Star. — 1818-12-23 (London, England)

TIM GOMM& OF CIORO/A, TO  VIZ LEOISLATIM OT THAT ETATS, WOW IN SESSION. " The war which had commenced during the last year, between the United States and the Seminole intlians, bordering on our southern frontier, has been terminated by a mutual cessation of hostilities, without any particular stipulations for peace. "' I should not enlarge my remarks nu this subject, but for an event connected with it, which has excited great interest throughout the State. The circumstance to which I allude is the late expedition, undertaken to retaliate. and thus to repress and chastise the atrocious audacity of the savage inhabitants of two hostile •illages, designated from their chief men, Hopannee and Phelemme.  " From these dens, it was ascertained, they made frequent and formidable inioads upon our defenceless homier, *marking their course with the butchery of our women. and child.en, and the other terrific enormities peculiar to their barbarous warfare. AfilictiveAnd aiarming intelligence of these depredations, accompanied by urgent demands for protection from those whose situations were most exposed, reached the Executive almost daily. " An early application was made to the commanding General of the Military district, for a force corn petent to the defence of our frontier ; but it was•several months before it was even noticed. Under these  circumstances, I should have shewn culpable insensi. bitty to the sufferings of niy fellow-citizens, and to the duties of the high and important trust with which you have honoured me, had I hesitated what course to pursue. I dem mined to organize a three sufficient to inflict condign punishment on this miscreant foe, anffmake them feel that the frontier of Geor,via was not to be devastated with impunity. At this juncture, Captain Wright presented himself, as a gentleman recently holding a Command in the service of the United States, and bearing recommendatory testimonials from persons of high rank and unquestionable respectability. This person, by a Gene ral Order of the 14th of-April, (a copy of which, and copies of all the documents relative to this subject, will be laid before you) was authorised to collect the troops, and march them upon the two villages notorious as the residence of the murderers and marauders. Oa nearing the Chehaw town, they were informed that one of the hostile Chiefs was harboured there, and conceiving the spirit of their instructions warranted the measure, they attacked the town, and, stung with the recollection of the merciless barbarities exercised on their neighbours and relatives, and their Supposed perfidy committed in harbouring the enemy, proceeded to extremities, over which humanity weeps, and which I deeply and sincerely lament. In the General Orders, it will be seen, that Captain Wright was directed to call on Captain Bothwell, of the Militia of this State, then in the service of the United States, commanding at Fort Early, for part of his force, if necessary. I was not certain that I had the right to call on these troops, but the emergency of the case, left on my mind no doubt of its propriety. On the return of the troops, and the report of the Commanding Officer, whose statement was corroborated by the testimony of other Officers of the detachment, some of whom are gentlemen of high standing and character in the State, I felt satisfied that, although the orders given had been manifestly violated, yet, that the motives which influenced the conduct, both of the troops and their Officers, were more the result of a sincere desire to prevent a recurranee of the distressing scenes which had recently been witnessed on the frontier, than any deliberate _cruelty or premeditated severity. The subject, however, became a theme of animadversion, and a number of opposite statements being made, both to the Executive and in the public prints, I deemed it necessary, for the purpose of doing justice to the Indians, as well as to the character of Captain Wright, to have him arrested. An order was accordingly issued 'I on the 20th of May, directed to Colonel Marshall, at Savannah, the late residence of Captain Wright, and to which place it was supposed he would immediately return Before he reached there, however, he was overtaken by en Officer, sent by General Jackson, who arrested him. On their way to Fort Haw. kins, passing through this place, Captain Wright, was released from the custody of the o;6cer, by a writ of ,habeas Corpus, before the inferior Court of this county, '• On ti. sant: ever'..g, I issued as order to the  ekdjutent-General, to Went andockflite deerI TO THE EDITOR OF THE STA& mined to refer the mode of trying him td flee Presi- dent of the ',inked States; which coarse I was the