The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-21

or twenty, and were scattered over the country for
many hundred miles. -.
As to the employment Of supernumerary officers,
We had at this time no part Of the army in Oregon.
IL would not do now 20 detach these officers from
the army, evenif the President had the power to
do so, which he doubted. Whilst attached TO the
army, they could, to be sure, perform any service
OF this kndi but he did not consider that ths Pres
ideni had the power TO detach them for this purposes
and II he had, they would still have to receive their
compensation. ....'
Mr. MCKAY referred to page $50 Of the report
Elijah White, who (Mr Mckay rsmsrked) had ac-
copied the appointment of subagent, at the COM
pensation Of $3.50.
Mr.. THOMPSON said il was true; and it was
also true that Mr. White had now claim before
Congress, and which had been favorably reported
on in the Senate, for the sum Of seven thousand
dollars. Afer twelve hundred dollars had been
paid to him, which was the utmost sum that il was
In the power Of the department TO allow, he now
said that he had spent seven thousand dollars beyond
the 81 200 paid 10 him.
Mr., MCKAY. On what ground
Mr.. THOMPSON. On the ground Of the great
expense TO which he was subjected The journey
took him at east four months, and he says IL well
nigh ruined him, and he nov appeals 20 Congress
for relief want 10 get nd Of all claims of this de-
scipdon. .E ~ .H'..ra.. ...... .".g u.p.
Mr.. YANCEY said the fact that the Comntes
on Indian Affairs have reported that this man, Mr..
White, is entitled to 1000 extra, pretty conclu-
sively proved that the House ought not to take,
without looking into it, all that was recommended by
that COMMITTEES. .. ... ...
Mr.. THOMPSON lin his seat) Il was the
committee of the Senate.
Mr.. YANCEY (resuming.) Yes. The commit
tee Of the Senate. To the committee Of the House
am willing to give little more credit. He thought
81 500 was more than was necessary for these In
dian The first Espfananta Of the aTnnV re-
ceyed 81 900 year, and some of the first men in
the country were in these Offices. And surely we
could get intelligent and competent men who would
take this office for this sum. He insisted on his
amendment.
Mr. ROBERTS said it should be recollected that
lieutenants in the army had prospects Of advance
ment and promotion, whereas these Indian agents
had none. lieutenant, therefore, could well afford
to take 81 900, when that sum would scarcely sub
sist an agent west Of the Rocky mountains.
Mr.. McCLELLAND, VERY imperfectly heard
from the position in which he addressed the chair,
understood TO refer to the Oregon jurisdiction
bill which had passed the House on Saturday, and
say that though he had not attacked it, yet he had
not yeted for IT, He thought that in many of It's
provisions 1t was dangerous and exceptonahle. He
considered this as a still more exceptonable bill;
and he thought that after the statement that had
been made by the gentleman from North Carolina,
Mr. MCKAY, the section ought TO be struck out;
that if anything Of 1t was left, IL should be the
mere regulation Of the compensation of agents and
sub-agens. The fifth section Of the bill last un.
der discussion provided for the appointment Of
perntendent Of Indian affairs Of agents and of sub
agents; and the only defect Of the sertion was that IL
did not provide what the salaries should be. All
therefore that was required in bill Of this kind
would be some regulation to the salaries He
thought that the salary Of $4,000 for the superin-
tendent Of Indian affairs was too much.
aeepned In him that examination this hill
must satisfy the minds Of gentlemen that many Of
its provisions were in conflict with the constitution
Of the United States, if not with existing treaties
between the United States and Great Britain. Look
at the sixth section. Let any gentleman demon
sraie, If he could, how that section conformed to
the constitution in relation to the trial and punish
ment Of crimes. He had wholly misconceived its
meaning and purpose, il did not direct the trial
and punishment of mon without jary. A more
preposterous thing he had never heard of. He had
heard Of man being hung and tried afterwards, but
this outstripped even that absurdty. He repeated
that all that was necessary to be done was to pro-
vide for the compensation Of these officers, and to
limit their number. Further than that he was op-
posed to going; and if the bill was reported to the
House in its present form, he should vote against it,
Representing, as he did, people as anxious any
other to have the whole Of Oregon, and nothing less
he yet felt 1t due to himself to make these few
marks in explanation Of his course and his votes.
of Mr.. YAscEr; which, by ayes 10, noes not count.
ed, was agreed TO.
The question then required on the motion Of Mr..
McKAY; and having been decided in the affirmative,
the second section was stricken out.
The third section being under consideration
Mr.. YANCEY moved to amend it by limiting the
number Of interpreters to four.
Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON said he willing.
Mr.. MCKAY suggested that it would be better to
leave the matter discretionary with the President.
Mr.. YANCEY said he perceived that the mum.
Der of blacksmiths was limited to four, and he
thought the agents might be limited to the same
number. Four, he presumed, would be sufficient;
and if less number was required, the President
would make the appointments accordingly.
Mr.. MCKAY moved to reduce the pay Of the in
terpreters from S40O to 5000.
After few remarks from Messrs. JACOB
THOMPSON and Mckay,
The question was taken on the amendment of
Mr. YANcEY, and it was rejected.
And the amendment Of Mr. MCKAY was agreed
To the fourth and fifth sections no amendments
were offered
And the sixth section being under consideration,
Mr. THURMAN moved the following substi-
tute
"That any person who shall send carry, or de-
liver any talk speech, message letter, or sign, to
from any Indian tribe, nation, chief or individual,
with AN intent 10 produce conUayenuOn or lnIrac-
ton of any treaty to which the United States a
party, or to disturb the peace and tranquility of the
United States, or of said Indian tribes, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor; and upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding
81, 900, and Imprisonment for any time not exceed
ing three years; and it is hereby made the duty of
the superintendent, hereby created, to cause all
such offenders to be arrested and brought to trial
before the proper tribunal PROVIDED, that nothing in
this act shall apply to any Indian whatsoever, to
any subject of Great Britain during the existence of
the convention Of 1897, between the United States
and Great Britain, relative to the territory west of
the Stony mountains"
Mr.. Seldom moved to strike out the said sec
ton.
THE SECRET SERVICE FUND AND MIR. WEBSTER
Mr.. BAYLY rose and said that a message from
the President of the United States, which he was
sure the House would desire to hear read, was now
waiting. He moved, therefore, that the committee
rise.
The motion having been agreed to, the commit
tee rose and reported.
And the Speaker being in the chair,
A message in writing was received from the
President of the United States, by the hands of j.