difficulties in enslaving exiles continued.
collins, agent for the slave-dealer, reaches fort pike—prisoners gone—he repairs to new orleans—reaches that city one day after the exiles and indians had left—he follows them up the river—whole number of prisoners on the two boats—they stop a few hours at vicksburg—collins overtakes them—hands his order to reynolds—they consult together—difficulty in separating indians from negroes—they all proceed together—reynolds and collins endeavor to persuade indians to deliver over negroes—they refuse—they reach little rock—call on governor roane for military aid—his emphatic answer—they proceed to fort gibson—call on general arbuckle to separate them—he refuses—collins gives up all as lost—his letter to commissioner of indian affairs.
collins, the agent of watson, left the city of washington on the tenth of may with full powers to act for the creek chiefs as well as for his principal; fully provided, also, with orders from the commissioner of indian affairs, directing all officers of the united states, in whose custody the exiles might be, to deliver them to this agent of the slave-dealer. expecting to find his victims at fort pike, he repaired to that place; but on his arrival found they had left for new orleans some days previously. he forthwith followed them, and reached that city on the twenty-second of june, being one day after reynolds and his prisoners had left that city for fort gibson.
thus it will be seen, that the efforts of general gaines, and the active vigilance of major clarke and lieutenant reynolds, had barely succeeded in getting these people under way for their western homes, when the authority for their re?nslavement arrived.
vexed and mortified at this disappointment, collins took passage on the first packet bound up the river, determined to secure the victims of watson’s cupidity wherever he should find them.
while collins was thus speeding his way up the river, reynolds and his charge, unconscious that the slave-hunter was on their track, stopped at vicksburg for a few hours to obtain supplies for their journey. while passing up the river, reynolds wrote a report to the commissioner of indian affairs, stating that on the boat which left new orleans on the nineteenth, six hundred and seventy-four prisoners had been placed for emigration; that on the boat which left the twenty-first, on which he had taken passage, there were four hundred and fifty-three—making in all twelve hundred and twenty-one indians and negroes, who were now emigrating to the western country. while they were lying at vicksburg, collins arrived, and, as he states, “succeeded in getting the order of the commissioner of indian affairs handed to reynolds.” this was undoubtedly correct, for reynolds wrote the department the same day, saying, “since my letter this morning, enclosing an abstract of my muster-roll, mr. collins, the attorney, recognized by you, has sent off various papers, in relation to certain claims for negroes taken by the creek volunteers, and your order has been received. i have therefore made arrangements with mr. collins to accompany me to little rock on board of my boat, that no time may be lost in the emigration on the passage from here thither. due care will be had in selecting such only as come within your order, as also to apprise the chiefs and other indians with regard to the claim. the excitement evinced at new orleans on the part of the indians, convinced me of the necessity of this measure. i think that, between this and little rock, i will be enabled to persuade them to consent without any resistance on their part.”
as stated in this letter, mr. collins took passage at vicksburg with lieutenant reynolds, and agreed to go on with him and his prisoners, until they could persuade the indians to separate from their friends and companions, their wives and children, or until they could obtain a military force sufficient to compel the separation. mr. reynolds says that the excitement on the part of the indians at new orleans, had convinced him of the necessity of this measure; and the only doubt of his perfect sincerity rests on the assertion, that he thought he could, while on the voyage, induce the indians to consent to such separation.
on the twenty-seventh, they left vicksburg for fort gibson. while on their passage, they had full opportunity to deliberate and consult together as to the best mode of carrying out the plan of transforming this small portion of mankind into property; but the universal laws of nature and of nature’s god appeared to conflict with this slave-dealing theory. while on the passage up the river, mr. reynolds assembled the indian chiefs and warriors, and laid before them the facts concerning the claim of watson, and, as he says, “explained every thing calculated to appease them.” but the result we give in his own words, expressed in a letter dated at little rock, arkansas, june second, being one week after they left vicksburg, in which he says: “they (the indians) at once demurred: micanopy taking the lead, saying, it was contrary to the express words of general jessup, and would listen to nothing calculated to dispossess them of their negroes. finding them thus determined, i prevented any communication with them on the subject until reaching this place, when they were again called together, and i repeated all that had been mentioned to them before. i told them it was needless to object; my orders were positive, and must be obeyed. all was of no use; they became, if anything, more vexed than before, and left me much exasperated. mr. collins witnessed my exertions to carry out your instructions; indeed, sir, i have been excessively perplexed with these indians and negroes. i see no method in the absence of force by which possession of the negroes can be had. the authorities here show a decided inclination to protect the indians, and there is no doubt every attempt will fail on our part. i have in no instance acted with duplicity. the statements made, have been as they actually exist. thirty-one of the number left at new orleans are on the official list handed me by mr. collins.”
