Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-08-14
SLAVERY IN FLORIDA.
Barbaric Independence Of the Ever
giades Seminoies.

as strict bondage as ever they were
before the great war in any part OF
the country. Slavery survives, how
ever only among the few remnants
Of the Seminole tribe who still have
their homes in the woods and ever
gIades south and east Of the Caloosa-
hatchie River. There are many fam
lilies OF the red man who, though per-
fectly i~noffensiye SO far as the whites
are concerned maintain a dignifed in
dependence Of the general laws and
administer their own affairs in a way
strongly reminiscent Of patriarchal
traditions. They live principally by
the chase and upon the fish Of which
all Florida waters, lakes, streams and
seas are extremely prolific; and for
vegetable food they depend upon
small patches Of ground cleared here
and there, as fancy may dictate from
year to year. The cultivation Of
these patches among the poorer mem
bers Of the tribe is carried on by their
women, but the more prosperous Of
the Indians have their negro slaves,
upon whom they devolye all the hard
labor Of cultivation, as well as the
few items Of mental drudgery incident
to their simple methods Of living.
It is curious to observe the degree
Of pride these Seminoles take ii the
fact that they are Shareholders. They
are perfectly aware that tho white
people Of the country are fobidden to
hold slaves; that every negro through
out the South who once had to pay
obedience to a bondmaster has been
freed: but they don't seem to under
stand that either emancipation proc
lamation and enactments on constitu-
tional amendments have any appIica-
ton to them and their ''niggers."
Hence they regard themselves as a
c Of beings more highly privileged
than the whites aristocrats who
alone are recognized as having rights
Of property in an inferior race. Nor
is there apparent among them the
falntest suspicion that their assumed
rights car be questioned by the law.
Slave owning and slave trading among
themselves is conducted as openly
and with as much confidence as it was
in South Carolina or Alabama thirty
or forty years ago, and ever when
they visit the towns to exchange their
peltries for powder, clothing, crockery
and other necessaries they OCCASION
ally take with them their black bonds
men. partly to perform any lahorlous
duty that may happen to become nee
essary, but partly, also, to enhance
their appearance Of dignity and i'm
portance.
Only a few weeks ago one Of this
class, a full biooded Indian claiming
the rank Of a Seminole Chief came to
Tampa to buy stores bringing with
him ayoungnegress, whom he pointed
to with pride as his own property, re
marking at the time Me big chief,
heap bigger than white man; white
man no slave, only Seminole have
Several people Of Tampa,
both white and colored, tried to inter
est themselves on behalf Of the black
girl hoping to induce her TO assert
to freedom and to remain in the
where a home would have been
provided for her. But she knew no
language but Seminole, and all efforts
10 make her understand were fruit
less. She took fright, too at the well
meaning efforts, and breaking away
ssrom-those who would have persuad-
I'd her fled to her master, and taking
lold Of his skirts, could not be Undue
"a to detach her hold all the time he
'emained in Tampa. It is but fair to
that since that singular event
Jews has been received that the chief
las promoted the poor girl from the
position Of slave to wife, an honor
which she, Of course, had to share
With two OF three others.