Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-02-12

| for granted by the belligerants of Eu'
rope, and by those who were on the eve
of becoming 80, that the United States
would be ranged on the side of the
French. The Spaniards therefore lost
NO time in following the dictates OF
their favorits policy towards us, in
making the people of the southwestern
territory feel and appreciate the evils
of war.
The war of the northern Indians was
now at its height. They were backed
and supported by the English, and had
lately given to our army s!gaa! dc.
feat. John Watts after being present
at Coyatee in May, with a great many
other Indians, to confer with Governor
Blount, whom they treated with the
highest distinction and to whom they
made professions of the most profound
friendship, left that place on the Goth
of May, and proceeded with other In
dians to Toquo, distant fifteen miles
from Coyotee. There letter was
handed to Watts, written by Mr.. Pin
ton, merchant of great business. then
in the Cherokee nation, and addressed
to both Watts and the Bloody Fellow.
1t was written from the house of Mr..
Mcdonald, Scotchman, and an old
resident in the Cherokee nation, and IN
the late war deputy under Col. Brown,
who succeeded Col. Stewart in the
superintendency of the nation. This
letter Mr.. Mcdonald forwarded to
Watts by an Indian runner. In it he,
in the name of Gov. 0neil, invited
Watts and the Bloody Fellow to come
to Pensacola with ten pack horses,
stating that there they should have
from Gov. Oneil arms and ammunition
as many and as much as they wanted.
And that Panton himself would sup
ply their nation with goods in abun-
dance. Panton from the house of Nc
Donald visited the Little Turkey, and
staid with him several days, Mcdonald
acting as the interpreter between them.
Panton invited the Little Turkey to
visit Gov. Oneil, who would give him
arms and ammunition at Pensacola.
He said that Mr.. Mcdonald would &C.
company him on his journey, and that
he, Panton. would supply goods to the
nation cheaper than they had hereto
fore purchased them. That the Creeks
had agreed the Spaniards might erect
fort at the Alabama Fork, mile be-
low Mr.. McGillevray's house, for the
protection of the Creeks and Cherokees,
where arms and ammunition would be
kept for them both. This Alabama
Fork is the place where the French
once had fort, to and from which
there is water sufficient for large
boat to pass up and down from thence
to Mobile. Panton was described in a
letter from Gov. Blount to the Secre-
tary of War, to have been British
subject, and Scotch refugee from
Georgia in an early part of he Ameri-
can Revolution, and was in the year
1892, and for long time before and
afterwards, resident of Pensacola; 4;
and was in the time of the Revolution
ary War, the particular friend and
agent of Col. Brown, who succeeded
Col. Stewart in the superintendency of
the four southern nations of Indians.
Through his hands passed the goods
generally which the superintendent ts
disposed ofin presents to these nations
Besides, he supplied the nations gener-
ally with such goods as they purchased.
He was also agent for the officers of
Browns regiment of Florida Rangers,
OF whom several were as high as Cap
tain. In other words, from the time
Col. Brown was appointed superin-
tendent to the close of the war, the
goods generally, with which the four
southern nations were supplied, wheth-
er presents from the British crown.
which were very liberal, or by pur.
chase, passed to them through him or
his connections stationed at convenient
places in the Floridas.
Immediately after the peace, Panton
with others, of whom Alexander Nc
Gillevray is said to have been one, and
Mr.. Clutokey a Scotch refugee another,
obtained permission from the Spanish
government to import into the Floridas,
directly from England, goods sufficient
to continue their supplies to those ma.
tions. His annual imports were esti.
mated at 10000 pounds sterling, upon
which was paid duty of 2S per cent.
This permission from the Spanish gov
eminent enabled him to support his
consequence, and the influence which
he acquired under Browns superin-
tendency, and to use both, as they in
dulged his inclinations or serve his in
terest; it is not to be supposed that
his inclinations would lead him
to good offices towards the United
States. Nor was it his interest that a
free trade and uninterrupted inter.
course, should be kept up between
these tribes and the United States. For
1t is a well known fact, that after the
treaties of Hopewell and Holston, with
the Greeks and Cherokees, that he had
been undersold in every part of the
frontiers where the transportations
has been by land from Philadelphia.
After these treaties the Cherokees gen