Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-05-12

act, with the forfeiture, and forever, of
every national right. They are not to
be permitted even to resume the govern
ment they had discarded; and to live
again as savagcs: but they are at once 4
forever to be subjected to the rule of
another jurisdiction, never again to en-
JOY the right of self government; right
which has came down to them from their
fathers, and through an unknown series
of generations, and for an unknown Sc
ries of ages. A right which they had
used, but not abused; certainly not in
the act which is made a pretext for its
destruction.
iii fated Indians! barbarism, g. attempts
at civilization, are alike fatal to your
rights; but attempts at civilization the
more fatal of the two. The jealous of
their own rights are the cOntemners of
yours; proud and chivalrous States do
not think it beneath them to take advan-
tage of your weakness. You have lands
which they want or rather which they de-
sire, for they do not want them; your
rights stand in their way, and these proud
and chivalrous States do not think it be-
meath them to destroy your rights by the ir
Legislation. Proud and chivalrous States
do not think it beneath them to pres
ent to your feeble and helpless condition,
this alternativc-either to abandon your
homes, the habitations you have built, the
fields you have planted, and all the COM
forts you have gathered around you; the
homes of your fathers and the sepulchers
of their dead; and 60 far into the depths
of an unknown wilderness; there to abide
the destiny which may there await you ;or
to surrender your rights, ,and submit your
selves to their power, but to expect no
participation in their rights.
An alternative which has planted dis
may and dispair in every heart that pal
pilates in that nation; for they see their sit
uation, ,andthat nothing is left them but re-
signation to their fate. Within them
selves they have no resource; without
they have no hope. The guarantees of
treaties made with the United States-the
faith of mighty nation pledged for their
protection-which was their hope, is now
their hope no more; like the morning
cloud and the early dew, it has passed
away; for the chief of that mighty nation
has been appealed to, to make good that
guarantee, but has been appealed to in
vain. He has told them that he will not
make it good; s. that they must submit to
that alternative. But we are told they
have deserved all this, because they have
changed the form of their government.
But has this changed their external rela-
ton with the United States? or with those
States? Not in the least. Not in any
one possible respect. The new govern
ent, like the old, is made for their own
internal regulation, and for that object
merely. SUI jm'is as they are and always
have been, they had right to make the
law for their own internal regulation, ac-
cording to their own will, and to change
it from time to time, according to that will.
They have done this, and in doing this
they have done no more than they had a
right to do. If they now are a govern
ment within a government, at which such
an outcry. is made as justifying their de-
struction, so they always have been; and
more so now than they always have
pecH. lHcy nave dlWayS Dccn Wnat tnc
gentlemen calls an imperium in emperio--
dependent & without the eternal prerog-
atives of sovereignty, but still an impe-
rum. But no matter-no matter how JUS
tifable, how properthat change ofgovern-
ment was; how strictly mere exercise of
right, they see and they feel that their
doom is sealed: that the decree is gone
forth, s. will be executed. The cry ofthe
miserable Indian will not arrest it; the
sympathy of this nation in that cry will
not arrest it; that sympathy is not credit
ed or if credited is despised; and we
are told here, and in tone of defiance
too, that no power shall arrest it. My
fears are that no power will arrest it;
none certainly will if this bill pass, and
without this amendment; or then the Ex-
ecutive will not arrest it. But if execu-
ted, and when executed, for one, l will
say, that these Indians have been made
the victims of power exerted against
right; the victims of violated faith, the
nations faith; the victims of violated JUS
tice; yes call God to witness ofhis viola
ted justice.