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"3. Shall the posts be restored and the acts of General Jackson disavowed, at the same time justifying the motive?"

The council decided that the posts should be restored, requiring of the Spanish government that they should be garrisoned by a force sufficient to enable them to fulfil the stipulations of the treaty of 1795, and that General Jackson should not be tried by a court-martial. In pursuance of this advice Pensacola and the Barrancas were immediately restored, and St. Mark's ordered to be given up, whenever a Spanish force, apparently competent to its defence, should appear to take possession.*

In thus advising the president, his council merely followed the suggestion of General Jackson, who, in a letter to the secretary of war, dated June 2d, 1818, said: "The Seminole war may now be considered as at a close; tranquillity is again restored to the southern frontier of the United States; and as long as a cordon of military posts is maintained along the Gulf of Mexico, America has nothing to apprehend from either foreign or Indian hostilities. The immutable principles of self-defence justified the occupancy of the Floridas, and the same principles will warrant the American government in holding it, until such time as Spain can guaranty, by an adequate military force, the maintaining of her authority within the colony."

Shortly after the return of General Jackson to Nashville, he resigned his commission in the army. He visited Washington in January, 1819, while Con

* Perkins.

gress was in session, and while his transactions in Florida were being examined by that body.

Soon after the assembling of Congress, in December, 1818, the president had communicated to them all the papers relating to the Seminole war. They were referred to committees in each house. The committee in the Senate consisted of five members, three of whom made a report, towards the close of the session, censuring the conduct of the general, while the other two presented a minority report, justifying him in all that he had done. The lateness of the period at which the report was made, prevented the action of the Senate upon it. In the House of Representatives the papers were submitted to the military committee, consisting of seven members. Of this committee, four agreed to report a resolution of censure to the House, while the other three presented a statement approving the general's conduct, and concluding with a declaration that he deserved the thanks of his country. After a long and exciting debate on the resolutions offered by the committee, the resolutions of censure were rejected, the report of the committee disagreed too, and the general's conduct approved by a vote of one hundred and seven to sixtythree.

His course was also sustained by the president, and by a majority of his council. That part of it relating to the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, was acknowledged to be right by the British Parliament. The Spanish government complained; but the answer of Mr. Adams, the secretary of state, fully convinced that power of the justice of the course pur

END OF THE SEMINOLE WAR.

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sued by Jackson. He sustained his opinion on the ground that, by the treaty of 1795, Spain had expressly stipulated to restrain by force, if necessary, the Indians within the limits of her territories from committing acts of hostility against the citizens of the United States. He then produced a series of undisputed facts, which clearly proved that the Spanish authorities in Florida, so far from regarding this stipulation, had instigated and encouraged the Indians and negroes within their limits to the most barbarous acts of murder and rapine; had furnished them with the means of annoyance, and protected foreign miscreants in aiding the savages in their work of destruction. This, Mr. Adams claimed, was a full justification to the Spanish government for every measure which the United States had adopted in relation to the Floridas, and would warrant any further reprisals which the safety of the citizens of the latter country might require; and the secretary concluded with demanding satisfaction for the heavy expenses incurred in prosecuting the Seminole war, and the exemplary punishment of the Spanish officers under whose authority these events had taken place. Arbuthnot and Ambrister being foreign emissaries, and the principal instigators of the massacres committed by the savages, their being put to death by an American officer, Mr. Adams contended, furnished no ground of complaint on the part of Spain, though done within her jurisdiction.*

When the congressional investigation had, as we have seen, terminated favourably to General Jackson,

* Perkins.

he visited the cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, before his return to Tennessee. Throughout the whole of this journey he was everywhere received by the people with enthusiastic acclamations, and many other marks of popular feeling, and a nation's gratitude, were conferred upon him.

JACKSON AT THE HERMITAGE.

HE nation being at peace with all the world; the Indian tribes having been reduced to submission; peace and tranquillity reigning throughout the land, General Jackson gladly retired again to the Hermitage, to engage in his favourite rural occupations, and enjoy the society of his wife and beloved

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