, 1841-07-17

The moment he made this demand the orator
sat down. The chief made no reply, bu,
hung his head in apparent confusion. AT.
ter a moments pause Duval proceeded:
81 am well aware of the meaning OF this
war council; and deem it my duty to warn
YOU against prosecuting the schemes you
have been devising. If a single hair OF q
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 oi
your Great Father at Washingtons .yho can,
crush you. like an egg-shell! You may kii
mel am but one man; but recollect, white
men are numerous as the leaves on the trees.
Remember the fate Of your warriors whose
bones are whitening on battle-felds. Re-
member your wives and children who per.
isbed in the swamps. Do You want to pro-
woke more hostilitieS? Another war with
The white men. and there will not be a Semi
mole left to tell The story of his race"
Seeing the effect of his words, he conc!u
ded by appointing n day FOR the Indians 10
meet him il ST.. Iarks. and give an accoun'
Of their conduct. He then rode of. without
giving them time TO recover from their sur
PRISE. That night he rode forty miles TO
Apiiachicnla river. to the tribe Of the same
name. who were in feud with tic Se;Hinoles.
They promptly put two hundred pnd MY
warriors 81 his disposal, whom he'ordered TO
be at st. Marks at the appointed day. lie
sent out runners. also, and mustered one hun
Gred of the nIiiiiII to repair 10 the same
place. together with n number of regulars
from the army. All his arrangements were
successful.
Having taken these measures. he return
ed Ia Tallahassee, to the nciahoUI hood of the
conSpiratorS, TO show that he was not an
AID. Here lac ascertlined through Yellow
Hair. That gine towns were dIsatfected, and
had been concerned IN the conspiracy. He
was careful 10 inform HIMSELF. from the same
source. o! the names. Of the warriors in each
of those towns who were most popular,
though poor and destitute Of command.
When the appointed dav was 1t hand for
the meeting nj 81. Marks. Gov. Du,al SET off
with Neama.ha!a. who was nj the head Of
eight or nine hundred warriors. out who fear
ed 10 venture into the fort witliou, him. As
they entered the fort. and saw troops and
militia drawn up there. arta force OF Apr
llchicula warriors on the opposite bank of
the river. they thought they were betrayed,
and were about 10 1y; but Duval assured
them they were safe. and that when the talk
was over. they might go home unmolested.
A grand talk was DOW held, in which the
late conspiracy was discussed. As he had
forrseen. Neama,hla an the other I'D chiefs
threw all the blame upon the Young men.
SWELL" replied Duval. "with US white men.
when we find Il man incompetent 10 govern
tho>e under him. we put him down, and ap.
point another in has mace. Now rs you all
acknowledge you cannot manage your young
men. we must put chiefs over them who
can"
So saving. he deposed Neamathla first ar-
pointing another in his place. & so on with al
the rest. taking care 10 substitute the warri.
ors who had been pointed out TO him as poor
and popular, putting medals round their
nccks, and investing them with great cere-
mnnv.
The Indians were surprised and delighted
ut finding The appointments fall upon the
very men thev would themselves have chosen.
and h1Ilei them with acclamations. The
Warriors thus unexpectedly elevated 10 the
command, and clothed with dignity, were
secured 10 the interests OF the Governor.
and sure to keep an eve on the disaffected.
As TO the great chief Neamathla. he left the
country in disgust returned 10 the Creek ma
ton, who elected him a chief Of one Of their
towns. Thus by the r~esoluie spirit and
prompt sagacity of one man. q dangerous
conspiracy was completely defeated. Gov.
Duval was afterwards enabled 10 remove
the whole nation. through his own rers nal
influence. without the aid Of the General
Government.