TWENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.


FIRST SESSION..
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ARMED OCCUPATION OF FLORIDA.


The bill providing for the occupation OF Florida
by armed settlers having been read third time


Mr.. PRESTON rose and said: After the opposi-
tion Mr.. President, which have already made 10
this bill, do propose now 10 enter into general
discussion of its merits | know II will pass this
body, and believe it will go no further. rise,
therefore, to make very few remarks
And, first, would advert 10 what, II seems, did
no, sufficiently express former occasion, against
what may be termed the military effect of this bill:
and il is thisthe bill is founded on the notion that
this is similar to those in which, by the gradu-
al expulsion of the tribes, their territory has been
gradually acquired by tie States, and in this way
the Indians have gradually retired before the settle
of the white people, on their way 10 the Wesi;
and this tide has come upon the Indians from The
Atlantic shores, and the Indian tribes retired they
had full scope always in advance OF the progress of
the white population. When, therefore, the white
man came, the Indian has continually found TO the
westward still sufficient territory for hunting and Tor
all the purposes Of savage life. He had abundantly
sufficient for his purpose; and In consequence oi all
this there has been gradual accumulation OF saw
age tribes all along our westesn and northwestern


frontiers. All this has resulted obviously from the
fact which have mentioned, that in The great West
there always the means of escape for the Indian
before the white population.


Now this bill, which propose TO be done IN flori-
da what done in a long course OF years by the
pilgrims and their descendants, cannot arrive al the
same result And this is obvi ious fromthe condition
of the country in which these Seminole Indians are
situated Florida is on two SIDES surrounded oy the
sea- and on the other side by dense white popula-
tion thus leaving the Indians retreat from their
present confined situation. They cannot escape
from the pressure of the white population, and can
consequently be removed only by being killed or
caught. II is, therefore, only by military operations
thar you can do what you now propose 10 do by
settlements. The only practical result is the death
or capture of the Indians. You therefore propose
in this bill what's practical impossibiy. Settle
ments cannot effect your object. The Indians may
retire slowly before such settlements; but, from the
necessity Of the case the limit OF their retiring must
be conermnous with the territory itself. You could
get clear of them in this way only inch by inch;
and the time even then must come when you must
kill or capture them What lsay, therefore, is that
this plan, which might do elsewhere, will not SO
apply here in any manner.


Ii this measure fail in the House, TRUST it will,
then gentlemen who have The power here will have
withheld the providing Of some scheme which might
immediately be adopted by both Houses. And
now pledge myself, that if any efficient measure
should be proposed from any quarter Will give II
/ my most prompt and ardent support. But believe
this measure will fail; and now predict that, II il
becomes law the time will come when the method
be adopted


The bill was passed by yeas and nays as fol-
lows:
YEAS-Messrs. Allen. Benton, Brown, Buchanan,
Calhoun Clay, of Ala, Cuthbert, Fulton Grundy.
Hubbard, King, Linn, Lumpkn, Mouton, Nicholas,
Pierce, Roane Robinson, Sewer, Smith, Of Conn
Walker Williams, Wright, Young-24.


NAYS-Messrs Belts, Clay, OF Ky, Clayton, Cn,-
tenden, Davis, Dixon Henderson, knight, Merrick,
Phelps, Pren,iss, Preston, Smith, of Ind, Strange,
Whito-l5.