Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1838-04-03
GEN. JEsuP RECOMMENDING THE ABAN-
DONMENT or THE FLORIDA WAR.
ceys IF Lar from Nsj Gsa. Jssap 10 he Secretary
of Mar.
He.p QUAArESs Army Of the South. .
FoRT IuFlIER Feb. IL, 1888.

Sr - reported To tRe Adiutsnt bcnefel 90
the OH inst. abe operations Of tlhs division OF the
Amy south Of this poet to that date and the ar
raupemeni which | had entered into With the
chef ruskcegee and Iollek lIago. The arrdage.
rarai it, thai Ihey are 10 come ia ,cfh t,ir EiHiiss
and people. sad are 10 ntcaH tlc dteision Of The
President ,sAeiLer thy shall remain in the country
or not ! promised 10 recommend that they be
permitted to- remain, and that a portion of this
territory be assigned to them az their residence.
Before presenting my views on that subject, and
redce'nlng my pledge 10 the Indians, II may BE-
proper for me 10 stale my own position 10 regard
10 he question of emgrsiion, So that in what
shall soy in relation 10 Inc Scmnues. my views
IN regard to the general pinciple may not be mis-
taken Believing, as do. that the Indians can
not, under our C1nsii'uiiun have separate pnlni.
col existence within an independent State of tbs
Union, without the consent Of he State ! believe
thai II is due to the States IN watch they are con-
rregoted in large bodies, TO remove them " hcnev-
er they are pressed upon by The waite population
and their lands become necessary 10 the agricu-
tUral wants of the community. Anu hold that
Congress, and not the Indians. are 10 determine
The proper time for their removal. We 10 our
Federal capacity, owe the Indians our protection
not ihnt prni scion secured 10 ou- own citizens by
the "a lal operation Of nnr laws. for that IN their
condition. would be merely nominal protection
bat ~e owe them, IN their Individual aud Collective
capacity, that protection which the parent owe,
to the child or the gurdian To tac ward ; md to
secure them thni protection, we must pace them
beyond the operation of state laws With the
fullest conviclua, therefore, not only Of the policy,
but of the jnsice and humanity of The measure.
um in favor of their entire emigration aud
have supported that policy under four successiye
Administrations. Bat | believe we should not
apply the principle until the white population are
ia contact with or ln;ermiBgliug among tbem-
The state Gf hngs at which | consider Their re
movol inrnratIyc, acnaly existed when the tribes
nhnbllng Ohio, inu.aua. Hines Missouri, Misc
ssI2pl aud South Alabama, wee sen, TO the west
hst state of things actually exists in r-rcton TO
the Chernkees in Tennessee North Alabama, ana
Georgia; aud regardless Of the opposition made
20 the measure, they should be at once removed.
The FSr d s 'a "9 ia renog n' c
their lands were not required for agricultural pur-
White Inhabitants and when the greater portion
of their country was UNEMPLOYED wilderness, of
the interior of which were as ignorant us Of
t he interior Of China. We EXHIBIT. in our pres
ent contest the first instance, perhaps since the
commencement of authentic history, Of a nation
employing an army TO explore the country tfnr
we can do little more than explore it,) or attempt
lng to remove a band of savages from one unex,
plofed wilderness to another.
AZ soldier, II is my duty, am aware, not to
comment upon the policy of the government, bet
to carry II cut IN accordance Nth NV Instructions
| have enGesvored faithfully to do so; but the
prospect Of terminating the war in any reasonable
time is any thing bat hatterIng. NJ decided opin
ion is, that unless immediate emigration be abau-
doneJ, HE icar ciH continue for yea,s 10 come ard
at constantly occpm|luf'Hg expense. Is it not then
well worthy the serious consideration Of an en-
llghicned Government, whether, even if tll, VII
derness We aye irayersng could be inhabited by
the white men, (Which is not the faci) the ober,
We are conlendlng for would he worth the cost 2
certainly do not ihink IT would indeed do
not CONSIDER the country south Of Chckass IIalchee
worth the medicines We shall expend N driving the
Indians rom II.
II we're permitted, and it is with greo, diff .
dcnce ! venture 10 make the suggestion | would
n''"~ them u remain, sud would assign them the .
country west # Kisslmmee Okec. Chobee. and
Psuai Okee, snd east Of Pfase creek south to the
extreme Of Florida. That would satisfy them.
and hey might hold At an The express. condition
that they should forfeit their right to it, A. thry
should either commit depreciation. upon the Whine
inhshiiauir or pass The boundaries assigned To-
Them without The @utten PERMISSION Of the militia
y commander ogen'.
By placing an agency and nuihorisinr tradirr.
houses On Chatiuiie's hafbor. thew could be suon
and siatomng competent miiiiar,
'oree there and at Ta,apa Bsy they m gbl be read
y '"hifH''ed, an3 it necessary, removed from the
c""n'fi, -h"U'd hey become troublesome, 81 fai .
no l"ihi their engagt ! respectfully recon-