The Arkansas advocate., 1834-04-18
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Debate on yMiHfny .appropr;ofioa BiU.

VI uyhC III tllE CDdIf---
 When the committee proceeded to con-
 sider the following clause, viz: "For ex- tending the works and erecting additional barracks at Fort Gibson, Arkansas, 25. .0OO dollars,' , debate of much interest and spirit commenced, and occupied the House till the hour of adjournment.
 Mir. SEVER, the Delegate from Arlsan- sas Territory, opposed with great earnest ness and animation the continuance of any military post at Fort Gibson, and moved to amend the bill by striking out this clause and inserting an appropriation of 10000 dollars for the purchase of a site and the erection of barracks at Fort Smith, point on the Arkansas river forty miles to the eastward of Fort Gibson, and where the western boundary of the Arkansas Terito- " crossed that river. He represented this change to be the almost unanimous desire Of the inhabitants of that Territory, express ed by repeated votes of their Legislature, and thus year embodied in a memorial to tie President to which there were HOO sigma tmes. He stated that. in 1926, the western boundary of the Territory had been where 1t now is, and Fort Smith had been erected upon the line, for the protection of the from tier. The line, by order of Congress, was subsequently removed forty miles further west, and Fort Gibson was erected where the new line crossed the river; and had the boundary continued there, 1t would have served the same purpose as Fort Smith had formerly done but owing to the difficulties respecting the Southern Indians, between the Government of the United States and the State Governments of Georgia and Ala bama, the additional portion of territory was ] appropriated 10 the settlements of the emi- grating Cherokees and Choctaws, the white settlers were driven III, and the line re-es- tablished where 1t had been at first. Under these circumstances, he contended, that if l the object of the Fort was to defend the frontier, t ought to be removed and re-es- itailished upon the line, and not kept forty miles in advance, in the heart of the Indian country. He dwelt, in addition, upon the inconvenience of retaining q post nearly 40 miles above the head of ua yigaton the
 increased expense arising from transsllip- tmen's, 2c. and insisted that if the barracks wela 10 be rendered permanent at Fort sib- son, tie post would operate as a defence not to the People of Arkansas, but to the Indians.
 In these views, Mr. SEVER was fully supported by Messrs. R. M. JOHNSON, and CLAYTON who secuted the idea of having Fort for the defence of our settlements Iany where but on our own territory; and who adverted also to the corrupting effects of the presence of a garrison of soldiers in the midst of an Indian tribe, partially clvll- ized, and which 1t was the design and wish of the Government to protect and improve. Mir. PoLK, in reply, quoted the opinions of the Secretary of War, which were, that in consequence of the removal of, the South 7 ern Indians. and their location to the west Of , Arkansas, Fort Gibson became post oi very great importance, and would probably be the head quarters of the troops employed
 to desend that portion of the frontier of the
 Union; that to erect permanent barracks
 there, of suitable extent, would probably re-
 aure 10000 dollars; but that 25,00o would
 be sufficient for an appropriation for the
 present year. He adverted to the high
 character of Mir. Secretary Cass, his oppor-
 ,unities, from his station, to take general
 
 . Of the western frontier, and the peculiar ad-
 vantages he enjoyed for doing this with pro
 prietv, from his acquaintance with the Indian 2 habits and character, and his experience !, in treaties and negotiations with them. oo
 far from Fort Gibson being too tar to the
 west, it might be requisite to advance oul
 posts still farther Ill that direction. Besides,
 the draooons, new and important corps
 oroanized under the order ot Congress last
 session. were to be stationed at Fort Gib- !, son, and would require barracks for then ' accommodation.
 i MT. II. EVERETT. chairman of the com |, m;ttee on Indian Affairs, considered our re- , ,aiions at the west not to be such at thIs I time as to enable Congress to enter Into J any definite course of policy as to the loca- ' ion of it's posts of defence. lie was wii-
 linz that the barracks, where they were no" : placed, should be kept, for the present. m Is state of repair. but was inclined to believe n that it would eventually be proper to estaD- ,, fish line fsmall forts upon the boundary
 which separated Arkansas and Missohrl : from the indian tribes which had been re-
 moved West. These would be required IS for double purpose to protect the inter, J courso between the whites and Indians, and to restrain it within the limits of law; ana . also to defend our trade with santa re- II He doubted the policy of maintaining any
 forts within the Indian Territory.
 Mir. CAGE, of Mississippi, concurred III
 the view of the Secretary of War, and re- neled the idea that the location ot ms iof' 10 7 was to be controlled by the wishes of the !. neople of Arkansas, who had an obvious - local interest in desiring the garrison al
 c.4l . 1t ,ronlld consume much ol