The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-01-22

of public debt, we should be compelled to look rlr
behind the time Of Mr. Van Buren,, us well as 10 be-
gin an entire new calculation of debt. II the hon
urahle Senator would look for the Investment OF
this Seneca fund of 100, 0O0 he thought he would
look in vain aud yet il had never appeared IN any
statement from the Treasury, as an item OF our
public debt. An estimate for the interest would
be found in every annual estimate of expenditure
since the redemption of the Government stock in
= which the last investment was made, but the capt.
tai WIS not mentioned, because il had not been re-
appropriated for n different investment. Still the
Senator would not he disposed to charge tins Sioo,
000 to the present administration, ns u debt con-
trac,cd by it, and to be unjustly pamed off upon
its successors.
i Yet this WAS hut fair simple of the policy Of
going back into these Indian relations to find an
existing debt, not disclosed against the present ad-
n.nisralion If we adcp, the idea, we must 90
bac. not TO 1906, but TO 1880, and bring rp The
account through all the Ada Illustrations which have
existed under onr Constitution, and then solve the
question. whether that Administration is 10 be most
censurcd for contracting debt, which has succeeded
in extnguiShing most Indian title to the public do
main of the country, or whether the debts so con-
tractcd have been and are considered as resting
upon Il sure fund for their redemption in the lands
purchased, while the treaties are, in every other
respect, beneficial to the country. TO speculation
and prosperity, and TO its Treasury.
lie believed the last and the present Adminlstra-
lions had eXtlnguished more Indian titles, and
brought more Of the public lands into the market,
and within the reach of settlement, than any other
two, if not more than all preceding administrations;
/, and, rs necessary consequence, the amounts OF
purchase money paid, in the shape of unnuilies, in
"a and pthpru wOulu he ~Tputpr thuD H.
der previous Administrations, But what had hih-
erto been the estimate paced by the country upon
such policy successfully prosecuted Had we becn
in the habit of setting down these purchases Of In
dian lands as bid and losing bargains' AS mpo-
sing burdens upon the Treasury, and debts upon
the country? Or as improving the public revenues,
and streng henmg the Treasury, while they enrich
ed the country? Had it ever been supposed that
the lands purchased were not much more than SUI
iicent TO pay the debts contracted?
If, however, this movement was the Indication
of change of policy by the coming Administration
in regard to the lands; if the fund thus provided to
pay these debts is to be separated from the debts
if the lands or their proceeds are To be given away
and the liabilities incurred under the Indian rea-
ties are 10 he left unpaid upon the hands of this
Government, then indeed the amounts due TO the
IndinnS, as well in annurs as investments, or 9th
erwlSe, may Justly be counted as debts, as pcrna-
nent enduring debts, only To be paid by taxation
upon the people. lie would tel! III" Senator how
ever that that Administration, and that pant, (which
shall adopt this new policy, and give away the lands
without discharging these obligations incurred for
their purchase, will he the Administration and the
party which will charge these suns upon the pro-
pie rs debts, and which must bear the responsible
ty of the act
The honorable Senator proposes TO have new
set Of hooks opened, 10 protect the next Admins
lralicn from the debts and liHhi tiles incurred BY
this, TO establish what he calls ga rest between
Them. Mr. Wright word 90 with him to do This;
hut he should insist that the accounts be fairly sta
ted, and the hooks lrly kcpr that when the Scna-
tor had charged the administration Of Mr. Van nr-
rem with the debts due TO the Indians, he should
credit it with the lands whirh formed the consih-
GRAFTON for the debts. In this wuy the accounts
would presrn, the whole truth, and he did not fear
the esponsbly Of balancing the books so kept.
Tie was aware thai one most expensive treaty
had been made, not by this, hut BY the last admin.
i'tr''lcn, without profit TO This government, lie
referred to the last treaty wi'h the Chcrokecs, for
tie cXlinguShnCnt of their title to their lands -
7 hcse lands prinrlpally IN the State OF Geor
ga, and the Indian title was pXlinguShed for the
benefit Of that state and moi Of the national Treas
INV. Yet this treaty was but late iulli'meht O.
an obligation resting upon this government in favor
cf that state and almost us cd as the government
itself; obligation entered into To acquire lis title
10 Il large portion of the public donnln, and upon
which, therefore, the II oneys paid and PAYABLE I'M
der that treaty are Justly chnrgpahe, and from the
proceeds Of viii they should be reimbursed TO
the pubc Treasury
still, this treaty being included, the proceeds of
! the public lands would clear all former admniSra-
ons AS well ms the present, from any responsible
81.
the new set Of hooks, then, show both sides of the
account, ard contain full and fair statement Of
the whole matter, and we shall not hear that this
or any other administration has run the country in
debt by the exnguishlncnt Of the Indian tile To
our immense public domain. Let the proceeds Of
the lands stand against the moneys paid and the LA
bii,lcs incurred and see if there have been bad and
Improbable, and LOSING bargains.
! Is this TO he charged at this day, and from that
quarter? How long is it since we heard very
different account Of these Indian contracts; Since
he hid been honorcd with seat here, the charge
had been made in this chamber, and repeated much
more loudly and widely out of it, that our Indian
policy was swindling policy; that we were pur-
chasing their lands for song, and driving them TO
the ends of the earth for resting place Then
| the charge that we were making cruel bargains
with the ignorant savagcs, the poor Indians Now
I
country with debt by making these same bargains
1t will not do, said Mr. w. it is too soon TO make
thlSl short turn, and wholly change the character
of the complaints growing out of our Indian Iea-
lions. The facts will not suiain the last position
| The baigans, ms whole, have been profitable
vastly profitable, 10 the public treasury, and the
ads yet unsod constitute fund hundred fold
more than sufficient 10 discharge every remaining
liability. SO much for this mode of showing the
President in error in his statement of our public
debit
The honorable Senator proceeded to cnumerate
other heads, under which he did no, assert. but en-
pressed his suspicion that there existing debts
Tie did not attempt to enumerate items of debt and
it impossible for Mr. Wrgh, To conjecture what
the items were or for what the debts suspect
ed to have been contracted. The heads cnunera-
ted were, debts for the public works. debts for the
Florida war, debts for Indian deprcdations at the
north, and debts for other things
! Well, now, as 10 the debts for public works;
there might he SUCH but he (Nr Wrigh) did not
know what they were-he did not know that there
were any, He was sure it could not he possible |