The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-19

which declares that
No member shall speak more than once to the sam,
question without leave Of the House unless he be thu
mover proposer or oduceT Of the matter pending;
which he shall be permitted to speak IN reply but
until every member choosing to speak shall have poken
| The CHAIRMAN sustained the point Of order
and decided that Mr.. GIDDiSGs was not in order.
| MIR. MCDOWELL said he would like TO know o.
his colleague GMr GiDDIsGsl whether or no he had
the facts in his possession to establish the truth o.
his assertion, that this appropriation by the treaty
Yves to pay Indians for catching negro slayesi
Mr. GIDDINGS said he had not them IN his pos.
session they were ia the archives OF the govern
men,, where the gentleman could see them by ap,
plying for them. They were marked in the ar
chiyes of the nation, where they would descend 10
all tne proeaiming in thunder tones the disgrace OF
the nation,
Mr.. MCDOWELL. The gentleman does NOT
ans yer my question. lie understood the ohsirnian
of the Committee Of Ways and Means, who Is thor
oughly eonyersant with the bill to cay that he faund
nOlhiGg OF that kind in il. Now, # his colleague,
after a speech Of one hour upon this alleged object
OF the ball. had the documents or tho facts 10 chow
that any appropriation asked for IN Il TO pay
the Indans for catching negroes, no (Mr. Med
wanted him TO produce It,
Mr.. GlDDlNGS. II the House will give me
leave, | will go and send up the documents at once
Mr. MCDOWELL resumed. Before his motives
were 10 be impugned for vote which he should give
in this body on a subject OF this kind, he wanted
the gentleman to produce evidence, unequiyocal and
fair To sustain him in his charges. He knew the
object OF his colleague. This was the third winter
lie had been Oh this floor, and had heard speeches
similar in character from him. and he now desired
TO have the precise fact before him apon which his
colleagues speeches were based. He did not wish
his constituents and the people Of Ohio, TO suppose
he was acting with bis eyes open upon subject OF
this kind, and voting appropriations for the puT-
pose alleged by his colleagues bat he wished them
~ al. H. k.l
dence produced TO sustain these charges.
II the gentleman's conscience had become ex-
ceedInsy tender upon this point, 1t might perhaps
become him 10 examine the archives Of the govern
ment in relation to the lard on which he now lives,
and TO ascertain whether the Indians had been paid
the full value Of it, II they had not BEEN he hoped
his colleague, with an his favor for the negroes,
would at once 60 for diSgorgng that which we have
got from the Indians. II he had TO travel behind
treaties 10 do il, it might he done equally we'll as
what the gentleman now proposed. But, unfortu-
nately, the gentleman had failed TO produce the evil
dence Of the facts which he alleged
Mr.. WICK said that the proposition before the
committee is to add to the appropriations for the
Seminole Indians the proviso moved by the gentle
man from New York, Mr.. CULVER. And the
honorable member from Ohio Mr.. GipDIseS
has supported that amendment in speech, in the
course OF which he has told us, in substance, that
this appropriation is TO meet an amount stipulated
to be paid 10 the SemiHoles, for certain fugitive
slaves by them surrendered on our making with
them the treaty Of peace, by which the Florida
was terminated.
Well, sir, am not very fully informed as to this
matter. | know, however, that fad the country
pledged by treaty stipulation to pay the money to
the Seminoes Treaties, next to the constitution,
are the supreme law of the lund, and binding upon
the nation and upon this House; and therefore, nd
hitting the case TO be as stated by the honorable
member from Ohio, Mr.. GIDpMGs, we are bound
to the appropriation, and to psy II, without
proviso or condition. But my information, eight
as is extends further than the statement Of the
honorable member from Ohio, Mr.. GrDplsGs.l
Sir, we had a war with the Seninoes. During and
about the lime Of that war slaves tises fom the
service of citizens Of the United States sought q
dwelling with the Seminoles. In other instances
they were stolen from citizens by the Semi-
rolcs. The war, like all other wars, had an end,
and was concluded by treaty The slaves we're
found in possession Of the Seminoes, and we're
c!nimed by them as slaves. BY the Seminole laws,
az with US, the Seminole claiming slave was not
bound to surrender him for the good Of his nation
without compensation. The American masters
claimed their slaves and their claim was paramount,
and was of necessity acknowledged, the slaves be-
ing fugitves from service. The adverse claims to
these slaves interposed barrier peace, Finally,
the matter was adjusted thus: The United States,
pursuant to the benign policy which they have ever
observed towards the Indian tribes, purchased the
claims of the Seminole tribe to Florida for large
sum of money. The Seminoles agreed that out Of
this sum should be retained in the hands Of the
United States the prices of the fugitive slave, TO be
paid from time 10 time This was arranged 30
that the specific sum thus appropriated by the Uni
ted States might he thus designated to, and under
stood by, the Indians and divided amongst those Of
the tribe who had claimed to be the owners of the
slaves. Thus the Seminole nation constituted the
United Safes trustee for the benefit ofcera MEM
A ,;l,, o,I IA cd
trust, and solemnly covenanted by treaty stipula-
tons to see the money paid. Thus, then, the mo-
ney which we called upon to appropriate is not
the price of runaway slaves, but part of the pur-
chase money of Florida.
And upon this mere pretence Of an occasion, the
honorable member from Ohio, bcset by the pains of
parturition his single idea, struggling for birth, has
been safely brought to the light in a new form,
and the committee has been called on to
listen to the most solemn appeals, and each
member has been summoned to the bar OF
public opinion, and Of Gods nfallible judg.
ment, to answer for voting for this appropriation.
Sir, the honorable gentleman had better reserve his
appeal for another occasion. would respectfully
commend 10 him the advice given out West, by a
benevolent Frenchman, to his neighhor. His neigh
Dor had law suit. First, the court decided against
him. On new trial, jury decided against
bm On another new trial, arbitrators decided
against him. From the award of arbitrators there
friend and asked his advice. "Sare," (sad my
Frenchman,) 81 would advise you to appeal to
posterity and the immortal God" The honora
BILE member from Ohio will do well TO make his
appeal to some non-existcnt, or imaginary tribunal
for while our constitution sanctions the holding tt
service of persons by the people of certain States
| the existence Of the Union will depend upon thu
recognition Of that right, and the enforcement there
Of in the Notwithstanding States, whenever they
are consttu,onaly called upon to act touching the
same And although vast numbers may be foun'
to condemn slavery on principles OF morals an'
political economy, few are so blind, so ignorant
and anatical to justify breach OF faith, pledged
to poor helpless tribe of Indians, too powerless Il
II sent our injustice, because in so doing we ma!
indirectly do justice in pecuniary point of view
to stakeholder touching his claim TO slave
labor.
Sir, our people are honest. They find the ooun
try bound by treaty for a sum of money. The.
have confidence in the treaty making power, an
that the debt is just. But even ifthey knew 1t TO
unjust, yet would they pay so small sum as thi,
rather than suffer their honor to be impugned.
Mr.. GIDDINGS. Will the member from Ind
una vote to tax his constituents to pay for the al
rest and reclamation Of fugitive slaves'
/ Mr.. WICK When country by treat