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tions ;" and that the means at its disposal "were entirely inadequate to the purpose" of removing the Indians. It therefore, becomes now, my duty to call upon you, and the Senators from this State, to urge apon Congress the necessity of making an adequate appropriation for the immediate removal of the Indians from Florida, in accordance with the stipulations of the treaty of Payne's landing of May 9th, 1832, which has always been acknowledged by the General Government "still to remain in full force, and that it is the duty of the Executive to cause all necessary and proper efforts to be made, to carry them into effect, as he is bound to do with respect to the requirements of any other law"-and still adhering to the opinion, that my plan of surveying the country the Indians inhabit, will be the most effectual method of causing their removal peaceably; and, at the same time, will be preparatory to the settlement of the country. I must still insist upon it, and ask of you to endeavor to obtain an appropriation for the immediate survey of the whole Peninsula of Florida, under a sufficient military guard to insure its accomplishment.

With ten companies of surveyors, with a force sufficient for their protection; and from five hundred to a thousand Volunteers, some to be mounted, and some on foot, subject to my orders, I feel the strongest assurance, that every Indian can be removed from Florida in less than twelve months, provided the General Government will furnish stations for their safe-keeping, when captured, and transportation for their prompt removal to their home in the west; and at less expense than like operations have heretofore been to that government.

In May last I received a letter from Capt. Casey, late Indian Agent, informing me that the future charge of the Indians in Florida had been transferred from the War Department to that of the Interior, and that Gen. Luther Blake, who had just arrived at Tampa, was appointed Special Agent and superseded him in that office. But I have received no information of the change, either from the Secretary of the Interior or from Gen. Blake. I have since been informed by letter from Tampa, that Gen. Blake, after remaining a day or two only, left for New Orleans, and has not since been in Florida, nor have we heard anything of his movements. The Indians consequent

ly, remaining without the control of any recognized Agent.

It appears from a copy of the contract made by Mr. L. Lea, Commissioner, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Interior, with Gen. Blake, which I obtained from you, that the Department has "entire confidence in the integrity, judgment and discretion," of the Agent selected for the duty, as well as in his "experience in Indian affairs, and his acquaintance with the character and disposition of the Seminoles in Florida," and which I am not disposed to question.But I fear, the same cannot be said of his activity and promptness in executing his contract. Nor do I think, with due defference, that the contract has been made with a sufficient regard to policy, to insure any certainty of its successful execution.

The sum of $10,000 is allowed the agent, whether he removes an

Indian or not, and for the faithful performance of his contract, a bond with a penalty of only $5000 is required. Moreover, he is to receive $800 for every warrior, and $450 for every woman and child he may induce to emigrate, without any limitation of the time in which it shall be done, and without any obligation that all the Indians shall be removed.

Now, it is admitted in the contract that some 500 Indians yet remain in Florida. Suppose some hundred or two, of old or dissatisfied men, and women and children, should be induced to remove-this might prove a very pretty little speculation to the Agent, but what would Florida be benefitted by it? Nothing, even worse than nothing; because if the chiefs are determined to remain and resist any attempt to force them, they would no doubt like very well to get rid of the encumbrance of their old, infirm and dissatisfied men, and their women and children, and would consequently become a more troublesome and dangerous foe. This was the case in the late attempt to remove them under Gen. Twiggs; some seventy women and children were gotten off at a heavy charge to the Government, but the chiefs took good care that the warriors should remain. The truth is, the millions that have been expended by the General Government in efforts to remove the Indians from Florida have benefitted us nothing, from a vascillating policy, which abandoned the enterprise at the very moment when it should have been pressed with the most vigor; until the chiefs have come to the conclusion that the United States Government is unable, or unwilling, to force their removal, and they laugh at the idea of the State's doing it. And thus they remain in Florida exerting the same blighting influence over the prosperity of the State as if not one had ever been killed or removed. The contract should have provided a handsome premium for the removal of all, and for a portion of them, only a small compensation.

