Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-18
INTERVIEW OF FLORIDA INDIANS WITH THE
COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The six Seminole Indians recently arrived in Wash
ington were, on Thursday, introduced to Mr. Com
missioner LEA by LUTHER BLAKE, Esq, who was
deputed by the Bureau to proceed to Florida and
endeavor, as last effort, to bring about compli
ance with the Treaty of Payne's Landing of 1882,
on the part of those Semnoles persistently remain
ing in that State. With view to this desirable
end, or rather impending necessity, Billy Bowlegs
and five other Seminoes were invited on, that they
might learn at the seat of government the ultimaum
on the subject.
There were present at the interview Judge
WAYNE, of the Supreme Court; Hon. JACKSON
MORTON, of Florida; Hon. JOHN HI. EATON, and
several other gentlemen, either now in time past
connected with the business.
The Commissioner told the Indians that he was happy
to see them, wished them to look upon him as their
friend and that they should consider all he said die
tated by friendship and truth He hoped they would
ply in the way, and empty their minds of all they
wished him to understand
The Commissioner invited Billy Bowlegs to speak, and
that without fear restraint; for though he in
strange place and amongst strangers he must still look
upon his friends, leaving him nothing to fear He
desired that what said should be just the if it
were said at Billy's own home in Florida.
Billy Bowlegs in answer to this invitation, declined to
speak now, he had bad cold and other
wished more time In reply to question why Sam Jones
did not come Billy said that he might have brought his
dead flesh here but could not get him to alive.
The Commissioner said he very glad to see those
who were present, even without Sam Jones'
4 Billy then remarked that he here to understand
all about the treaties The that had made those trea
ee daad with he was
find out the truth
The Commissioner then entered into heightened but
clear Ineligible and pointed address to these Indians
In he laid before them the nature Of the treaty Of 1892
binding the United States Government the hand
and the Seminole nation the other The Semnoles in
this treaty. he sad surrendered their country to the
United States and agreed west of the Misss
spp country prepared for them by the Government
But when the time for removal great many of the
Seminoles refused CO. thus being unwilling carry out
the treaty made by their headmen behalf of the whole
nation This produced trouble, and devastating war,
destructive to the lives of many whites and Indians broke
out 1t is true that most of the who had made the
treaty Dead but the treaty itself much alive
as Men die, but treaties live The treaties
between our own and foreign Governments continue
to live though their makers die The treaty Of 1882
with the Seminole Naon and not merely with the
who signed it.
The Commissioner feared that the nature of certain
rangements which had been made from time to time in
Florida by officers of the Government with Semnoes
misunderstood These arrangements temporary
only, and not permanent like treaties. Gen. WORTH had
gone Down Florida and made such arrangement but
treaty and if the Semnoles had been told it
they deceived The lands sold to the United States
by the treaty Of 1882 belong the Government and
the property of the Semnoes longer If treaty had
been made to this effect the United States might have
permitted the Seminoes remain, but they
do it without the of the State of Florida, which
State demands their removal according TO the treaty
The Seminoles the only Indians in this position
there is tribe similarly situated in the far Northwest
The Commissioner to that tribe in the
way that he now does to the Seminoles.
The State of Florida getting very impatient, and
had threatened to send force of her and drive the
Seminoles out the United States did not do for them
This the state of the case which of the
Seminoes see and it prevent murderous col
sions between the cowboys Of Florida and the United
States soldiers the hand and the Seminoes the
other that the Commissioner had adopted the he
had in bringing them here. If broke out be-
tween the whites and Seminoles the latter would be all
destroyed 1t is natural for a to love his native
home and he (the Commissioner had the same feeling
with other but he had changed home two three
times in his fe and would do again any thing like
the inducements held out the Seminoles offered
him. The Indians therefore, in Florida do not appear
to be acting wisely they be listening the bad
advice Of bad Even the United States could per-
init them stay in Florida it would be best for the
Seminoles emgrate Those that had gone west Of the
Mississippi doing we'll they did in Flori
da and better than those remaining in that State
The Government kindly disposed towards the Semi
nOes, and would if they peaceably removed, do much
for them, as a united tribe, in their new home.
The Commissioner appealed the colored interpreter
Abrdham who resided fourteen years west of the Mis
sppi to the prosperity he enjoyed there. Abra-
ham confirmed what had been asked of him.
The Commissioner said that the whole matter this
The treaty Of 1882 binds the Semnoles remove and If
they do so, all will be well with Them; if they do not
nothing but difficulty trouble and danger await them.
Gen. BLAKE had been sent to them to say this and
doubt he had done it. II any body advised them contrary
TO what the Commissioner had said he had told
untruth and if they did not believe the Commissioner
now, they very soon would
The Commissioner then invited Billy Bowlegs to reply
when he in better health and had time consider
This he promised to do.
Arrangements then made to call the President
Of the United States soon who, said Col LEA will have
great pleasure in speaking with them Gen. BLAKE would
attend all their wants and reasonable desires whilst in
the city. The Indians then shook hands and retired.
Before leaving the building they conducted into
the Of the Quarermasters Bureau, Gen JEsUPs
the General having known Billy Bowlegs and one
or two Of his companions in Florida. They seemed
pleased with the recognition and answered sundry little