The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-19

other desire than that the President himself 10 avoid coli
lison with the Senate, should dsayow them, as under
stood he had approved of the policy adopted by them
Now, TO what the senator said IN relation TO my
pain that they not dlsayowed, or approved and
sent 10 the Senate and that would have been impcssi
Bile send them n they had not been received
until about the LIST OF February last, have word TO say
had reason to infer otherwise from The public docu
ments. | will read from the report OF the Commissioner
OF Indian Affairs, dated in November last what he says
upon this subject:
From agens ia California much interesting infor
nation has been received concerning tha Indians In that
State but IL Is unfortunately of 100 desaoy character to
be entirely satisfactory number OF treaties have been
made with these Indians embracing from eighty to ninety
tribes or bands"
Subsequently, he goes on 10 say:
la the treaties negotiated with the Indians in Califor
operation Of which be oreseen Whether they shall
be ratified as they stand, is question which WILL OF
province i Is 70 determine ia what form they shall become
| part OF the supreme law Of the land"
This sent 10 at the beginning Of the session and
reasonable to suppose that these treaties be-
lore the commissioners when he wrote this report
have another and better ground for my statement than
that Here is letter published in the commissioners -
port, addressed to Mr. Lea the commissioner dated San
Francisco, July %, 1851, written by Mr.. Barbour, one
OF the commlssioners,in which he says
"sm wrote yol last from Camp Belt Kings river.
concluded at that place between myself as commissioner
on the part Of the government and twelve tribes oindans
which hope you nave received
This letter is pu bshed by the commissioner himself,
with no ntmaon that the treaty had not been received
|
believe the under which contracts made for
some twenty five hundred three thousand head OF cat
tie 10 feed the Indians and for which the first drafts
protested by the department given. But take the
senator's statement OF the that these treaties
withheld from the President by the agents, while they
were within the knowledge of the Secretary of the In
terror, contracting debts for hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars IN The name and on the credit OF the government
10 carry them into execution i shows state Of insub
ordination that never existed in this government before.
There is nothing like II in the history OF the country
The senator's own version Of the affair fully usnies
everything have said and such will be the opinion OF
the country.
The senator refers1o the report made by committee
OF the legislature Of California in which is urged that
the policy pursued in other States where Indians
located OF removing them from the limits OF the State
should be adhered to there, and in eloquent appeals to
sympahes, urges project the Indians and resist
the adoption OF this policy II may be easy matter for
senators representing States where there Indian
tribes to adopt this mode of thought and expression II
is matter OF no Importance 10 their constituents whether
Indians live in States inhabited by whites, Territories
appropriated TO their exclusive but is vital ques
ton 10 the members Of this. body representing States
where the Indians are indiscriminatey mixed with the
white inhabitants The senator in his zeal in behalf of
the Indians, and through The eoqnence with which he
urged their cause, fear has led members OF the
Senate from the main question in issue between us for
as yet il is not question of removing the Indians from
California. repeat, sir this is not question OF re-
moving the Indians from California; for the policy
adopted in these treaties brings ndans from the noun
tans and ranchos and establishes them in the centre of
the white population in the gold mining region OF the
State. That is the policy adopted in OF these
lies. None such was ever attempted before IN any por
lion Of This country nor is there power enough in this
who knows anything OF the characters OF the
white man and the Indian mast say that coils.
ions will come. The plan of locating the Indians
in the midst of the white population is condemned
| in California with unanimity scarcely before
known in any State. | stated the other day that
this would become the fixed policy OF the government If
did act promptly in the matter and the senator
said nonot until these treaties ratified by the Senate.
But, sir, il must be borne in mind that eight ten thou
sand head of cattle have been bought with which you
are feeding these Indians You locating their homes
there You are bringing them from the Notwithstanding
them from the ranches, where they have hitherto been
useiuily employed What will they do when you cease
to feed them What will be the RESULT lrepeat, that
| BY not giving the Senate opportunity of coidemnng
ms policy you are fastening upon the country or IN
yoving US in bloody war.
In regard what the said about these Indian
agents. there is no personal feeling against them in Cali
lorna. have ew II any, better personal friends in the
country than they They zealousy defending
their treaty sipuaiions and | speak in spirit of I'M
kindness OF them when refer 10 their extraordinary
sumption OF power, when, under appropriation OF
$4,000 they have incurred debt OF $1,000 900, which
will have 10 be paid unless the government epadates
their acts as has already protested their drafts Beef
was purchased by Indian agents to feed Indian tribes,
paid for drafts the head of the Department OF the
Interior, which protested presentation yet the
agents continued in Office the beef is retained and is
sued in raons to the Indians, and appropriation asked
Tor 10 pay Tor H. Has orders been given TO stop issuing
atons 10 these lndans Has the government acquiesced
IN the consumption OF the property purchased by the
drafts alter they were protested by feeding the Indians on
government account while no steps have been taken 10
ask Congress TO pay for this property This is down
right robbery for is well known the government
not be sued and the only these drafts be paid
10 ask for appropriation from Congress This
the administration has failed TO do, while, far we
are informed, orders have been given 10 stop the is
suing OF rations TO the Indians These transac ions
cannot be hid under bushel They will blaze out and
become visible TO the whole country Ii must have been
known 10 the Secretary oil the Interior in September last
certainly in October that these made and
these drafts drawn for al that time; they some OF
them, must have been presented TO him for payment and
By his order protested Ii circular had been issued at
once and published throughout the whole country,
well as in California, 1t would have put stop TO all
such contracts and these drafts would not have been
ceiyed anywhere. But failing TO do this, dismiss the
agent who commenced the system, others followed in
his footsteps, and contracts for hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars worth OF property have been made that
pursued and these drafts circulating broadcast
through the country and the holders constantly pre-
sentng themselves to and asking payment from Con.
gIess.
The senator from Maryland in commenting on The ex
pendtures OF General Smith California, said that the
General not quite so economical as | The
comparison playful and good humoed but il had
meaning in II and although the senator meant nothing
but what was he justly is for
bis fair, open and manly mode OF conducting political
contfo yersiesyet am the subject OF similar illusions
elsewhere, which are calculated and intended to iDure
me here and before the country. have been charged
Certainly not by the senator from Maryland, do
wish 10 be thus undersood) with asking for extvagan
appropriations for the State have the honor part to
represent The object is twofod First 10 break the
force OF my opposition TO such OF the admins
traon as chose 10 animadveu upon; and secondly, II