The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-06
INDIAN BILL.

The resolution was adopted.
INDIAN BILL.
The House resolved itself into Committee Of he
Whole the state Of the Union mir. VHToH IN tie
ChaIr) and resumed the consideration Of the bll
making appropriation for the Indian Department,
and for fulfilling treaty slipulations with Indian
tribes.
MIR. SCHENCK said that he intended to submit on
amendment, on which gentlemen would have an OBJ
porunity to define their position in relation TO repu-
diation or no reputation. Tney were under eYerV
obligation, moral and legal, TO make the payment
which he proposed 10 provide for, and 1t for the
committee 10 say and determine, by the adoption OF
rejection of the amendment, whether they would or
would not discharge the obligation resting he
Government. He briefly stated that the bill pro-
ylded, under the treaty with the WyandOts, for the
payment OF sl7,500 in lieu Of their annulues, bu,
made no provision for their improvements. BY
the treaty of March, lS42, ratified, he beey-
ed, in the ensuing September, the Wyandou In
dams, residing in Ohio, made a sale Of their lands
to the Government Of the United States The con.
dition Of the treaty that for certain given
they would release their snDuities and dispose Of The
Improvements which they occupsd-and The treaty
stipulated how the sppraisement should be mode--by
the President, who appointed commissioners for that
purpose 1t supposed that the Improvements
were not worth more than twenty or thirty thousand
dollars, and the Commissioner OF Indian fairs ash
cd for twenty thousand dollars to pay for them; bu
to the surprise of the Commissioner and the Govern
ment, the appraisement was rendered at Sl27 094--
five times much was at first supposed And
now he offered an amendment, appropriating S57 09i
to discharge the entire balance Of the debt which
had been due these Indians since the spring Of
l643. If this amount were not paid, il would be
before remarked, be reputation, and, further repu
diaton marked by the grossest injustice.
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON offered an amendment, in
lieu of that Of the gentleman from Ohio-the pur-
IF h.ak l.s.. L. L..s
stood to confirm the sppraisement submitted by lbs
Secretary Of War-giving $4,000 to the Indians, in
full of all claims He said that the commissioners,
under the treaty, had appraised the lands at high
price that they would not sell even on credit, Tor
haftte sum.
MIR. VANCE remarked, that he would give tina,
for it himself
Mr.. JOHNSON would be willing TO make such a
bargain, and would willingly vote for proposition to
effect it, He showed the wide difference between
the valuation of the FIRST board of commissioners and
the second The former, as an instance, valued
tract Of one hundred and seventy acres, with the iu-
provements, at 81 559he latter at 81 S55 or forty
six dollars an acre.
Mr.. VANCE said that the Indians had left Their
homes and fresides under solemn promise that the
money should be paid to them but now an effort
was made, in the amendment of the gentleman from
tennessee, to repudiate the contract Il saying,
in effect, you mus, take the amount offered, wei
would, nevertheless hang to their contract For his
own part, he would rather see them die, by one,
than they should accede to the propostioD--and he
would do all that he could to prevent such result
Mr.. ST. JOHN addressed the Committee, and, in
the course of his remarks, said that there much
fraud connected with this subject and he not dis
posed 10 give the amount of the appraisr-
ment, which would not enure to the benefit OF the In
diane, but to that of special few.
The question was taken the amendment Of Mr.,
johnson to the amendment Of Mr. Schenck and II
was decided in the affirmative-ayes rs, nays "a
MIR. SCHENCk moved to amend by adding "Aud
the balance due to the Wyandotts be and the same
hereby repudafrd. 4.
Mr.. JOHNSON called the gentleman to order
and
Mr.. SCHENCK resumed his seat
Mr.. SAMPLE offered an additional section to tho
the united bands of Chippewas; and accompanied
with remarks showing the manner in which the pecu.
mary obligation was incurred
Messrs. MCKAY, HUGHES, VANCE, and SAM
PIE, submitted few remarks, when the amend
ment was rejected.
Mr.. GIDDINGs arose and spoke Of slavery, etc.
MIR. BLACK, Of Georgia, succeeded, and, in re-
ply to an allusion told him that the people Of hI'
State did not consider slavery to be an eyil-and
asked him whether he felt disposed to contradict
that.
Mr.. GIDDINGs resumed the thread of his sub
Ject, after having already consumed an hour. But
not answering the question Of the gentleman from
Georgia
Mr.. BLACK claimed the floor, as he had merely
given way for an answer from the member from
Ohio.
Mr.. GlDDINGS refused to yield, and
The CHAIRMAN decided that he was entitled
TO it having taking il without condition.
An appeal was taken from the decision OF the
Chair, and sustained.
Mr. BLACK then replied, in a caustic manner, to
the gentleman from Ohio, land had not concluded
his remarks when we left the Capilol)