the whole party were detained several days at little rock in consequence of the low stage of water. while waiting here, collins appears to have become impatient, and anxious to get possession of the negroes. indeed, from the closing remark of mr. reynolds’s letter, last quoted, we are led to suspect that little sympathy existed between reynolds and this agent of the slave-dealer; nor is it unlikely that an officer, bred up in the cultivation of a high and chivalrous sense of honor, would feel some repugnance at being constrained to associate with any man employed in the business which brought collins to the western country. knowing, however, that the executive of the united states had become in fact a party in this disreputable transaction, he endeavored to manifest at least a respect for those officers of government who had become participants in it.
on the third of june, lieutenant reynolds addressed an official letter to samuel c. roane, governor of arkansas, stating the circumstances in which he was placed. he set forth the claim of the creeks, and their sale to watson, together with the fact that collins was then at little rock, anxious to obtain possession of the negroes; that he (reynolds) could not deliver them to collins without assistance, and on that account demanded of his excellency assistance of the civil authority to aid him in carrying out the policy of the federal government.
here again the workings of the human heart, and the laws of human nature, cast insurmountable obstacles in the way of carrying out the executive designs. true, arkansas was a slave state, and her governor was a slaveholder, characterized by that bold and generous nature which usually distinguishes the pioneers of the west; but his letter breathes such a spirit of independence, such a bold and unhesitating regard for justice and propriety, that we prefer to let his excellency speak for himself. the letter is couched in the following language:
“executive office,
“little rock, june 4th, 1838.
“sir: your note of this day has been duly received, in which you call on me as the executive of the state of arkansas to furnish you military force, sufficient to coerce obedience to your instructions to surrender a number of negroes, now with the seminole indians under your command; and stating that the indians manifest a hostile determination not to permit the negroes in question to be surrendered to the agent or attorney of the creek indians. i have also examined the copies of the order from the war department, directed to you on this subject, as well as the schedule of the negroes and letter of attorney, in the possession of mr. n. f. collins, the creek agent or attorney, to receive the negroes in controversy. after due reflection on the subject, i have determined not to afford you any assistance to carry these instructions into effect, and respectfully request of you not to attempt to turn over those negroes to the claimants within the state of arkansas, and more especially in the neighborhood of little rock. and i require of you to proceed with your command of indians and negroes to their place of destination with the least practicable delay, that the citizens of little rock and its vicinity may be relieved from the annoyance of a hostile band of indians and savage negroes.
“without prejudging the claim of the creek indians to the negroes, from the nature of things it is wholly impracticable for the claimants to make a proper designation of the negroes claimed. there are no witnesses here that can identify the negroes—not even the person setting up the claim. and had the government intended to dispose of those negroes to the creek indians, it should have been done in florida, and not bring indians and negroes into arkansas, the vicinity of their future residence, and then irritate the indians to madness, and turn them loose on our frontier, where we have no adequate protection—the massacre of our citizens would be the inevitable consequence.
“i have just visited the chiefs of your command, and assured them that their negroes should not be taken from them, and they have pledged themselves that their people should go on to their country peaceably. your immediate departure will insure peace and avert the outrages you had such good cause to expect.
“you will transmit this note to the proper department at washington as a justification of the course you may pursue in accordance with it.
i am, respectfully,
your obedient servant,
jno. g. reynolds, sam. c. roane.
1st lieut. u. s. m. c., and disb’g agent, ind. dep’t.”
this letter of governor roane certainly indicated to mr. collins a strong repugnance to the policy adopted by the war department, and must have convinced him that his mission was, at least, unpopular among men removed from the moral atmosphere in which the executive appeared to live. we are not informed of its effects upon mr. reynolds; but that gentleman could not have been very greatly disappointed, as he had clearly predicted the failure of all attempts to separate the indians and negroes.
a rise in the arkansas river enabled them to resume their journey. they reached fort gibson on the twelfth of june, and both indians and negroes were turned over to the care of captain stephenson, the agent appointed to reside with the western seminoles. here mr. reynolds and mr. collins expected to make a final effort to separate the indians and negroes, in order that the latter might be transported back to that interminable slavery which all knew awaited their return to georgia. for this purpose, lieutenant reynolds addressed brigadier general arbuckle, in command at fort gibson; but, as the correspondence between these officers brought the important mission of mr. collins in that western country to a close, we will present these letters to the reader.
