ent Calhoun sided with his native State, Jackson
threatened to arrest him. Calhoun resigned, went home, and was elected
United States senator.

President Jackson issued a warning proclamation on the 10th of December,
but South Carolina continued her war preparations, and the President
sent General Scott, with the sloop-of-war _Natchez_, to Charleston, with
orders to strengthen the garrison in the harbor. Scott displayed great
discretion, and won the good-will of the citizens by his forbearance and
courtesy. The other Southern States condemned the rash course of South
Carolina, within which gradually appeared quite a number of supporters
of the Union. Then Clay introduced a bill in Congress, which became law,
providing for a gradual reduction of duties until the 30th of June,
1842, when they were to reach a general level of twenty per cent.
Calhoun, now a member of the Senate, supported the compromise, and the
threatened civil war passed away for the time.

SECOND SEMINOLE WAR.

Trouble once more broke out with the Seminoles of Florida. The
aggravation, already referred to, continued. Runaway slaves found safe
refuge in the swamps of the State and intermarried with the Indians. A
treaty, known as that of Payne's Landing, was signed in May, 1832, by
which a number of chiefs visited the country assigned to the Creeks, it
being agreed that, if they found it satisfactory, the Seminoles should
remove thither. They reported in its favor, but the other leaders,
incensed at their action, killed several of them, and declared, probably
with truth, that they did not represent the sentiment of their people,
and doubtless had been influenced by the whites to make their report.
The famous Osceola expressed his opinion of the treaty by driving his
hunting-knife through it and the top of the table on which it lay.

It being clear that the Seminoles had no intention of going west,
President Jackson sent General Wiley Thompson to Florida with a military
force to drive them out. The Indians secured a delay until the spring of
1835, under the promise to leave at that time; but when the date
arrived, they refused to a man. Osceola was so defiant in an interview
with General Thompson that the latter put him in irons and held him
prisoner for a couple of days. Then the chief promised to comply with
the terms of the treaty and was released. He had not the slightest
intention, however, of keeping his promise, but was resolved to be
revenge