shall be prepared on my part to maintain the ty to you; and if you were not afraid to place truth of the one, and frankness, honor, and pa- your construction on your orders, why should I triotism of the other, throughout this whole be afraid to place mine? It was an affair of transaction. mere official duty, involving no question of pri"That you honestly thought that your or vate enmity or friendship, and I so treated it. ders authorized you to do what you did, I have "In conclusion, I must remark, that I had never questioned; but that you can show by supposed that the want of sincerity and frankany document, public or private, that they ness would be the last charge that would be were intended to give you the authority which brought against me. Coming from a quarter you assumed, or that any such construction from which I had reason to expect far different was placed on them, at any time, by the ad- treatment, and destitute, as I know it to be, ef ministration, or myself in particular, I believe the slightest foundation, it could not fail to exto be impossible. cite feelings too warm to be expressed, with a "You remark that my letter of the 29th inst. due regard to the official relation which I bear is the first intimation you had that I had taken to you."

a different view from yourself of your orders. It will be seen by Mr. Calhoun's reply, that That you should conceive that you had no inti- Major Lee, who was at that time at the Hermation before, is to me unaccountable. I had mitage, and had possession of Mr. Monroe's supposed that the invitation of Mr. Monroe in letter of the 8th of September, 1818, to Mr. his letter to you of the 20th October, 1818, Calhoun, and which had been stolen from the with the intention that the different views tak- latter, addressed a letter to Mr. Calhoun, wishen by you and myself of the orders should be ing to draw from him, at that time, the views placed on the files of the Department, and my entertained by Mr. Calhoun relative to these letter to you of the 13th April, 1828, covering orders, and that Mr. Calhoun enclosed his rea copy of my letter to Major Lee, in which I ply to Gen. Jackson. Now this letter brought refer to the public documents, and private cor- the question of the construction of his orders, respondence between you and Mr. Monroe, as so directly before him, and the letter of Mr. containing the views taken of your orders, and Monroe to Mr. Calhoun, and the private corthe offer which I made to present my views respondence between Mr. Monroe and Gen. more fully, if not given sufficiently explicit in Jackson, is so explicit in declaring that Mr. Calthe documents referred to, were at least an in-houn concurred with Mr. Monroe in the opintimation that we differed in the construction of ion that Gen. Jackson had transcended his orthe orders; and I feel assured that neither "my ders, that it is impossible to believe that conduct, words, actions, or letters," afford the Mr. Calhoun's letter, of the 29th of May, was slightest proof to the contrary. the first intimation that Gen. Jackson ever

"The charge which you have made against had of Mr. Calhoun's construction of his orders. me, of secret hostility and opposition, which, Yet upon this basis does Gen. Jackson rest if true, would so vitally affect my character for his change of DECEPTION against Mr. Calsincerity and honor, and which has caused a houn, and upon such premises does he place rupture in our long continued friendship, has his warfare upon Mr. Calhoun! for says, he, no other foundation but that of a difference be "understanding you now,no further communica tween us in the construction of your orders--tion with you on this subject is necessary." orders issued by myself, the intention of which We have given in an appendix the private 1, of course, could not mistake, whatever may correspondence between Gen. Jackson and be their true construction in a military point of Mr. Monroe on this subject, which puts this view, and the right and duty of interpreting question beyond controversy. And it is which belonged especially to me, as the head strange indeed to suppose that he could be so of the War Department. The mere statement infatuated as to believe that he could wage of these facts must give rise to a train of re-a successful warfare on Mr. Calhoun under flections, the expression of which I cannot sup- such circumstances. press. It is apparent that the reason assigned by "Your course, as I understand it, assumes Gen. Jackson is not the true reason for his confor its basis that I, who, as Secretary of War, duct. He had been persuaded by Mr. Van issued the orders, have some motive to conceal Buren, and Lewis & Co. that Mr. Calhoun my construction of them, as if I had no right to would be an opposing candidate for the Preform an opinion whether the officers to whom they were given had transcended them or not, while the officer was at perfect liberty to express and maintain his construction. My right, as Secretary of War, was at least as perfect as yours, as commanding officer, to judge of the Gen. Jackson is of a peculiar temperament. true intent and limits of your orders, and I had No man is more emphatic in praise of truth, no more motive to conceal my construction of frankness, and honor; no one has been so sucthem than you had to conceal yours. The idea cessful in use of the terms, and his success, we of concealment never entered my conception, are induced to believe, has made him credulous. and to suppose it, is to suppose that I was utter- It was necessary for Mr. Van Buren, Lewis, & ly unworthy of the office which I occupied. Co. to renew his power to perpetuate their's; Why should I conceal? I owed no responsibili- and having convinced him that the destruction

