Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-12-17


portion Of them which has been stationed ia Fori-
da continued active operations there throughout the
! heats of summer,
The policy Of The United States in regard 10 the
Indians of which snccinct account is given IN my
message of 1888, and Of the wisdom and expedion.
1 cy Of which am fully satisfied, has been continued
! In active operation throughout the whole period Of
my administration Since the spring Of 1887 more
than forty thousand Indians have been removed to
their new homes west Of The Mississippi; and am
bsppy to add, that sill accounts concof IN represent
| ing the result Of this eminently bench.
cia to that people.
| The emigration Of the Sernnoles alone has been
attended with serious difficulty. and oceasoned
| blooished hostiIities having been commenced by
the Indians in Florida, under the sppgehepsionth that
they would be compelled by force, TO comply with
their treaty stipulations. The execution Of the
treaty Of Payurs Landing, signed IN l332, but not
| ratified until 1894 was postponed, 1.-The solIeita-
ton Of fbe Indians, until 1886 when they again re-
newed their agreementio remove peaceaby 10 their
| new homes in The west.
| In the face Of this solemn and renewed compact,
! they broke their faith, and commenced hostilttes
| by the massacre of Major Dsde's command, the
murder Of their agent, General Thompson, and 9th
or acts Of cruel tresehery. When this alarming
and peced Intelligence reached the seat OF DO
vernment, every effort appears to have been made
to reinforce General Clinch, who commanded the
! troops then IN Florida General Easts was des
patched with renforcements from Chatleston;
troops we're called out fom Alabama, Tennessee,
and Georgia General Scott was sent TO toke the
command with ample powers and ample means
AT the first alarm, General GaiHes organized force
at New Orleans and, without waiting for orders,
landed in Flofida, where he delivered over the
troops he had brought with him. to General Scott
| Governor Call was subsequently appointed to con-
duet summer campaign, and at the close OF it,
I
changes took place under the administration of my
predecessor.
Notwithstanding the exertons of the experienced
officers who had command therefore eighteen months
on entering upon the administration Of the Govern
| ment found the Territory OF Florida prey to In
dian atrocities strenuous effort was immediate
| ly made to bring these hostes to close; and
the army, under General Jesup, was reinforced nm
| Ill il amounted to ten thousand men, and furnished
with abundant supplies of every description. In
this campaign a great number Of the enemy were
captured and destroyed; but the character OF the
! contest only was changed. The Indians, having
been defeated in every engagement, DISPERSED N
small bands throughout the country, and became an
enterptisng, formidable, and ruthless baudiii--
General Taylor, who succeeded General JesuP,
used his best exertons to subdue them, and was
seconded in his efforts by the officers under his com
mand but he, too, failed protect the Territory
from their depredstions. BY act of signal and
cruel treachery, they broke the truce made with
them by Gen. Macomb, who was sent from Wash
ington for tho purpose of carrying into effect the
pressed Wishes Of Congress, and have continued
their devastations since.
General Armstcad, who was in Florida when
General Taylor left the army, by permission,
med the command and, after active summer opeEa-
tons, was met by propositions for peace; and, from
the fortunate coincidence Of the arrival in Florida,
| at the same period, Of delegation from tie Semi
noes who are happily settled west Of the Mis-
sissippi and are now anxious to persuade their
countrymen 10 join them there, hopes were for
some time entertained that the indians might be
induced to leave the Territory without further diff
Guilty. These hopes have,p,o,ed fallacous and
hostiities have been renewed throughout the whole
of the Territory. That this contest has endured
long, is to be attributed TO causes beyond the con
troll of the Government. Experienced generals have
had the command OF the troops; officers and soldiers
have alike distinguished themselves for their octyi-
ty, patience, and enduring cOuaee the army has
been constantly furnished with supplies Of evcry de-
scrption; and we must look Tor the causes which
have long procrasiinled the issue of the contest,
in the vast extent of the theatre of hostcs, the al
mosi insurmountable Obstacles presented by the
ture OF the country, the climate, and the willy char
acter of the savages.
he sites for marine hospital, on the rivers and
lakes, which | was authorized TO select and cause
to be purchased have all been designated put, the
appropriation not proving sufficient conditional
engagements only have been made for their acquis-
ton 1t is for Congress to decide whether those
conditional purchases shall be sanctioned, and the
humane Intentions of the law carried into full
effect.
The navy, as will appearfrom the accompanying
report OF the Secretary, has been usefuy and hon
oraby employed in the protection Of our commerce
and citizens in the Mediterranean, The Pacific, on
| the coast Of Brazil, and in the Gulf Of Mexico.
small squadron, consisting Of the rigate Cousteila
ton and the sloop-of-war Boston, under Commo-
dore kearney is now on its way TO the China and
Indian seas, for the purpose of attending in
| terests in that quarter and Commander Aulick, in
the sloop OF war Yorktown, has been instructed to
visit the Sandwich and Society Islands the coasts
OF New Zealand and japan together with other
ports and islands ifequcn,ed by our whale-ships,
for the purpose of giving them counienance aud
protection, should they be required. Other small
er vessels have been and still are employed in pro-
scouting the surveys of the coast of the United
States, directed by various acts of Congress-; and
those which have been completed will shortly be
laid before you.
| The exploring expedition, at the latest date,
was preparing to leave the Bay Of Islands, New
Zealand, IN further prosecution OF objects which
have, thus far, been successfully accomplished.
The discovery OF a new continent, which was first
seen ialatitude GO south, Longitude l545 q
east, and afterwards in latitude Geo 3 south, lon
eitude 1889 40' east, by Leutenauti Wilkes and
Hudson, for an extent OF eighteen hundred miles,
but on which they were prevented from landing by
vast bodies of ice which enenmpassed it, is ono OF
the honorable results of the enterprise. Lieutenant
Wilkes bears testimony 10 the zeal and good con-
duct of his officers aud men; and ii is but justice
to that officer to state that he appears have per-
formed the duties assigned him with an ardor obil-
iiy' and perseverance. which give every assurance
] O a n lp IN tlt.,, 4. a..
The report of the Postmaster General, herewith
transmitted will exhibit the service of that depart
ment the past year, and its present condition. The
transportation has been maintained during the wear
to the full extent authorised by the existing laws;
some improvements have been effected, which the
public interest seemed urgently 10 demand but not
Involving any material additional expenditare. The