Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-11-08
THE ADMISSION OF AN INDIAN STATE
INTO THE UNION-ITS INFLUENCE.

i
he admission Of an Indian State into the Union,
have Justly attracted wide attention. the Press
ire taking il up and canvassing lis merits. with
he iearlessness of truth. As il is not n partizan
subject, i. is discussed in liberal and truly nation.
Al manner. Thus far, we have not seen any Sc.
rious objections in,erpused, but on the contrary,
tho convictions in its favor are evidently ncreas-
ing.
Among the expressions, we mark in the Penn |
svIvanian a sensible article in announcing the
election of PIrcHLYN the representative Of the choc-
,aws. That paper says:-"The plan OF forming
the moro civilized tribes, Of which the Chociaws
sta nd at the head, into Independent. government,
looking ultimately to its admission into the Union
as State, has many advocates in and out of Con.
cress. Nor is this disposition confined 10 any one
or more portions Of the Union, but spreads itself
over the whole country, as well in the South and
West as in the Middle and East, and perhaps in
the former than in the latter" II continues:
.In 1888, Il bill was introduced into both branch.
es Of Congress, providing for the organization Oft
territorial government over various Indian tribes
to tho number of some thirty, and intended Ultimate
ly to incl cude over one hundred and thirty thousand
individuals, and embracing an extent OF territory
of two hundred miles in width and six hundred IN
length This bill provided for The establishment
of all the various departments OF an Indian gou-
ernment--to be composed OF persons elected orap-
ponted by the Indians themselves, and 10 have an
agent at Washington The bill was ably discuss
ed in the Senate, and passed by vote OF 80 yeas
to nays, but was not taken up in the House. in
consequence, as is bc';cred, of an indisposhion
manifested BY Ike Indians al that time 10 The con.
templaleJ cover nnlenl; nor has the question been
agItated SINCE
The Pennsylvania perlinenily adds fact
which shows that tho South are in favor OF this
admission:-"An all. mpI was made, when the bill
jus, alluded to was before the Senate, by northern
member, to create a feeling against the plan by
uniting the Indian with he Negro race, but the al
tempt was sternIy rebuked by the Southern MEM
bers, and Indignantly voted down and srce that
period some of The Indian tribes within borders
have been, by unanimous acts OF Congress ma.
,uraizcd-mude citizens. with all the privileges
Of the White race-one tribe rs late as lSll-2,
in Wisconsin," 1t concludes with the following
emphatic expression Of opinion:
..lt will be seen, therefore. there is no great or
insurmounlab,e barrier 10 the formation Of Indian
States or 10 having an Indian as member Of Con-
gress, or ercn President ofhe United States. We
freely say that we think the scheme we have nllu.
dcd to o,commends itseIfto the feeling every ph.
antbropic heart, and every patriotic judgment. as
the most effective means OF improving and quiu,
on our western borders. The decided vote Of the
United States Senate in its favor, in 1898, ein.
braclng as that vote did the names of many of
the most eminent Of both political parties, shows
that it only wants the consent Of the Indians
themselves to ensure lis final success"
The Nicksburg Sentinel, well known paper
of the Southwest, where one might anlcpa if
Il
Dec,on might exist, remarks thus favorably upon
this proposition:
"More anne1atoin.-The Albany Argus sug.
gests that the Indian States our wo,teu frontier
should in the course Of time be received into our
Union on the footing OF equality with the rest.
think that the advances mado by these nations in
agriculture, education, government, religion, &c.
en,itle them to this they desire it. We approve
the suggestion and aIe fully willing that our Red
Eeighbors should share in the blessing Of our uion
whenever they have shown themselves adequate
to appreciate ana maintain the great right of
self government. No more sublime commentary
could be made on the American government than
would be afforded by the proof tina, her neIghbor-
hood and example have wrought out the civilization
ard freedom Of the bordering Indians"
, By those unacQuaned with our Indian policy
since the establishment of our independence, il
has been freely assorted that the course Of our
government towards the Indian tribes. has been
unjust in the extreme. Tho admission of the
Indian State Of the Southwest, where the present
tribes are now nearly all collected, would silence
such nspersions, show magnanimity worthy of
our great Republic and bo an epoch IN the history
of nations.
1t is well known that the number of Indian
warriors within the limits Of the proposed State,
is about O,OOO--probabIy the largest body of
fighting Indians that has ever been collected TO.
gelher. In view of this, i, is also known that
from time to time the Senators and members of
Congress from Arkansas Louisiana, and Missouri,
have expressed just npprehensons. that this vast
body of warriors might be excited to war against
the United States, either by their own passions,
or the emissaries Of England. |, seems to US .ha,
the admission Of the Indian State into our Union,
with full community of privileges to them, ns
much as to the white citizens of our country.
would tend to make them fas, friends iot from
fear Of our army but from love and respect for
their white brethren of the Unild States. 1t
strikes that this is the true way to turn the edge
of weapons that sagacious men fear may We, be
used against our countrymen. The North Ameri-
can Indian in character is noble, and all history