Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-05-04

SuCh lnf0fmatlOn as may IN Inc mcantliiC
be obtained, showing the number oil per-
sons of whole or part Indian blood, de-
tached from their tribes and living among
the white people in each of the States oil
Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, and the
territories of Arkansas and Michigan
the names of the heads of each family
and the number Of their children, and
whether the father or mother, and which
is of whole or part Indian b!ood---the
names of each single person OF the same
description above the age of 2 years
the state Of education among them, the
religion which they profess, and the
places of their residence-,he causes
which have induced them to quit their
tribes and settle among the white people ;
and whether they have received dona-
tons in land from the French and Span
ish, or American governments, and il
any, how much; from what government
received, where situated, and whciher the
donee now possesses it.
RESOLVED, That the President be re-
quested to cause the said information to
be collected from the United States In
dian Agents, and such others as he shall
think proper, by causing the appropriate
inquiries to be addressed 20 them, and
the substance of their Information to be
digested into a report and communicated
10 the Senate.
In Introducing the above resolutions,
the mover, Mr.. BENTON, stated bis OBJ
ject to be to obtain correct Information
with respect to the description ofpersons
therein mentioned with view OF ma
king some provision to better their con-
dition. He knew of many persons in the
states and territories oil the description
mentioned, some of whom had applied
to him 10 propose law to give them
lands, as bad been given to the early
white settlers in the same countries.
He had delayed acting on their request
in order to obtain full and correct infor-
nation, to make il the basis of law
that would operate generally in behalf OF
all such persons now residing in the
white settlements, and others who may
chusc to do the like: conformably to the
idea contained in the Presidents inaugu-
raj address Of the 4th of March last.
Message oftle President ofthe United
States to Congress, UPON the subject
ofuhe ForAfcations on Dauhhine Is
land and Mobile Point.
TO the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States.
Congress having suspended the appro-
priation, at the last session, for the for.i-
fication at Dauphine Island, in conse-
quence of doubt which was entertain
ed ofthe propriety of that position, the
further prosecution ofthe work was sus-
pended, and an order given, as intimated
in the Message of the Sd Of December,
to the Board OF Engineers and Naval
Commissioners, to re-examine that part
ofthe coast, and particularly that posi-
ton, as also the position at Mobile Point,
with which it is connected, and to report
their opinion thereon, which has been
done, and which report is herewith COM
municated.
BY this report, it appears to be still
the opinion of the Board, that the con-
struction of works at both these positions
is of great importance to the defence of
New Orleans, and of all that portion OF
our Union which is connected with, and
dependant on, the Mississippi, and on
the other waters which empty into the
Gulfof Mexico, between that river and
Cape Florida. That the subject may be
fully before Congress, transmit, also,
a copy OF the former report ofthe Board,
being that on which the work was under
taken, and has been, in part executed.
Approving, as do, the opinion of the
Board, l consider it my duty to state the
reasons on which l adopted the first re-
port, especially as they we're, in part,
suggested by the occurrences of the late
war.
The policy which induced Congress
to decide on, and provide for, the de-
fence of the coast, Immediately after the
war, was founded on the marked events
of that interesting epoch. The vast DO.
dy Of men which it was found necessary
to call into the field, through the whole
extent of our maritime frontier, and the
number who persisted by exposure, with
the immense expenditure of money and
waste Of properly, which followed, were
to be traced, in an eminent degree, tc
the defenceless condition Of the coast
1t was to mitigate these evils, in future
wars, and even for the higher purpose
of preventing war itself, so far as j
might be practicable, impregnable ane
that the measures necessary to that grea
object have been pursued with so much
zeal since.
1t is known that no part Of the Unior
is more exposed to invasion, by the nu
| m crovs evepuec leadincr tn ~ m mon.