The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-01-30

ufl-
der the jurisdiction OF the law had they, when they
had perpeirated their savage murders OF women and
children, been handed over 70 the civil magistrate
the war might long ago have been ended, But no
the public sentiment at the North called for sympa-
thy-for sympathy with any thing that had color
whether red or black. When the wives and chIl-
dren Of white men were butehered without mercy
and without provocation, were there any overflow
i ings Of this tender sympathy for them? OH no. II
was all for the Indians and negroes here, above all
II boiled and dubbed over in abundance.
The gentleman from Virginia had said that the Peo-
pie Of Florida were battenng and growing fat on the
spols Of the Government He wished he could carry
that gentleman to the spot and could show him the desc
late fields The crowded with fngtves from tho
scalpng knife Of the Indian. Fatteningl Where could
the People Of Florida find the OF making money
out Of this wari What had they wherewilh to supply
| the Government with provisions horses mules
Their fields were rayaged, their property laid waste,
their horses driven Off their country wilderness Had
the gentleman been able TO prove single item OF all
the charges made Of these Peoples attcnng Govern
spols The House had heard one story Of wagons
hired at $40 day that might have been got for SIS
and they have heard another about certain frauds in
Alabama, where Government sgent made contract
and put balance in his pocket. But was il for
the People OF Florida TO be abused and tainted for
| thsi The gentleman. he very sure, did not know
their situation When the very means Of life were
taken from Them they to be told that they were
battening spoil On what testimony had the gentle
man made such charge Whatever it might be, no
man who knew the facts could believe the charge for
moment and he felt assured that the gentleman him.
self, from his known candor, would, when better in
formed, retract the charge.
| Mr.. WISE here ineTposed 10 explain. He had not
charged the People Of Florida any body particular
he had declared that there had been lavish and enor
nous expenditure OF money, and had called the House
to inquire The charge Of attening the public spols
was pointed more particularly at Government conirac-
/ tors.
/ Mr.. DOWNING resumed. In the whole Territory OF
4 IL 49,
whether for horses. shot, provisions The contrac-
tors be found where the supplies be fur
nshed but there supplies TO be furnished from
the wasted fields Of Florida. Il in Kentucky the
gentleman must look for the contractors for horses in
New York and Charleston for the contractors for proy
slons. Where dill the public money 60 to Not to the
| poor settlers in Florida. AL they got Of il SO a
month the price of their sweat and their blood and
that poor ptance the gentleman for refusing
\ TO pay. Was that the justice OF this Government
After the People of Florida had undergone the toll
and danger Of the field and had been regularly dis
charged, were they not even 10 receive this poor Sc
month
| Mr. WISE again interposed. He had not said
that. He had said let the government pay all ne
cessary Contracts but before they appropriated more
even for these poor citizens of Florida let Congress
take some steps 10 get at account OF the expend
ure ofits money; and not let the harpes hover
that suffering region and devour what ought to go
Mr.. DOWNING said lei Congress give the mo-
ney, and the people of Florida would see to that.
/ The difficulty with them had been the mpossibility
OF getting the governments money out Of the hands
of the disbursing officers, for want Of an acquain
lance with all the foTmalities of office of which they
knew nothing. They had been in this way kept out
oftheir just dues until their very heart was sick.
| But what did the gentleman from Virginia pro-
posel Why, after he had got a committee of inVes-
| LEGATION; after they had called for persons and pa
pers from all parts of the universal world after he
had there discussed this whole mass of evidence;
Gas fhan ahalx do
4 reports why then, and not till then, the troops in
\ Florida were TO receive their money. Now MIR.
/ DIS plan would be, first let the government pay
| Just debt and end the war; and then go and can
4 vass, and censnre, and impeach, whoever deserved
punishment. Had he (Mr. Z. } the management CT
! matters, he would certainly give the gentleman
| committee to his own full satisiaction--a committee
! of his own choice; and not let the friends of the
administration make the report; because however
true il might be, coming from them il would have
lille weight with the public. Give the gentleman
| his own committee, and them humble as Mr. ID. was
he pledged himself to be able TO justify this govern
men against the world in every act il had authorized
in this Seminole war. Ii might have been deceived
by agents at distance whom il was obliged TO trust
and TO believe. But had not its Army been com
| manded By some of the Generals of highest standing
in the servicc2 Was the Quarermaster General
corrupt persona Wonld any man say i'll As to
the hire Of wagons, &C., was the country to be told
that because nearly thousand militia officers had
been employed, and many of them from necessity
made discussing officers, this was made reproach
upon the government Were his constituents to be
publicly abused on the floor of Congress for this
These things if true do not attach TO the skirts OF
the government. What unjust and illegal claim had
been passed by the Departments? What Quarter
master had been proved guilty OF malteasance2 Was
the government TO be held answerable for all the
acts oflheSe thousand militia officers Were charges
TO be publicly made here based on anonymous let
terS-anony NOUS, at least, 10 the House.
| mr. WISE here said the letters to which he had
reference not anonymous; and he had pro-
duced affdavts, with the names Of the witnesses
signed TO them
Mr. D. said that all might be so let the gentle
man carry this testimony to the proper public Off
GERS, and il the charges were proved fraudulent he
was very they would not be passed at the De-
partments If the real object of the gentleman was
to prevent Frauds that his obvious course. II
his papers not presented al the Department, he
ought not 10 complain il the government did not no
tice them. Ii the gentleman had no experience in
these matters, MIR. ID. would willingly lend him
his.
Mr.. WISE said he had experience Of his own,
which was quite enough 10 warn him from trusting
at least, one Of the Departments.
MIR. ID. resumed, and said he had always believed
the gentleman from Virginia 10 be an upright, wor
thy man, who aimed at doing justice; he had never
entertained any other opinion Of him; but it was Mr.
ID s firm belief that his own knowledge of the In
dian character was better by far than the gentle
mans. He had lived very near the Indians for ten
years. and ii was his deliberate conviction that II
The Cherokees had never gone TO Florida this war
would have been ended before this time. Those
mediators, of whom the gentleman spoke so warmly
had peace on their lips here, and war there. Mr.
D. had received letters which were not anonymous
which stated that Jumper and Alligator, two of the
Seminole chiefs, declared that the Cherokees had
I told them that if they would only hold ON till the
spri,g, Congress would appropriate no more money,
and they could hold the country. He had three let
ters which confirmed this statement and similar
statements had been published in Florida. Sam
Jones' the celebrated chief who now he Id out would
have come in with the others but for this asSur; nee