Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-04-14

chase made by General Jessup. The
purchase was effected in .ths market
with the appreciation Of the high officers
of State, aud in The midst Of Cbrastlan
community Now, sir, In order that
NAV be understood, will leave the pur-
chase and sale oflhe slaves for moment,
and ask the patience Of the committee
while relate the brief story OF their tray
els and peregrinations. They were sent
from Florida Immediately after the order
oflhe 9th ofSeptember, 1887, to F'ori PiKe,
near New ORLEANS. Here some sixty OF
them were detained BY pretended Claim
sci IN by persons living In Georgia, VINO
insisted that this 'public property" was
their own proper goods and chattels; while
General Gaines, who appeared better ver-
sed ia the law of nations end the military
code than he is. in the slavetrade, boldly
claim them as prisoners of aoar." Yes,
Mr.. Chairman, these negroes, declared
by one commanding general TO be the
.sproperty Of the public" were boldly as
serted BY another to BE- prisoners OF war
In the mean time, Lieutenant Reynolds
was deputed to conduct the emlgrallng
Indians TO their home west OF the Mlssls-
sippi. Among the Seminoles were these
slaves, who had been the subject of cap
ture and purchase, yet remaining at Fort
Pike, all under the charge OF Lieutenant
REYNOLDS To him Mr.. Collins, agent
for the Creek warriors, and acting, as
Watson says. for him, also attended by
Waison's brother, applied to get possess
ion of the negroes, and presented the or
der Of The Secretary of War for their de-
livery TO CnIlins. There is some differ
ence in the relation Of Collins and that Of
Lieutenant Reynolds Mr.. Watson says
distinctly that General Gaines and Lieu
tenant Reynolds both refused to obey the
order ofthe honorable Secretary to deliver
over the negroes. General Gaines appears
to have declared them prisoners of War.
and ordered them to be sent TO the place
assigned the Srminoles west ofthe Mlssis-
sipp; and Lieutenant Reynolds, punctli.
Gus in the discharge of his military duty,
"took the responsibility" and started on
his way with Indians and Negroes. both
slaves and freemen. He landed his charge
at Little Rock in Arkansas, 10 which place
he was followed .: attended by Collins,
who, faithful to his trust, determined to
get the negroes. AT that place he again
demanded them Of Lieutenant Reynolds.
Bot difficulty now interposed, for that
officer had not military force sufficient to
hold the Indians in subsection, if irrilaed
BY an attemp, to deliver over the negroes
to Collins, TO be brought back as slaves TO
a. II tha.afo-a oatl, al
upon the Governor of Arkansas for troops
to enable him 10 effect that object. But
Governor Roane, thinking the safety OF
the people of his State more important
than the slave nade, refused all military
aid. and required 1t. Reynolds to proceed
forthwith OIL his way to the territory as
signed 10 the Indians. In his answer to
Ii. Reynolds, he says: Had the Govern
ment intended to dispose of these negroes
to the Creek warriors, it should have done
so in Florida. and not brought Indians and
negroes TO Arkansas, the vicinity Of their
future residence, and irritate the Indians
to madness and turn them losse upon our
frontirs when we have no adequate protec
ticn. The massacre of our citizens woulc
be The inevitable consequence. Your i'm
mediate departure will insure peace, and
avertthe oGlrages you had such good cause
to expect"
Thus, Mr.. Chairman, you see that We
were brought to the very verge Of a wal
scest Of The Mississippi, by reason of the
efforts of our officers TO maintain slavery
and the slave trade. But Collins, who sc
far as the public documents speak Of him
was the agent Of the Creek warriors, now
applied 10 these same Greek warriors TO
possession Of the negroes. This, sir, i
another curiosity. The negroes wert
taken west among the very Indians wh'
originally captured them, and in who's
name the Government officers and Collin
were trying 10 obtain possession of them
But these warriors, having received tn
Gl4,600 10 "the better currency" show
ed no disposition to interfere any further
4 Indeed. they said that they had sold tn
negroes, and the United States had posses
sion Of them, and that the Greeks wer
under no obligation to interfere any fur
Their in the business. But Collins, eve
faithful to his trust, remained in that coun
try, and a correspondence took place be
tween him and the honorable Secretary o
War, and other officers of Government. il
regard 10 the measures 10 be adopted il
order to get the negroes back into slavery
Orders were sent to General Arbuckle
and councils of The Indians. were called
the Indians, however, showed but liul
disposition TO aid their white brethren il
enslaving those who had gained their lib
ery by such concentration ofcircumstar
ces. In short, sir, they showed almost q
much insensibiliiy to The claims of on
Shareholders, as our more civilized friend
John Bull, has 50 often evinced except
ing, always, that the Indians civiliy an
swered all questions on the subject, Will
haliar.a The Rritish Cxnuar., -, 4 -. !. =