y the treaty. That was the province of the nation in
general council. Jumper, as stated in these pages, was one of the
chiefs selected for the purpose of examining and reporting upon the
new country. General Thompson, the agent, had told the chiefs in
council that "no person has a right to say to you, You shall go, or
that you shall accede to the proposition made to you by the Creeks;
but it is left, as it should be, entirely optional with you." This is
in singular contrast to the words heretofore quoted from the agent,
and altogether different from his assurance to one of the chiefs: "The
President, backed by the Secretary of War" (the Indian Bureau was
then under the jurisdiction of the War Department) "and the whole
Congress, never should compel me to act so dishonorably as to violate
the treaty [of Camp Moultrie] made with your people. If such a thing
were required of me I would spurn the President's commission and
retire to the bosom of my family." General Thompson reported to the
authorities at Washington what had taken place, as just related, and
stated that, in view of the circumstances, no doubt remained that the
Indians intended to resist the execution of the treaty of Payne's
Landing. After giving a full statement of the situation, he felt it
his "imperious duty" to urge the necessity of a strong re-enforcement
at Fort King, and the station of a strong force at Tampa Bay, as early
as possible. "An imposing force, thus marshaled to coerce the
refractory people, would have the effect to crush the hopes of the
chiefs and those who had been tampering with them into a proper
respect for the Government, afford protection to the neighboring white
settlements, and supersede the necessity of Holata Amathla and his
followers fleeing the country." At this time the force at the two
posts mentioned was two hundred and thirty-five men. General Thompson,
sustained by Governor William P. Duval, continued to urge upon the
Government, an increase of the military force. The latter, in a letter
to the Secretary of War, informed that official that even with a
respectable military force stationed at Fort Brooke and Tampa Bay the
agent and superintendents would have much difficulty in carrying the
treaty of Payne's Landing into effect. The necessity for additional
military force was urged by Generals Clinch and Eaton and Lieutenant
Joseph W. Harris, the disbursing agent. These representations went
unheeded. In the whole of Florida t