meaning in ilie
iforisg iiiv' q'litatioo is. He stales that ‘ eve
ry t iing elating to that war, having been
previously arranged, the lener was removed,
and forgotten, and never re»d by me (Mr.
Monroe) until after the meeting of the ad
ministration, & the decision as to the course
to be pursued in reference to its manage
ment.” It is manifest that the first part of
the foregoing sentence relairs to the arrange
ment of the let ter a and papers concerning
the Seminole war. The second inenib r
seems u» present the idea, that the letter was
produced and read on tht suggestion of Mr.
Calhoun, after the decision oi the adminis
tration in reference to its management. The
|management of what f Os the Seminole war.
That had terminated before the meeting If
Mr. Monroe intended to slate, that the let
ter was produced and read upon the sugges
tion of Mr. Calhoun, that it required his at
tention, after the decurmoi the administra
tion upon the course to be pursued towards
Spain and towards O n, Jackson; then it is
manifest that he is mistaken. It is impossi
ble in the natuie of things that Mr. Caihuun
could have believed, or suggested hat that
le ter required the President’s attention, af
jter the decision of the -administration upon
the even l s of the campaign had been formed.
1 was impossible in the nature of things that
1 the Piesidem’s attention could be necessary
( to hat letter after the decision had been
, made on the events of the campaign. 1 have
.before me a letter from a member of Con
gress from this State, in which he urges "(hat
tiie confidential letter must have been before
the Cabinet, at it was necessary to a correct
. decision of the questions growing out ot the
Seminole war, and that the President and
Secretary of War, ought to have been itn
peached if it had been withheld.” When
iMr. Calhoun referred to the letter ray im
pression wum. and is now, that he wished it
producedic prove tbar Gen. Jackson, instead
of acting in conformity to the orders of the
War Department had determined to take
ilhe Spanish posts b>'fure he received orders
ito lake the management of that war. It in pro
bable that when ha referred to that letter, he
was not aware that it had not been answer
ed Lis easy to understand why Mr Calhoun
should call the P>esiden’s attention to thai
letter before the Cabinet hid decided upon
the course to be pursued towards Spain and
especially, towards Gen. Jackmni---bu' after
.that decision had been made, it is impossible
to conceive a motive for bringing ii under
consideration. Mr. Monroe is then evident-;
ly mistaken in stating that the letter was!
produced and read upon the suggestion of
iMr Calhoun, after the decision of the cabi-i
net upon the events of the Seminole cam
paign. 1 is a little remarkable, however.
11 hat the confidential letter, is always pro-1
duced upon the suggestion of Mr. Calhoun .l
"Mr. Monroe in I,is e er to Gen. Jackson of
'the 2lst December, 1818 and of the b'h if
.August, 1830 to me, s .ys; p was produced
ou the suggestion of Mr. Calhoun and con
nects it with the proceedings of the Cabinet,
in which I say 1 distinctly recollect it was
produced and read upon ihe suggestion of
Mr. Caihoun. I will now state more at larg ,
the reasons of my distinct recollection of ihe
circumstance.-—Mr. Monroe before he left
Washington, had particularly erjoined upon
me not to leave Washington fur Georgia un
til Qm. J iCksou’s dispatches should be re
ceived, and the Cabinet should decide upon
the events of the Seminole campaign. Da-'
ring his absense in Loudon, I had frequent
1 conversations with Mr. C ifioun, wbu uni
formly informed me, that G v. Jackson had
I no other orders for the government of his
conduct than those given to Geu. U.ines.l
Those orders I had seen. Hia represents-;
J lions, which at that time 1 had no reason to
doubt, made a s'rong impression U|x»ii my
mind, and extremely unfavorable toGeneral
Jackson. I entered the Cab.net therefore
Jvvith decided impressions against the Gene
ral, which were removed only by the pro
'faction and reading of the confidential let
ter, of which to the bast of rny recollection
(and belief, it was the first intimation ( had
■ ever received of that letter. ;l am confident
i’jMr. Monroe is mistaken ic, his recollection
>f my coming into his room, after Mr, Cal
-1 huun, and fading the letter. It i, worthy
of remark too, that in his lelier of the 21st
December, when it is more likely (hat his
i|rec<dl“'-ti«n was correct, than in the spring
;ol IB3U. He teds Gen, Jackson that the
