The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-26


Were all the circumstances attending the administra-
ton Of the Indian affairs OF Florida for the past eighteen
months expo sed we wlyenture 10 assert that the an
mails of the country could not produce system more
characterized by gross ignorance, absurd presumption,
reckless expenditure OF public money, and wful deceit,
than has marked that pursued in Florida
In the National In,elligencer OF the 30th December
appears, under the form OF editorial paragraph the
following: at was hoped (says the Floridian and Jour
na) that detachment of Florida Indians would remove
during the present month but General Blake reports
much sickness among the people, and that I'M
healthy than they have just passed has not in
many years been experienced by them, The immediate
emigration is necessarily somewhat delayed.
Now il Gen Blake made any such report, (and is
to be presumed the Flordian did not speak without
authority he made with an object. and without
any authentic data which 10 base il Tor whether the
Indians have been scky not is a matter altogether be-
You'd the knowledge OF Gen Blake, or any other white
man either in out of Florida The Indians had held
little communication with the whites for time
previous to the date OF this report and when they
did condescend to hold any such communication the in
formation derived from them with respect TO the health OF
the triAs. was more TO be relied upon than the widest
report that circulated with respect TO the
unknown subject. II there any meaning in the re-
port, therefore, il 10 convey the idea, to those who
have of knowing better, that the Indian agent
(Gen. Blake) had been among the Indians, and
tanned personally that they had been scky. This idea
u
know anything upon the subject that General Blake
never has been among the Indians, and that he, well
most white men in Florida, has always evinced too
much regard tor his own life ever to trust himself
further into the Indian country Than the nearest military
post.
The sickness in the tribe is assigned reason why
the emigration is Unnecessarily somewhat delayed !" but
in letter from General Blake. dated at Fort Myers
Florida December Is, is reported 81 regret to inform
you that the Seminoles refuse TO comply with their
agreement to emgrae 7" This looks rather Inconsistent
and in all probability had Gov Browns message been
delayed two months, the Inconsistency would fever
have appeared TO the world until after the 4th of March
next "They say they intend 10 remain here" in
the letter, and he might have added with truth,
shave always said since have been agent" To
what "asreemen does General Blake refer in his letter.
Is it 10 that in the treaty OF Payne's andng II so,
their refusal TO comply is nothing new. Or is it TO that
called agreement said to have been made by Billy
Bowlegs while in Washington To the latter we pre-
sumo and with respect to this, we have TO say that
Billy, although king of the Seminoles, is not supreme
among his own people; and this no doubt, General
Blake and those over him have discovered TO their cos
by this time. Billys agreement while in Washing
ton is looked upon by those who know and who have
cause 70 know him most beautiful illustration Of
his powers and character politician, and but
totally ignorant of, and therefore totally incompetent
TO act negotiaor agent with, him. could have
been sodeceved by him. and is TO be hoped that should
those who have had charge of the Indian department
during this administration be called on to act in
like capacity again. OF which there is but lille probab
y, they will profit by their experience, and learn that
il is better in intercourse with the Indians TO employ
persons who know something about them and their poll
ics and who look for deceit from them some times,
than take those who are al the best, but bad polil
clans among white people, but who, when they in
contact with the Indians are too apt to believe anything
that is told them, and allow the prospect of lining their
noe %
and who, moreover, imagine that the Indians a
corrupt some white people, and that If they
coed in oribng the chiefs with plenty OF government sill
the rest OF the tribe will acquesce, matter of
course, and allow The agent pocket their share Such
men very apt TO receive for lf Ieu ed
u comply with your request. when every man, W man.
and child knew what each one was TO get, and knew
tina, they would get H. do you think will comply
when you bride chiefs, and give nothing but uu-
certainty to look forward to |"
The fact that the authorizes have been so wiifury
blind in this that they have refused to listen 1,
reason, and only now, when late remedy le
evil, convinced that the prophecies of the failure of their
emigration and money making scheme. made to them
months ago. about to be fi led and wishing to
have the whole nefatious scheme exposed and the reck
less waste OF money lad open to thu people, they at
tempting to keep the matter quiet possible until after
the 4th OF March and this reflection may materially aid
in accounting for the inconsistency between General
Blakes letter OF the 18th December, and the statement in
the inelgence OF the 3oth published, no doubt, by
that paper with honesty OF Intention but showing sadly
OF proper inform ion upon the subject or, what
is more likely one card in the hand of man who is
playing for high stake. We apt TO bs distrustfu
when reports directly opposite circulated long
after the true state of the has been officially reported
to the authorities.
With respect TO the amount OF money which il has
the government TO emgrate 10 Indians and
tard the emigration OF the for indefinite period,
by system Of which the commissioner with very com
mendable ankness admits at the outset he is not san
guine OF success il is only necessary to state that the
mere i." which to be, by Mr.. Las report, the
loss to government in OF failure, has already sweled
to S7J 900 How much of this will be set down az
expended 10 experimental expenses" (Which, from
what we have seen, presume means going on a wild
goose chase with Billy BowlegS from Florila to New
York, to show him that the "whes "a numerous as
the leaves the trees Of his native forestry and hew
much will be returned to the treasury Of poor vctimzed
Uncle Sam, remains yet TO be seen.
The agent seems TO have thought il advisable TO ad-
minister his ndueement for the Indians to go west
in small doses He first slyy offers the chiefs brides,
then threatens them with war il they don't go, and
then does what was recommended and ought TO have
been adopted in lS50res both these inducements the
same time. Bu then, this method not adopted,
apd the Indian affairs wisely transferred TO the
Home Department" we presume that now, that every
Il