The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-20

great many members OF lhe committee IN ltSdIl 10
It's details, justified that position. lie was not pre-
pared to say but all these appropriations right.
lie presumed the chairman OF the Committee of
Ways and Means, IN bringing forward this BILL had
examined all the treaties and obligations resting
upon this government IN reference TO our Indian
relations, and had conformed this bill thereto. He
(Mr. c. was not one Of those who would withhold
from these Indian tribes single title Of the money
due TO them. IL had been his pleasure at different
periods Of his life 10 examine somewhat into the
history of the various Indian tribes who inhabited
the country when our fathers came TO IT, and the
| remn6nts Of whom were now scattered over H.
And he did hope that the Committee on Indian Az
! frHirs would carry out thorough examination of
this matter, and see, when we were appropriating
these large amounts, whether these remnants Of
| the aboriginal tribes Of our country actually
| receive the benefit OF them as was intended. He
hoped that Ihn committee would, during this SEES
sion, present TO the House such laws shall Sc
cure to these lndlan tribes the money the govern
ment has set apart 10 their in consideration OF
the lands they have eeded TO US The chairman Of
the Committee Of Ways and Means was aware that
| II was known that for a long time there had been
frauds praetlsed upon these Indians; and hence il
was natural that there should be great degree of
soIcltude felt as 10 the appropriation of money for
them; and # the bill should be postponed until these
treaties were looked into more fully, and the whole
subject thoroughly examined, even il the b passed
as 1t now Is, information would be obtained that
would enable gentlemen 10 act intelgently upon
| other bills. lie was not prepared 10 say but he
would vote for every appropriation contained in this
bill He was disposed 10 carry out in iIs letter and
spirit, every treaty of our government with the In
dian tribes; but he was IN the Cherokee country
| when the treaty was made with them and he knew
| that that tribe, well other tribes had been
grossly matreated. lie wished TO see some proper
plan provided that would secure the Indians them
selves the enjoyment Of this money, that il might
| be applied TO purposes Of education and general adj
| yaneement OF the remnants of those once powerful
tribes who were formerly spread abroad over our
| country.
Mr. WHITE wished to know Of the gentleman
from North Carolina Mr. McKAYl whether there
was either IN the law or in the treaty 10 which the
gentleman had referred, any provision for the
appointment Of preachers among the Indian
tribes; and whether there any authority in the
Secretary Of War, the agent or sub agent or any
officer Of our government, to expel any preacher
| from the Indian territory.
| Mr. MCKAY replied that certainly there was no
provision in the law prescribing what denomination
| of preachers should be employed There was moth
ing in the law Of this kind. The government did
not recognise any kind of religion, as the gentleman
very well knew
| Mr. WHITE said il was for the purpose or car-
ryng out this principle that he offered this amend
ment The imam of The black robe"-as the Cath.
Ollie priests were termed by the Indians-had been
driven away from themi and he wished, by his
amendment, to secure to them the privilege Of en-
ploying their own ministers.
Mr.. GRAHAM said this Indian bill was very
important one, proposing as it did to appropriate
about one and quarter million of dollars. And he
thought 1t was very obvious from the debate which
they had had upon H. that alarge ory Of this COM
mItlee were not prepared 10 render their verdict in
regard to It, This was the case with himself and
he presumed, from the indications, that il was the
case with other gentlemen
Mr.. q. referred TO the difficulties which Law in the
way OF proper and equitable discharge Of our OBJ
legations, and of duties growing out Of our rea-
TONS with the Indians, and he mentioned the case
of the Miamie's, which had been noticed Yesterday
where an annuity ofabout s65 900 was appropriated
TO $50 Indians; originally that tribe had been COM
posed of some 600 people, and from this thew had
dwindIed down TO their present number Every
one who was acquainted with the subject knew
that when the Indians were surrounded by white
people, they began to deteriorate and diminish This
was the case with the Cherokees in his district
who were now reduced to some ! | or 10 600 and
were still deprecating. When these annutes had
been stipulated by our government to be paid their
numbers were much larger than at present The
tribes were rapidly decreasing in numbers but still
1t was urged that however small they might become,
and by consequence how large soever the propor-
ton which went to each person might become, still
our government was bound to pay them the same
amount. He wished 10 know where the tribe
character ceased, and where the individual character
began? He was willing to throw in az many bar
rers as possible to keep spectators from plumber
ing these defenceless Indians. Every one knew.
who knew anything of the subject that the vest
frauds the rankest injustice were perperated upon
this people. But the idea of giving s65 600 to ESQ
Indians, is what the President and Senate never in
tended. But they were not here merely 10 execute
their will; they must have conscience and iudg-
men of their own they must look into this mat
ter and understand the ground on which thew
act. lie did not intend to reflect upon the officer
who had charge of this department; but he had NOT
satisfied him (Mr. g. that these appropriations
ought to be made to the extent proposed He knew
1t had been said heretofore, 'et us pass this bill and
by this time next year we will know more about
this matter" Next year" came; and what then,
1t was next year" again; and 80 time was never
found TO thoroughly investigate this matter. He
said, let them examine this matter now Action he
wanted; promises they had had long enough. He
could not believe ever was intended. as these tribes
go down, down, down, until there is only n single
man LETT, that that individual was to receive the
same amount as the tribe did when it numbered
l0,000 persons.
He therefore moved that this bill be laid aside to
be taken up again next week -Thursday--with a
view IN The mean time to ascertain if the could
from the Secretary Of War the number of Indians
belonging to these tribes when the treaties were
made, and the number remaining now, that the an
nulties might be made pr0 rata.
Mr. G. s. HOUSTON desired the gentleman
from North Carolina to Withdraw his proposition to
lay the bill aside. Certainly from the gentleman "a
could not obtain such information as would enable
the gentleman TO act any more understandngly upon
the bill now before the committee The gentle
mans objection to action upon the bill now, he un-
dersood TO be, that gentlemen lack information upon
the subject and the gentleman desired to commence
a system of reform and retrenchVent Now, he
had heard it said that the Indian Department was
the theatre of probably much or more fraud than
any other department of the government. But he
asked the gentleman, can he reach these frauds upon
This bill! This was simply bill appropriating what
was required under existing treaties with the Indian
tribes. He could not understand the gentleman
from North Carolina as wishing this government to
apply It's reirenchment upon what it had solemnly
agreed to give to the Indians. We could not 80 do
without violation of the treaties we have made
with miserable, dependant tribes of Indians Though
he (Mr. H. went as far FOR retrenchment as the
gentleman, and probably one step further. We, he
should hesitate long before he should single
out this bill to make it the first subject of re-
trenchment, and especially that portion of the