Article Title: The Seminole War. The House of Representatives has begun its debate over the causes and justification of the war.  
Author: 
Published in: National Intelligencer
Place of Publication: Washington, DC
Publication Date: 1/19/1819


  
  
THE SEMINOLE WAR.   
The order of the day, on the report of the committee on military affairs respecting the Seminole War, being announced  
The house then went into committee of the whole on the state of the Union, to whom that report was committed, Mr. PITKIN in the chair.   
There was some conversation previously about postponing the subject for a day or two ; but the House, by a majority of ten or fifteen votes, resolved to take it up.   
The report of the military committee was read through, concluding with the following resolution :  
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the United States disapproves the proceedings in the trial and execution of Alexander Arbuthnot and Robert C. Ambrister.   
Mr. COBB, of Georgia, took the floor in support of the report ; and, having spoken some time in support of the resolution immediately before the House, he was proceeding to the other questions arising out of the Seminole war when  
It was decided by the chair, that the discussion must be confined to the question immediately before the House.   
After a good deal of conversation on the questions of the order of proceeding in this case, in which Messrs. Smyth, Cobb, Clay, Poindexter, Tallmadge, and Rhea took part, and in which a general disposition was manifested that the whole subject should be discussed, and the difference of opinion was only as to the modes of getting at it, to obviate all difficulty on this subject   
Mr. Cobb moved to amend the resolution before the committee, by inserting, after the word " Resolved" the following matter.   
" That the committee on military affairs be instructed to prepare and report a bill to this house, prohibiting, in time of peace, or in time of war with any Indian tribe or tribes only, the execution of any captive, taken by the army of the United States, without the approbation of such execution by the President.   
Resolved,  That this House disapproves of the seizure of the posts of St. Marks and Pensacola, and the fortress of Barrancas, contrary to orders, and in violation of the constitution.    
Resolved, That the same committee be also instructed to prepare and report a bill prohibiting the march of the army of the United States, or any corps thereof, into any foreign territory without the previous authorization of Congress except it be in the case of fresh pursuit of a defeated enemy of the United States, taking refuge within such a foreign territory.   
Having submitted this motion, Mr. C. proceeded to speak in support of those branches of his proposition which he had not already touched upon. Mr. C. spoke about two hours.   
He was followed, on the opposite side, By Mr. Holmes, of Massachusetts, who had only concluded one branch of this subject ; when, having given way at the request of a member  
The committee agreed to rise ; and leave being given to sit again, the amendment moved in committee was ordered to be printed.   
And the House adjourned.   
The subject of the Seminole war continues to attract the attention and employ the pens of our most able writers.  Algernon Sidney in the Enquirer, Phocion in the Virginia Herald, and a host of other writers in other papers, have entered the field, and staked their reputation on the issue.  We also have been favored with some communications on the subject.  Since the subject is under debate in the House of Representatives, where it will receive every illustrationand as we shall publish the debate, we shall publish, at present, no furhter communications on the subject