OSCEOLA.
The officer wrote to Washington that, in spite of the opposition of some of the chiefs, the treaty would be ratified by the Indians and they would leave their homes in the Everglades and swamps to the possession of the whites. But, in this, he was mistaken. It became apparent that the Seminoles intended to fight rather than to give up their lands to the white pioneers. A General Thompson called the real leaders of these Southern redskins to another conference, in October, 1834, and said:
"I have told you that you must stand to your bargain; my talk is the same. Your father, the President, who is your friend, will compel you to go. Therefore, be not deluded by any hope or expectation that you will be permitted to remain here."
"We will remain and will fight," answered the spokesman of the chiefs.
Six months later, they were again called together to hear the message of their father, President Jackson, the great white chief in Washington. General Thompson read them the message of this wise statesman, which ran:
"My children, I am sorry to have heard that you have been listening to bad counsel. You know me, and you know that I would not deceive you, nor advise you to do anything that was unjust or injurious. Open your ears and attend now to what I am going to say to you. They are the words of a friend, and the words of truth.
"The white people are settling round you. The game has disappeared from your country. Your people are poor and hungry. All this you have perceived for some time. And nearly three years ago you made an agreement with your friend, Colonel Gadsen, acting on the part of the United States, by which you agreed to cede your lands in Florida, and to remove and join your brothers, the Creeks, in the country west of the Mississippi."
After going into the terms of the treaty, the message concluded with:
"I now learn that you refuse to carry into effect the solemn promises thus made by you, and that you have stated to the officers of the United States that you will not remove to the Western country. My children, I have never deceived you, nor will I ever deceive any of the red people. I tell you that you must go, and you will go.... But lest some of your rash men should forcibly oppose your arrangements for removal, I have ordered a large military force to be sent among you.... Should you listen to the bad birds that are always flying about you, and refuse to go, I have directed the commanding officer to remove you by force. This will be done. I pray the Great Spirit, therefore, to incline you to do what is right."