Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

part them be referred to some Wing document which
ne held in his hand, in which he pointed out to different
passages relating to Gen. Cass OF which WIS he al
legged, intended for the North and the other for t South
There great rush of Democratic memb about the
seat OF Mr. b. to get sight Of the document AID
without repeated and strenuous efforts of the Ch that
4 degree of order at length obtained
The period allotted for debate having expired he commit
! tee proceeded to vote on the bill and amendmen1
i Mr.. GRINNELL, chairman of the Commilfe Com
merce having made few explanatory ramarks the amend
nents from the Senate the question put a concurng
in these amendments, and they all concurtd in
Mr. GRINNELL then, by order of the Comm Com
proposed list Of additional approprationa Of which
were concurred n and the bill was laid aside to reported to
the House.
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC BILL.
Mr. YINTON moved that the committee prod bed
der the Senates amendments the civil and Diplomatic APP
preparation bill, which agreed to.
Mr. VINTON stated that the bill had Ack from the
Senate loaded down with number and vanky Of amend
ments the due consideration Of which would rue two or
three days. They did lot amount TO hunjed, but they
came near it as possible for they ninety pine in
ber and the total amount Of appropriations w they added
to the bill was between eight and nine hundred thousand dol
lars while, the other nand the effect OF them, adopted,
would be to diminish the to hem from the
House about seventy or eighty thousand dollars,
Mr. " said he had not risen for the pubose Of
kng speech, but simply to give explanations ecng
OF the various amendments the Senate had PROPOSED
graft upon the BILL To do this In regard to all ohem would
not only occupy all the remainder of the sesso but would
extend far beyond it, The Committee Of Way and Means
had laboed industIiousy night and day since lie bill came
back and had kept in their hands to the that
they could consistently with allowing any time br its consd
Grafton in Committee Of the Whole. They had not how
ever been able to the great the Senate amend
ments submitted TO them most OF which consisted Of private
claims and not therefore in his power give to the
committee that minute information in regard them which
under ordinary circumstances he should have fell his duty
TO do The committee had done the best they could They
bad disagreed to large majority of the amendments though
IN regard TO many Of them they had agreed recommend
Importance. .hreo f great
The first of these was an appropriation Of SAL Ooe ~
~ claims advanced by the Creek Indians under treaty made
with portion of their tribe Indian Springs in 1921
majority Of the Committee of Ways and Means had been in
vor of allowing this appropriation and they had accordingly
recommended that the House do concur IN the
but they had recommended notifications Of it. II
the last amendment reported and it would consequently
be late before il would up for action IN this committee
he thought il best to explain it
Mr. " then explained that by the treaty the United States
had agreed pay the Indians $780, 900 for tract of about
four millions of ceded by them, and also to pay to ci
of Georgia their claims against the Indians provided the
same did exceed $3.50 000 To ascertain the amount OF
these Georgia Claims commission had been appointed who
allowed claims the Of sl0s 900, leaving surplus
of S4 000 This surplus the Creeks now claimed as right
fully due TO them and that the opinion Of majority OF
the Committee il not his own opinion.
He compared stipulation in this Creek treaty with that
had made in the late treaty with Mexico We had agreed
to pay her fifteen millions fixed for the cession OF
New Mexico and California and also to assume and pay the
claims Of citizens against her, So here the United
States agreed pay the Creeks the fixed Of 5000 for
the cesson Of their lands and assume aud pay the claims Of
the people of Georgia against them. We had limited how
ever what would pay, setting the limitation at
il the claims fell short Of that amount the balance OF course
reverted the United States and the Creeks had no manner
| Of right to it. This was his view.
But the other opinion land such seemed to have been
the understanding Of the Greeks themselye that the United
States pay them $500 900 certain and any balance
900 which should absorbed by the Georg
rla al
[The above is the substance Mr. Vsexplanaon as thu
Reporter understood IT, There were variety ofsubordna
statements and explanations gwen but the above contains tn
gst of the matter.
Mr. " then further apooezsd for being able go int
full explanations Of the other items OF the Senate
amendment into this fully rs under other cicum
would be proper do The committee had agrees
many OF them under high pressure for want OF ume
Mr. NICOLL New York, next took the floor, stating tina
when he first looked into this Indian claim be had fell inclined
oppose it. but fuller investigation had become satisfied tbs
the engagement Of the United States was IN effect to CIV
the Indians $3.50 900 for their lands deducns from that gos
sum so much as should be duly substanated just claims
citizens Of Georgia against the Indians Cor past sPoaons
Mr. N said, although many Of the items which had beef
by the Senate would have been out Of order under tn
rules of the House, still proper respect TO that body require
their candid consideration. He had endeavored TO give suc
consideration to them far the very limited time allowe
10 the committee He presented in very lucid hi
view of the proper construction Of the treaty, and mainaine
the equity Of the claim Of the Indians The Reporter doe
not attempt follow bis argument upon the knott
points Of legal and equitable construction involved
Mr. TO0MBS gave detailed history Of the Indian rela
tons Of the State Of Georgia from 1893 to the date Of tn
treaty in question, and Of subsequent treaties and con
Quoted by his statement Of facts and argument the sam
, general conclusion adopted by Mr.. NIcoLL-
Mr. THOMPSON, Of Mississippi, recapulated the fact
Of and expressed his unwngness give this money
IL thew had even equitable claim Il, IL to be
bounty from this Government the Indian chiefs He wishe
Il TO be set apart fund for the benefit Of the tribe by tn
means OF schools farms, and the promotion Of civilization
among them.
Mr. COBB Of Georgia, said he had to the conclu
sion that this money would be bounty from the Government
If il were paid for the Creek nation had claim upon US
The terms Of the treaty puaons with the Indians had bee
complied with by this Government and the $3.50 600 paid
the Georgia claimants and there nothing which
base this claim understanding Of the Indians, whc
could have no validity. He commented the length OF tim
which had been suffered eapse before the claim Get "
and the publicity given TO the treaty. and the opportunie
given for its examination the time agreed to shot
that the claim was made under circumstances Of susficon
Mr. STANTON also entered into some brief explanations
Mr. COBB continued his argument in opposition to ID
claim He stated the fact that the Interpretation Of the treat
NV the commissioner adverse this claim and had Ion
remained unspu,ed and further he called attention 70 u
manner in which the claim was sought to be established.