Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-12-02

hsve the honor to be, sir, your most obedient
W. CALDWELL, AID. s.. C.
Lieut. Col JAMES, &c. sc.
No. VI.
Detroit. 26.h Oct. 1915.
SIR have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 2lst
instant, enclosing one from a MIR. Cald-
well.
The terms of his letter prevent me
from king any notice of it. Upon the
general relation of the Indian tribes TO our
respective governments, and the right of
mutual mtctf, renee, such misunderstood g
has prevailed, and ! am 50 anxious to re-
move all collision, rs well of sentiment as
ut action, that | will take the liberty Of
stating my opinion upon the subject. The
jurisdiction OF the United States and of c.
Brit in within their territorial limits, IS
exclusive. II the Indians residing under
the protection Of either are injured, they
must apply for redress TO the government
OF the country within which they live, and
car obtain only that redress which its laws
prescribe. II an Indian is injured in his
person or his property, within this terrific
ry, our laws have amply provided for the
punishment of the offender, and the redress
of the party injured. We do not acllnow-
ledge in principle, nor shall we ever admit
in practice, the right of any foreign autho-
rites to interfere in any arrangement or
dis ussion between us and the Indians living
within our territory. Any other principle
would render the sovereignty Of the United
States merely nominal and by giving to
the agents ofanother government the right
OF interfering, would lay the foundation for
continual disputes.
If the Indians were in the habit Of steal
irg horses from your side of the river and
bringing them here, should consider it my
ds'y TO put stop to the practice, and to
restore the property. This was the case
or the Indians who stole horses from the
Miami last summer, and took them to
Maiden. You directed their restoration,
and in any similar case, shall cheertully
follow the example.
But, if the injury is done in Upper Can
ada, there exists no right in the U. States
to iute fere, and if done here, there is no
right of Interference in the British authsri-
ties there. Were an Indian injured at
Maiden, you would think the course of pre-
cedence indeCorous, and the demand mad
Missile, should an Indian agent here hold
council upon the subject, and demand of
you that the injury should be redresscd,
and in substance tell you that the alterna-
tive of peace or war depended OH your de-
cislon. l am inclined 70 think you would
form the same opinion of him that do of
this Mr. Caldwell, and impu;e bis conduct
70 profound ignorance of the relative
rights of nations, or to more arifu, tho
less pard.nable motive, that Of preserving
an influence over the Indians, to be used
as subsequent events may render expedi-
ent.
In the application of these princines,
have only TO observe, that Stoney Island,
whence these horses were stated to have
been taken, is in this territory that the
horses were not taken from there to Cana
da, and that British officer has conse-
queBtly no right to make any claim m be-
half of the Indians upon the subject. But,
sir, to yourself personally, freely say,
that / did not hesitate a moment to enquire
into the transaction. ] found that these
horses were taken from Stoney Island to
Gross Isle, under z impression that they
belonged to people of this territory, and
for the purpose of reclaiming them and
that four others ard colt allowed these.
As soon as the fact was reported to me,
directed that the whole should b brought
here with view to restore those which
had not been stolen.
On their arrival here, one was identi6ep
as the property of a citizen of this place,
and hes be, delivered to him. Tie 9TH
ers shall he delivered to the Indians who
own them, as soon as they appear to claim
them.
With much respect, sir, 7 have the
honour to be, your most obedient SER
want,
LEWIS CASS.