Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-02-12
The Florida Indians,

On the goth Of Jan. tho President sent to the
Senate Message in relation to the Florida
Indians, of which the following is an extract:
have the honor herewith to transmit re-
port from the Secretary of the Interior, from
which It appears that the efforts Of that depart
mcnt to induce tho Indians remaining in Flor
ida TO migrate to the country assigned to their
tribe, West of the Mississippi, have been en-
trely unsuccessful.
The President goes on further to say that the
military force now in the State is
inadequate to capture or expcl them, or even
TO protect the white settlements from their in
cursions.
lie, however, declines to mako any recon-
mcndation, and submits the whole matter to
Congress :" for such action as they may deem
best" Accompanying this message is a COM
munication from the Secretary Of the Interior,
from which we extract the following succinct
statement of the relation which these Indians
now hold towards the authorities Of the United
States;
As carly MS the 9th of May, 1882, q treaty
was entered into with the Scminoles, known as
the Treaty of Paync's Landing, by which they
rciuquishcd oil their claims to Lands in Flori-
da, and bound themselves to remove thcrcirom
within three years. When that time had cX-
pircd, they refused to comply with the terms
of the treaty, and resort was had TO military
force to cxpcl them from the country A fierce
struggle ensuod, which lasted for moro than six
years; and, after a vast expenditure of blood
and treasure, tho Government found itself baf-
fled in all its attempts to drive them from their
haunts in the swamps aud forests with which
tho country abounds, and which were inacccs.
sible to the regular troops.
Finding tho efforts Of the army fruitless, an
arrangement was subsequently made in 1915,
by Mr.. Polk which established neutral ter
ritory of twenty miles in width, Gn which all
white settlements were forbiddcn,) along the
entire border of n district within which the
Indians were allowed to remain. Things stood
in this way till last summer, when deputation
of Indians, headed by the Chief of tho tribe,
Captain Billy Bowlegs, visited Washington,
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, by which
they agreed to so home and get their people
to emigrate at the "carliest possible day."
But the Indians held a council in December,
and repudated that treaty, and threatened to
depose Billy and elevate his sister to the chief
command Whether this tawny chieftain, like
some other rulers of more distinguished pre-
tensions, and wider renown, has connivod at
this violation Of tho treaty, and encourages
perfdy toward the other high contracting party.
or whether he is acting in good faith, we are
left to infer from our knowledge of barbarian
duplcity, when tutorcd by a semicivilzed race
living in constant hostility toward, and losing
no opportunity of inilicting summary vengeance
upon, their savage foes.
The plan now recommended by Gen. Blake,
iwho was sent down with Billy to superintend
the execution of the treaty,) to accomplish the
final expulsion of the remnant of this little
band of Scminolcs, is to send out surveying
parties under a military escort, and so corner
and capture or shoot them in detail. This
plan is sanctioned by the Commissioner, Mr..
Lea. Meantime, Mr.. Senator Mallory, in
letter dated the 9th of January, calls upon the
Secretary of tho Interior for
prompt measures TO compel the removal OF
this band of cut-throats, who have outraged
every feeling Of humanity, and whose treachery
demands the sternest correction
And the Governor of Florida announces, un-
der date of the 18th ulto., to Secretary Stuart,
that ho has, in consequence of the unprotected
state OF the frontier, ordered regiment of
mounted volunteers into service for its protec-
tion.
Thus stands the case of tho Scminoles to.
day. We are apparently entering on chapter
2d Of the history of the attempt of the United
States Government to cxpel the Florida, In
dians. The war, which has slumbercd since
1888, it would appear, is now about to be re-
newed. If it fairly opens, gentlemen need not
distress themselves about the surplus IN the
National Treasury. Florida will take it at a
gulp.- Tribune.