The Arkansas advocate., 1831-01-05
sRdsa fan al oage.


 constitnfior the Eastern States, were an- ea. or have melted away to make ram for the whites. The waves Of popu- la,ion and civilization are rolling to the westward: and we now propose to acquire tile countries occupied by the red men oi the south and West, by fair exchange, and. at the expense of the U. States, to send them to land where their existence may be prolonged, and perhaps made per petuai Doubtless Il will be painful to leave the graves es their fathers; but what do they, more than our ancestors dld, or than our children are now doing! To bet ter their condition iH an unknown land, our forefathers left all that was dear in earthly objects. Our children, by thou sands. yearly leave the land of their birth, ro seek new homes in distant regions. Does humanity weep at at these painful separa- -tions from every thing animate and mani mate. with which iile young heart has be- come entWined! Far from 1t. 1t IS rather a source of joy that our country affords scope, where our young population may range unconstrained in body or mind, de- veioping the power and faculties of man in their highest perfection. These re- move hundreds, and almost thousands of miles, at their own expense, purchase the lands they occupy, and support themselves at their new home from the moment of their arrival. Can it be cruel in this government, when, by events which 1t cannot control, the Indian is made discon- tented in his ancient home, to purchase his lands, to give him Q new and extensive territory, to pay the expenses of his remo- val, ana support hin year in his new a. hodea How many thousands of OUT own people would gladly embrace the opportu- nity of removing to the West on such con eiitions! If the offers made to the Indians were extended to them, they would be hailed with gratitude and joy.
 And Is 1t supposed that the wandering savage has stronger attachment to his home, than the settled civilized Christian2 Is it more afiicting to him to leave the graves ofhis fathers, than 1t Is to our bro- thers and chi!drena Rightly considered, the policy of the General Government to- wards the red man is not only liberal but generous. He is unwilling to submit to the laws of the States, and mingle with their population. To save him from this alternative, or perhaps utter annihilation, the General Government kindly offers him 2. new home, and proposes to pay the whole expense or his removal and settlement.
 In the consnmmatien of policy origi- hating at an early period and steadily pur- sued by every administration within the present centurY~-is just to tho States, and so generous to the Indians, the Executive 1eels 1t has a right to expect the co-opera- lion of Congress, and Of all good aud lis interested men. The States, moreover, haye a right to demand 1t. 1t was sub- .stantiaily part of the compact which made them members of OUT confederacy. With Gnoraia. there. IS press con- tract, with the new states, an implied one of equal obligation. Why in authorizing Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Mssis- sippi and Alabama, to form constitutions, and become separate States, did Congress include within therl limits extensive tracts of Indian lands, and Tn some instances, powerful Indian tribes! Was it not under stood by both parties, that't the power of the states was to be co-extensive with their limits, and that, with ss.! convenient das- patch, the General Government should ex- 7ingltsh the Indiantitle. and remove eve- ry obstruction to the complete jurisdiction of the State Government, over the soil1 Probably not one of those States would nave accepted separate existence--cer- tainly it would never have been granted by Congress--had 1t been understood that they were to be confined forever to those small portions of their nominal territory. the Indian title to which, had at that time been extinguished.
 It is a doty which this Government owes so the new States, to extinguish, as soon as possible, the Indian tile to all lands which Congress themselves have not inclu- ded within their limits. When this is done, the duties of the General Govern alent, in relation to the States and Indi- ans within their limits, are at an. end. The Indians may leave the State or not as they saoose. Fho purchase of their lands does not alter, in the least, their personal re- iations with the State Government. No act af the General Government has ever been deemed necessary to give the States Jurisdiction over the persons of the indi- ans. That they possessed by virtue of their sovereign power within their limits, 1n as full a manner before as after the pur- chase of the Indian lands; nor can this : Ssovernnent add to or diminish it.
 Maywe not hope, therefore, that all good citizens, ,and none more zessiously than those who think the Indian oppressed by subjec- fiun to laws oftheStates, will unite in at tempting to open the eyes of those children afthe forest te their true condition, and by aspaedy removal, to relieve them from the ayis real, es, n g asi nary present og prospective. with which they may be sup posed to be threatened.
 Among the numerous causes of conrrat- II, .sli.sss. the condition of onr ilr,past reve- nue deserves special mention, in-as-much AS Il promises the means Of extingliishing the public debt sooner than was anficpa- ted, and furnishes strong illustration of the practical effects of the present tariff upon our commercial interests.