The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-05
SLAVERY IN FLORIDA.
BarbarIc Independence: of the Ever
glades SeminoIes.
Tampa (FIa.) Letter.

In certain of the more Southern parts of
Florida negroes are held in as strict bondage
as ever they were before the great war in
any part of the country. Slavery survives,
however only amoug the few remnants of the
Seminole tribe who still have their homes in
the woods and everglades south and east Of
the Caloosahatchie River. There are many
families of the red men who, though perfectly
inoffensive so far as the whites are concerned
maintain a dignifed independence of the
general laws and administer their own affairs
in way strongly reminiscent of patrlarchal
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 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 cultivation, as well as the few items
of mental drudgery incident to their simple
methods of living
1t is curious to observe the degree of pride
these Seminoles take in the fact that they
are Shareholders. They are perfectly aware
that the white people of the country are for
hidden to hold slaves; that every negro
LUIOuSuUut su0 loOubn WIN ODCC ildu W pay
obedience to bondmaster has been freed;
but they don't seem to understand that either
emancipation proclamation and enaetments
or constitutional amendments have any ap-
plieation to them and their ''niggerS''. Hence
they regard themselves as race OF beings
more highly privileged than the whites-aris-
tocrats who alone are recognized as hayIng
rights of property in an inferior race. nor
is there apparent among them the talntest
suspicion that their assumed rights can be
questioned by the law. SlaVe-oWnlng ana
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 even when they WISH
the towns to exchange their peltries for pow
der, clothing, crockery and other neceSSaries
they occasionally take with them their black
bondsmen, partly to perform any laDorlous
duty that may happen to become necessary,
but partly, also, to enhance their appearance
of dignity and Importance
Only a 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 a young negress, whom he
pointed to with pride as his own property,
remarking at the time ME big chief, heap
bigger than white man white man no slave,
only Seminole have slave" 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
home would have been PROVIDED LOT heT,
But she knew no language but Seminole, and
all efforts to make her understand were trullE
less. She took fright, too, at the well mean
efforts, and breaking from those who would
have persuaded her, fled to her master, and
taking hold of his skirts could not be induc-
ed to detach her hold all the time he remain
ed 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, had to share with two
or three others.