Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-26


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Mr. Lane moved to correct tho Journal OF Yesterday
in reference his vote the previous question: upon
the reneral appropriation bill. Ills name was recoraeo
in tho affirmative, whilst lie had voted in the negauve
The correction was ordered TO be made accordingly.
Mr. Mercer from the Committee on RondS and Canas,
reported certain documents from the War Department
in reference the construction Of the Cumberland roao
west of Ohio; which ordered to be printed. r.
GMr Reynolds Of Illinois presented the petition OF
srlndry citizens of Madison county, Illinois, 10 the HOUSE
of REPRESENTATIVES, and his motion, referred 10 ue
Committee on the Public Lands. This petition stacs'
that section of land. being the 18th, reserved lot
the use of schools in certain township in said coahy'
and That presumption of the granted away:
and the school section first reserved selected NY INC
Reris,cr and Receiver, without the knowledge or con-
sen, of the inhabitants of the township on lands lna'
arc almost valueess and unprnductlve. On his cos
dcra,ion, the petition prays r"le:.
MIR Jones of Virginia, from the Committee on the Ju-
dietary, reported, with an amendment, bill from lhe
Senate to amend the act for the better organization OF
the District Courts Of the United States in the State OIL
! Alabama; which was Committed.
| Mr. tloar from the Committee on Invalid Pensions,
reporcd bill in addition to, and in amendment or the
act p,oridug for certain persons engaged IN Inc lahu
and naval service Of the United States i'll the Krv".u-
,ionary War; which read twice and committed
Uniayorable reports made by Mcssrs. Beae ard
uuw.II from The Committee on Invalid Pensions; MIR.
Lo7a from the joint Committee on The Library; anu
Mr.. James, from the Committee Revolutionary l'en-
sions.
Pursuant to ORDER the House wen: into Committee OF
the Whole on The state of the Union, Mr.. Muhenberg
in the Chair The bill authorizing The President OF Tie
United States accept the service of volunteers
| The question pending was the motion nt
Mr. Mckay 10 amend the bill by restricting the pow
CO proposed to be conferred the President to lie same
Limitations provided by the act n l7!5-namey, That
volunteers should he received only IN Inc event VI ifa
sion insurrcction &c.
MIR. Hardin said few words in Favor OF the amend
inen,, md indicated his intention Of Offering further
amendment
Mr. Mercer suggested modification to the following
prport providing that the power vested in the lresI.
dent oil the United States By this act should be r1rcis
ed only in the enumerated in the eighth section OF
The Constitution Of the United States, that the numbers
of the volunteers should not exceed five thousand RANK
and file, ard that the should continue IN urce Tor
Two years only from the end of the present session OF
Congress.
Mr.. Mckay accepted this as modification oil Tie
amendment.
Mr.. Williams Of North Carolina was in favor Of re-
srclion of the number OF five thousand men lie un'
dersund the gentleman from Missouri TO say that no
more than Thousand mon would be sufficient l"r Tie
protection Of the Missouri frontier
Mr.. Ashley explained that he desired an additional re-
giment to the force already employed there
Mr.. Williams resumed, and opposed the bill on the
ground that it supcrsedng The regular force that
information had been laid before Congress, by which
il shown that large extra iIrce was requisite
for rcpcng the Indians, and that 1t was to certain tx
tent, authorizing The nrniltion OF new standing army
If he thought general Indian to be arprrhcnd'
cd, he would only vote for ten thousand men. but
for one hundred THOUSAND necessary Al present how
ever, he occasion for large number rs trn
thousand, and he should for the bill only with the
| restriction Of five thousand.
MIR. SEWER opposed 10 any restriction, and gave
brief description Of the present position of tie West
ern and Mexican frontiers, proving Tie necessity OF
the immediate passage OF the bill.
MIR. Reynolds OF Illinois stated, that he considered it
duty To aPprzc the committee OF the restless and even
hostile disposition Of the Indians on the North western
frontier lie did not pretend TO know more than other
gentlemen this snhrct who had the same means OF
information, to state i, better. But such was The true
state Of the Indians generally, he had no doubt
| The Indians had been recently removed IN great
crowds to the West, where hunting not very good
in many places and the Of support not SO album
dan they desired They had left the region Of coun
try where they had been happy and i'll great relative
prosperity They had, hcy say, BEEN oreed from the
bones oj their fathers 10 Of country not Of their
choice, and moi well adapted TO their wants lie PFC
sumrd this the main reason why it was that they
were dissatisfied and uther hostile to The u States.
In order 10 keep them in check and subordination il
was necessary To make demonstration Of military force
among them. 1t is well known to this committee that
they not wise and intelligent; they know and care
very little about Tie great force Of the United States,
that force is at such great distance from them. Not many
of them rave through The several Satrs and when the
strength oflir Government is cid t" them, they do not
in all cases believe it, They. the Indians, therefore,
do not know the situation they in and will act under
mistaken views Of their sluaon 10 their own ruin and
! destruction.
MIR. R. said, he raised in the West, the frontiers
Of many of these Indians, aud believed this IT, be
! state OF their situation and condition.
lie admired much the mcritcd standing Of The American
army ,r its chivaIry and noble daring: but force
could not, and would not awe the Indians and keep
| them in proper subjrction.
moderate inrce only could effect this object 1t WAS
idle To cannon trard in with oxen: in pursuit of an
milan cnrIny-lhry would laugh at it-so would the
| whites.
lie would support the intended amendment Of the
gentleman Mr. Ashley of Missouri To raise another
giment of dragoons. If the committee would reflect
the extent of frontier from Detroit around the settled
part of the United STATES tu the Gulf of Mexico, dis
lance Of two three thousand miles, i, quite Of
the power OF one reg ncnt Of Dragons, command
cd by Dodge, TO keep in subsection the Indians in that
extent. II would require two or more additional rrg
RenS. lie hoped it would be attended To al proper
time for the safety of the country and Of the Indians
lie said those individuals, and he hoped all were so,
who felt friendly 10 The Indians, would do the Indians
service; keep among them proper force 10 keep them
in proper subrclon The humanity that is in the breast
Of each member Of this committee, would dictate this
course to him, and will no doubt influence the Commit
tee the subject
1t was not much difference what the provision was in
the bill the number of the troops be received by
| the President. The proper number would always be
found in the Yves, 10 answer the emergency of the &C.
casnn.
Mr. Chairman, you cannot keep back the brave sons
of the West, when there necessity for their military
services in the defence of their country. There is
paper laws this subject that will suppress the patriot
ism that burns in the breast of Western man, when
his county is invaded by Indian other foe. There
fore he considered il very little difference about the IL
mi,s in the BILL lfsomethng not done the sub
ject, may Witness did in 1882, The massacre Of
and children, and the war.whoop extended all
along our extended frontier. To prevent this, and the
cxelmna,ion Of the Indians this bill, and other proven
! tive measures, ought to be adopted.
Mr. Canbreleng remarked that if the committee
would reflect for moment the condition of the Wes
tern frontier it struck him that they would retain the
ma 1imum Of numbers in the bill The condition OF the
Mexican frontier had been adYercd To-, and he did not
think that gentlemen could look at that condition,
deTroped1fum documents and adviccs received within