Distractions

If Americans expressed mixed feelings about the new Indian war, almost none commented on the war's connection to slavery -- because almost none understood it. Outside of Florida and Georgia, few Americans knew that rebel blacks were involved in Florida, not just recalcitrant Indians. In theory, the connection to slavery could not remain a secret for long. Congress had to debate increased funding for the war, which would expose the fact that the federal Army and federal tax dollars were being used to recover slave property. This would have been inflammatory in 1836. Fortunately for the Jacksonians, two circumstances came to their aid.