The termination of the war had been regarded as certain by the commanding officer, and by him so reported. The first article in the capitulation, provided for the cessation of hostilities. But they were renewed soon after, and the Indians and Exiles charged with a breach of faith, both by General Jessup and by the Executive. And it becomes important to the truth of history, that facts should be stated. The articles of capitulation pledged the faith of the nation for the safety of both persons and property of the "Seminoles _and their allies_." Those "allies" could have been no other people than the black men who were with them contending against a common foe. It is also evident that Abraham and the Exiles who came in for the purpose of emigrating so understood it. It is equally certain that the people of Florida who memorialized the Secretary of War so understood it; and we need only read the letters and orders of General Jessup to learn that he surely so understood it: and the whole conduct of the Indians shows that they put the same construction upon it. While, therefore, justice should be done to General Jessup, we should be careful to do no injustice to either the Seminoles or the Exiles. As further evidence of General Jessup's good faith at the time, we quote an extract from a letter, bearing date six days later than the one last referred to. It was addressed to Lieutenant Colonel Miller, commanding at Tampa Bay, and is dated March twenty-seventh, 1837. It is signed by General Jessup himself, who says: "I have also been informed that Mr. Cooley's business at Tampa Bay is to _look after negroes_. If that be so, he must be sent away; a trifling circumstance would _light up the war again. Any interference with the negroes which would produce alarm on their part would inevitably deprive us of all the advantages we have gained._ I sympathize with Mr. Cooley in his afflictions and losses; but responsible as I am for the peace of the country, _I cannot and will not permit that peace to be jeopardized by his imprudence_."
But these demands for slaves increased. The slaveholders were indignant at the loss of slaves, and it soon became apparent that the stipulation of safety to the "allies" of the Seminoles was _unpopular_ in Florida.