On this page
-
Text (2)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
United States of America . A Committee appointed l > y the Senate to inquire into the Seminole War ^ in other words , into the conduct of GeneralJ ackson , has made its report , which is now before the world , and which has obtained universal praise in this country , for the simplicity of its style , the clearness of its statements , its superiority to national prejudice and vainglory , its humane spirit , and its strict regard to the foundations of American freedom . What will be the ultimate decision of the Senate is doubtful ; but it is undeniable that General Jackson has violated equally the laws of nations and the constitution of the United States . On the invasion of Florida , the Committee reports in the following- paragraphs , in the first of which the unjustifiableness of the measure is , the reader will perceive , strongly expressed by a comparison of it to our memorable- predatory attack upon Copenhagen j a proceeding * which is now matter of history , and wiiich we always foresaw would be ranked amongst the deeds of guilty violence . [ Mon , Kepos . III . 108 , 109 . ]
** But the weakness of the Spanish authorities is urged in justification of this outrage upon our constitution ; and is the weakness of an independent power to disparage tlieir neutral rights , or furnish pretences fora powerful neighbour to weaken them further by hostile aggression ? And is it thus we are to be furnished by an
American officer with a justification for the dismemberment of Poland , the capture of the Danish Jleet by Great Britain ^ and the subjugation of Europe by Buonaparteand shall the United States be called upon to imitate the example , or silently acquiesce , and thereby subscribe to doctrines , and approve measures , that are in direct opposition to the repeated and invariable
declarations of the government , gfiven to this nation and the world , through the official medium of presidential messages , and the correspondence of all her public ministers , and sanctioned by all her public laws on the subject of neutral rights ? Will it not be said that we have changed our national policy ? Shall we not he addressed in the following language , by the nations of Europe ? " ' The time was when the United States were also weak ; she had no navy , she had no army . In those days she was a strong * advocate for neutral rights , anxious that free ships should make free goods j that the neutral flag of the Republic should protect all sailing * under it , ever protestingagainst and complaining of the violation of lier neutral lights hy tlie belligerents of Europe ; but these titties have passed away , the nation has tried her strength in battle , and found herself quite equal to the struggle : she has had time to strengthen her
Untitled Article
army , and increase her navy ; her former weakness forgotten , her former precepts abandoned , and feeling power , and forgetting * right , she walks over a prostrate
constitution , to conquer and subdue a mi * serable and feeble , though neutral , colony , whose very weakness ( pleaded in excuse for the aggression ) should have rather con . stituted an appeal to a generous people for protection . '
" In this unfavourable light , the Com - mittee have too muoh reason to fear , will the civilized world view this transaction ; and if sanctioned by the nation , they regret to say th * rc will be too much reason thus to consider it . "
We stated the case ( p . 210 ) of the two Englishmen put to death by General Jackson . They were tried by courts martial 5 but it appears from the report of this Committee of the Senate , that the
courts were illegal , the officers composing them being * unconstitutionally appointed by an arbitrary act of the general's . Arbuthnot was sentenced to be hanged $ Ambrister to be whipped and confined . The general hang * ed them both ! The
Committee says 3 " In reviewing : the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister , vour committee cannot hut consider it as an unnecessary act of severity on the part of the Commanding General , and a departure from that mild and humane system towards prisoners ,
which , in all our conflicts with savage or civilized nations , has heretofore been considered , not only honourable to the national character , but conformable to the dictates of sound policy - These prisoners were subjects of Great Britain , with whom the United States are at peace .
Havingleft their country , and united tlieir fates with savag-es , with whom the United States were at war , they forfeited their claim to the protection of their own government , and subjected themselves to the same treatment , which might , according" to the practice and principles of the American government , be extended towards those with
whom tliey were associated . No process or reasoning * can degrade them below the sarag-es with whom they were connected . As prisoners of war , they were entitled to claim from the American government , that protection which the most siavage of our foes have uniformly experienced , when disarmed and in our power- Humanity shudders at the idea of a cold-blooded
execution of prisoners disarmed , and in the power of the conqueror ., And although savages , who respect no laws , m « y > ac " cording- to the strict principles of the law of nations , have their own system of cruelty inflicted on them , by way of retaliation , it is believed that such a system would degrade and debase the civilize d nation who could resort to it , sn ^ f i& not
Untitled Article
278 Intelligence . —Foreign . United States of America .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1819, page 278, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1771/page/66/
-