defenceless citizens on the frontiers; and that they had rendered themselves subject to the most rigorous execution of vengeance, as violators of the acknowledged principles of the law of nations.

General Jackson gave them an opportunity to evince their innocence. A general court martial was detailed, of thirteen members. The President of this court was Major General Edmund P. Gaines, one of the most distinguished and accomplished officers in the American, or any other service. The members consisted of officers of high reputation in the regular army, and in the corps of volunteers. Every indulgence, consistent with the dignity of the proceeding, was extended to the arrested men; and every opportunity afforded them to make a full defence. After the most solemn deliberation, the court found them guilty of the articles and specifications exhibited, and ordered them to suffer death. General Jackson approved the sentence; and Arbuthnot and Ambrister atoned with their lives, so far as two guilty lives could atone, for the murder of many innocent and worthy men, many lovely and helpless women; many weeping and beseeching children.

The condemnation of these men has been the cause of much censure on General Jackson. If censure was deserved, the court, and not the General, ought to suffer it; with the exception, that after reconsidering the vote, the court reversed its former decision in the case of R. C. Ambrister, to which General Jackson paid no attention. In this instance, he certainly took on himself a responsibility, which might as well have been assumed without the formality of detailing a court.

The following is a list of names of the members of the court martial detailed for this purpose:

Major General E. P. Gaines, President.

Col. King,

Col. Williams,

Col. Dyer,

Lt. Col. Lindsay,
Lt. Col. Elliot,
Lt. Col. Gibson,
Maj. Muhlenberg,

The court commenced its session on the 26th of April, and on the 28th, Capt. Allison, of the 7th infantry, was added as a supernumerary.

Arbuthnot was first put on trial. The charges against him were three, which will be found in the last general order, of April 29th.

To support these charges, a variety of letters, papers, memoranda, and witnesses, were produced, leaving no rational doubt of the correctness of the charges.

The following extracts are from a letter produced on the trial of Arbuthnot, to which are attached the letter to King Hatchy, with a reply. The note of "Indian Talks," was identified as Arbuthnot's hand-writing.

From A. Arbuthnot, to his son, John Arbuthnot, dated Fort St. Marks, 2d of April, 1818, 9 o'clock in the morning.

DEAR JOHN,

"As I am ill able to write a long letter, it is necessary to be brief. Before my arrival here, the commandant had received an express from the governor of Pensacola, informing him of a large embarkation of troops, under the immediate command of General Jackson; and the boat that brought the despatch reckoned eighteen sail of vessels off Appalachicola. By a deserter that was brought here by the Indians, the commandant was informed that three thousand men, under the orders of General Jackson, one thousand foot, and one thousand six hundred horse, under General Gaines, five hundred under another general, were at Prospect Bluff, where they are rebuilding the burnt fort; that one thousand Indians, of different nations, were at Spanish Bluff, building another fort, under the direction of American officers; that so soon as these forts were built, they intended to march. They have commenced. Yesterday morning advice was received that they had appeared near and taken two of the sons of M'Queen, and an Indian. Late in the afternoon, three schooners came to anchor at the mouth of the river, and this morning the American flag is seen flying on the largest.” "The main drift of the Americans is to destroy the

stealing cattle, more than four Indians have been murdered while hunting, by these lawless freebooters. I harbour no negroes. When the Englishmen were at war with America, some took shelter among them, and it is for you white people to settle these things among yourselves, and not trouble, us with what we know nothing about. I shall use force to stop any armed Americans from passing my towns or my lands.

(Signed,)

King HATCHY.

"Note of Indian Talks."

In August, Capp had a letter from General Gaines, in substance as annexed, No. 1, and returned the answer as by No. 2. Nothing farther was said on either side. The end of October, a party of Americans, from a fort on Flint river, surrounded Fowl Town during the night, and began burning it. The Indians then in it, fled to the swamps, and in their flight had three persons killed by fire from the Americans: they rallied their people, and forced the Americans to retire some distance, but not before they had two more persons killed. The Americans built a block-house or fort, where they had fallen back to, and immediately sent to the fort up the country for assistance, stating the Indians were the aggressors; and also settled with Tohemock for the loss his people had suffered, at the same time sending a talk to king Hatchy, by a head man, (Aping,) that he would put things in such a train as to prevent farther encroachments, and get those Americans to leave the fort. But no sooner was the good talk given, and before the bearer of it returned home, than hundreds of Americans came pouring down on the Indians; roused them to a sense of their own danger: they flew to arms, and have been compelled to support them ever since. It is not alone from the country, but by vessels entering Appalachicola river, with troops, that settlers are pouring into the Indian territory; and, if permitted to continue, will soon overrun the whole of the Indian lands. From the talk sent King Hatchy, by Governor Mitchell, I am in hopes that those aggressions of the Americans on the Indian territory are not countenanced