Lincoln Telegraph

The Florida War not ended."

The St. Augustine Herald says that it has received the heartrending intelligence of the murder of a whole family named Gwinn, who resided on the Santafee River. They fell victims to savage barbarity; a father, mother and two children were found murdered at their residence on the 2d inst.; a daughter about 13 years of age is missing. There are many conjectures as to her fate: but if murdered her body has not been found.

The same paper also says--"A report is in circulation two other families had been murdered in the same neighborhood; making the number seventeen, but we are happy to learn by a gentleman from Newnansville, that this is an exaggeration. Two persons, whose names we did not learn, were murdered since the massacre of the Gwinn family."

"Our informant states that a large gang are about the "Big Prairie" and its neighborhood, supposed to be the Micasukies and Tallahassees; a body estimated at three or four hundred, supposed to be fugitive Creeks, are in the Oke-fenokee swamp. Several companies have been raised "on their own hooks," amounting to about 200 men. A portion marched to the Big Prairie and the remainder to the Oke-fenokee swamp."

Here we have more bloodshed,--more expenditures,--more disgrace. It is high time the President ended his experiment in conducting the Florida war. Our Indian affairs as now conducted are a shame and a reproach not only to the whole American people but to civilization. When the whole truth is told it will be discovered that the Florida war has been protracted for no other or no better purpose than to make rich, avaricious and blood-thirsty government contractors.