The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-09

vicinity, and that the Saptan-OeneIO OF CuDa n&0
not sent out naval force 70 look after nbusteros IN
the neighborhood Of SAmans. Thus we ind that the
rumored attempts Of the French to acquire territory
in St. Domingo have, like the Sonora affair fallen to
the ground.
Captain Anderson and one Of the crew OF the
schooner James c. Fisher lost their lives by the sink
ing Of that vessel, last Wednesday night. The
schooner was bound to this city, with grain from WI
mington, Delaware.
The mill of the American Powder Company, In
Acton Mass blew up last Friday, killing three men,
named Hudson, Balloon, and Hanson. One hundred
and fifty kegs of powder exploded
Eleven cars. laden with dressed hogs, from the
West, Yesterday reached Dunkirk, on their way 10
this city, If lake navigation continues open the re-
mainder Of the season. as is now probable, provisions
are likely TO be cheap after while.
Coroner Hilton held an inquest yesterday evening,
at Bellevue Hospital, upon the body Of man named
Cornelius Cummings, who died on Friday morning,
from the effect Of injuries received by means Of a
piece Of rock being driven by the discharge Of a
blast through the roof of the house in which he
eating his dinner. The verdict is against the Farm
ers' Trust and Loan Company, to whom the property
belonged upon which the men were quarrying. We
win give full report Of the testimony tomorrow.
The steamship Humboldt, with advices from Eu-
rope to the 22d ut, and the America, with dates to
the 25th are greatly over due. The former will
come to this port, and the latter to Halifax.
The Seminole Outbreak-Our Indian Policy.
Another war in Florida is staring US in the
face. The Seminoles will not ratify the treaty
made by Billy Bowlegs, and that slippery gen.
tlemen-whether acting under duress or Of his
own free will we are left to decide-has made
off to the swamps at the head Of his warriors.
The charitably inclined tell us that Billy tried
hard to induce his followers to act like honest
men. and actually spent four weeks in vain
struggles to procure the ratification OF the
treaty. but that his faithess henchmen. resolved
to maintain to the last the character for
treachery and cunning which they have gained,
not only remained deaf to his arguments. but,
assailing Billy on his weak point. levanted
with his wives in their possession-thus ensur-
ing his prompt junction with them. Others,
again, whose knowledge Of the Indian character
entities their opinions to grave respect, suggest
that the willy chief, whose visit to New York is
fresh in our memories. never intended to carry
out the treaty he executed; but that. with true
Indian duplicity, having enjoyed very plea
SAINT journey through the Northern States and
suffered great men and ladies to caress him, his
first advice to his clan, on his return, was to
stick to the territory he had sworn to abandon,
and snap their fingers at the treaties he had
solemnly promised to observe. Whichever
sentiment be the correct one-unless our in
formation be wide of the truth-it is perfectly
clear that fresh Seminole war is about to
break out. and that Billy Bowlegs is either an
active instigator or a reluctant participation in
the recent hostile movements.
1t would be an easy matter to excite public
feeling to pitch that would bode no good to
the Indians, were we to enlarge on the in
variable duplicity and perfdy Of their conduct
towards u.s. There would be few who could
read unmoved the detail Of our transactions
with the red men of the forest: our constant
and untiring efforts to ameliorate their condi-
ton: and, in return their persevering hostility
when hostility was safe their uttar d's~"e'~--'
OF the most solemn conventions. when remote
from the avenging arm OF our sOldiery. That
such recital would be fully justifable, what
ever were the results we firmly believe. But
it will not we trust. be needed to stimulate our
authorities to Jealous discharge of their duty.
The Department of War at Washington and the
Legislature Of Florida, do not require to be told
that the only vulnerable point in the Indians
breast is his fear Of punishment. and that an
oath sits as lightly On his conscience as the rib
bons which flaunt on his war dress. General
Blake will, we doubt not he enabled and re-
auired to prosecute the war with merciless
vigor
1t is now seventeen years since the govern
ment at Washington received news from Flo
rida which obliged us to send the flower of our
troops, under our ablest generals, into the moi
some swamps of that State. OF the disastrous
campaign of 1886, and the fate of Major Dade
and the brave men who persisted during the war;
il were too painful to tell here, and since that
time it may be said that the Seminoles have
never been thoroughly quelled. Partaking, it
would seem, of the attributes Of the noxious
animals who share their unwholesome retreats
they have ever been on the alert to sting the
unwary traveller, or teach the settler in Florida
that baleful swamps and a poisonous atmos
phere were not after all, the worst foes he has
to contend against. Time after time have their
warriors fed from the presence Of our troops
or sought, under covert of a peridious treaty, a
temporary impunity for their crimes, and truce
to the persecution they so richly deserve.
Neither kindness nor itful severity have
availed US anything; the first was met by un-
blushing ingratitude, the latter by rancorous
surrender. We have been taught-Heaven
knows at what cost that nothing but the
total extirpation Of the vermin, or at least their
gerous propensities may he safely INDUCED
against the brute creation will secure to our
fellow-citizens in Florida that peace and tran