He wasn’t following orders; he was following the law — Jacksonian law.
ETA:
And may I request that, since I have accomodated you by toning down my rhetoric, you now let the matter drop?
So that makes it all right-it’s all Jackson’s fault-no one else bears the blame?
Nobody said it’s all Jackson’s fault.
I blame Jackson for what Jackson did, and he did a goddamn plenty. At this point, I no longer give a rat’s ass what you think or how you feel about what I think. You call me obsessed over this, and you just won’t let it drop. You want me to give it a rest, but you won’t shut the fuck up about it. I thought we had an understanding, but the fact that you won’t stop needling me means I was apparently mistaken. So fuck off, and I’ll just continue to speak my mind about him as I see fit.
So why do you not blame Van Buren for what Van Buren did? Rather than calling him “Jackson’s lapdog?”
(As for “needling”, I’m sorry, but I just like to argue. I think it’s fun.)
So did I when I was young. Sorry for pissing at you. I blame Van Buren for not having the balls to do as Jackson did and ignore the law. And that’s all I care to say about it right now.
I don’t buy that, really. Nobody defends those who carried out Pol Pot’s dirty work, but few remember their names either. It seems to me that Van Buren may fall into this category.
This perspective would fall apart if it could be shown that Jackson actively opposed Van Buren’s implementation of The Indian Removal Act. Hypothetically that is, there’s no evidence for that of course.
On the OP: Guinastasia seems to want to take away the SDMB’s favorite 19th century punching bag, President Jackson. No fair.
More seriously, I’d note that kicking Jackson around today has some purpose, as we are implicitly condemning ethnic cleansing – a practice which has sadly not ended yet. It seems to me that 17th century(?) British colonial atrocities don’t have the same salience, at least for 21st century US citizens. For one thing, there’s not the same presumption of decency that we extend to our distant past leaders.
Who, now, remembers the Creeks? 
I honestly don’t know. Maybe being the President trumped being an outrage. Or maybe Rachel was snubbed, but not her husband. The next time I run into a good Nashville historian, I will ask.
Meanwhile, if the creek doesn’t rise, I want to go to Pine Ridge in June just for a few days with a group to do some teaching and building. Mainly I want to work with the kids and do some writing. (Can you spot a slacker?)
We will sleep in the basement of a church. I’ve known about the church for a year. I didn’t find out until yesterday that it overlooks the cemetery at Wounded Knee.