Annexation

The federal government did not follow Jackson's recommendation, for the time being. In the 1820s the country was getting its first intelligence reports of the Seminole maroons. American officers were beginning to sense the difficulties that the community could present if forced to leave Florida. As Indian Agent Jean Pénières reported in 1821:

"They fear again being made slaves under the American government and will omit nothing to increase or keep alive mistrust among the Indians, whom they in fact govern. If it should become necessary to use force with them, it is to be feared that the Indians will take their part." [Longer excerpt]

From the July, 1821 report of Jean A. Pénières, newly appointed Subagent to the Seminoles:

"We must add to this enumeration.... fifty or sixty Negroes, or mulattos, who are maroons, or half slaves to the Indians. These Negroes appeared to me far more intelligent than those who are in absolute slavery; and they have great influence over the minds of the Indians. It will be difficult to form a prudent determination with respect to the maroon Negroes who live among the Indians on the other side of the little mountains of Latchiove. Their number is said to be upward of three hundred. They fear again being made slaves under the American government and will omit nothing to increase or keep alive mistrust among the Indians, whom they in fact govern. If it should become necessary to use force with them, it is to be feared that the Indians will take their part. It will, however, be necessary to remove from Florida this lawless group of free booters, among whom runaway Negroes will always find refuge. It would perhaps be possible to have them received at St. Domingo, or furnish them the means of withdrawing themselves from the United States."