Delaware journal., 1828-12-05


that Department present exposition OF the pubic
of affairs connected with them, thro
the course OF the current year. The present state
of the army, and the distribution OF the iorce OF
which il is composed, will be seen from the report
of the Major General. Several alterations IN tne
dspo,h OF the troops have been found exPedlent I'D
the course of the year, and the discipline OF the army,
though not entirely Tree from exception, has peen
generally good
The attention of Congress is particularly invited
TO that part Of the Report of the Secretary OF War
which concerns the existing system OF our relauons
with the Indian tribes. AT the establishment OF the
Federal Government, under the present oohs'iiu.
ton of the unite,rStates, the principle was adopted
of considering them irS foreign and independent pow
crs and also as proprietors oi ian'is. hey "eie'
moreover, considered as sayases. whom ~ was our
policy and our duty to use our influence IN convert
lng TO Christianity, aud IN bringing "lthlh .he p"ie
of civilization.
A indrnpn,lent Powers we negotiated with them
by treaties as prnprieturs, we purchased OF them
all the lands which we could prevail upon them tol
sell as brethren of the human race, rude ana lg
norant we enueavoured to bring them 10 the khoWl-
edge Of religion and Of letters. The ultimate design
was to incorporate III our own INSTITUTIONS tha'
portion of them which could be converted TO the
4 state of civilization. ln the practice oi European
States before our Revolution, they had been consi-
ered as children to be governed as tenants at dis
cretiun TO be spossessed occasion might require;
;, as hunters to be Undermined by trng concessions
for removal from the grounds upon winch their game
was extirpated. In changing the system, It would
seem az il d full con emplaon OF the consequences
of the change had not been taken. we nave peen
far more successful in the acquisition OF their lands
than in lmparting to them the principles, or lnsp-
rins them with the spirit of civilization. But IN ap'
proplanr 10 ourselves their huNng grounds we
have brought upon ourselves the obligation OF pro-
yidinu them with subsistence and when we have
had the rare good fortune OF teaching them the arts OF
civilizations and the doctrines ot christianity, we
have unpxpectedlv found them forming IN the midst
: nf ourselves. communities claiming to be lndePen-
dent of ours, and rivals oi sovereignty within the
: terri cries of The members OF our Ohon. ms stae
u of things requires that remedy should be provided
e A remedy which, while it shall do justice to those
5 unfortunate children Of nature, may secure to the
0 members of our confederation their rights OF soyc
g reirntv and of soil As the outline OF prolect Z
: that effect. The views presented IN the Report ol tht
= Secretary Of War are recommended to the conslde
Z ration Of Congress.
/ '.hc Reptt from the Engineer Department pre-
l. seuts cun.prehen,iye view of the progress mhcf
e has been made in the great system promofve o
J. the public interest," commenced and ofganl4ed aii
e der lie authority Of Congress, and the effects Q
s. which have already contributed to the security,
r they viii hereafter largely contribute to the hon
W OF and dignity Of the nation.
r The first Of these great systems is that OF tort
e. fcatiois. commenced immediately alter ths clos
IL of our last war, under the salu,ary eXperienc
lie which the events Of that war had impressed on OF
on countrymen Of its necessity. Introduced undo
he the auspices of my immediate predecessor IT hi
es been continued with the perseveflnS and lioef
lei encouragement of the Legislature: and eomDine
Ia With e,p0nding exertinns Tor the 'gradnai J.
.r crease and lmpro, cnent Of the Navy. prepares /
our extensive country condition oi defence ada
Is ted to any critical emergency winch the Nayl
ion course Of events may bring tofth. Our ahvanc
vas in these concerted systems have Tor the last !
70 wears been steady and progressive; and IN a !,
sed years more will lie 50 completed as to leave
,a can,p for apprehension that our sea- oast Will es
f,y again ulfel theatre 0. hostile invasion.
rin- The NEXT ef these cardinal measures OF poll
lch is the preliminary to yfeat and lasting works
rst public improvement. in the Surveys OF roads, I
any animation for the Of canals, atd iabore
the the removal Of the obstuctous ot rivers ani y
the bors, FIRST commenced by the Act OF Congress
en- 5Oth April 1924.
Gts, The report exhibits in one table the funds
flon propra,ed at the last and preceding sessions
ace CONGRESS- for all these iu tillcaons, surveys,
IN works Of public improvement; the manner
which these funds have been applied, the amor
e OF expended upon the several works under cplstr
aCh ton and the further sums which may be ncces
au- ry to complete them. In the second. the wo
lder projected by the Board OF Engineers winch HI
ion. not been commenced, and the estimate ot tn
by cost.
nstl- In third. the report of the annual Board
its Visitors at the Military Academy at West POI
'een For thirteen fortcatlos erecting various poi
rove of our Atlantic coast from Rhode Island to Lou
the ana, the aggregate expenditure n the year
oath fallen little short of one million Of dollars.
and For the preparation Of five additional reports
nese reconnossances and survey since the last sess
any 1t Congress, tor the civil constructions npon 9
as ty seven different public works comnenccd, Ell
than others cr which specific appropriations have b
It of made by Acts Of Congress. and twenty other inc