When the importance of this subject to the State of Florida is considered, it should not be at all surprising that the people are impatient under the delay-indeed, it is wonderful that they have submitted so long.

Why is it, that Florida, with her extent of seaboard and fine har. bors on the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic-with an extent of territory, which in size, places her next to Virginia and Georgia-with a climate and soil superior to any of the States of the Union, and the only portion of the United States, within the region of tropical productions-I ask, why is it, with all these advantages, that Florida has but one Representative on the floor of Congress, and not a revenue sufficient to support a State Government? The answer is, the failure of the United States Government to remove the Indians agreeably to Treaty Stipulations.

Your constituents expect from you and the Senators from this State, a determined action which will secure from Congress an appropriation which will be adequate to the removal of the Indians, and the survey of the lands in the Peninsula to prepare the country for set. tlement.

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On this subject, I beg to refer you to my letters to the Secretary of War, of the 13th and 11th of February, last, and to assure you of my desire to render you all the aid in my power, towards the accom. plishment of this desirable object. I am, with high respect, Your most ob'dt, &c., THOMAS BROWN.

The Hon. E. C. CACELL.

Instructions from the Secretary of the Interior to Gen. Blake.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

Office of Indian Affairs, April 18, 1851. (

TO LUTHER BLAKE, Esqr., now in Washington, D. C. :

Sir: With the approbation of the Secretary of the Interior, you are hereby appointed Special Agent to proceed to Florida for the purpose of endeavoring, by judicious arrangements and efforts, to effect the removal of the Seminole Indians remaining in that State, to the country of their brethren, west of the Mississippi river.

By the Treaty of Payne's landing, of May 9th, 1832, the Seminole tribe sold out all their lands in Florida, and agreed to remove west of the Mississippi; but when the time for their removal arrived, they refused to go, and broke out into open hostilities. During the seven succeeding years, the most strenuous exertions were made to conquor and compel them to comply with their Treaty engagements; large bodies of troops were employed-many valuable lives sacrificed-and millions of money expended, but with only partial success. At the end of that period, a considerable number of the Indians who could neither be captured or subjugated, still remained in the country, with as obstinate a determination not to leave it, as they had ever manifested. A continuance of the military operations against them seemed useless, and to relieve the Treasury from the heavy drain upon it, which they occasioned, it was deemed expedient to discontinue them.

An arrangement was therefore made with the Indians, permitting them, for the time being, to remain; but within certain designated limits. This arrangement could be regarded as temporary onlylessening, in no respect, the obligation of the Indians to remove when required by the Government. The stipulations of the Treaty, on that point, still remain in full force, and it is the duty of the Executive to cause all necessary and proper efforts to be made to carry them into effect, as he is bound to do, with respect to the requirements of any other law.

Had the Indians, as they agreed to, stayed peaceably and quietly within the limits assigned to them, and abstained from molesting our citizens, there would be less objection to their remaining still lon. ger, and until the country they occupy, or such portions of it as may be desirable, should be required for settlement and cultivation; though it would be far better for them to be with their brethren in the west, where effectual measures can be adopted for their gradual civiliza. tion and improvement. But they have wantonly violated their en

gagements, and on more than one occasion, without any known prov ocation, passed beyond their assigned limits and embrued their hands in the blood of our citizens. The constant danger of outrages from them has become a serious evil, preventing the settlement and cultivation of the country anywhere in their vicinity, and thus causing a large and valuable section to remain waste, to the great injury of the interests of individuals, as well as to those of the State and General Government.

Circumstances and considerations of the above character led to another attempt, in 1849, to remove them; which, though attended with great expense, resulted in but very limited success. A large military force was sent to overcome them, and a number of their western brethren employed to influence and persuade them to remove, but only about seventy could be compelled or prevailed upon to comply with the wishes of Government. According to the best information that can be procured, from 450 to 500 still remain, and it has for some time been a subject of anxious consideration and reflection what course to adopt in order to the removal of this remnant of the tribe.

