Indiana State sentinel., 1851-01-16

assist him until the middle of June and yet de-
termned aad actually attempted remove him by
sending commission to successor "a citzen of Indi-
ana bearing date early the 9th Of August follow
ing Here, them have the late Cabinet in the pen-
itude of their magnanmity, allowing General Lane less
than two months within which examine three hundred
and fifty thousand square miles of territory and
certain, far practicable the names, location
bers character and dispositions of the various tribes
and bands Of Indians nhabiting its surface and for his
report afterwards to reach Washington. Bear in mind
too that there regular mail communication with
Oregon until June last.
have said that General Lane did wait for money
instructions before entering upon the active discharge
of his executive duties But, sir, he satisfied
stop there. Although before remarked his duties
Governor claimed his frs regards yet he found tme
besides dischargng them promptly, to give his unwea
red and personal attention his duties Superinend
of Indian Affairs. Long before any sub-agents re-
ceived their appointments to assist him. within the very
month after he reached the shores Of Oregon he made
journey of three hundred miles, going and return
ing, certain tribes the Columbia river on business
connected with the duties of his Office held "talk
with some OF hem and succeeded in efeeting peace
between tribes that at with each other
In the following month, (May,) hearing OF the murder
of Wallace by the Indians Puget's Sound at some
hundred miles distance and that they threatened to
destroy the settlement there consisting of but fam
les who where in hourly expectation OF attack he
visited that place for the purpose of putting il state
OF defence. There then troops in the
cept some eight nine men OF the rifles With six of
these he performed the Journey (as he did that up the
Coumba) on foot and in canoes, and effected his ult
mate object by bringing the guilty TO punishment by due
of law and restoring peace and quiet the
Element
Thus sir while the civil organization of the Terrific
ry maturing under his general direction, he found
time to acquaint himself, by travel and observations
with the character and disposition of the savages by
which the settlements surrounded and of protect
ing the inhabitants against their murderous depreda
tons. These are some OF the important objects ac
complished by General Lane for the safety and vel
fare of weak and scattered colony on the Pacific
coast early period of his mission in the face of al
most insurmounable obstacles, and with very limited
And so little interest, it would SEEM did the
late Cabinet then take in affairs there the strup
gle in which he was thus engaged, that at the time of
finishing his report in October l849 they had not deirn
ed to favor him with further Instructions nor indeed
with solitary communication upon any subject what.
ever.
The Legislature, before remarked was convened
early in july 1t being the first session. and large
amount of business necessarily before it. it did not ad
ouTn until October. During all this time Governor
Lane compelled to be at the seat of Government
ready TO aid and cooperate with the Legislature in its
action And yet. sir, early the 22d Of that month
he had prepared his report giving detailed account of
the names and numbers; the number Of warriors and
general characters the mode of life and subsistence and
the disposition towards the whites whether pacific or hos
tle oil sixty tribes and bands Of Indians nhabno
that extensive territory This report duly received
at the Department and have already said, no COM
plant has been made its character or suciency
Nor does 1t appear that any particular benefit would
have resulted from Its earlier preparation, had that
been possible
Mr. President, referred on former occasion to the
fact that General Lanes ssuccessor-Maor Ganes-wth
his family favored by the late Cabinet with mas.
sage to Oregon government vessel and at the pub.
lac expense. have since ascertained on inquiry that
although it is than year since his appoint.
ment yet he even he has not yet made his report as
Superintendent OF Indian Affairs with all the advantao oe
of his predecessors labor to aid him.
And now, III the face of this array of facts and dates
=. :.
account of ga very long delay" in making his report
Mr.. EWING. Mr.. President l did not say So I
did not say it was because he delayed in making his re.
port. What said was, that he had delayed in making
a report Commissioner of Indian Affairs and that
there were complaints from the Territory. did not
say any thing about his removal further than that
Mr.. WHITCOMB. / would like the honorable SEN
ator from Ohio to inform me why he mentioned that fact
unless it had bearing upon the subject of his removal?
Mr.. EWING. That case was cited as one of the re.
movas in which there complaint against the in
dividual. said there complaint and to the iuqui-
ry Of the honorable Senator from Michigan (Mr Cass)
who inquired whether, il he had been Wing, he would
have been removed did not reply | did in the other
cases distinctly, but as to General Lane.
+. Mr.. WHITCOMB. Mr. President, if l have mista
ken the meaning of the Senator from Ohio he ought to
be obliged to me for giving him opportunity for ex-
PLANTATION, for Senators understood him as
did The Senator from Iowa Mr.. Dodge] had directly
charged that General Lane and Colonel Weller had been
stripped of their commissions for other offence than
their political opinions" On referring the reply of
the Senator from Ohio published in the reported de-
bates he is represented saying, "The Senator also
refers to two of removals General Lane Cover
nor of Oregon, and Colonel Weller, of the boundary
commissions and speaks of these Of naked pro-
scription In this he is incorrect. As to Governor
Lane report made by him the Department for
a very long time after his appointment. Great com
plants made against him from the Territory of
Oregon and from authentic and reliable sources
which the Executive ought to respect There were
therefore, for his remorai as well official po.
litiea
Now, Mr.. President, / understood the Senator, by
these remarks denying that General Lane had beer
removed for his political opinions onyas denying that
that he had been removed for official well political
reasons and proof Of this statement that he
what he charged the real of his
removal. The very frst asst gned the alleged
delay making his report to the Department If this
charge not introduced for remoral for
what purpose, repeat, was it inroducedl In my
ply to the Senator the same day, repeatedly and
expressly the meaning to his remarks which
have done, and which he thea let pass without
correction, and submit, therefore, whether by that
omission he is justly chargeable with what he
regards my present misapprehension! However, l
understand the Senator 10 concede that although
complaints were made against General Lane, he was
removed that account, consequently that he
would have been removed, (proscribed" believe was
once the term however unexceptonabe his conduct
public and private, might have been, and merely
count of his political opinions thank him for the
panaton late though it be. Had this of policy
been avowed by the Senator and his associates in the
late Cabinet applicable removals generally, the
resolution now before us, will venture say, would
not have been introduced, and the Senate would have
been spared its discussion. Gentlemen ought to be
isfed take the offices, without seeking deprive the
late ncumbents of their character also. Speaking of
my own State, am satisfied that such an mputaton
was not merted by a single removed officer within its
limits, and every one, believe, has been removed,
whose position was Of value enough to excite the cupid
ity of neghbor. But do not now propose, however
strong the nducement, to speak that subject. l
from Ohio has stated that great complaints were made
against General Lane from the Territory of Oregon