The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-16


and he trusted that il would not be considered a. ON,
Of order 10 alude to the subject Of the bill tn
Senate had proposed an amendment for the appoints
ment OF a commissioner TO examine and adjust m.
claims Of the Cherokees. A treaty was made with
that tribe in the year 1885 for their removal west of
the Mississippi Under the l7th article of hi,
treaty, it provided that commission should
be Instituted for the examination and adjustment of
claims for remuneration for properly lost or
abandoned by the Cherokees. The government of
the United States gave high price for the territory
nearly seven millions Of dollars. He held in III,
hand the report Of the commissioners Messr.
Washington and Mason-of the claims unpaid when
the commission was closed. The object Of the
amendment was To reverse the commission Tn.
committee Of the House had departed from the
proposition. He sent 10 the chair TO be read per-
ton of the report Of the commission, which showed
that there were yet outstanding large number Of
| claims. These claims ought TO be paid out Of the
Indian fund. MIR. G. went into some details and
arguments to show that the commission ought TO DO
! established. There other way In which the
| object could be reached
| Mr.. 1ANCEY next took the floor.
Mr. TlBBATTS asked the gentleman to give
way, to enable him to move that the committee rise
for the purpose Of allowing more time for the dis
cussion.
| Mr.. YANCEY would, he said, make that mo-
ton when he got through, ifit was desired.
Mr.. Y. proceeded to make some remarks on
this subject, a report Of which We shall be able to
| give hereafter He should not, he said, have trou-
bled the committee at all, but for some remarks
which fell from the gentleman from George, lMr
| STEPHEss.l He agreed with that gentleman that we
ought not 10 extend our territory by conquest. lie
desired that it should be done justly, and with re-
gard the rights and interests and the integrity Of
Mexico. ia case they could not pay US the debt
due 10 US, then portion Of their territory should be
taken in compensation for our claims. He agreed
with the gentleman from Georgia that the Rio
Grande ought TO be our boundary, and he thought
that the President Of the United States had the right
| to defend il. But the gentleman had said that We
could have obtained the country by peaceful meas
ures. But all the accounts from Mexico showed
| that we could not.
i Upon the annexation of Texas, their minister
! was Withdrawn, which was hostile act. Our min
lister in Mexico was furnished with his passports
The ruling government was overthrow, because II
did not prosecute the war with activity. Anarmy
was raised TO be sent TO Texas, and il had long
been accommodating before General Taylor took
post on the Rio Grande, and was intended to ope-
rate against Texas. The government had sent to
Mexico minister TO settle all our difficulties and it
had done this Ia a spirit Of peace. The new gov
eminent Of Mexico refused to receive him. and this
refusal was, under the circumstances, direct Of
hostility. The Executive under obligations
to carry out the laws Of the country. He had pro-
posed negotiation, but the other party had refused
TO treat What was the Executive 10 dol Was it
not his duty to extend our laws over our citizeRS in
| that territory
Mr.. STEPHENS here remarked that the govern
ment Of Mexico had not refused to negotiate upon
the subject Of the boundary.
! Mr.. YANCEY said the Mexican government re-
fused to receive our minister in any capacity Our
claim to the territory ought TO be respected and
maintained until II was curtaled by the treaty.
making power. We had by law established a Gus,
| tom-house beyond the Neuces. The President
| OH han hn,p ia n D.
| The Mexican army had crossed the river and muir
dered our men, and had placed themselves between
| the camp and the depot, to cut of the American
troops. Now, he would ask whether, while we
were at war, while the jealousy of Great Britain
and France excited by that war while it was
rumored that one Of these powers would interfere
with our movements on the Pacific, this the
time to declare that the war UNJUST He was
sorry that the gentleman from Georgia, for whom
he had high respect, had lent his countenance to
the opposition to this war-an opposition which
ought to have been left to the abolitionsts.
| Mr.. Y. here made some remarks in reply TO the
eulogium which the gentleman from Georgia had pro-
nounced on the conduct of Mr.. WEBSTER Secretary
Of State. He (Mr. Y had spoken freely in former
debate to that gentemans political history, and il
| he one who was to be drawn up as morning mist
by this MONDAY sun, be dispersed into clouds that
would increase by reflection the glory and beauty Of
the day, he hoped he would fall again in refreshing
showers upon those regions, rendered arid by the po
litical doctrines Of that gentleman. He had (he
| said) been misunderstood by the public, and in this
House, as to the fact that he had made charges
against Mr.. WEBSTER. He had expressly stated
that he did not intend to discuss those charges
at that time. In relation the reports Of the COM
mttees, he free to say that the charges against
| Mr.. WEBSTER had been, in moral sense dis
proved. But If money was drawn, through Mr..
Smith for the purposes alleged, it improperly
used, and, according to the statements of the gentle
man from Ohio, [Mr BRINxERnorr,l Mr.. WEE
sTER, when he left the department, defaulter.
He could not see how the God Of battles could be
invoked to bless arms, if, the gentleman from
Georgia had alleged, our cause was unjust
| Mr.. STEPHENS explained that he had never
said it was unjust. The removal to the Rio Grande
he had declared TO be unnecessary and improper,
and that it was not right for the Executive to make
| the removal.
Mr.. YANCEY had not, he said, misunderstood
the gentleman The was, in his view, to be al
tributed to an improper and unnecessary removal.
He feared that his friend had shared in that hasy
plate Of soup; and that he had in view the cause of
that removal, when he had chosen to lead his pot-
cal forces.
Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON spoke to the subject
of the amendment Of the Senate to the BILL and sug-
| gested some amendments.
He moved that the committee rise, in order to al.
ford time for the continuance of the discussion; for
he said, it was impossible to take up the tariff to-
|
Mr.. MCKAY suggested that the question be taken
on the amendments, and that the bill be reported,
and the discussion concluded in the House.
| Mr.. THOMPSON withdrew his motion.
The hour Of two having arrived, the committee
proceeded to vote on the amendments. Several Of
them were concurred in, some with and some with
out amendment. The residue were disagreed to on
the recommendation of the Committee of Ways and
Means.
| SUPPLEMENTAL WAR BILL.
Mr.. HARRISON, from the committee on confer
ence appointed on the subject of the disagreeing
votes of the two houses on this bill, ION leave
made the following report
The committee of conference on the pant of the
House Of Representatives on the disagreeing votes
of the two houses of Congress on the bill entitled
IAN act supplemental to act entitled AN act pro-
viding for the prosecution of the existing war be-
tween the United States and the republic Of Mexico,
and for other purposes" respectfully report:
That they have met the conferees on the part Of
the Senate, and after free and full conference upon
the subject Of the said disagreeng votes, the joint
conferees have agreed to recommend, and do recon-