Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-10-20

With full knowledge Of all this could not recon.
mend the ratification of this instrument treaty. when
IN my best Judgment it wanted the essential requisites
to make IT binding upon the parties
IL mas also been objected me- that during the same
winter, introduced urged the Senate adopt reso
luton, requesting the President negotiate with tho
Chcrokees
IL is true such resolution was recommended by the
unanimous consent of The Committee Indian Affairs,
OF which Chairman, and the Senate did not adopt
IT. was induced TO give my support 10 that resolution
Tor the following reasons; Georgia had extended her
laws over the Indians She had parc.lled out alnonv
her citizens the Indian Territory reseypi 10 me Indians
Lie tracts Of anA np0a ,chish Mg acai resided Ross
and the other chiefs peutioned Congress make good
the guarantee contained in the treaties Georgia was
pressing to have the Indian title extneushcd according
to me compact, and one of the Senators had introduced
bl the first section OF which provided that the United
states should purchase ont from The Indians those
Elements which had been reSerred by the Georgia laws
huey Were willing to SELL and the second section pro-
vided II The Indians would SELL that then the United
States should purchase from the idiriduaf citizens
her zee Simple IN those reservations and vest the same
IN the Indian occupants.
These matters were all beore the committee n,
INC same Time aud IN addition this Ross and his party
communicated to the committee wish, if nothing more
co"u DC done, that the Federal Government should en-
dcayor to procure from Georgia small portion of her
territory, upon which the Indians might reside fe,o
yearS unul they could BE- better qualified for e cea
GCeeFamem of the State of Georgia; and alleged that
some influential uen in Georgia had assured them that
the state would De willing TO make such rrancmcnt
and 1t she would not when applied to by the Federal Co
vcrumen that then the Indians would sell out thor
whole country and remove.
In this state Of things, and under these circumstances
gave my sanction to the resolutions without much cx
pectatlo 1ha Georgia would yield the wishes of the
Indians bat with settled conviction that if Georgia
r3Hsea that then die Lsdiaas cod hare no prserf for
longer dea5ing trcaty and yet believe if the Senate
had adopted the resolution, aud Georgia had refused
mat neore tins time we should have had treaty with
the Cherokees In this may be mistaken therefore
hnI no iar with that portion oil the Senate who thought
differently. ~
During the last session of Congress there were two
CHcrokees heade nv,
John Ross and supposed represent the whole of the
Cherokccs; the other by RIDGE and said 10 renr,s,
small portion only Memorials from both these parties
had been presented TO the Senate the first praying Con.
sess TO make good their treaty spuatons and the las,
praying provision 10 be made for their removal West of
Tue nisslss'pp These memorials were referred the
committee OF which was chairman. Near the close of
the session, was informed by the Secretary of War
ult the Executive had been negotiating with Ross and
his party for the extnguismcnt of their tile 20 the
whole country occupied by them, and that they had
disagreed as TO the price TO be gwen that Ross had
was reasonable, ard therefore it wished the Senate
should give It's advice as to the price.
The difficulty ut presented itself what mode colJ
DC adopted to bring the subject before the Senate so as
TO enable that body 10 express its opinion took the
liberty OF suggesting that the President ought TO send
asking the advice of the Senate and
then without doubt would be given as this the
course pursued by President Washington and the Senate
prior 10 The treaty OF 1871, with this nation of In
dams. The Secretary afterwards informed me- that he
had conferred with the President who declined sendn
any message asking advice from the Senate: and tus
appeared The negotiation must fall through as at thai
time no other regular mode of bringing the subject be-
lore That body occurred To me- suggested bv any
other person Much solictude felt by several NOM
ocrs with whom conversed well by myself Thai
the opportunity of settling anicably controversy which
had occasoned much trouble and often serious apprcen
sons, should not be lost and in rejecting upon the sub
Ject, mode of bringing the before the Senate
presented itself TO my mind, which satisfactory |
stated II to ttc committee, they curred in it, we
brought the case before the Senate and it ended i'm the
adoption OF resolution which you have seen published
Any statement or suggestion which has been mad
ofplv hava Il.
thing since being member of the Senate with view
In any respect 10 delay defeat treaty with the Che
rokees, entirely my best cxcrtons have
at all times been used to effect that object and when
the resolution just alluded adopted felt that my
task was finished and hat treaty would be the iInmc.
oate consequence lit falls the fault ought not TO be
placed 10 my account
You invite my attention a resolution submitted bv
Col Benton, the object of which is TO expunoe from IN,
March, 1894 49, ~
When the resolution complained of was passed it did
not meet my appreciation, and my stands recorded
against It, The question presented the last session was
sa The Senate orderit TO be expunged from the Jour
then thought, and sill think such an order capno,
with propriey be made.
The word '.expunge,' means TO "erase, rub out can
Hdt u cGnaot DC read.
If order is made to expuage" ll.c resolution it
must be blolted fact the order must and viii no
expected, and so the procedenis
This think, the Senate has no power TO do
ne constitution provides that each House shall keep
utIOnI
was proceeding of the Senate. further provides that
upon the application of one-fflh of The members l
vote upon any question shall be taken by yeas and NAYS
Each member Is sworn to support the Constitution
1T was intended the public should know from the re-
cords what had been done, and by whom
II this record IS expunged, why may not the whole
record be expunged, as different parties predomnate5
Zach may eXr1ngc the doiEgs Of their opponents If
tts resolution Is cxpunged how will it be known bv
whose votes 1t adopted? What will prevent the
efP""gt"g resolution from being itself expunoed some
Pe ereailer? All tis Tie Consiulion intended to pre
vent P'S
But why should il be rxpunged, The nnswer,nus, bc
70 remove The stigma uuStiy Fixed upon the President
by adopting it, Now, thls wish 20 accomplish and in
manner onexceponabls. Instcad of ordering the re-
solution To be cxpunged order it be s.rcscind,d re-
versed repealed and declared be null and void This
plan viii ehectoaily remove the stigma from the Pres
dent without running the risk or fixing one upon the
Senate Itself We ought to do Justice to the Chief Ma
gsrae, but, at the time, should do Justice TO
tie public and to ourselves.
u those 'Yho wish TO the sord "expuDpc do not
intend te record shall be destroyed but only To remove
the stigma, whyusc the word? Why not use languaoc
70 show what they mean? There eaa be no g0od reason
was content tn 90 fer consistently could but ia
ot1er the record 10 he expungod was as tfouol,i
plain violation Of important provision in the Censti
tut9Rj therefore could not agssc give it my vote
cndcavoTcd To have the resolutions amended as Ia
conform TO my views Of correcYcss and after the word
efPHREei was struck out, by almost unanimous
lne SUBJECT wasiad on The table, contrary my wish
dad 9gaiastmy eote.
You say, and say truly that nay vote upon the three
million appropriations has been complained Of bv some
Riis tbiee millions was amendment nadc in fle |
1cus tie last night Of the session. without NV uessagc
rom the President, any estimate of any Department
= was made TO ball which he'd been passed bv Inc
House aud sent to the senate in the ordinary conrse
N.N Il