sidency, and the extraordinary success which had attended the intrigues by which he came into office, induced him to believe that any charge made upon the authority of his name would be sustained by his party.

of Mr. Calhoun was a prerequisite, they fixed the purpose of driving Mr. Calhoun into oppoupon the charge of deception and duplicity, sition? General Jackson was now in power; he as the excuse for a predetermined rupture; we was surrounded with flatterers, and armed with say predetermined, because, unless General the patronage of the Government. He could Jackson had been most strangely predisposed now, as he believed, do without Mr. Calhoun's to quarrel with Mr. Calhoun, the conciliatory, aid, and, therefore, lent a willing ear to the slanbut firm and dignified response of that gentle- ders which dug an impassable gulf between man, would have removed all suspicion from him! Why so? Mr. Calhoun stood in the way of his mind. his favorite!!

But we have now conclusive proof that the If that assigned had been the real, and not a correspondence with Mr. Calhoun, was but a pretended cause of difference, would not Gen. mere pretence for a predetermined rupture in Jackson, upon the receipt of General Lacock's the subsequent conduct of Gen. Jackson hin- letter, have addressed Mr. Calhoun, saying, "I self. So far from his being satisfied with the supposed that you were my enemy on one of facts brought out in the correspondence, he has the most important occurrences of my life. I been secretly engaged in preparing materials to find you were my friend. I have done you inbe hereafter used to destroy the characters of justice in supposing that you acted with dupliMr. Monroe and of Mr. Calhoun, his greatest plicity towards me, and I hasten to withdraw benefactors; and although every effort has whatever I have said that was offensive to you" produced new and unqualified proofs that Such would have been the course of an ele his suspicions of Mr. Calhoun's insincerity vated, honorable mind, left free to act; but were unfounded, and his charge of "deception" such was not General Jackson's condition. He undeserved, he yet permits the injustice which had resolved to appoint Martin Van Buren his he has done that distinguished patriot to remain successor, and he had been taught to believe unrecalled and unatoned for. that the ruin of John C. Calhoun's character

And, we again assert, that the reasons set was a necessary prerequisite. He was under forth in the correspondence was but the pre- the control of William B. Lewis, Amos Kentext for the quarrel with Mr. Calhoun, and we dall, & Co. and they saw in a reconciliation benow proceed to put that matter beyond dis- tween General Jackson and Mr. Calhoun a pute. death blow to all their intrigues. Lewis's

FREEDOM, BEAVER COUNTY, Penn.,
June 25th, 1832.

GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON,

No one will pretend that Mr. Calhoun had hopes of countless thousands secured through not as good a right as any one else to construe a participation in government jobs, and Kenthe orders upon which General Jackson acted. dall's bright dreams of future honors, (for he We find that those who are now Gen. Jackson's aspires to be the successor to the magician,) ingreatest favorites, (such, for instance, as Mr. Van terposed, and General Jackson pocketed Gen. Buren, Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Ste- Lacock's reply, and his hireling presses still venson, Mr. Archer, of Virginia, Mr. Cros-teem with slanders on Mr. Calhoun!!! well, Mr. Forsyth,) all concurred with Mr. But we will reserve our further comment for Calhoun in the opinion that General Jackson another number, and bring to the notice of our had transcended his orders; aware that this fact readers General Lacock's reply to General must strike the public mind, and that the least Jackson. It is as follows: observing would ask how it happened they were taken into favor when Mr. Calhoun was condemned for entertaining the same opinion, General Jackson addressed to General Abner President United States: Lacock, of Pennsylvania, a series of interrogaSIR: Some days since, through the medium of tories, intended to make it appear that Mr. Calboun, who, after hearing the views presented a number of interrogatories, that I am requested a mutual friend, I received your letter enclosing by Mr. Monroe in the cabinet, had agreed to sustain General Jackson in what he had done, the course pursued by John C. Calhoun, Vice to answer, in relation to the knowledge I have of had been guilty of duplicity in stimulating President United States, and his conduct towards General Lacock and others to assail him in Congress. We are enabled to lay a copy of you in regard to your conduct in the Seminole General Lacock's reply before our readers. It Mr. Calhoun, in which he states that you had war. By the same mail I received a line from not only vindicates Mr. Calhoun from the charge furnished him with a copy of the interrogatories, of hostility to General Jackson, but proves and that he had declined putting any questions to that he was, what he appeared to be, the warm and zealous friend; it also proves that it was me, or what he terms "joining issue," but had Mr. Forsyth, and not Mr. Calhoun, who was tions you should put, requesting, however, as a no objection I should answer whatever questhe active assailant. Mr. Forsyth was then, as matter of justice, to be furnished with a copy of he is now, the bitter enemy of Mr. Calhoun, and the warm personal friend of William H. my answers; to a compliance with this request, Crawford. Yet General Jackson, with these him with a copy accordingly. I could see no valid objection, and have furnished proofs of Mr. Calhoun's friendship, and of their hostility, hugs them to his bosom as his confidential advisers, and denounces him. What stronger proof could be adduced to show that the charge of duplicity was made expressly for

Interrogatories put by Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, to Abner Lacock, of Pennsylvania:

1st. "Did Mr. John C. Calhoun at any time

during the session of Congress in the winter of words to this import. To a suggestion by me, 1818 19, or at any other time, mention to you that we differed in opinion as to whether you my confidential letter to Mr. Monroe, dated 6th were or were not reprehensible for your conduct, January, 1818, relative to Florida and the Semi- he replied, to decide this question regard must be nole war-show you that letter, a copy thereof, had to your motives. These, he believed,had been or speak of its contents? Did he ever tell you pure and patriotic; that, from mistaken zeal in the that letter had been answered? if yea, what did service of your country, you had exceeded the he say was the substance of that answer? if nay, powers given you, or any the President had a did he give any reasons why an answer was not right to bestow. At the same time he observed given, and what? What did you understand to that Spain deserved from us the treatment she had be Mr. Calhoun's object in speaking to you of received, and a surrender of the posts was all she that letter?" had a right to look for; that, whether you were Answer. Mr. Calhoun never did, at any time, culpable or not, was a concern of our own, and or upon any occasion, communicate to me, either not hers. He spoke of the acquisition of the verbally or in writing, his knowledge of the exis- Floridas, then a subject of negotiation with the tence of such a letter, or of its contents. Al-Spanish minister Don Onis, and the prospect of a though, at the time alluded to, I had a knowledge favorable result, that he was apprehensive might of the contents of the letter, I did not derive that be defeated or endangered by a vote of censure, knowledge from Mr. Calhoun, nor have I ever or the disapproval of your conduct. I told Mr. made a suggestion to any man that would justi- Calhoun, in reply, that his views, or those of a fy such a belief. similar nature, on the subject, had been previons2. "Did Mr. Calhoun at any time, and when, ly presented to me by the President, but he had communicate to you the views expressed, as the failed to convince me that there were either concourse pursued by him in Mr. Monroe's cabinet sistency or safety in the course adopted by the in relation to my conduct in the Seminole war? administration. That, if the seizure of the Spanif yea, what were those views, and that course? ish posts by you was lawful, constitutional, and What opinion, if any, did Mr. Calhoun express in obedience to orders given, they should not to you as, at the time of your conversation, en- have been surrendered; and, on the other hand, tertained by him relative to my orders, and the if their capture was illegal, unconstitutional, and manner in which I had executed them?" in violation of your orders, you were highly repre

