The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-28
CONGRESSIONAL.
rERKED DEBATE.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY n, 1851.



made in compliance with resolution Of the Senate OF
,hr 18th instant, transmitting report OF the Commits
.ions OF Indian Affairs IN relation to The practice OF The
government in paying Indian annniiles which
Mr.. TURNEY move 10 lay the communication on
the table -,
for the present | ask that The letter OF the Commits
soDer Of Indian Atfars 10 me Department OF the late
Mr. TURNEY withdrew his motion; AMI the report
was then read as follows:
DapARrARNr rHG lsrgaloR,
Office OF Indian A fairs.
Sir Toe resolution Of the Seuae, in the words follow.
ng, That the Secretary OF the Interior 10
eminent in paying the Indian anuuues, whether the
chiefs or pr capita aud upon What aaAar.t Is .aid
pactce founded Did not the decisions Ade by Mr. Ew.
Ing, Secretary oil ie lnteroi, in the nied to-
divert the Indian annnities from the cap,ta mad been
have the report thereon previoas 10 the
passage OF the act OF lo chapter to- the general pra-
cs Of , hs e N Ls I'M n ayEg iha1 anns wa, 10
there numerous exceptions ..t
Since passage o vi ISl7 general practice
has and pay the the heads OF ia mi
LES aud other individuals entitled to participate therein
but this practice also there have been frequent excep
lcns. Among these exceptions are the ia which
Mr. Ewing, while Secretary OF the Interior directed por
lions OF the aaa.es belonging certain tribes to be APP
popriaed to The psyr'ent OF their debts,
The want OF uniformity ia the practice pa wing annu-
lss under the act of 1917 may be attributed 10 lie fact
ths, act itself submits the in great ea sure
10 the discreon Of the President and Secretary War;
neither OF whom has At any time prescr'scd IN writings
Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
l.. LEA, Commissioner.
Secretary OF the Interior
Mr.. EWING. Mr.. President, | am very glad that a
call has been made and have received the informa-
non which that call contemplated and in connexion
with the answer by the Secretary OF the Interior would
observe that any one who will look at the act OF ls47
will see that II is not repeal OF any of the provisions OF
the act OF 1884 1t does not vary that act except that it
gives the President and the Secretary of War; and alter
wards the Secretary OF the Interior, instead OF the Sec
rtaIy OF War; discretion TO change The of
nues here,oioe made to Indian chiefs to payments per
slpsta whenever they should iii 10 make order to
thai effect That is the whole operation OF the act of
ls47. The President, far advised never made
an order under IT, So the discretion has rested. and still
rests, with the Secretary. ...
The letter OF the Secretary of the Interior in reply TO
The resolution OF the senator from Tennessee, WILL |
trust, satisfy the Senate OF the true value OF the out
door hearsay habualy realed by the senator here and
most unfiinchingly perseveIed in. m
But the other day the ayowed and vouched the
second Auditor his authority that, while Secretary OF
The Interior. had taken the funds OF the Indians which,
yredfy stipulation, Were payable per cupia, and paid
letter OF the Second Auditor declaring that he did not
remember 10 have staei and pointing the cases 10
(Which he referred IN what he did fact stale and when
proved by the law and the treaty, and COPY OF the
order made by that the accusation was fase the sen.
hlor hi 10 rearn the spot face OF the
|pooi, and 10 couch his reairnaton in sufficiently
|the senaiora utterly confounded BY facts and ar
gumeni can do nothing but rail. But he now tax en-
new tack, aud framed this resolution OF inquiry in The
|hore that the answer would disclose something which
might serve as substitute for The thing affirmed by him,
hhd disproved BY me-somethDg about per esp,a pay
nentswhich would do for him and his niormer to slide
Od upon Again be has failed, and must give up or
have endeavorsd, as a mere matter OF curiosity 10
Discover the of the persistence Of The senator in
what he mus, well know 10 be a fakrant wrong and
m satisfied that II springs out Of as IL connects itself
Sh, an investigation which of in The House of
representatives. IN The past year, and is kind Of exien.
on OF prolongaiion oil it, not conducted by the
hdivuas but BY kind OF residuary legaiee of the de-
unc, committee
wish, Mr President, TO avail myself OF the occasion
uFhished me BY the seOatof from Tennessee call the
enoh OF the public to this maer-noi only the branch
i IN the process .ot enactment in the Senate bat also
me investigation by The late committee OF the House
hd wish 10 make some personal explanations respect
ns which my situation heretofore has never enabled
ne 10 make.
The resolutions authorizing that investigation were
oled by lhe House on the formal accusation OF a mem
per IRON Illinois, Mr. RcHARDsos, who professed TO
ave- ave certain ia and specific information, from reliable
The Interior, which he founded his demand to The
hquHy, lie was appointed chairman OF the committee.
nus ming ihe Two highly responsible siluatiops-by
ome lu1s's thoughl 10 be not quite compalibe-of ae
us' una JHge lie succeeded in getting accusatoty
epon IRON majority OF the commitIee on two only OF
bis fve resolutions o' y
one VI mere Two was The allowance OF Communication
mo interest IN lieu OF half pay 10 the officers of the navy
virginia who served IN the re vol uonary war With
MS case had nothing 10 do except to refer il 10 the Al
uhey uenefal lor his opinion, and direct my subordi
es 70 oe governed by that opinion, when obtained,
o ooiteei an error m the computation OF interest
omml''ed oy The Commissioner Of Pensions which was
covered, condemned and corrected by me long before
y. committee OF investigation raised but which
nevertheless, made by them the subject Of charge
ms ~. ,oln ., o. resolution against me
me me scond was what is called the Chickasaw case
was one OF much detail and lis meri,s whatever thev
it, t nag 70 De drawn from huge volume OF papers,
ueh mao no time to examine or consider therefore
.ieo ny ~ untouched, 10 the Attorney General. When
n'am moh,ns, ne returned II 10 with his opinion
pssson representing himself a. agent of the Chicka.
o. some OF them, objected thai her. was some wi
oe OF arguments which bad not been before that Off
Shen ne decided IT. thereupon reopened the case
~ - !. 70 .he Attorney General and requested him
1Ns~he IL This he did; and on hi. ceu,tyins 10 me
DIS hna opinion, directed INV .nbordns,s bcsy. A. 70
E'y lh'o erect This was nv whole agency in m.
IAsr and these were the only cases in which
(.lvr ~ ~ 'pe committee were sbe 10 acre W them
eNss up 10 report against me Thev mar. ea... n
act IN which merely fixed nv formal o6r.i .;Sn.,.,.
uo,n -, tne committee knew nothing of ,be sh,sr,.
.n 'hey undertook to investigate +, was an .yne,i
as 10 exploring expedition: they were around me- on
l.rssI ,,a ne ns prophet OF Midian around the tents
n,.s '.e', uyng 70 md spot from which thew might
me oot unlike that prophet though thew f,ie1 N
'In spot, ihey nevertheless uttered the spy.e
oe 'epolt OF The majority, after they had made il
kno,n "e IoI 'ne Two above named opinions of the
son,r II p', ana iof The blunder OF the Commits
-. sns'ons which bad long before corrected
Aon oea aown by their political friend. in ,be
\, - oe absurdny and injustice were too vross ven
euss ui 70 sustain II; and the charmaH OF the com
ceu.s and m" 70 he unenviable position OF false
slI ", &C, o. Justice 10 the Speaker OF the Hous. 1
,. ns Nas clearly rgh, in placing on ,ha, com
NV iuuh favorable TO the investigation | will