Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-10-07


The Florida war is another instance Of the bur-
dens and aggressive nature of slavery.
Though perpctualy claiming to be an independ-
ent State institution, with which neither the North
nor the general government have anything to do,
it as perpetually involves us, both in the burdens
and the shame of its defence.
The controlling object in the purchase of Florida
was to break up the asylum it afforded to escaping
slaves, and to add another, or as was desired, t,co
more slave States to the Union. But the eager
ness of tho Georgia slave hunters could not wait
for the purchase Some of the escaped slaves had
settled near together in the Spanish territory had
cleared and cultivated farms, and built fort for
their mutual protection, which secured them
against the ordinary Struggling parties of kidnap-
pers and bood hounds. To remedy this difficulty,
an order was obtained from Gen. jackson to Gen.
Gaines to enter the Spanish territory and destroy
this negro fort, and to arrest and return the fugi-
tive slaves to their masters" gun-boat belong
ing to the United States was dispatched on this
mission of piracy and foreign aggression; the fort
cannonaded with hot shot, until the magazine ex-
ploded, killing go men, women and children, for
other cause, than that they preferred liberty to
slavery! bounty of more than $1,000 was grant.
ed the officers and crew Tor this wholesale murder.
Here we see the United States army which is made
up and supported mainly by the men and money
of the free States and commanded by officers from
the slave States, committing wanton, deliberate
and unprovoked aggressionS on nclShDOrlnS ma
tion and numbering colony of fugitive slaves in
cold blood, and receiving $4,000 of our money for
the infamous act for the sole benefit and security
of this peculiar State institution, which is said to
be no concern of ours.
| The purchase of Florida removed only one diff
Guilty. that of foreign jurisdiction. The slaves
still escaped and were shielded and married among
the Indians; immense swamps afforded them Sc
curity and concealment The indians must be
induced, either by force or brbes to assist in the
business of catching and returning runaway slaves
In n treaty concluded with the Creek Indians
they were induced to Surrender up all negroes
then within their territory. Many of them nc
doubt were free, and in treaty afterwards, will
the Florida Indians, the United States agreed tC
pay them six thousand dollars, and an annuity oi
five thousand dollars for twenty years. They, or
their part, stipulated to "be active and yigilan
in preventing fugitive slaves from passing through
their country, and in apprehending and returning
to their masters such as should seek an asylum
among them" .
A similar article was inserted in most of tn,
| treaties with the Southern Indians, for which o
course, the Indians must have consideration il
money for Indian no not love villainy well enough
to practice it, like the ghfaces-gratis. Wha
right has the general government to take our mon
ey to hire patrol of Indians to stand gurd owe
the slave quarters Of Florida and Georgia? If ou
property escapes from us, we do not ask the gov
ernment to interfere, or to pay expenses.
Difficulties of course soon arose under thes
treaties. The Indians could not if they would