Answer. Sometime in January, 1819, I think hensible, and to pass over such conduct without towards the latter end of the month, Mr. Cal- censure or animadversion, was to sanction it, and houn called upon me in the Senate Chamber, and acting upon,and fortified by this precedent, every asked me into a committee room, and when there, land or naval officer in our service might, in fo said he wished to converse with me in regard to ture, involve the nation in war at their discretion your opertions in Florida, as that subject was or caprice. Such, I stated, were my views, and, before a committee of which he had understood I having been charged by the Senate with the inwas chairman. He then stated that the subject vestigation, I should not shrink from the responhad embarrassed the administration, and present-sibility of faithfully discharging my duty. Mr. ed many difficulties at first, but a course was fi- Calhoun then said he would not wish to be ur nally agreed upon that he had flattered himself derstood as objecting to the inquiry; it was rather would have been generally acquiesced in and ap- the spirit with which it was carried on that bad proved, and he was sorry to find himself mistak-given him surprise. He had understood that Goen, or words to this effect. We then went on to vernor Mitchell, of Georgia, who had just arriv compare opinions, and discuss the subject. A-ed in the city, had been sent for to give evidence, mong other things, I stated, expressly, that, from that his testimony should be viewed with allowthe facts disclosed, it was my opinion you had, ance, as he was the personal enemy of General in the prosecution of the Seminole war, exercised Gaines, and, he believed, equally so of General cruel and unprecedented severity in putting to Jackson; that Mitchell was an Indian agent, and death captive Indians and British traders; that, charges had been, or would be, as he understood, by the forcible seizure of the Spanish posts, you preferred against him, that would, if established, had transcended your orders, and usurped the seriously affect his character, and he wished to power of Congress, and, consequently, violated put me on my guard. I assured him Governor the constitution of the United States. Mr. Cal- Mitchell had not been sent for by order of the houn replied that he agreed with me that the cap- committee, nor, to my knowledge, written to by turing the Spanish posts was unauthorized and any member of it. That, after his arrival, I was illegal; and he said, when the subject was first told by Mr. Forsyth that he was in possession presented by the President, he had been for tak- of many facts connected with the Seminole war, ing pretty strong ground, and instituting an in- and this I had mentioned to the committee, and, quiry into your conduct, but, after mature consi- by his order, he was subpoenaed. deration, the Cabinet had made a different deci- In repeating the above conversation between sion, and he had acquiesced; and he observed he Mr. Calhoun and myself, I do not pretend that I had yielded his opinion with less reluctance, find- have used the precise words made use of by ing the President strongly inclined to adopt aus, but I am certain that I have not been misdifferent course; and, he added, that, while he taken in their import or meaning. was a member of the Cabinet, he should consider it his duty to sustain the measures of the President if it could be done with any propriety, or

This conversation was not considered by me as confidential, nor was it enjoined on me as such. 3. "Was your object in consulting Mr. Cal

houn to procure information to aid you in form-report, or otherwise, express to you his concuring your report upon my conduct in the Semi-rence in the views therein expressed? What nole war, made to the Senate on the day of other views or opinions, or facts, if any, relative February, 1819? did Mr. Calhoun understand to my conduct, or his, in the affair of the Semithat to be your object?" nole war, did Mr. Calhoun communicate to you at that or any other time?"

Answer. I never did consult Mr. Calhoun, or any other member of Mr. Monroe's cabinet, with a view of obtaining information or aid in forming the report, unless the circumstances and facts I am about to mention, may be so considered.

Answer. Mr. Calhoun never did see the report, or any part of it, before it was made, nor has he at any time, before or since the report was made,expressed to me his concurrence in the views taken therein, other than what I have already stated in my answer to the second interrogatory, and that passed in the committee room; nor has Mr. Calhoun, in any manner or upon any occasion, since I called upon him at the War office, as above stated, communicated to me his sentiments or opinions on the subject of the Seminole war,

Previous to Mr. Forsyth's appointment as minister to Spain, and when he was a member of the committee, he had more than once stated to me his belief that you had issued orders to General Gaines, after the close of the Seminole war, directing the capture of St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida, and that these orders had been countermanded by the President. But, as the or your conduct in Florida. documents furnished by the War Department| contained no evidence of the fact, we were uninformed on the subject until I was, long afterwards, informed by Mr. Eaton, of the committee, that orders to that effect had been issued by you, and that the place would have been taken had not the orders been countermanded; this he gave as an evidence of your firmness and decision, and the absence of those qualities in the administration. This information induced me, soon afterwards, to call on Mr. Calhoun at the War office; Mr. Roberts, [my colleague, was in company. Upon inquiry, Mr. Calhoun told me that such orders had been issued by you, and were immediately countermanded. I inquired why this correspondence had not been furnished.

