The Madisonian., 1840-02-27
"-Cry havoc and lei slip The dogs of rear p

In introducing the bloodhound business
again TO our readers, we wish not TO be IN
derstood as objecting 10 prudent use Of dogs,
muzzled and leashed. 10 discover merely the
Indian trail, but we recur To il for another pur.
| pose and, while reviewing the course Of the
Globe, Mr.. Ponsetl, and their friends in the
Senate on ,his subject, we do not intend TO
refer 10 an article in the Globe Of Tuesday,
which is more distinguished for its diabocal
malignity than its good sense or It's decency.
On the 2lst Of January last, we announced
the arrival Of cargo of bloodhounds in Flo
rida
| On the . 9TH OF the same month. the Globe
said, "We have asceriained that the War
Department is only acquainted with the cir.
cumstance through public rumor, and knows
nothing OF the matter officially"
! The subject continued TO be a topic Of
much conversation and excitement, and re.
monstrances against The introduction of blood
hounds into civilized warfare were sent 10
Congress.
| On the lth Of February, several of these
memorials were presented to the Senate by
MIR. Buchanan We extract, literally, the
| following from the report OF the proceedings
in the Senate, which were published on the
day after.
Biooihounds in Florida
! Mr.. Buchanan presented a memorial from the re-
presentaives Of the religious society OF Friends ia
4 Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and al,0
fourteen memorials from citizens Of the cily and
county Of Philadelphia, demonstrating against ihe
employment Of boodhounds in The war against the
Seminole Indians, and moved their reference TO the
| Committee on Military Affairs
/ MIR. Benton said he wished to say few words in
relation TO these memorials. He supposed they
like some oiher memorials large proportion Of
whose signers were women and children. He would
| say that the Government contemplated no such thing
as that prayed against BY these memoriasls, and
| they were, therefore, misdireced when they sent
them here. II some individuals Of the Territory Of
Florida have imported such animals as those men
toned in the memorials IL had been done riout he
consent or knewkdgc Of the Government. He was,
therefore, opposed 10 reference TO committee, re-
quiring them TO act on subject rhieh had eIsta
ence in point of fact
MIR. Buchanan said he had presented these memo
rias expecting that they would be referred to The
Committee on Military Affairs, without single re-
mark, knowing thti they could and would, in re-
port of dozen lines ezonerale The Government rom
his heary charge He could himself have assured
| The memorialisis that these bloodhounds had been
imported without the knowledge OF iheWar Depart
ment; bul he preferred il 10 come in more official
shape-as the report OF Committee.
On the 10Th Of February, Mr.. Benton pre-
sented a communication from the War De-
partment, and the Committee on Military Ar
fairs was discharged from the further consl
deration Of the memorials.
| The letter Of the Secretary Of War was as
| follows
| WAR DErAaTmEST,
| February IL, 1910
Sir hare the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter OF the l4th instant, transmitting from the
Committee Military Affairs number Of memorials
against the employment Of blood hounds in the present
war with the Indians Of Florida, for there
to as The may reqnire from the exeoulve branch
| Of the Government As ! have had occasion TO an
| swer similar inquiries made by member Of the House
OF Representatives, beg leave to transmit TO the COM
mi,teo copy Of that communication, which, in part
| furnishes the information required.
There be doubt, from the respectable charac-
ter of the memoralists that they animated by hu
motives IN demonstrating against the Of these
dogs; but it is equally they deceived when
they suppose that their employment will degrade the
character Of the country or render It's officers obnoxious
TO the charge OF cruelty. 1t doubtless the nten-
ton Of the authorities Of Florida, when they imported
the blood hounds them guides discover the
lurking places Of the Indians not as has been
ly believed to worry destroy them and this Depart
ment has given positive instructions to that effect If
they should be employed BY any officers in the
Of the Government, wall be seen by the accompany
! ing copy Of letter to the Commanding General in
| Florida. The Government not consulted on the
subject Of the Importation of these dogs by the Cover
| and Council Of Florida, and ignorant of the
transaction until after their arrival in the Territory but
this Department did feel itself justified in forbddng
their The inhabitants Of Florida have been cruel
ly harrassed and all their efforts, and those OF
troops have hitherto proved unavang protect Their
families from the murderous assaults Of the savagcs
If they believe that this be effected by the superior
sagacy OF these dogs, it would be inhuman TO prevent
them from making Of wha, they regard the only
means Of saving their wives and children from the
hawk and scalping knife.
beg leave to transmit herewith copy Of letter
| from A. l.. Msgennis, Esq. Of ST. Louis, which con.
tans his impressions respecting the object for which
these dogs procured, and the manner which hey
be used, derived during shor, stay which he
obliged make in Tallahassee about the time the dogs
arrived in Florida.
The memorials herewith returned.
Very respectfully,
Your obedlent servant,
J. r. POINSETT.
Hon. Thomas H BENTON,
Chairman Committee on Military Affairs
The following note to General TAYLOR,
bearing date January &c, was communicated
with the above letter;
Wan DEPARTMENT,
January 26, IS40 (
SIR II is understood by tho Department although
officially informed OF the fact, that the authorities Of
the Tcnory Of Florida have imported pack Of blood
hounds from the Island OF Cuba and think it proper
direct in the event Of those dogs being employedby
any officer officers uuder your command, that their
be confined, altogether tracking the ndIans aud
order this, and to peven, the possibility Of
their iuurng any person whatsoever that they be
zlcd when in the field and held with leash while fol-
lowing the track of the enemy