Metier was given to Mr. Calhoun, but does
(not connect me with Mr. Calhoun and that
’letter, nd I have a distinct recollection of
Rearing him give the same account of it,
several times, in none of which did ha enn
i tied me in the ailair of ihe letter. The Vice
; President seems to think he has disposed of
Mr. Crowoinshield’s evidence, by the letter
1 he has received from him—but by comparing
•’the two letters it will be seen that the letter
ido him does not contradict a single syllable
Ih f ids previous le’ter io me. Mr. Calnoun
,in a note to M r . Crowuinshield’s letter to
l.him, says— 1 "Nor could he have been pre
sent at any meeting of toe Cabinet on the
fsuoject ot the capture ol St. Mark*, cr Pen
l—H ifMi larnim ■ T”"*' ~iT —.. VI r“* T I
n aacola in which 1 was.” George W Ewing,
0 K»q. late minister to Spain and D nmaik,
e writes in the month of Febiuary lust, " Thai
- it is now ascertained that the official news
n of die capture of St. Marks, was fuel' ed m|
, Washington in the early part of May.” He|
. had particularly ex ioiined ihe records of the
-i War department, and found that the dis
ci patch giving an account of the capture of
- St. Marks, was recorded in the early part
t ot May, and Mr. Calhoun in the nolo last
■! referred to, Bays ; that he Mr. Crownin
g shield and the President lefi Wash! gon
r on the 28 h o( May—and Mr. Crowmmhield
s in Ids letter to Mr, Calhoun says, dial he
• could not know any thing of a Cabinet meet
- ing after the 28ih of May.*
t But the Vice President surely has no re
. gard to accuracy when he nsseMs that Mr,
f C ruwninshield could not have been present
• at any cabinet meeting on the capture of St.
M arks or Pensacola, at which 1 was. Could)
- not a cabinet council have been held between
-I the early pan of May and the 29th of that
1 montTi ? Mr. Calhoun asserts, the nega ive ;
»| bu' every person that has uiulei standing to 1
-(count ten will assert the affirmative. This
i,assertion of the Vice President in the city of t
t Washington where the evidence existed,
- proves Ids reckless disregard of the tru'h in
i all occasions where he conceives it to be his
.'inieres', to violate it. in regard to this as
t.sertion of the Vice President, Mr. Living
f observes, •• These are stout asserduna, since
r i 1 is now ascertained that the nffi ial news
» of be capture of St. Mai ks, was received at
- Washington earlyin the month of May, near
t ly three weeks before edherbeor Mr. Crown
s inshield left that city ; consequently it was
t very possible that that affair might have been
• the subject of a cabinet council when they
I were both present.”! in the same letter Mr.
Ervingsays, “ That Mr. CrowninshiJd as- !
i sorted (he accuracy of every fact in his let- 1
ter to you (me,) and then related to me cir- *
t cumstandally what passed in the Cabinet
I consultation to which it refers. The ques-
e tion before the Cabinet was whether w> 1
t should take possession of *ho Florida* Ho
a was opposed to the project, and spoke t
- gainst it and he mentioned to me in gen
e eral terms the argument which he made
• use of on that occasion. He well reool
ojects that a certain private le'ter, was ask-
I ed for, that Mr. Monroe had forgotten it,
ii but went to took for it, in some cabinet or
I :retired place, from which he brought a small
- boa, in tr unk, (red or blue, 1 ihink he Said,) 1
yin this was found the letter. Mr. Crown
- inshield’s recollection is minutely exact '
• ( He recollec's as (ho* he now could see the 1
i,corner of the small bo* in which tha le ter J
F was found, the very place in the room where 1
Ihe himself sat, during the discussion and ‘
■ |all similar details.” Mr. Calhoun must 1
, therefore resort to some other shift or de- I
(vice, to get rid of Mr, Crownins'iield’s evi *
.idence, more deceptive, than his inked as- *
(section, that Mr. Crowninshield cold not 1
f have been present at any cabinet meeting 1
/at winch he was, on the Seminole cam- 1
- paigo. The records of the War depart- *
.jinent shew that this assertion is unlrue. 1
Ihe declarations before stated by Mr. t
r L ving were made subsequent to the date ‘
, of Mr. CrowninstiielilN loiter to Mr. Cal- *
■ h mo. He is a man of undoubted veracity, (
1 • «■?». a jacxsov to rns sej’RT or war. {
\ Head Quarters I'iviiioo, Mouth near St Marks, *
April llh, 18Id. (
Reports, his attack on Ibe Mekasi/hean Village— fits uk.iif 4
>itbe Fort at St. Mark's, dtc. '
j The ah -ve communlcalioo it an 6ie in the Wur Department; .
