The daily union., 1852-08-11


the commissioners found state OF things there which
lead them 10 the impression that war would be aveHed
BY supplying the Indians win Deei ~nne IN STATE o
Starvation and they satisfy the oenste OF that TACT
every senator will say that such CONTRACT ousn 70 nave
do not know who are the holders OF these drafts
know whenever they got the cattle ihey gave drap
upon The treasury without the knowledge that there was
single dollar in II. have seen some oi these drais
Lad them in my hands lille while ago TO the amount
of hundred thousand dollars They belonged TO gentle
men who furnished the cattle In good faith Tor this
mission, supposlng the commissioners had general
authority make whatever contracts were necessary in
order 10 execute these treaties. Their impression was
that The treaties would be ratified, and il is very proba
be after they had been informally signed by the ladan
agent, that they right in taking IT for granted that
they would be rati6ed by the Senate. But they have
been rejected and these men are deeply involved in con
sequence OF IT, In case, | know OF an individual
who has $3.50 900 OF these drafts, and he has hypo,he
Gated the whole of them collateral security for loan
OF $40 900. upon which he is paying three per cent
month Every will see at once that he must be in
evaby ruined. 10 pay that per cenage must inevitably
IT, thea be the determination of the Senate to put
themselves in possession OF all the facts, this appoint.
men necessary. IL is required not only by the public
interest, and the interest OF the government but is de-
malded by The people OF the Stale OF California. If there
10 believe that any portion OF them have in good
faith, supplied your commissioners with what was
sary feed these Indians il your duy 10 put your
selves in possession OF these facts by the appointment OF
agent. Although there some OF my constituents
interested in this claim, would not press II upon The
Senate ii did not believe this information would be
valuable TO IN the end
Mr. BADGER The true objection, Mr. President, to
the appropriation sought 10 be made has not in my
julge been stated. 1t les my mind, neither
any implied obligation OF the government for aby Tor
these demands in the amount proposed; nor IN the
supposiuon thai there duties ought 10 be exercised by
the present superintendent My objection IS above, be-
hind, aud important and pressing than any of these
IL is this You giving under this amendment, II il
be adopted by The Senate and agreed 10 BY the House.
agent California for the purpose of investigating these
alleged fraudulent transactions Where you 10 20 10
gel Kim Where are you going 10 hnd the agent who
discharge this duty in sucn manner 10 meet the
APPRECIATION and satisfy the judgment OF the Senate and
o The country
| Why, sir, here are four Indian commissioners. We
have been told by one OF the senators from California,
that before they sent TO that country 10 discharge
these duties they We're OF unimpeached and as II
supposed, unmpeachable repulalion--men of high
character for integrity and frmness They there, and
directly afterwards they found engaged-n what I
In making contracts in violation OF iheir duty Aud
more than that: The honorable senator from California
and strongly cnarged-though he gives opinion as TO
whether that charge or suspicion be correct-wh hav-
ing been iraudulently, wickedy and cupably engaged
in making profit to themselves of the unlawful
actions attributed TO them, and OF which they no
doubt guilty.
Mr. WALKER The papers in California publicly
charge it,
Mr. BADGER Yes sir Now, suppose you appoint
an agent, and send him there. Unless you get a
Heaven descended angel, what guarantee have you that
he gets out there he will not be engaged in
unlawful transactions and be Immediately charged in all
the papers with fraud and corruption in regard TO these
very claims Ii the moment these commissioners entered
on these Indian Transactions they forgot The lnttgrly
which their torner gooi conduct supposed 10 have
implied lost all recollection OF what they owed to them
selves, their families, and the reputation they ought to
manlain-f all these considerations insufficient 10
support them, and maintain their integrity against the
temptations which surrounded them-where vii! you
find your agent, of any known character and established
reputation, who will go out there and investigate the
propnety OF allowing claims the amount of Ss0OoO),
surrounded by every species OF influence that is to mis-
lead and bias him! He must do one of two things
Either yield himself TO corruption, or what is 10 IT.,
(and practically, as to the influence which bis report
would have, precisely the same) be charged by all the
newspapers with being corrupy engaged in vlllanously
permitting class Qt claims 10 be allowed at the ex-
perse OF another That is the difficulty, sir
Ten thousand dollars is but moderate sum. The OBJ
ec is desirable 1t is important that the government
should obtain the information. But ask, where your
guarantee that you get any who il his integrity
Is proof against temptation, can stand against the unver
sal lmpulaon that he is corrupt and wicked II the
commissioners could not get along, how will the agent
be able TO stand pependcuar and erect both in fact and
in public estimation in the discharge of this delicate duty
with which il IS proposed TO clohe him That sthe df.
hculiy
Mr. ADAMS In Difference 10 the opinion of'my friends
from North Carolina and California, Withdraw my
motion 10 amend the amendment
Mr.. PRATT. MIR President, the argument OF the sem
atof from North Carolina, has been suggested by a
friend near me, is rather against The climate inhabited by
my friends from California IL Is the supposilon that
nobody who goes there be honest. do not believe
that. wish, however, TO assign the which shall
govern my vote against the proposition being entirely
different IRON any which has been suggested 1t IS con-
ceded by every who has spoken, except the senators
from California, that the contracts which have been
made by these agents commissioners contrary 10
the authority vested In them, and consequently these
contracts impose obligation, legal or equitable, upon
this government TO pay them cannot therefore, tor my
life. how those who entertain that opinion (and all
OF 10 entertain II, except the two senators IRON
Caliisrnal vote 10 send agent TO California TO
examine into the manner IN which these claims have
been contracted, when PREJUDICE them by the assertion
on the part OF everybody who has spoken, that the United
States not bound 10 pay and will not pay hen. Is
II not work o superrTogaton TO send our agent thefe
TO make investigation have no doubt the government
nvestlkalion but when every admits that, even
after the investigation may be made, the government VIII
not be bound 10 LAY the claims, why should want 10
investigate IN reference TO iheml Why should we
want investigation ~ reference 10 claims for the pay
ment Oi which not bound and which do not IN
tend TO pay under any possible circumstances Enter
tanning this view, shall vote against the amendmtn nj
which has been proposed
MIR. CASS. | desired to say before, that alterna.
lion Of the amount appropriated will change my view Of
the question My objection is not 10 the amount appro
pra ,d-lt ~ not TO lis costing $40 900 OF s. 0O0it ~
To the thing itself that object. ror one, | deter
mined not touch 1t. aud will have "nether part
4 lot in IT.
You will recollec Mr. President and the Senate will
claims sought 10 be sustained was, that had sen,
commissioners TO investigate them and ths therefore,
the lalth O the government was committed To pay them.
That OF the strongest Arguments presented on
that occasion. IL SAID that bound TO pay
the claims because the government, having sent commits
among the Creeks TO investigate them, and hav
Jog reported upon the claims, II created expectations in
4 ZZI ~ Il ~