Experience has shown the inutility and wasteful expenditure of attempts to remove them by force. There is a large extent of country to which they can retreat, where the obstacles to successful military operations are insurmountable, and where the Indians can therefore easily clude almost any military force sent against them. To effect their removal in this manner, it would be necessary to employ an immense force, and at a vast expense-while the Indians becoming exasperated, would no doubt find opportunities for successful attacking, plundering and murdering the frontier inhabitants, as they frequently did during the late war against them.

Through the instrumentality and influence of their western brethren, persuasive means have been tried under very favorable circumstances and failed. There is but one other humane course, which, after the most mature consideration, the Department can devise or think of, that seems to hold out any promise of success. It is to engage some reliable and proper person, willing to encounter the toil and peril incident to the service-who will go among them, and by personal association, secure their confidence-gain and influence over the leading and more prominent individuals, and thus gradually incline them to consider the subject of removal more favorably, and to acquiesce in the wishes of the Government.

As you have had much experience in Indian Affairs and are well acquainted with the character and disposition of the Seminoles in Florida, and as entire confidence is reposed in your integrity, judgment and discretion, the Department has selected you to put this plan to the test of practical experiment, provided, you are willing to undertake it on the terms and conditions prescribed.

The Department would not feel justified in incurring any considerable expenditure in the mere attempt, and should it prove abortive, nothing but your actual and necessary expenses will be allowed; the

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whole in no event to exceed the sum of $10,000. Should you however be successful in your efforts to remove them, or any portion of them, a liberal allowance will be made, as in that case, the expenses will be very heavy, and you will have encountered much personal danger. As heretofore, with respect to those that have been removed, not only will a quantity of presents have to be made to the Indians, but considerable sums of money will have to be paid to them as a compensation which they consider but fair and just for relinquishing their residence in Florida. For these and many other expenditures which will be inevitable, it will be impracticable to procure satisfactory vouchers, and it will be impossible to arrange and settle the accounts in the ordinary mode. Under these circumstances the Department proposes to commute all the expenses of every description, including those personal to yourself, from the commencement of the service; and to allow in lieu thereof, a commutation of $10,000 for the preliminary expenditures, incident to your endeavors to carry out the plan, and a given sum for each and every Indian removed, to cover all other expenses and demands whatsoever. After full consideration of all the circumstances and contingencies of the case, it has been determined to fix the latter amount at $800 for warriors and $450 for women and children, which will be paid to you on the certificate of the proper agent of the Government, or other satisfactory evidence of the delivery of the Indians, in the country of their brethren, West. And the same rate of compensation will be allowed for every Indian that shall die on the route from Florida to the Seminole country, West; subject, however, to a deduction of the amount that it would have cost to transport said Indian from the place of death to the place of destination. I am aware that this allowance is less than the amounts heretofore paid in many cases, to individual Indians, to induce them to remove; but I trust that it may prove sufficient to meet all expenses necessary to the accomplishing of the important object in view, and at the same time afford you a liberal compensation for the dangers and services you are to hazard and perform.

I enclose the form of a Bond which you will execute, with a penalty of five thousand dollars, ($5,000) and security to be approved by me. Very respectfully, your ob'dt Servant, L. LEA, Commissioner.

HOUSE OF REPresentatives, Jan. 6, 1852.

SIR:-You will see by a rough copy of a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, which I enclose, that I have presented to the Executive the subject of the removal of the Seminole Indians from our State.

Your suggestion that surveyors be sent into the country appropriated to the Indians, is approved by our Senators and myself, and by the Commissioner of Indian affairs, and I think by Mr. Stuart.

In carrying out this policy, it will be necessary to have in readi ness a force sufficient to give protection to the parties of surveyors. I hope this force will consist of volunteers, or if not, that the "regu