• Toil marked. New-t »rl*ans. April 90. 1818, aud svas received
'io the month of May, as appears from the recur J, irons which I
lb* above transcript ia token.
t Department of vV ar. July i 9. JB3l. *
JOHN ROBU, Ch. Clerk. [
I (r b row ibe National Intelligencer of April 29tb, 1819 ] H
“INDIAN BATTLE.’ f
'j . MilledgevlDe. April 17.
,| L»pl«i# Gallia who baa juil arrived In this place from Fort 1
t Hawkiua, b*» politely furaiahad ua with tbe lullowiuk highly
importin' intelligence. '
„ Aboaa* th* fllh m.t. General Jackson attacked and burnt ihe C
, M ick»Hukee town, with an iocooaideruble lots . a hit part The <
I j of ihe Indent is not alatcd. Previous 10, an 1 uUnr the nc- ■
• lion, a number of |ne enemy a rrenderod ihemarivea prisooen (
• Ail lfie:r raaourcea [among which were one thousand head of ,
x CHtlleJ were taken or destroyed. The celebrated Prophet t
I rancia, and one of the principal < hieflulna were hanged. l
j Gen J-ckiun afterw/irdt proceeded to M Muika, and took
pO’sessiun of tha Fortress without opposition. It is lb* iruprei-lt
non. Ihnt this blow baa been daerswe ■, that the viir withtbeji
• Indians is at an end, Hid the Georgia militia will aeon return/
to tbeif botnet *• I*
JTrom the tame paper of the 30tb April.
| EDIIOKIAL. U
We have a few further particulars of the lute progress of (he i
Indian wur- The Tennessee detachment had one umn killed and ‘
, lour wounded in the skirmish with the Indtaosat Mickaaukee. Os j |
the Ind-ans, seven were killed, how many wounded not known.'.
Five mgr es were taken the neat day The eor viauJcr of Ihu *
Spanish post of Si Marks taken possession of by Oso Jackson, I
protest d against the measure, but did not uppete itseaecution by
force. The Georgia militia Will be marched to traders hill, and t
in a f«w days be discharged Capl Arbulhnot, a British officer.
1 whs captured at St Marks and is supplied ic ha /c b ecu ihe aurnc
. who, some tune ago, commanded the oegro Fort on the A pp* t
i lacbicola, which was destroyed by our forces under Col. Clinch .
"i|. Marks when I.■ken, was streugly fortified, hud twenty pieces »
of heavy erdinarice. mounted, and w-s garrisoned by about fifty If
1 m«n, who have since embarked for Pensacola. Mclntosti, wuose 4
vigilance and enter? ire are said to merit Cuuußffidltion. bus (
. eaptured about one hundred cuore prisoners. •
In the National oi the ' Blh Hay,” (beiH t| e des- *
patch from (Jtu. oJcfnloah to D. B. Mitchell, stating that a
1 had lali<»D pin e baiw.;«u bis wanton and thole of McQ.ueeVin
which the Intier were detent ed. t
From the ationel Intelligencer of the Ifiih May.
•OF THE INDIAN WAR. I
Maj Perault of Ihe United dtales topographical corps, arrive I ,
at Mcb’lejon the 20lh ultimo, direct Irooi the seat of war, gives
the subsequent eddilioael iolelligenre r*leDve to ihe nperations'l
r itn » movements of Oen. Jeckson. After the roofl.igratioa of tbe I ■
, Indian town of Mickasukee. and the destruction of tbe cattle and''
• some few ludieas, the G*oerel proceeded to St Murks the i
SpeoMh garrisun surrendered as prisoners, and had nrrl ed el,.
• Pens-cola. i* torn thence he directed hi, course to Sv/aoc. where|»
Ifisre wose about two thousand ludiam and negro* r, who. H whs 1
sup; would make soma resistance. M,.j p. confirms the ao-'l
» comlollbeejteculiooof (be 1 rj, fiat Francis, aid ho Indian 1
f h»tt Arbu'hoet ( Woodbine I| t j u Jackson’s putsrsaio and m r
iron* ihe army of r*tio Jeikson is repi«»cut. dti Uj in h ilth, 1
j high spirits, and amplv provided—io that a Jecis e b w has no j
doubt l Jtea given lie has j v,ued oy the Tennessee fclun ■
“ t»*r»- UatWfc#*** .usend —{Fed. Rep.”J I
, and although my memory duet not enable
. me to ofli t an} explanation upon thi» rub
i j ret, 1 have no doubt that Ida s'atemenf in
i| his letter to me it substantial!} correct ;
| because his n eim i) i* diitincf, and he atatea
1 1 ac 18 cliarly and unequivocally. He is a
: man of ui questionable veimity, it ia there
fore a matter ol perfect n difV. rence wheth
er the same facta me recollected by Mr.
i Monroe, Mr. Aduma. Mi. Wirt or myself,
t They are besides facta (hat he cotlld not
• have, obtained any where elae than in a
i Cabinet council. This ciicumstance ia con-
I elusive, and must prevail with all unpra
’ judiced minds.