5. "Has any thing passed between you and Mr. Calhoun, since the session of Congress in 1818, '19, explanatory of his conduct or mine in relation to the Seminole war, and the incidents which grew out of it? if yea, what?"

Answer. After the unhappy dispute (I mean for the honor of the country) had taken place between you and Mr. Calhoun, and the publication of his pamphlet, he sent to me one of them, with his name and compliments written on the title page. On reading the book, and finding my name gratuitously introduced in connection with the name of Mr. Crawford, in a way not very honorable to either, I was at a loss to decide whether Mr. Calhoun had sent the book to me as an act of civility to an old acquaintance, with whom He said it never had been called for. I replied, all intercourse had been suspended for ten years, that the calls were in general terms, and compre- or an insult; and in this state of uncertainty I hended all the information on the subject of the acknowledged the receipt of it, and in my letter Seminole war that it was safe and proper for the made some animadversions on the impropriety of Executive to communicate, or words to that ef- dragging me from retirement before the public; fect. Here Mr. Calhoun, in the most bland and endeavored to repel the insinuation that I had conciliatory manner, (I remember his words dis-acted under the influence of Mr. Crawford, or tinctly,) observed, "had you not better try Gene- any other executive officer, in framing the report; ral Jackson for what he has done, and not for reminded Mr. Calhoun of our conversation in what he had designed to do." I answered him, the committee room, and his endeavors to justiI was not governed by personal hostilities to you, fy your motives in the Florida operations. I renor were any member of the committee; we wish-curred to your confidential or Johnny Rhea leted to do ourselves, the country, and you, strict ter, and its new version as given in the pamphlet justice; and for this purpose we wished all the in- as proof positive and irrefragible of your hav formation that could be rightfully obtained. If ing committed an unlawful act with a perfect the correspondence was of a private or confiden- consciousness of its being so, inasmuch as you tial nature, I did not ask it; if of a public nature, had proposed confidentially to the President to we had a right to receive it. Mr. Calhoun said, take the Floridas or make war upon Spain, if the he would be glad if I would consult the Presi- President would guarantee to you an indemnity dent, and if he had no objection, he would send by signifying his approbation to a confidential me the correspondence, if I would call for it as friend; thus, if successful, securing the honor of chairman of the committee. I immediately call- a triumph, and at all events escaping with impued on the President, and, when informed of the nity by shifting the responsibility and throwing object of my visit, he said he had not examined it upon the President. In this view of the case, the Seminole documents, since their publication, I stated that your deliberate intentions, and the nor did he know that the correspondence in ques motives by which you had been governed, could tion had been withheld, (or words to this pur-not be mistaken,

pose;) but if it were so, he was perfectly satis- I expressed to Mr. Calhoun my regret to find, fied it should be furnished. I gave the informa- by his pamphlet, facts disclosed and opinions extion to Mr. Calhoun, and he soon afterwards sent pressed by him and others high in authority, in to the committee a copy of the correspondence relation to your conduct, that had been carefully 4. "Did Mr. Calhoun see your report, or any suppressed at the time of the investigation. That part of it, before it was made? did he, before it for his part he was about to receive his reward, was made, or afterwards, in direct allusion to the and would fall a victim to his own policy, nor

