FURTHER EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO RESTORE EXILES TO SERVITUDE.

Effects of the War—Situation of the Exiles—Servility of Northern Statesmen—Determination of Southern Slaveholders—The purchase of Florida demanded—Causes which led to it—Territory obtained—Authorities of Georgia demand a new Treaty with Creeks¹—Mr. Calhoun Secretary of War—His efforts in favor of the Claimants—Georgia appoints Commissioners³—They attempt to dictate⁵ those appointed by the United States—Correspondence—Mr. Calhoun dissatisfied with those whom he had appointed—They resign—New Commissioners appointed—Their relation to the subject—Difficulties—Indian Talks—Treaty effected—Agreement—Assignment of Fugitive⁶ Slaves to United States in trust for the Creek² Indians—Claims adjudicated—Slaveholders claim the funds belonging to the Creek Indians.

The first Seminole war, like most other wars, was attended with great sacrifice of blood and treasure. It had corrupted⁷ the morals of the nation; but the Administration had entirely⁸ failed to attain⁹ the objects for which it had been commenced. Not ten slaves had been captured, if we except those who were wounded and taken prisoners at “Blount’s Fort,” one half of whom had died of their wounds. Under such circumstances, the Government could not, with propriety¹⁰, condescend¹¹ to make a treaty with a community of black men, whose ancestors had fled from slavery. Such act would, in the opinion of slaveholders, have compromised the dignity of the Slaveholding States; nor could they treat with the Seminole Indians as a separate tribe, for the Administration was endeavoring to hold the Creeks responsible for the acts of the Seminoles, who, the slaveholders insisted, were a part of the Creek tribe. The army was therefore

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