It may be proper here to state that 1 have
no distinct recollection whether Mi. Crown*
inshield or Mr. Wirt were present in tht
Cabinet council of July 1818, nr were ab*
sent from it. Mr. Calhoun a* d Mr. Ad*
ams I know were present. If I had rccol*
iecled that Mr Crowninahield had been ab
sent as I now aupp se him to have been
i certainly should not hive applied to him
for information. But the n lot m.niirn given
certainly applies to a C.bmet council at
which he and Mr. Calhoun were present,
and at which the confidential letter was
produced. It ia then demonstrated that the
letter written by Mr. Crowninshield to the
Vice-President, doe* not impugn in the
slightest degree the facia stated in his let*
ter to me. That letter does not give the
dale of the Cabinet council to which it re
lera ; and dales and rtftnnr.es disprove the
assertion of the Vice President, that Mr.
Crowninshield could not have been present
al any Cabinet, at which he was, upon tlif
events of the Seminole campaign.
It remains, for me to s.y a tew Word* on
the charge of disclosing Cabinet secrets,
i have but little to a'ld to whai 1 have urged
in my letter of the 2d October. The pun
ciple* Mated in that letter are believed to
be orthodox. In tins republic the President
is appointed by the nation, and he appoints
hts Cabinet by and wrh the advice and con
;aent of the Senate, The President and his
Cabinet are therefore responsible in (he
republic for their acts. Those acts for which
they are responsible ought tnerefore accord*
ing to the p inciples of he government to
be known. 0 her wise the highest public
functionaries known to the Consutuiiun are
iiresponsible. To this responsibility in
herent iu our Constitution, there is but one
exception sanctioned by reason. II the
secrets of the Cabinet are disclosed while
(he Cabinet is in existence and charged with
the management of the national concerns,
(he Cabinet might be rendered incapable of
conducting (hose affairs successfully. This
it the broadest ground upon which the se
crecy of Cabinet transactions can be pla
ced. By some nis con'end- d that in t
government like ours, secrecy should not be
extended beyond the accomplishment of the
objects which have been the subject ol Cabi
net deliberations. That when the mea
sures which have been the subject of those
deliberations,have been effected, if die me
beneficial to the republic, the per, f P ought
to know the extent of th< i< obligations to
their public functionaries; and it they are
injurious to the community, that community
ought to be placed i.< a si nation to form a
correct judgment upon the conduct of their
public functionaries ; I have acted upon (he
first principle ; 1 have disclosed the pro
ceedings of Mr. Monroe’s Cabit.e* on the
Seminols war only after it ceased to exist,
and then only in self defence. A Mse ac
count of those proceeding* had been com
municated noi only to General Jacksun but
to the nation. It is a uiatisr of general ro
loiiety through the Union, that Gen, Jack
son believed I had been unfriendly to him ia
the Cabinet deliberations on the Seminole
war. By whom was (hat impression pro
duced -By Mr. Calhoun and his triends.
1 am perfectly willing that the President of
the United States, should s'a'e. how, and
by whom that impression wag tmde up in
his mind. The only ostensible act having
that obj ect in view, which is within my own
knowledge is the celebrated Nashville let
ter.—That letter contained two falsehoods,
ione 'o my injury and one for Mr. Calhoun's
benefit. N<> other human being on ibis ter
raqueous globe except Mr. Cali.ojn had an
interest in fabricating those falsehoods ; at
least, the latter one. Until he shews it at
the letter in question was written by some
one else not under Ins influence, nr direc
tion, or shell point out some odier person
having an equal interest with himself in (hat
faOncstioD, he must pardon me at least for
considering him tube the author of (nut
letter.
1 here terminate the reviews so far as my
defence is concerned, and shall turn my
attention more directly to the correspon
dence, and to the contradictions & commit
ments to which Mr. Calhoun has subjected
himself in his several publications. Almost
in the commencement ol his first address
he presents a letter froniiMi. Wilson Lump
kin, containing one front General Dam**
Newnen inelo mg the cup} of a letter from
me to Alfred l}alch, Ksq, of Nashville, I 0)
answer to one received from him Mr.
Lumpkin it will be observed is »erv