Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-01
a6ngress---2d Sess.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Tuesday,, JIM 23-- CONCLUDED
SEMIknIE GAR


afterwards been ashamed Of that letter. and reracted the
opinions il conluned and that Legislative action had sub.
sequently been had with regard TO it. He said that lie
had never known man from The North to come into
Florida that was not an Indian phanlhropls and he
had known any one to leave that Territory who
continued TO be SUCH Tie hal himself been once In lie
sluatnn and he would now venture 10 say, That, let
him carry the strongest advocate OF The Indians III inns
House into Florida, and make him their neghbor tor
little while and when twenty thirty OF their cattle
had been stolen, all their Indian sympathy would vanish
in moment.
Mr. Wise said that he cared not for the sick'y sym
palhies 10 which the gentleman alluded he was no"
speaking not about mems individual feelings, but on
affairs Of public as& national character, the opera
tons of The War Department. have shown that Gov
Eaton argued against the good faith Of that treaty, on
the policy Of its execution, and gave timely warning 10
The Government that the steps they were taking were
wrong Why should he ever have reracted these OPT.
mons and how did il to pass? Now II does so hap.
pen that know all about that reractlon, and know THIS
because all the papers and correspondence IN Inc war
Department in relation 10 this whole subject were con
denlialy communicated to me by Gov. Cass | intro
duccd into this House resolution calling for information
which was adoped and the next day gertrom The
Department came TO 10 know what papers wanted
answered, all; send Inc all; and ! got the whole
never permitted myself 10 regard these papers in one
momen rs confidential They were the regular lilies OF
the Department, officially communicated on public CALL
and among them found clue to this rctaclnn OF Go.
vernon Eaton AS to the letter itself, 1t proved TO he
prophecy. Had it been given by inspiration, i, could
not have proved correct. Every prediction 1t con
tanned was fulfilled 10 the letter. liostItes did break
out rs he had predicted they would land there was no force
present in the Territory to oveIawe the enemy. But
after every line and letter Of this communication had
thus been sealed By fact circumstances afterwards arose
which rendered it the interest OF this same MI Eaton IN
look out for an excuse for having written such letter
Letters passed between him and MIR. Secretary Cass IN
which Mr. Eaton told That il would never dn I" have
the People Of the United States know that such letter
this had been written and that yet no steps ah heen
taken by the Secretary and hence the ctracon oi which
that gentleman speaks ! know OF what speak, ana
the files of the War Department, i Mey harc not trfn
ROBBED will prove its truth Mr. Wise here proceeded
to read various other letters and documents addressed to
the War Department. confirming The opinion expressed
by Gov Eaton
So the House will see that Governor Eaton is not
alone 20 be Missed at There are the orders Of the De-
parnent here is the warning. Every body knows Tie
result,
The Seminole treaty was made in lo32 II was not
ratified ill Ic4, and the Seminoes and hicknsuKcs
never did agree To It, Instead OF pursuing the doIce
give in these letters, Wiley Thompson the Indian
agent laid hands upon Oceua, and bound him iasi to
log until he should consent to bring in his Indians 10
give their assent and list OF the hickasukcs, contain
ing details uf the names OF The men anu women, WIN
their children were delivered to him for That purpose
Thus coerccd he did bring them in and obtained Ger
lifcale from Thompson that he had fully Complied WIN
his engagement He then returned to his People, ana
the next day Thompson died WIN ~ oais "'ous" HIS
body.
