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Show 196 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. was passing, and the course by him deemed most ad. VI. visable to be pursued. The advantages to be secured ~by the possession of Pensacola, he had frequently urg- 1814' ed. Whetl1er it was tllat the government beheld things in a different point of view, or, being at peace with Spain, was willing to encounter partial inconveniences, rather tllan add her to the number of our enemies, no order to that effect was yet given. In detailing to the secretary of war what had been communicated to him, he remarks : " If tile hostile Creeks have taken refuge in Florida, and are tllere fed, clothed, and protected : if tile British have landed a large force, munitions of war, and are fortifying and stirring up tile savages; will you only say to me, raise a few hundred militia, which can be quickly done, and with such regular force as can be conveniently collected, make a descent upon Pensacola, and reduce it? If so, I promise you, the war in the south shall have a speedy termination, and English influence be for ever destroyed with the savages in this quarter." Notwithstanding this and other applications to the govemt'flent, he was still unable to obtain an answer : ~othing was returned, tllat could be construed into a permission of, or command to abstain from, the execu· tion of his project. At lengtll, on the 17tl1 of January, 1815, after the British army had been repulsed at New Orleans, and the descent on East Florida almost for· gotten, through the post office department, dated the 18tl1 of July, 1814, he received tile following lettet (~c neral -').rm<> ttong's rettcr. from general Armstrong, the then secretary at war: " The case you put I.S a very strong one: an d 'fall J • , the circumstances stated by you unite, the conclus!on LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. 197 is in·esistible. It becomes our duty to carry our arms CHAP. where we find our enemies. It is believed, and I am VI. .so directed by the president to say, that tllere is a dis-~ pos1. t1. 0n on t he part o f t I1 e Sp am.s I1 government, not to 1814' break with the United States, nor to encourage any conduct on tile part of her subordinate agents, having a tendency to such rupture. We must, tllerefore, in this case, be careful"to ascertain facts, and even to distinguish what, on tile part of the Spanish authorities, may be tile effect of menace and compulsion, or of their choice and policy : the result of this inquiry must govern. If they admit, feed, arm, and co-operate with the British and hostile Indians, we must strike on the broad principle of self-preservation :-under oilier and different circumstances, we must forbear." That this state of things did actually exist ; that the British were favourably received, and every assistance necessary to a continuance of hostilities extended to the Indians, the govemment had been already appriz. cd, by the frequent communications made to them on the subject. Had this letter reached him in time, it would have at once determined general Jackson on the course to be pursued, and on tl1e execution of his design : how it was so long delayed we know not nor shall we pretend to conjecture. We would how~ve1• recommend in all cases, where a measur'e is to be' proceeded in, eitl1er from necessity, or a well-founded apprehensi?n ~f its propriety, that tile government :hould adopt It Without fear or trembling, or a regorrd o the consequences involved; nor leave to be determined by the success or failure of tl1e desiP"T1 whe-ther an of fi cer actm· g upon h1. s own responsibi'"l"i ty' , and |
