260 ANDREW JACKSON 



the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. We arrived here on the 

 29 th ult. and found everything wrong: an agent unacquainted 

 with Indians, the geography of the country, or even what was the 

 wishes of the government, and not half the nation notified of the 

 time or place of meeting. Runners have gone to all parts of 

 the nation to collect them : we are waiting their arrival and I am 

 thereby afforded a leisure moment to answer your friendly letter. 



It affords me much pleasure to see the polite attention of the 

 eastern people towards you. This shows a spirit of harmony 

 towards the southern and western people that I hope will grow 

 into permanent harmony between the two interests, and that vio- 

 lence of party spirit and bickering will cease to exist in our happy 

 country. 



On the subject of my taking Pensacola I regret that the Govern- 

 ment had not furnished you with a copy of my report from Fts 

 Gadsden and Montgomery. This would have given you a full 

 view of the whole ground. You are advised of the situation of 

 our southern frontier when I was ordered to take the field and put 

 a speedy end to the conflict with the Seminoles, &c., &c. Our 

 frontier when I reached it was reeking with the blood of our 

 women and children and the masacre of Lt. Scott. When I 

 reached Ft. Scott I found it out of supplies and no alternative left 

 me but to abandon the campaign, or to force my way to the bay 

 of Appalachicola and risque meeting supplies I had ordered from 

 N. Orleans. I chose the latter and succeeded. Having ob- 

 tained eight days rations for my men I immediately marched on 

 Muckasookey, where the strength of the enemy was collected, first 

 apprising the Governor of Pensacola why I had entered the 

 Floridas, to wit, not as the enemy but as the friend of Spain ; as 

 Spain had acknowledged her incapacity, through her weakness to 

 control the Indians within her terrritory and keep them at peace 

 with the United States, self-defence justified our entering her 

 territory and doing that for her which she had bound herself to 

 do by solem treaty that as I was engaged fighting the battles 

 of Spain I had a right and did calculate on receiving all the facili- 

 ties in the power of the agents of Spain that would aid me in put- 

 ting a speedy end to the war ; advising the Governor in the same 

 letter that I had ordered supplies up the for my army to 



Ft Crawford, which I trusted would be permitted to pass unmolested 



