The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-04
I'm cosTIkuArIoN.l
SENATE.
INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL.

r. EfrNG -
INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
Mr. BELL. do not want to occupy the Senate long
hu with the leave OF the honorable senator from Arkan
sas who know has numerous amendments TO offer,
will offer my amendment now .{
aFof payment of the awards Of Gen VIM. b. Mitchell
commissioner under the treaty of Chicago oil the 18th
September 1883 with Pouawattomies reported by hin
10 the Secretary of the Iaterior, $sS6S9 ~.
This is q pretty large amount. am aware. II is
claim that has been pending now some ten years will
Il can get the attention OF the Senate explain ii. will
slaie in The outset that il has been adjudcaed by the
secretary OF the Interior, and that IL came also from the
Commissioner OF Indian Affairs. The United States
ae several reaiies walh xalions haAds ef ladiaRs
s The general name oil Poliawaomies, Iowas, and
ohefs In 1893 and 1888 Two, or three or four trea
es as far back that The siipuations in those treaties
we're after making provision Of few Thousand dollars
in each treaty pay their debts that the Indians should
remove within two years west OF the mississippi river
Well, sir, they declined 10 remove from time to time
when they were applied TO do by the proper officers
Of The government until s40 when the inhabitants OF In
DIANA with regard to the tribe residing in that State as
well as those living in Michigan, made united effort
along with the executive government oil the United
States 10 get these treaties enOced but 1t turned out
hen that the Indians were largely indebted to the white
people OF the States in which they resided, and they
fused to remove, while their creditors were equally un-
willing that they should. Phe executive. however, Or
defed General Brady take his military command and
remove them by force Of arms at the same time instruct
np him to the Indians, well as the white inhab
ans 10 whom they indebted, that the government
would take steps pay those debts out OF the Indian
nuiy Well, sir under these assurances The creditors
ceased to ntepose any opposition and the Indians re-
moved But when they had removed, they positively re-
fused to allow the appropriation ascertained to be due to
The citizens OF those States 10 be paid out oi their annu
ties They insisted that there was no provision IN any
treaty which required them to do and they refused
tey agree 10 it. They that the United States
had stipulated e pay their Creditors when they agreed to
remove peaceably. aa
cording to the gtvrn BY General Brady to
anime into the grounds OF those claims The commis-
sion proceeded under the special instructions of the De-
parmsn, Of War; 10 make he 5 exa%Iaions az % ana exam
missioner allowed some $4,000, which report was
returned 10 the department IN the spring OF lS40 and was
cut down BY the department 10 some eghyodd thousand
dollars In the instructions which were given to the
commissioner he authorized 10 issue certificates for
these debts when he adudcaed them, according to the
instructions under which he acted; but when the awards
were returned TO the Department. il was seen that great
difficulties would arise in issuing the certificates, and
they not at that time issned The claim was pre-
sened in the early part o lS4l under The administration
OF General HARRISON when had the misfortune to pre-
side for short time that department call it mis-
fortune, The department al that time under the in
suctons OF the President, refused 10 carry the nsruc-
learn that from statement from the Commissioner OF In
dian Affairs filed in those papers The Secretary OF Wal
thai time decided that the government by treaty
liable Tor the payment OF those claims, and that If the
government assumed TO make the annuties OF the Indians
liable for the payment, ii would deprive them OF the
whole amount of their annuilies, and upon the furlhe
ground that the treaties under which these Indians haf
agreed to remove had appropriated specific amount fo
The payment OF their debts which was long since ex
hausted.
That was in ls4l When Mr. Spencer came into III,
War Department, he took up the matter il stood al h
time Of the expiration OF the preceding administration
and conforming to Mr.. Ponsetfs instructions upon tha
subject he ordered the certificates to be issued according
10 The Instructions originally issued TO the commissioner
They still found great difficulty, however, in carryn,
that into execution; for there were several d1ereH
bands OF Indians, and no sufficient mode u identification
10 fix the responsibility OF each. So the matter stoo
until application was made TO Congress direct in lS4S
when Congress took up the matter and ordered that th
certificates be issued in conformity with the instruction
Of Mr. Poinse Then, sir il is the law Of the land tha
thai s in conformity with the form Of the certificates
be issued under the orders OF MIR. Poinseit The sol
question: then, 10 which ask the attention OF the Sen
ae-and one which we shall have to decide upon--is
shall these claims be paid by enforcing them as charge
upon the small annuities Of those Indian tribes whe
there treaty stipulation authorizing that 10 be done
when they have removed TO the West in accordance witt
our wishes, and deny that they have ever agreed tha
these debts shall be made charge upon their annutes
Then, sir, you have these creditors, with their ceri
Gates in their hands, amounting TO $780, with the as
saIanee n the first place 81 The executive Scers oi IN
turance sanctioned finally by Congress. The questio
now whether il shall be paid out Of the treasury
whether il shall be taken from these Indian annuities
The tribe is il true OF considerable in the aggregate
but these bands are very small and f you charge thi
sum upon their annuites even If you take the whole
hem you wcut them of from the receipt OF any annuit
or hive years besides which, II will be found exiremel
difficult, il impossible discriminate 10 what paI
hcular bands OF this united tribe owe the diferen
items Of the amount Indeed, believe there is no pos
Able mode OF doing it, They have been removed unde
assurances, they affirm, thai the United States woul
pay these debts. In lsi my attention was called 10 h
SUBJECT and was brought TO the conclusion that lhes
debts could only be paid by the government OF the Unite
states out OF the treasury Of the United States, unes
you arbitrarily seized upon the annutes stipulated b
treaty 10 be paid 10 the tribe, which would, in my opn
ron, De mule different from robbery
now, DO not wish TO trouble The Senate further tn
question ~ snail we take this money ol the pttanc
OF the Indians, by rotbing them o their annntes "a
soe nse YEAR, OF whether we shall pay il There is n
uealy stipulation authorizing Us 10 take il from them
Ihe question being taken on this amendment, il wa
agreed to.
gUEf. CLAIMS FLORIDA
Mr. YULEE. Ihave an amendment which uisb /
bring TO the attention OF the Senate The Senate bas i'm
adopted an amendment providing Tor the payment Of yo
uneers employed during The last year. upon the frontier
OF Texas, IN the Indian service There were some volun
eers employed, under precisely similar circumstances
an emergency in Florida, for whose relief bill was in,rc
duced reported by The Military Committee nj this session
and passed by The Senate but which is such condto
upon the docket OF the House render IL mpossib
mat can be reached at this session. The payment OF n
seVlces has been recommended By the department in
eue addressed to the chairman OF the committee OF n
u,. u.nel house nasmuch as provision for the Texa
ouheers has been pot upon this bill, wish this to
appended 70 The bill Also il is OF similar character
w. DAWSON | will merely state that the subje,
,h before fhe Committee Military Affairs, and ths
ney made report in favor OF the demand Ii PASSED IN
Senate '' ''oPs = "ii p'e' :"
H further enacted That the Secretary Of War he an
s.Iey ~ directed TO audit and adjust the claims OF IA
se oi Florida, under such laws and regulations as hay
nefeeiore governed the adjustment Of siunf claims OF IA
ohms on the United States for moneys advanced an
paid and for expenses Incurred and obi,gations
fnr sinh bxtsfea ..I