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other measures, I again recommend the Survey of the country as far as Caloosa Hatchee Before closing this brief report I beg leave to invite your attention to the importance of enforcing the Law of Florida prohibiting all trade with the Indians. I learn from good authority that it has been violated by a resident of Miami over near Key Biscayne Bay. The evidence in this case is very clear, and I learn that the offender has confessed the facts but pleads ignorance of the Law. An example is wanted to check such contraband trade, and I apprehend that a more just and efficient example may not occur again with such testimony. The occurrence was known to the neighbors, but for some cause they thought proper to exhibit no knowledge of it, until it became known from other sources. I now respectfully submit to your excellency whether it would not be better for the State Authorities to enforce this Law and to conduct all the steps of the prosecution rather than bring in any U.S. Officer as a party. When the people themselves will not enforce their own Law, any prosecution of the U.S. might be regarded as persecution and the object of the Law in question would be defeated by the sympathy screening offenders. The Indians have but about 18 months supply of ammunition, hence the great importance of cutting off all further supply. This Law, and a more rigid military police near & within their limits will yet, I hope, remove them all peaceably in two years. With great respect I am Your most obdt. Servant (Signed) John C. Casey Capt in Chg. Ind. Aff. in Fla. Tampa Bay Florida May 21. 1854 Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th inst. in which your sanctions is given to the views submitted by me on March 12th. and I am pleased to be able to add that the "talk" has been held or invited for negotiating, since the 2nd November last. I have called on the State Authoritly to enforce the State Laws. forbidding all trade with the Indians, and shall continue to use all proper means for detecting offenders - There is a strong disposition amoung the immigrats to advance the frontier. which I make it my duty to encourage as far as possible - Most respectfully Your Obdt. Servt. (Signed) John C. Casey Capt. in Chg. Ind. Affrs in Fla Hon Jeff Davis Secty. of War [[end page]] [[start page]] Tampa Florida May 22, 1854 Dr Sir I have just recd. yrs. of April 20th and in reply have to say, that I have not succeeded in recovering your negroes from the Indians. They will not bring them in a present for a high reward. Should an opportunity offer, the negroes will, of course, be seized and secured for you, otherwide they cannot be recovered until the Indians come in for imigration or are forced out of the Country. I am sorry to have no better prospect to give you of sooner recovering your property. I shall be pleased to see you when you next the part of Florida. Very respectfully Your Obdt. Servt. (signed) John C. Casey James A. Scarborough} Calhoun Co Fla. } Tampa Bay Florida July 5th 1854 Hon Jeffn Davis Secty. of War Sir: In my report of May 3 1854 I informed you that the Seminole Chief has refused to bring in, or surrender two runaway negroes (belonging to Jas. A. Scarborough of Baker Co. Georgia) who has been with them since June 1853 excusing themselves by saying that as we allowed no trade they were under no oblegations to aid us and, besides as said negroes were armed and desoerate they could not take them without danger. Early in April I received satisfactory information that [[underlined]] Bowlegs [[/underlined had those two negro men in his camp, and kept them as his own property. I accordingly gave the following order to my assistant at Ft. Myers April 22d/,54 "Should the Seminole Negroes "[[underlined]] Simon & Toney" [[/underlined]] (belonging to Bowlegs) visit this post (Ft. Myers) you will seize and secure them as hostages for the delivery of the two runaways detained by [[underlined]] Bowlegs [[/underlined]], and send him word to that effect. This fact was unintentionally omitted in my report of May 3d. 1854. One of their chief men recently brought in a message from the Council "that, as we had no trade or intercourse with them they desired me to have the troops withdrawn from Fort Myers; and that by keeping [[end page]]
