The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-20
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 90 184o

TIC HointHl he maze lnlS demand, tht
orator sat down. The chief made no re
ply, but hung his head in apparent con
fusion. After moments pause, DIVA
, proceeded:
81 am well aware of the meaning O
this war council; and deem it my duty
to warn you against prosecuting the
schemes you have been devising. If 9
single hair of a white man in this country
falls to the ground, | will hang you and
your chiefs on the trees around your
council-house You cannot pretend to
withstand the power Of the white men.
You are in the palm of the hand of your
Great Father at Washington, who can
crush you like an cgg-shell! You may
Kill me: | am but one man. but recol-
lect, white men are numerous as the
leaves on the trees. Remember the fate
of your warriors whose bones are white
ming in battle-ields. Remember your
wives and children who persisted in
swamps. Do you want to provoke more
hosilllies Another war with the white
men, and .here will not be Seminole
left to tell the story of his race"
Seeing the effect Of his words, he con-
cluded by appointing day for the Indi-
ans to meet him at ST. Marks, and give
All account of their conduct. lie then
rode off, without giving them time to re-
cover from their surprise. That night he
rode forty miles to Apalachicola river, to
the tribe of the same name, who were in
feud with the Seminoles. They prompt
ly put two hundred and fifty warriors at
his disposal, whom he ordered to be at
st. Marks at the appointed day. He
sent out runners, also, and mustered one
hundred Of the militia to repair to the
same place, together with number of re-
gulars from the army. All his arrange
menis were successful.
Having taken these measures, he re-
turned to Tallahassee, to the neighbour
hood of the conspira,ors, to show them
that he was not afraid. Here he ascer-
tanned through Yellow Hair, that nine
towns were disaffected, and had been con-
cerned in the conspiracy. He was care
full TO inform himself, from the same
source, of the names of the warriors in
each OF those towns who were most pop
ular, though poor, and destitute of rank
and command.
When the appointed day was at hand
for the meeting at st. Marks, Governor
Duval set off with Neamathla, who was
at the head of eight or nine hundred
warriors, but who feared to venture into
the fort without him. As they entered
the fort, and saw troops and militia drawn
up there, and force Of palachicola sol
dlers stationed on the opposite bank of
the river, they thought they were betray-
A grand talk was now held, in which
the late conspiracy was discussed. As
he had foreseen, Neamathla and the other
old chiefs threw all the blame upon the
young men. "Well," replied Duval,
with us white men, when we find a |
man incompetent TO govern those under
HIM, we put him down, and appoint
another in his place. Now as you all
acknowledge you cannot manage your
young men, we must put chiefs over
them who cam
So saying. he deposcd Neama,hla first
appointing another in his place and SO
on with the rest; taking care to subst-
tute the warriors who had been pointed
to hun as poor and popular putting
medals round their necks, and investing
them with great ceremony. The Indians
were surprised and delighted at finding
the appointments fall upon the very men
they would themselves have chosen, and
hailed them with acclamations. The
warriors thus Unexpectedly elevated to
command, and clothed with dignity, were
secured to the interests of the governor
and sure TO keep an eye on the disaffect-
ed. As to the great chief Neamathla, me
left The country in disgust, and returned
TO the Creek Nation, who elected him
chief of one of their towns. Thus by the
resolute spirit and prompt sagacity of one
man, a dangerous conspiracy was COM
pletely defeated. Governor Duval was
afterward enabled to remove the whole
nation, through his own personal inhu-
ence, without the aid OF the General
Government.