The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-07
THE FLORIDA INDIANS.

The jacksonville correspondent of the Sa
vannah Herald writes as follows, urder date oi
April 4:
Florida has been settled by Europeans three
hundred years. During that long period a
leading staple of her history has been Indian
| hostilities. The Mickasukes are generally ad-
nitted to be the earliest denizens of the soil
The Greek Nation, more properly the Mus
cogees, whose hunting grounds once extended
across the States of Georgia and Alabama, were
a numerous race, divided into Upper and Lower
Creeks. Iu 1850 a separation took place; a
chief named Lee Coffee, with large number of
followers, left the tribe, cast off the Greek au-
thority and refused to be represented in Creek
Councils. They elected their own chiefs, and
in all respects became an independent tribe,
uniting with the Mickasukies on Florida soil.
AS they settled in the ncighborhood OF body
of fugitives from slavery, known as Seminoles,
associated and married with them, and, like
them, being fugitves from what they believed
to be grievous oppression, they were also called
Scminoles, which in their language means wan
derers Then this remnant of the Greek Ma
tlon, uniting with certain fugitive negroes from
the Spanish and English colonies, formed the
nucleus Of the nation subsequently called Sem
inoles, who possessed themselves of the whole
peninsula of Florida Nearly forty years ago
the United States Government undertook to re-
move the Seminoles of the Mississippi
river. After spending in the war, which the
schene Of removal provoked, forty millions Of
dollars, and calling to its aid pack of Cuban
blood hounds, the United States abandoned the
contest, aud the Indians still hold all that por-
ton Of the peninsula south of the Caioosahatche
river, or the twenty y-seventh degree Of latitude
These Indians are peacesble and industrious,
bnSInaSS-hut w 10
neighbors will not; hence another Seminole
war may be opened before the close Of the year.
1t is said that the Indians hold slaves; that the
negroes desire their freedom, but against their
wishes are kept in bondage by their masters.
The truth is, the negroes as free as the In
dians, work when they please, and remain with
the tribe from choice. When the last removal
of Seminoles took place in 1913, several white
men who had married squaws pocketed the
bounty which the Government offered for In
dians, and permitted their wives and children
to be separated from them and sent West
There gain on both sides; the white man
got present supply of grog- money, his better
half was emanci pated from graceless scoundrel,
disgrace to the Indian name and character.
Just such characters provoke Indian hostilties.
Colonel } ohm I. Sprague, commanding the Dis
trict of Florida, if his advice is needed, will
avoid another Indian war. An incredible num-
Der of iuvalids visit Florida for health. Why
should they not? DeLeon was the first white
adventurer to these shores, not 10 search of
medicine to heal the sick, but living fountain
which restored the aged to youth. The ambi
tious old warrior did not discover the mythical
spriue; still evidence is not wanting OF the ma
tive Floridians preserving TO great age re-
markabe vigor. A French officer, under Lau.
donniere, ranging the forests in 1865, met
venerable chief, who assured him that he was
the father of five successive generations, and
that he had lived two hundred aud fifty years
Civilization is great condenser of human life