The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-06-02

Negroes Who Are Kept I'm bondage
by she ScminOIes.

1t will probably be difficult to convince
Northern people that the peculiar institu-
ton for the extinction of which such
oceans of blood and millions of treasure
we're spent q few years ago still has any
existence within the borders of the United
States. Nevertheless, ii is fact in certain
of the more southern parts of Florida
negroes are held in as strict bondage as
aver they were before the great war in any
part of the country. Slavery survives,
however, only among the few remnants of
The Seminole tribe who still have theiI
homes in the woods and everglades south
and east of the Caloosahatchie River. There
are many families of the red men who
though perfectly inofensive, so far as the
whites are concerned, maintain dignified
independence of the general laws and adj
minister their own affairs in q way strongly
reminiscent Of patriarchal traditions They
i've principally by the chase and upon the
fish of which all Florida waters, lakes
streams and seas IRE 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
lmong the poorer members of the tribe is
carried on by their women but the more
prosperous of the Indians have their negro
slaves, upon whom they devolve all the
hard labor of civilization, as well as the few
items of mental drudgery incident to then
simple methods of living.
Only few weeks ago one of this class
a full blooded Indian, claiming the rank OF
Seminole chief, came to Tampa to buy
stores, bringing with him young negress
whom he pointed to with pride rs his own
property, remarking at the time, me big
chief, heap bigger than white man, white
man no slave, only Seminole have slave"
&c. Several people of Tampa, both white
and colored, tried TO interest themselves on
behalf of the black girl hoping to induce
her to assert her right to freedom and to
remain in the city, where n home would
have been provided for her. But she knew
no language but Seminole, and all efforts to
make her understand were fruitless. She
took fright, too, at the well meaning efforts.
and breaking from those who would have
pursued her, fed to her master, and, taking
hold of his skirts could not be induced to
detach her hold all the time he remained in
Tampa. 1t Is but fair to add that since
that singular event news has been received
that the chief has promoted the poor girl
from the position of slave to wife, an honor
which she, of course, has to share with two
or three others. Upon first hearing this
queer story / naturally concluded that il
was an isolated instance and by no means
10 be considered Ms representing common
state of things, but was assured by Mr..
Henderson, leading merchant of Tampa,
an extensive stockraiser and shipper, and a
gentleman who has boon familiar with this
part of the country for forty years, that
every Seminole family of any degree of
consequence has one or more negro slaves,
who are kept in profound ignorance of the
English language, and who, consequently,
know nothing of their claims to freedom.