The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-12

90 PoSradAsrERs are su,hor;, Al n, a., =. ~ .v ~, =.
ns US ' DAILY subscribers. so SEMI
scbers with $40 eneoed entitled 10 ona copv of tb.
edition a. they nrnish US subscribers for x,s,.
NAYSEMessrs Aiher,on, Bree.e, Bright Butler. Cal
houn, Clarke, Davis of Mississippi Dickinson Fslch.
1 Fitzgerald, Houston, Hunter, Johnson Georgia King
Niles, Sfruance, Turney Walker, aud Westco"lg S'
! So the bill was rejected.
| 5F PIERRE cHoUrEAu, R.
The Senate, as committee of the whole proceeded IN
The consideration of the bill for the relief OF Pierre Chou
teau, IT,, 4 Co.
The report having been read,
Mr.. BELL said Mr. President, do not think there
ought 10 be any objection this bill II provides for the
payment OF an acknowledged debt Every part of the
evidence upon which this claim is founded is supported
but 6y every head man in the nation according .h..
usual mode OF ansactng business OF this snIl Ihey
ssys Tds this j ',s s.g They
their memorial, it is true that the government would
DO them Justice and pay these 100 warriors according to
the promise Of the officers of the government the time,
it would be- unnecessary to entrench upon their perma
nent fund That woud pay good portion there would,
however, be still balance due II is presented now,
Upon application OF the chiefs. to the executive govern
inen Vt the United States pay the whole out
OF the fhAd due to these Indians from the government
induce senator's doubt whether it would be expedent
TO pass the BILL Is found in the articles of the treaty,
which give the disposition Of this fund.- in the first in
stance TO the Executive OF United States and vest
hm with some discretion. 1t wasupon that ground that
referred to the memorial of the Indians the statements
of which are, that the amount is due Aid that govern
men ought to pay the full price to those warriors who
served in the Florida campaign The Senate's committee
weighed the general proposition as to the debt due.
paid of their fund, but that would be csmpcang
this claim without any necessity, and there no JUS
lice in it. will read clause of the treaty of the 3lst
OF June for the satisfaction OF the Senate:
1T provided that the fund arising from the sale Of
the lands coded by this treaty. after certain deductions and
II
be- should be paid Ito the Indians said fund to be
cent per annunl the said balance, as an
annniy said fund to be continued during the pleasure Of
bIed desire that the and thus creaed should be
and paid over to them"
This they have complied with The chiefs, in general
council assembled, did resolve, with the consent of their
people, in the manner specified that this amount should
be paid out OF their national fund. 1t proceeds
SIN which case, the President shall the same be
50 paid # IN his discretion he shall believe the happiness
But the treaty contains these words also-"said fund
TO be continued during the pleasure OF Congress " and
in the concluding clause they refer it to the discretion Of
the President do not know of any instance where there
has been discretionary act of this kind, where he has
undertaken without the Of Congress- pay
en- mase, or IN sodo any portion of this fund He de-
cnes to do IT. II is true, the allegation is that portion
Of this fund is vested in stocks par and if
they do pay it, it must be at loss either the Indians
or to the government The report proceeds the ground
that government is bound make these funds par be-
cause there Is provision in the treaty authorizing the
government of the United States this fund at all
But they did vest it at their discretion at their
pleasure am very happy TO learn that the Maryland
funds are very far from being worth very little. per
cents being worth 8. and per cents being proper
onaby fair rate, that that objection does nowex-
st take 1t that the government had light to object
to the payment of that debt at any time that the funds
were below par because the government of the United
States vested them at their risk They stipulated TO
pay annuity OF per cent. annuity during the
pleasure of Congress- with the stipulation whenever they
thought proper, 10 have the whole paid them
in soiido.
The different parts of the treaty are inconsistent in al
lowing them, in clause the payment at the discre-
ton OF the Presidents and in another, at the discretion of
Congress But the President will not exercise his dis
erection, under the circumstances. He has declined it,
and the parties therefore come to Congress.
repeat again. that the claim founded in great merit
he executive officers very much compromised and
the government obligation itself s very strong Think in
favor OF the whole amount stipulated be paid to those
warriors Whether they should be paid, is distinct
question That is not the question now it is whether
these Chiefs assembled council with the of their
people, have agreed that should be paid and addressed
over their signatures, the Secretary of War, re-
questng it to be paid. Under these circumstances do
not any wel-founded objection to the claim. One
question with the committee was, in fact, whether
the interest should be paid upon it. majority of the
committee of the opinion that under the crcum
of the they should not recommend the pay
men of the interest, and they reported bill merely for
the payment OF the claim, to be refunded to the United
States out of this fund OF $780, 900, which the govern
ment is bound to pay whenever the chiefs shall call
Mr. BORLAND desired an opportunity to examine the
BILL and wished that it might be allowed to lie over
Mr.. BELL expressed the hope that it would not be-
laid over.
Mr. BORLAND thought that several other senator's
desired to examine the bill and with view of afording
them opportunity to do, he moved an adjournment
which was agreed to; and
The Senate adjourned.