The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-06-11
TIE FLORIDA INDIANS-NICE SPEC
ULATION SPOILED.

! TIE FLORIDA lNDIANS-NlCE SPEC
ULATION SPOILED.
These lndinans, TO large horde of spOils-
men and spectators, have been as fruitful
as a California gold mine ever since Van Bu-
ren's administration. We dare say that
from the year 1857, the aggregate expenses
of the government on adcount Of these In
dians-a few hundreds in number, all told
have amounted to the handsome figure of
at least sixty millions of dollars. We are
assured that the expenses of "the war" as
late MS two weeks ago, amounted to thirty
thousand dollars day, although there were
only thirty Indians remaining in Florida, all
told. Each Indian, therefore, requires an
expenditure of a thousand dollars n day,
which is very good speculation. In secu-
ring the removal of Billy Bowlegs, however,
the spoilsmen and spectators concerned
killed the goose that laid the golden eggs
Had they managed the matter little more
shrewdly, they might have kept Billy in the
field for at least year or two longer They
might have bribed him, and helped him to
dodge about in the bushes; but they called
upon the administration, and the administra-
ton has ruined their Indian business entire
Iy.
We can discover that these frontier specu-
lators, contractors and lobby jobbers are at
the bottom of all these Indian wars; and, if
the facts were all known, it would doubtless
appear that these intriguing outside spois-
men have had long finger in the pie of the
Mormon rebellion. Claims from the patriotic
citizens Of Oregon, on account ofthelr Indian
wars, are now lying before Congress, to the
extent, we believe, of about five million Of
dollars; and we do not suppose that there
will ever be an end 20 indemnitics for, and to
be called for, on account of the Indian
wars, incursions, &c, in Texas, New Mexico
and California. In this view, il would be
the cheapest policy, by long shot, for the
government to maintain in the midst of all
our disaffected and wild Indian tribes, n suf-
.icient standing army force to maintain order
and to stop the depredatons of these treasu-
ry robbers, in the shape of frontier white
spectators and manufacturers to order of
Indian wars.
tB- We see it stated in some of the black
republican journals that sympathise and af
filiate with the English view of the exercise
of the right of search by British cruisers up
on our ships, that Lord Napier believes the
British government has and will insist upon
the right of visit for the examination of pa
pers.
This is the same thing, the difference be-
tween the right of visit md the right OF
search being even less than between t~ee
dledum and tweedledee. In the old authori-
ties on international law the right OF search
is always called the right of visit, and is spo-
ken of as belligerent right only. The in
sisting by England upon the claim to exer-
else this bel. rent right in time of peace
makes it question of war at once, and the
emphatic report Of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations made yesterday is but an
echo of the public sentiment Of this country.
The people of the United States are deter.
mined that their flag shall be respected, and
that under no pretence, whether slave trade
or any other trade, shall their ships be de-
tanned in time of peace. And this feeling
is not local one; the North, South, East
and West are equally unanimous upon it,
If any possible distinction can be found it is
that the Northwest is more indignant at the
insolent exercise of this right than any 9th
er section. But the entire American people
claim that American ships have the absolute
| right to sail the ocean unquestiOned in r
of their infringing the belIigerent rights OF
other nations. If England insists upon any
other principle we must have a war, and in
that case the sooner we have it the better.
DOMESTIC TROUBLES OF THE DEMOCRACY
"A late number of Foney's Philadelphia
Press, in reference tc the ensuing fall ecc.
tions, has the following g:-"Preparation are
making to pour new batch of documents, ia
support Of the Lecompton and English ini-
quities, into our State. Club rooms are be-
ing opened at Washington, otiicercd by Jones
and BigIer, and filled with clerks, from which
millions of arguments, in favor of these great
wrongs, are to be disseminated to every part
of the State. Even Owen Jones is flooding
his district with Steves's report in favor of
the very Senate bill which he so steadily OPP
posed So the issue is not only accepted,
but insisted upon; and so let il be. Pennsyl-
vania is to be made the battle ground in Oc-
tobcr. She was the battle-ground in 1866
| The theatre is the samc-the actors the same,
and the principle the same, with the differ
once that those who were elected TO office
upon the principle now stand forth fully
armed against il. These latter have many
potent influences on their side. A mass oi
patronage held out to n mass of expectants; 4
host of dependents whose bread is safe only
as they defend the wrong; n Senate ready &c
reject or ratiry. as Democrats are fair or fase
But we have great faith in the result. Tn,
people are aroused. The public mind is fill