The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-05-19
REPORT OF Mr.. POINSETT,
On rendering his Resignation. :,


Sir-In rendering to you my resignation
of The ofice.of Secretary of War, think
it my duty to set forth briefly the condi
ton of the Department which have con-
Quoted for the last four years. .
More than forty thousand Indians have
been removed peacefully, and are happily
settled beyond the frontiers Of the Yves
tern States. Tranquility has been pre-
served and reigns throughout the whole
of that border, and there exist no causes
which are likely to lead to its disturbance.
The Indians are generally contented, and
are gradually advancing in the peaceful
arts of life.
The only exception to universal peace
is the condition of the Indians in Florida.
There, too, am happy to have it in my
powerto say that hostilities are being ra-
pidly brough BIT to a,close, by the successful
: interference Of the Seminole chiefs who
have been brought there from the West.
Contented with their lot in their new resi-
dence beyond the Mississippi, they are
anxious to persuade thei, brethren to "a
bandon hopeless contest, and join their
kinsmen in the West. My last advices
seem to regard these peaceful efforts as
likely to prove altogether successful. and
the war may be considered virtually at
an end. -
The necessary employment of the mi
litia of Florida during the late recess OF
Congress, will give rise to arrearages
amounting to about s66,1ls sc, but ac-
cording to the experience of the Depart
ment in settling claims ofthis character,
not more than one half ofthis sun. will
probably be found valid, which will have
TO be discharged from the appropriations
that have been asked for the purpose
Besides this amount, there is due the Che
rokees about million and half, and the
balances of forner6appropriations for In
dian Affairs, which still remain in the
Treasury, about to a million more. How
much of this may be required to discharge
arrearages is not known; though it is not
supposed that the whole will be necessary
fortiiat purpose. 1t was never cnntem-
plated by the Department to invest the
amounts for the interest of which the
faith of the United States is pledged by
treaty 1t is deemed safer to keep these
sumssn the Treasury forever, and appro-
pirate annually the amount OF interest due
thereon, to the several tribes. They are
not, therefore, considered as part Of the
arrearages.
The amount due for pensions in the
present month and until September next.
have all been sent to the several pension
agents, SO that nothing is due on that ac-
count.
z Immediately on the passage of the act
authorizing the issue of Treasury notes. !
directed that all the outstanding claims
against the Department which were ready
for settlement, and for which approprla-
tions had been made, should be lmme-
diately liquidated. All those arrearagcs
for work done on the forti6cations and at
the arsenals and armories, have accord
ingly been provided for, except only about
sixty thousand dollars, the payment of
which has been delayed only because the
accounts have not been presented.
For the other various OBJ iects entrusted
to the Department, the unpaid claims are
estimated to amount to not~more than
100000 which have not been paid for a
similar reason.
According to the reports Of the differ
ent disbursing bureaus of the Department,
the uniquidated in retrospective branch !
es Of the service, as claims this time, are
probably not so great, and certainly not
greater than they were four years ago;
SO 81 that the amount Of payments made !
since took charge of the Department,
fully equals all its liabilities created with !
in that period.
The army is in high state Of discipline
and is composed of l0,069 men. part IN
Florida, andthe residue stationed along
our extensive frontiers. Notwithstanding
the many causes which have existed dur
ing the last four years, tending to increase
the expenditures of the army, growing
out of its operations in Florida, and its
employment in the removal of Indians,
a.d along our Northern frontiers, by the
enforcement of system of rigid econo-
INV and accountability, the relative ex-
pendjtures have been considerably dlmln-
;shed Tn report recently made by this