The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-02-01
tfrom ille Tallal,ussee Floridianl
The EIitis;sIts.

| The rnmor mentioned in ourlastre-
garding the refusal of the indians to
emigrate, has been since confirmed by
the receipt Of letters from General
Blake, and from j. Darling, Esq, of
Tampa We publish the letters on:
our first page, along witha brief. mes
sage from the Governor relating to the
same subject. We confess that this
intelligence has taken us somewhat By.
surprise. 1t is true, VIC had no conf.
dcncc in the expressed opinion ofGcn.
Blake and others that tho savagcs in
tended to keep their faith and to en-
| igratc-but we did not think that their
refusal would be SO prompt and SO
direct. We rather looked for con-
tinuation of Seminole diplomacy a
longer humbugging Of the snail-pa-
ccd powers at Washington. with de-
lusive promises, and 50 forth. Bow
legs, however, scons further con
ccnlmcut--hc throws down the guagc,
and shouts defiance to all concerned.
This present posture of the quc:-
ton, we suppose, will arouse the Gov
crnmcnt at Washington to the ncccs-
sity Of at least making show Of do
ing something. They have managed,
by their bungling movements and
i,ubccilc policy, to drive the Indians TO
their Businesses i'll the swamps, from
which they may spread devastation
and death along the frontier before Il
single company of troops is on the
spot to protect the exposed iuhabi-
tants, aud now an effort would ap-
pear to be absolutely Indispensable
in order to retrieve past errors aud
put things in a position to meet this
new emergency.
Bowlegs would seem, too, to have
cared or been influenced very little by
the marches and countcr-marchcs OF
the Governors Special, Agent, the
Major General Of the Eastern Divis.
ion. From General Hopkins long re.
ports, and the grand ilourishcs his Ex,
ccllcncy made, we verify believed that
the Seminole Chief was 1uaking in
his moccasins. and that his trip to TIC
aCsrcat Father at Washington was
the happy result of nine months
scout on the part OF Gen. ii But ro!-
scarcely has the ink dried on his last
despatch, in which he deliberately as
surcs his Exccllcncy that ''my (hisl
late investigation has relieved the
frontier people very much-thcy feel
for the present comparatively saic''-
when Bowlegs silently rctires into
the woods, and without the fear of Ma.
! jor General Hopkins before him, dc.
clarcs he will not bulge one foot
Thus ends II lime months q'o$i war, i,
an expense 70 the State OF some .liliy
thousand dollars moro or less.
But tho aspect of things now pre-.
scented brings up the question at once
OF force or IachiNG1 oNt. There is nc
avoiding this altcrnativea, The In,
dams say fatty they will no(ssxo, con.
trrofr
| persuasive than acoyHs must either be
made, ,.or the Peninsula Will continue to
be occupied by the savagcs. Which
shall be done! Shall jorec be en-
| ploycd, or will the authorities buck
ont, and acknowledge themselves whip.
pct! SO far as Florida is concern
cd, VIC believe there is an unmistake-
able determination in the Executive
and Legislative departments to meet
the question as it thus presents itself
md to act. The bill which passed
the House on Thursday night, and the
Senate on yesterday, IS a ayur meas
are. Is contemplatcs no child's play,
no more vascillation-bn looks ia
force and force only. Yet it is Il
sorry piece Of business that the State is
compelled thus to interfere and pro-
tcct herself, but what else can she do!
If the power whose solemn duty it is
to remove these mauraudcrs will not
act, can the State do otherwise than
take the matter into her own hands?
But we have no idea that The State will
be forced to do the business on hcl
own account. The General Govern.
lncnt must sec that the day for nc.
sotiation has gone by. and that
the hour for action has come; and
VIC believe further that all that is now
needed TO constrain the authorities at
Washington into decisive movements
is an energetic rcmonstrancc from the
Executive, and active efforts on the
part Of our delegation in Congress,
backed by the determined measures
proposed by the General Assembly.
We believe, moreover, that the two
regiments to be raised by the act in
question will be accepted, and We
should not be surprised if tho entire
management of tho ayn' (tor such il
is certain to bc) is committed 70
them. At all events, let The course ol
the General Government be what il
may, it is the boumdcn duty of the
State TO do something. We owe it to
the people Oh the lronticr--wc owc il
to our immediate and future pros.
pcrity. Every consideration OF inter.
est, humanity and safety appeals to
us, and we cannot escape the rcspon.
sibility of definite action. The Slate will
have thus TO take the initiatiyc. soon.
or or latcr--and there never WILL be