The Arkansas banner., 1848-08-15

= priation bill. A measure of that character, when it comes 10 this House, should come heralded by appropriate standing committees, sustained by re- port upon its nature, objects and consequences, and not by the dicta of one individual merely. Yet such had been the mode of procedure here
 Go look at the report, and appendix thereto, of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the present session of Congress Did 1t not contain suggestions upon this subject3 Was ii not referred entire to the Committee on Indian Afairsl Had they re- ported in favor of itl At the last session of the twenty yninih Congress, this satDe attempt was made and rejected by the Senate, but the committee had not seen fit to it. and now there is recom- menda,ion in regard to the e. and there never had been any report upon t. have searched to find such; have found none, and there is none
 He could not but express his surprise and regret measure so materially affecting vital interests should thus have been taken up and adopted. with. out tie recommendation responsibility of the go- vernment Tho Executive was expected and re- qued to recommend to Congress all necessary legs- laon affecting relations, foreign and domestic: yet the Executive is silent gpon the subject The Executive, with all knowledge, and all means of knowledge, Is silent. If this measure was neces- sary, it would be recommended; but, do 1t yoursel. yes, at the instance of single individual and not only do you take action, whilst completely in the dark, presuming you know more than the Execu- tivs who should know all, but you at the same time release the Executive from all responsibility from the results which may follow; you change establish ed customs md you enact violation, ia many in- stances, of treaty stpnations establishing agencies for different Indian tribes.
 Many additional tribes, by recent acquisitions arc thrown within our borders; many others, al- ready ours, are in daily contact with our people upon the track of emigration to the shores of the Pacific. Our supervision for the security of our people should be extended, agencies increased; yet this is proposition 10 cut down the number, from twenty-nine to fifteen
 In passing this measure, (said MT. J. you arc enacting the will, as he believed and aversed, of subordinate officer of the Executive department, who possessed the confidence of the member from North Carolina, and you arc adopting it because that member possesses yours. You adopt it blindly, upon his suggestion without stateme nt of facts, or endorsement, from any one of your own com- mittees whilst he adopts it blindly, upon the jpdg- Inent or wishes of the Commissioner; not dreaming of consequences we cannot but dread.
 The policy of the bureau unfortunate for the West. lis head had yet to learn that he was dealing with passionate, jealous, and stubborn race The blunders of the past had cost hundreds of thousands yes, millions, he could say with truth, for the whole Florida war alone was produced by a blunder- The Commissioner he'd yet 10 be educated in his department and for it. He had but one regret
 it was, not that the treasury, but that the Blood of the frontiers, and outraged humanity, must be the price.
 Why does not the Commissioner reduce these agencies, if it be right The President has the full power to do so at will. Such is the law. Why come to Congress for law compeiiing 1t Becadse the President will not undertake policy, the results Of which We cannot toresec aud which may involve the close of his Administration in unnecessary blo7 7dshed and disaster. But the Commissioner Is ambitious of this experiment, and famous admin is;ration of his bureau
 Attempts hitherto have been made to unite Choc- jaws and Chickasaws. and Creeks and Seminoles.- They have steadily resisted, and nothing has result ted beyond additional exasperatoa.
 The manner in which this measure will be re- ceiyed, and the warmth of the Indian sfeeling, may be conceived when he told this committee that at time when. recently this unoa was suggested of Greeks and Scminoles, the most renowned leader of the Semlnoles procaigncd that if this measure was 10 sab.ect his people 10 the Creeks he would take his rifle upon his shoulder and lead his people to the pr;iries; but that before they left it was the practice Of the Seminole to leave his mark upon his enemy.
 As question ef economy. what was to be gained by the measure! The retrenchment alleged is $ $50. The is insignificant But on the other hand, we shall almost certainly be involved in war between the tribes They have been crowded together upon our frontiers and when war shall oc cur between any two of inc tribes, who shalt say how long il will be before the remaining tribes will take parl or how long before the lrontiers shall be iuyOlvct and tis Government become the chief
 
 il sa cost to attain That peace and security which now are ourss Viewing it a measure of econo- my, unembarrased with single consi icra.fon of humauI y, or the duty 0tqihis Government to pre- serve peace upon the frontier and between Inc tribes, Il is most unprouising. Oar guardianship is To cost Us most heavily: no one cln tell how heavily.
 This government n, an expense of millions and millions, have removed these lndiIns 10 our iron tier Backed by the whole treasury to effect this policy. their lands have been purchased in almost every State of the Union and the people of the in- erior relieved of the danger and disadvantages of their presence. here this has been nprnc tiuai,e peacefully and fairly, fraud, force, and war have followed, until, from Florida 10 the lakes the In- diuns have been transplantcd 10 the west The Florida war cost millions, expended alone ia carry ing out the emigration policy and they have been transferred by force, after years of misery and an expenditure of millions, There they now sii, crow ded together upon us anu each other to the number of f0,000 warriors, of tribes unfrendly with each other and disc1ntented with us; and you refuse us this pitiiul amoant--not as an experiment 10 pre- serve Us in peace and security, but as matter of policy approved through years of trial. Wilh those lpdans in the midst of you. you have rmptied the treasury for your own peace and now, sitting in security you vote 10 the frontier, to indulge spirit of par,imony, and the experiments of a com missioner, who has no sympathy with us
 He begged to express bis solemn convictions that the course of the commissioner and of this House if they should support him in his present pans was dcsti ed 10 bring upon our Indians and frontier people all the horrors of an Indian war. He could not too highly reprobate such legislation, such suggestions from the Indian Bureau, the head of which in security hiInseIf could not realize or ap- precate the dangers of others. Such bureau should never again be placed in the hands of any man who resides east of the Mississippi. Forever hereafter he should protest against it. IL should be confded to some man from some frontier State pos sessed of some knowledge of Indian character, It should be filled by some man identified with some frontier State that the folly of his policy should involve him, we'll as his people, in the common disaster, and that he should feel direct respon- sibility to the people involved-a responsibility which could not then be escaped, but which is not felt by the present commissioner.
 We have no tribes so peaceful, none so inteIli gent and cultivated, the Choctaws and Chicka- IL has been attempted to unite them and their