Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-02
FLORIDA INDIANS, SHIP CANAL, Sc.
or THE \ = COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER

CORRESPONDENTS THE \. y. COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER
TAMPA, MARcH, 1853.
The inhabitants of this thriving little clapboa-d village
are just wonderfully stirred up by the reports given
respecting the pract cability Of ship canal the
State BY the exploring party which has recently in
Property has risen exces syey upon the gades. During
the last week many vag lots have changed hands One
which had been held durny the winter $780, sold for
5000 Another which, with the building, could get no
purchaser at $1,000 month ago. sold yesterday for
$loOo The surrey for the nal is yet TO be made All
that this speculative excteme 1t is based upon is the
simple fact that line for the al has been found which
proves to be better than anc pated The supply of
water promises to be abundant and there is but the
slight elevation of twelve feet to be overcome. The
question now to be settled is, will this sandy soil of
Florida admit OF ship canal The surveying exped-
ton which left here the 9th instant will clear road
along the entire line, and dig wells Of fifteen feet depth
at intervals not exceeding mile When this work,
requiring about two months is pished, something
satisfactory may be known to the praeticaby of the
proposed undertaking but until then speculation 10 idle
The engineers meanwhile bound to keep silent upon
the subject and to give the first expression of their
opinion In the form Of report to the Department at
Washington In accordance with this discreet regulation
Capt GRAHAM at the head of the Corps United States
Engineers here, remains perfectly uncommunicatye in
the matter Spectators viii have him to blame
for their mistakes The prevailing opinion among the
most intelligent men throughout the State is that the
canal is impracticabe.
The preparations for an Indian begin excite
the cupdity, ear or passions of the Florans ac-
cordng their private interests be affected in the
matter The spirit of Tampa is for war; because money
is to be made of it for this place Most Of the Unit
ed States officers stationed here think the action of the
State Legislature which necessitates conflict with
the Indians injudicous and that it would have been
better to have extended the jurisdiction of the State
the Indian territory and have trusted the regular
operation of criminal law for the removal of the danger
characters of the tribe. In consequence Of this
opinion the tone of the sovereign people of Tampa
ward the garrison is any thing but complimentary.
The Indians certainly have no intention of leaving
their territory until driven from it by the sword, and
they will probably make desperate fight the last but
neither they disposed to be the aggressors in
They have shown of late strong disposition keep the
peace, and to live quietly within the limits assigned
them. 4
Congress has declined the overture of the State to en-
gage in the removal of the Indians the State therefore
will attempt to do it alone In little than month
hostites must commence by the decision Of the Legs
lature. The two regiments proposed far from being
made up; the appropriation Of $500,000 though ex-
ceedingly oppressive to the treasury Of the State is
wholly inadequate to the emergency but the die is
the law Of the land IS that after the 4th Of May
state of shall exist between the Semnole and the
whites of Florida Should the Indians anticipate the
day with such blow they well able to strike
there will be boodshed and devastation and misery
caused to the settlers in single week than would have
occurred during the Of the century had the Indians
simply been made subject the laws Of the State Such
at least is the strong conviction Of large proportion
if not the majority, Of the people Of Florida.