on the twelfth of june, the day of his arrival, lieutenant reynolds addressed general arbuckle the following note:
“general: i herewith enclose orders, received from the commissioner of indian affairs, for the surrender of a certain number of negroes, belonging to the seminole indians, to mr. n. f. collins, the attorney appointed by the creek delegation which recently visited washington, which appointment has been ratified by the department; and feeling myself bound to turn over all in my possession, in obedience to such orders, and the seminole chiefs and indians refusing positively to give them up, i have to request the employment of such a force, general, as you may deem adequate for carrying into effect my instructions.
i am, general, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
jno. g. reynolds,
1st lieut. u. s. m. c., and disb’g agent, ind. dept.
general m. arbuckle,
commanding, etc., fort gibson.”
general arbuckle was in command of the military forces of the united states in that western country, and of course felt great responsibility in regard to maintaining peaceful relations with the indians of that region. having maturely reflected upon the communication of mr. reynolds, he returned the following answer:
“head quarters western department, third division,}
fort gibson, june 13th, 1838.}
“sir: i have received your letter of the 12th instant, with the papers accompanying it, in which you request me to furnish such a force as i deem adequate, to enable you to turn over a number of negroes that were captured by the creek warriors in florida, to nathaniel f. collins, their attorney.
“i have given your application much reflection, and have determined to decline a compliance therewith for the following reasons:
“first. the difficulty and uncertainty of identifying the negroes actually captured by the creek warriors, who are now with their former owners, and in company with a large number of other indian negroes, and there being no individual of character present (as far as i am informed) who could with certainty designate them. secondly. the seminole chiefs positively declare that general jessup promised that the negroes taken from them by the creek warriors should be returned; and there is reason to believe that such a promise was made, other than the declaration of the chiefs.
“in addition to the above, it is proper that i should state, that the seminole chiefs, at the council i held with them yesterday, voluntarily pledged themselves to give up the negroes in question, provided the president of the united states should, after being informed of the facts in the case, so decide; yet they state that many of the negroes have died, and that several are claimed to have been captured that were brought in by their owners when they surrendered.”
“i am, sir, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
m. arbuckle,
brevet brigadier general, commanding.
j. g. reynolds,
1st lieut. u. s. m. c., and disb’g agent, ind. dept.”
collins now gave up all as lost. he appears to have realized, that almost every officer of the army west of florida, had conspired against this policy of enslaving the exiles, while he himself seemed to entertain no doubt of the honor and rectitude of his own position; and in order to do him justice, and render our narrative brief as consistent, we here insert so much of his report to the commissioner of indian affairs, drawn up after his return to alabama, as relates to his mission up to the time of leaving fort gibson, on his return. it is as follows:
“tuskogee, alabama, july 29, 1838”
“sir: immediately after my arrival (about the first of this month), i was taken sick with the fever, from which i am just recovering, which will account for the delay in communicating the result of my mission to procure the seminole negroes that were to have been turned over to me, as agent of the creek indians.”
“i left washington on the 10th of may, and arrived in new orleans on the 22d, the day after lieutenant reynolds had left there with the indians and all the negroes, except thirty-two that were detained by the civil authority, at the instance of love. i did not overtake reynolds until he arrived at vicksburg, when, after some exertion, i succeeded in having his order handed to him; and he came ashore, and suggested the probability of his being able to induce the indians to consent to deliver the negroes willingly (between thirty-five and forty of which, by a comparison of our lists, we found he had in his possession), if i would go on board and proceed up the river with him. this i acceded to, as i was anxious to pursue such a course as would tend, ever so remotely, to conciliate the indians, and harmonize with the views of the officer in charge. the experience of a day or two however proved that these calculations were erroneous, and i went on to little rock, to get a force to coerce their delivery. on our arrival there, lieutenant r. called upon the acting governor of arkansas for assistance; but from some cause or other he refused it, as will be seen by the correspondence forwarded you by lieutenant r. i then proceeded with the party to fort gibson, calculating certainly on being able to obtain the necessary assistance at that place. lieutenant r., on arriving within three miles of the fort, landed one of the boats, and proceeded with the other (having all the negroes and some indians) directly to the fort, and made known to general arbuckle the situation of the affair, and presented him with all the papers. he held a lengthy interview with the seminole chiefs, in which the various talks and promises of general jessup were detailed, the number and identity of the negroes denied, and the validity of the whole transaction questioned, etc.; and hence the conclusion, as he had received no order in relation to the negroes, he should not interfere; and directed lieutenant r. to land them with the indians. first, however, to conclude the farce, he exacted from each chief separately the promise, if the president should decide that the negroes should be given up, that they would deliver them to him. this of course they promised; any explanation or remonstrance urged by me was unavailing.”
