Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-04
ALEXANDRIA,:
THURSDAY, MARCIA, 1919.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT AT WASHINGTON
Tuesddu, March g.,

20 Tuesday, JH0Tch Z.,
Although much business passed in the
house of representatives on Monday. there
was little that could. deeply interest the
majority of readers, | therefore feel the less
n, ret at being prevented by indisposition
from sending my regular letter to you.
The bill authorising the president to take
possession of Florida, and establish tenn
porary territorial government, went through
committee of the whole on the state OF
the nation-and after the rejection of an a.
mendment proposed by Mr.. Holmes, was
passed by the committee to the house, and
by the house was read third time. passed,
and sent to the senate for their concur.
renee. On the bill for more effectually pro.
hibiting the slave trade, some conversation
arose. Mr.. Middleton gave luminous ex-
position of the nature of the bill, the cir
cumstances that demanded it, and the eff
fects expected to be produced by it. Seve-
raj amendments were proposed-and MIR.
H. Nelson expressed an opinion that the
| penalties were not sufficiently severe---for
that they ought to be committed to punish
| ishment by death-in which Mr.. Nelson
was, as Indeed he generally is, perfectly
correct.
On Tuesday a resolution passed on mo-
ton of Mr.. Peasants, TO instruct the COM
missioners of the navy pension fund to CO.
cree payment of the balances due to that
fund, and a, an early day next session TO
report what means they had used, and the
success of those means TO enforce payment.
and their opinion, whether any, and what
further legislative provisions may be ne
cessary to compel compliance with the
provisions of the laws on that subject.
The Missouri bill as amended by the
Senate, was then taken up and the house
disagreeing TO the amendment the bill is
lost till next session.
The bill fer the civilization OF the Indians
passed.
From the New York Daily .4dvertiscr.
ON INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Extracts of letter from a very respecta-
BILE gentleman of Georgetown, DC.
The memorial from New-York TO the u.
S. congress on the subject of civilizing and
improving our Indians, have not had the
pleasure of seeing but The bells Of lis fame
have been rung land my delighted ears have
listened Joy fully 20 the sound. know from
the spirit which dictated il, 1T must be good:
and from the source whence il sprung, it
must be fraught with magnanimity and a.
hility. The house, as you have seen by
the papers, RI ferred il TO the committee of
the whole, to be acted on when the subject
to which it relates shall be presented. But
,phen that will be, have no means ofjudg-
ing. The subjects of the Seminole war,
and the U. States bank, appear to engross
the time, ana command the eloqucnce of
the house. Every order of talent is put in
requisition to discuss them; and from the
! course which seems t. be marked out for
those debates, and the limits which are as
signed TO the present session, | apprehend
| the Indian subject will he permitted to
slumher on. For myself, Ihave dismissed
all expectation OF its being made the order,
| for any day, during this session This is
certainly to be regretted. But it is an affair
entirely above control and must be left to
take its course, like good many other i'm
, portant measures in which human happi-
ness is concerned till that Good Being who
! presides over the destinies of man, shall see
proper to override opposing influences, land
direct matters according 10 the good plea
sure of his will.
My regrets are softened, however, by the
| conviction that more light shines on our In
dian relations now, than has ever illumined
them before. The kind attention bestowed
on this subject-this important, and too
long neglected subject-by many of our
best and most influential citizens, lead me
| to the conclusion that all this interest will
not be permitted to run to waste. In all
quarters Of the union may be perceived
stir amongst The people. 1t may be seen,
think very plainly, that they are unwilling
to succeed to the vast possessions which
they inherit and which they are constant
ly acquiring from the Indians, without ma
king them, although at so late a period,
something like suitable remuneration
But this is not the most influential conside-