Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-17
ALABAMA AND THE INDIANS.


In the House of Representatives, on Friday,
the following resolution, offered some time since,
bv Mr., LEWIS of Alabama, came up for consl-
deration:
Resolred. That the Committee on Indian AT
fairs be instructed to inquire whether the pro
visions of the treaty of March 1882, with the
Creek tribe of Indians in the State OF Aiapania'
be inconsistent with the sovereign right OF Ju,
risdiction of said State within its limits, ana
whether the execution of said treaty has SO lar
conficted, or is likely to conflict, with the ope-
ration of the laws of the said State over the
country coded by such treaty, and, ii SO, TO IN
ouire wether some other act of Legislation, con-
sstent with the rights OF said Indians, may not
be necessary to prevent such conflict.
Mr.. MCKINLEY, of Alabama, observed, that
he understood the whole controversy to which
the resolution had reference, had been set
tied; and not seeing any useful purpose that
could be answered by its adoption, he moved TO
lay it on tie table.
He withdrew the motion, however, at the re-
quest of
Mr.. LEWIS, who said, that he felt it his d'l-
tv to state to the House, that, on yesterday, he
had been favored with the perusal of letter to
the Secretary of War from the Marshal of South
Alabama giving the information that the order
for the removal of the settlers, on the 10Th OF
jan. had been suspended until some time in
March, (perhaps the 16th,) and by that time 1t
was hoped that the lands would be so Tar dis
posed Of as to render removal by military
force unnecessary. While, Mr.. L., sincerely
hoped that such might be the case and perhaps
had no reason to doubt that such mould be the
fortunate result ofthis NATTER yet as his resolu-
ton was merely one of inquiry, directed to the
sound discretion Of the Committee on Indian
Affairs, he trusted that it would not be laid upon
the table, but that it would be referred to that
Committee
He could view the removal of the settlers by
military force as no less than question OF
peace or war, and was not disposed to trust to
the discretion or moderation Of the President or
any of his subordinate officers. He wished it
not to rest on contingencies and as he believed
that the act Of 1907 was unconstitutional, he
thought that its provisions ought now to be eX-
amined by the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mr. MCKINLEY said, that he could not be-
lieve the inquiry to be matter OF the slghtest
importance to the State Of Alabama. Although
he did not altogether agree with some of the
opinions of the President in reference to this
subject, and though, in some respects, he might
agree to certain extent with the views OF his
colleague, yet he could not but consider II as
highly indiscreet to 60 into such an inquiry at
this moment While the State had been annoy
ed by the Indians, and while there was reason
TO apprehend that the rights OF the State were
IN danger OF DelnS invaded, lbeIe ullShl Ha'0
been some just cause Of complaint; but now,
when every effort had been made to remove the
Indians, and when there was every prospect
that the plan would speedily be consummated,
of what use could it be to pass resolution Of
this description? especially when, from the tenn
per manifested by his colleague, in the remarks
with which he had accompanied the resolution
at its presentation, there was reason TO appre-
bend that it would lead only to an angry dis
pute? What had the House to do with the act
Of 1907? Nothing.
MI LEWIS, in reply to the remark of Mr.
MCKINLEY as to the efforts made by the Gov
eminent to adjust this question by the removal
of the Indians said, that from the letter he had
referred to, it appeared that the question was
to be settled, not by the removal of the Indians,
but by the sale of the land; and his colleague
had misunderstood him, if he had understood
him to say, that it was by the removal OF the
Indians
Mr. MCKINLEY renewed his motion to lay
the resolution on the table.
Mr. LEWIS then demanded the yeas and
nays on this motion. They were ordered by
the House, and being taken, stood as follows:
Yeas 107 Nays SO
So the resolution was ordered to lie upon the
table.