Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-12-22

covered with forests and ranged by e.
thousand savages to cur extensive Ren0S
lie, stabbed with cities, towns, and n.y. Nv
perous farms, ombellished with all tho ;~
provements which art can devise. or
dustry execute; occupied by mere thu
twelve millions Of happy people, and 6Ies
with all the blessings Of liberty, ciyiEz,.
ton, and religion.
The present policy Of tho Governno,.
is but q continuation of the same proure,
sive change, by milder process. IN.
tribes which occupied he countries noT-
constituting the Eastern States, were 81
INITIATED, or have melted away, to NAL.
room for the whites. The waves Of NOM
la,ion and civilization are rolling 10 y.
westward; and we now propose 10 acop;,a
the countries occupied by The red men n
the South and West by fair exchunoo
and at the expense of the United S,ate.
to send them TO a land where their eYi,,
ence may be prolonged, and perhaps ma5s
perpetual. Doubtless it will be painful 10
leave the graves Of their fathers; but WIS,
do they more than our ancestors did Or
than our children are now doingl Tobei.
ter their condition in an unknown hni
our forefatbers left all that was dear n
earthly objects. Our children, by thou..
ands, yearly leave the land of their birth
to seek new homes IN distant regions
Does humanity weep at these separations
from every thing, animate or inanlmaie
with which the young heart has become
entwinedl Far from it. 1t is rather =
source ofioy that our country affords scOOo
where our young population may range
unconstrained in body or in mind, deyel.
oping the power and faculties Of man, in
the highest perfection. These remove
J hundreds, & almost thousands Of miles NJ
their own expense, purchase the lands they
occupy, and support themselves at their
new home from the moment of their arriy.
al. Can it be cruel in this Government
when, by events which it cannot contrlo,
the Indian is made disconnected in his an.
Gent home, to purchase his lands 10 give
him a new and extensive territory, TO pay
the expenses Of his removal, and support
Ehim a wear in his new abOdel How ina.
ny thousands of our own people would
| gladly embrace the opportunity Of remOy.
Ing to the West on such condiionsl II
the offers made TO the Indians were er.
tended to them, they would be hailed with
gratitude and Joy.
And is it supposed that the wandering
savage has a stronger attachment TO his
home, than the settled, civilized Christi.
On? Is it more affecting to him to leave
the graves Of his fathers. than It is 10 our
brothers and childrenl Rightly consider
ed, the policy of the General Government
towards the red man is not only liberal
but generous. He is unwilling 10 submit
to the laws of the States, and mingle with
their population. To save him from this
alternative, or perhaps utter annhIaiiOu,
the General Government kindly offers bin
a new home, and proposes TO pay the whole
expense of his removal and settlement
In the consummation Of policy orig.
mating at an early period, and steadily PW.
sued by every administration within Tho
present century-so just TO the States, and
so generous to the Indians, the Executive
feels il has a right 10 expect the cO-Opers'
ton ofCongress, and Of all good and dis
interested men. The States, moreover,
have a right TO demand it. 1t was subsIan.
TALLY a part of the compact which made
them members of COR conlederacy. With
Georgia, there is an express contract;
with the new States, an implied one Of e.
quail obligation. Why, in authorizing
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, MIssis-
sippi, and Alabama, TO form constitutions,
and become separate States, did Congress
include within their limits extensive tracts
of Indian lands, and, in some instances,
powerful Indian trlbesl Was il moi IN
derslood by both parties that The power Of
the States was 10 be co-extensiye with Their
limits, and tbat, with all convenient dcs.
patch, the General Government, should
extinguish the Indian title, and remove eT'
ry obstruction to the complete jurisdiction
of the State Government over the soIll--
Probably not one ofthose States would have
accepted a separate exlstence-cerIsnly
it would never have been granted by Con-
gress, had it been understood that hey
were to be confined forever to these small
portions oftheir nominal territory, the la'
dian title to which had at the time been e.
tinguished.
1t is, therefore, duty which the Coz
ernment owes TO the new States, 10 eSiin-
guisb, as quick as possible, the Indian u
lie TO all lands which Congress themselves
have included within their limits. hbsn
this is done. the duties Of the Genera
Government in relation 10 The States anc'
Indians within their limits are at 90 e0o.