would he,in my opinion, although the first on the and unfavorable consequences. It is by a list, be the last victim. knowledge of all the circumstances, and a comThe purport and substance of my letter to Mr. prehensive view of the whole subject, that the Calhoun, I have given you. My papers were so danger to which this measure is exposed may much deranged and destroyed by the spring be avoided, and all the good which you have flood, that I could not find the copy; of course I contemplated by it, as I trust, be fully realized. have to write from recollection. This letter was In calling you into actual service against the not written in confidence; I did not request, nor Seminoles, and communicating to you the or did it require an answer; nor did I ever receive an ders which had been given just before to Geneanswer to it from Mr. Calhoun. I have only to ral Gaines, the views and intentions of the Gorepeat, that, other than what I have already stated, vernment were fully disclosed in respect to the I have had no communication from Mr. Calhoun operations in Florida. In transcending the 5"relative to the Seminole war, and the incidents mit prescribed by those orders, you acted on growing out of it." your own responsibility, on facts and circumHaving closed my answers to the interrogato- stances which were unknown to the Govern ries, you will permit me to observe, that such of ment when the orders were given, many of the foregoing questions, as,by fair and necessary which, indeed, occurred afterwards, and which inference, were calculated to make me the passive you thought imposed on you the measure as an instrument in the hands of Mr. Calhoun to ac- act of patriotism essential to the honor and incuse or criminate you, I should have refused to terests of your country. answered in a court of justice, and should have re- The United States stand justified in ordering pelled, as an attempt to make me impugn my their troops into Florida in pursuit of their ene own character, and dishonor myself, and that too my. They have this right by the law of m in the discharge of an important public duty. tions, if the Seminoles were inhabitants of anoBut, notwithstanding you seem to consider me ther country, and had entered Florida, to elude as the victim of Mr. Calhoun's superior duplici- our pursuit. Being inhabitants of Florida, with ty and skill, still you appeal to me to do you jus a speices of sovereignty over that part of the tice in a case where you suppose me concerned territory, and a right to the soil, our right to in inflicting the injury, evinces such confidence give such an order is the more complete and in my sincerity and candor on your part, that it unquestionable. It is not an act of Eostility to has not failed to be duly appreciated on mine; Spain. It is the less so, because her Govern and, hence it is, I have answered all your ques- ment is bound by treaty to restrain by force of tions, however objectionable, with unreserved arms, if necessary, the Indians there from comfrankness. mitting hostilities against the United States.

Finding by your letter before me, that you de- But an order by the Government to attack 3 sign the statement for "future historical use, Spanish post would assume another character. and that your object, and sole object, is the estab- It would authorize war, to which, by the prinlishment of truth, and to do justice to all men," ciples of our Constitution, the Executive is inpermit me in conclusion to assure you, that it competent. Congress alone possess the power. will afford me sincere pleasure to learn, that I I am aware that cases may occur where the have contributed in any degree to the accomplish commanding General, acting on his own rement of an object so laudable; and should the sponsibility, may with safety pass this limit, ani information I have given, be the means of pro- with essential advantage to his country. The ducing harmony and restoring a good under- officers and troops of the neutral power forget standing between the two first officers of the Go the obligations incident to the neutral charac vernment, it will, to me, be a source of much ad-ter; they stimulated the enemy to make war. ditional pleasure, and cannot fail to be highly they furnished them with arms and munitions of gratifying to every man who regards the reputa- war to carry it on; they take an active part in tion and honor of his country.

Yours, &c. A. LACOCK.

APPENDIX.-A.

Mr. Monroe to General Jackson.

WASHNIGTON, July 19, 1818.

other respects in their favor; they afford them an asylum on their retreat. The General obtaining victory purses them to this post, the gates of which are shut against him; he attacks and carries it, and rest on those acts for his jus tification. The affair is then brought before DEAR SIR: I received lately, your letter of his Government by the power whose post ha June 2d, by Mr. Hambly, at my farm in Lou-been thus attacked and carried. If the Godon, to which I have returned to await your re-vernment whose officer made the attack had port, and the return of our commissioners given an order for it, the officer would have from Buenos Ayres. In reply to your letter, no merit in it. He exercised no discretion, I shall express myself with the freedom and nor did he act on his own responsibility. The candor which I have invariably used in my com- merit of the service, if there be any in it, munications with you. I shall withhold nothing would not be his. There is the ground on in regard to your attack of the Spanish posts, which this occurrence rests, as to his part. I of occupancy of them, particularly Pensacola, will now look to the future. which you ought to know, it being an occur- The foreign Government demands-was this rence of the most delicate and interesting na- your act? or did you authorize it? I did not ture, and which, without a circumspect and it was the act of the general. He performed cautious policy, looking to all the objects which it for reasons deemed sufficient himself, and on claim attention, may produce the most serious his own responsibility. I demand, then, the