took the ground that everything that Jackson had done was "defensive
and incident to his main duty to crush the Seminoles." The
Administration finally reached the decision to surrender the posts but
otherwise to back up the General, in the hope of convincing Spain of
the futility of trying longer to hold Florida. Monroe explained the
necessities of the situation to Jackson as tactfully as he could,
leaving him under the impression--which was corrected only in
1830--that Crawford, rather than Calhoun, was the member of the
Cabinet who had held out against him.

But the controversy spread beyond the Cabinet circle. During the
winter of 1818-19 Congress took it up, and a determined effort was
made to carry a vote of censure. The debate in the House--with
galleries crowded to suffocation, we are informed by the _National
Intelligencer_--lasted four weeks and was notable for bringing Clay
for the first time publicly into opposition to the Tenneseean. The
resolutions containing the censure were voted down, however, by a
majority of almost two to one. In the Senate a select committee, after
a laborious investigation, brought in an unfavorable report, but no
further action was taken.

When the discussion in Congress was at its height, Jackson himself
appeared in Washington. Certain friends at the capital, fearing that
his outbursts of temper would prejudice his case, urged him to remain
at home, but others assured him that his presence was needed. To his
neighbor, Major Lewis, Jackson confided: "A lot of d---d rascals, with
Clay at their head--and maybe with Adams in the rear-guard--are
setting up a conspiracy against me. I'm going there to see it out with
them."