Before The late seizure Of their chiefs by Hernandez so
pacific were The feelings and intentions Of The Indians,
that when the u. States soldiers were found oy tNen
wandering in the woods having lost their way, the In
dams sent them in with guides tn their own camp u II
be said that Oceola in person. slew Thompson, answer
that that chief his capture has SAID lhat he dehes
the proof that he has been guilty OF massacre or
murder He admits that he killed Thompson but AYERS
That he did il as an open declaration Of He de-
Il. ,I,, b. m
oil he asks and desires is, that he may be sent 10 his
"Grcat Father 20 be sure there is something ludcrous
in the application by such chief OF that phrase 10 our
Presidency and that he may have m opportunity OF Tell
nr to the children of his Great Father the grounds and
causes Of this war say bring him here. Let US hear
his story We have heard Of his battles let nov hear
from him The history of his Wrongs. Indian or white
man. cannot but say that he excltes my wonder ana
admiration This nation and ITS army are oouna 10 ac
cord him praise for his great qualities and evemens,
and if he is not TO be believed because he Is an lndan
can point 10 white witnesses who will confirm his les
lmony.
WHY. then. should this be carried on in trrach.
cry and nj such houndless cost? Why shall we hunt
down at The point of the bayonrt people who have
forced us 10 respect them; people who declare mat
they desire peace, but dare not meet your Generals 10
propusc it, for fear Of treachcry aud murder: As to the
peopIe of Florida whenever their delegate shall come
here and ask that they he admitted State, pledge
TO him that he shall have my aid, but besrecii INN
mt 10 ncrssl i'm driving these Indians into the sea-
Why may they not be suffered to remain on the soil
"a their brethren have remained IN Virginia Inc
remnant Of the Pamunkies are now III that Common.
wealth and 10 this day they continue regularly TO- bring
in their pairs Of wild ducks as rlbae TO secure The to-
uure of their land Let these Indians alone, and they
will gradually melt away and disappear before the white
population. But if y"u mss! on driving them away
whni is to become of them? The Indian policy of Gen
Jackson is now going into effect You have carried
tribe after tribe the Mississippi, and concentrated
them in vast numbers, with oil their feelings ana re-
sentiments burning in their bosoms, on the frontiers Of
Arkansas and Missouri. Behind them are Tie fawnees
and the savooe Camanches All they have TO do IS TO
catch wild huses from the vast herds on the praes ana
to make a dash into your settlement without moment
warning and before you can gel your troops IN mouoh
TO retire beyond your reach; and how can you peVen'
Il, AZ 10 PROVISIONS they have The innumerabe herds
of bualo and what, ask, will be The end OF all this:
How many thousands of troops must you embody into
standing army 10 protect you from this tremendous
mower, Already you hear voice IRON the oem'noies'
Already YOU have more than one Oceo!a beyond The
Mississippi; and believe it, the day is coming when you
will see The policy OF the immortal Tecunseh carried into
comneIe effect and all these tribes united as one man
Nav the Government is carrying it out Tor them u IS
f,tcnG them 10 remain at peace win each oler WINE,
nj the same time, il is putting arms into their hands
Re assured that their long debt of vengeance will one
day BIZ paid 10 the full In the meanwhile, !, for one,
will never vote another dollar carry this war unless
have some stronger demonstration OF lis necessity
Mr. CiIev, Of Maine, said lie had risen TO say bul a
few words the question under discussion as out very
few could be necessary after the very able manner III
which the bill had been supported before the committee,
by the Delegate from Florida. But lie was impel!ed
10 say something when he heard the American citizen
held up TO world in the light Of savage aud the
barbarous and cruel Indians OF the Southwest described
ne heroes and martyrs The committee had been asked
in tones Of sympathetic feeling for the Semlnoes, what
was to become Of the poor Indians trod knows,
said MIR. Cey; but it more important question
for him 10 consider, what to become oil The poor
whtes' He knew something of the Indian character,
from perusal of The history Of those who formerly in
habited The North When the cattle Of his people had
been driven Off their houses burnt 10 the ground, and
their wives and children savagey slaughtered, his
fathers and the fathers of his people had hunted them to
the wilderness, and pursued them even to exlernha'
linn This sympathy for The dark red man, seemed 10
Mr. Ciey 10 he akin TO that expressed in quarters
cr the man of vel darker hue The gentleman from