The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-27

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from the Secretary OF War M CAssl 10 Governor Clay
OF March ~ 1896. beg leave to ntefpose remark
here stated the other day that the action OF the gov
eminent was founded upon the policy OF compelling the
Indians 10 remove by the dread oil starvation The Sec.
rotary thus writes 10 Governor Clay:
.ais o. things may esIaiay arise calling for the
mence or clearly mediate hosties, should they delay
their removal aud thus become more depraved In their
will be, that they subsist by punderng the inhab
iants, the law OF necessity will eataay justify their
fer 70 The country opided for them wsst Of the Misss
Who is il that speaks in this language and employs
this reasoning The honorable senator from Michigan
himself.
On the 10Th May, 1896, Governor schey, Of Georgia
IN writing TO the Secretary OF War, makes this state
ment
The Creeks in a starving condition. and must be
out OF the country"
What is the point of this communication 1t is not
that you should expe the Indians from The territory by
force That was contrary TO the terms OF the treaty. II is
not that you should send military force there to put
them IN chains. You have lenient, charitable.
generous policy open 10 You What is that Subsist
ence, temporarily at least II you do not furnish that
the Indians will depredate; they will subsis upon the
property of the whites; and then there will be other
remedy Tor Georgia and Alabama but to drive them out
by iorce, or TO kill and exteminate them There
many other communications 10 which might refer to
show that the indians becoming desperate from
starvation but will not the time OF the Senate
by reading them all Ii is material, however that
Crawford and Balc6 who were sent to inquire into the
causes OF the Greek hostilities
Mr. Crawford, In his report concurs in the opinion that
hoses were occasioned in part by the destitute cond
ton OF many of the Indians Mr. Bach lays great
upon that as one of the leading Of the disturb
ances; while both Governor Schey and Governor Clay, in
Their letters to the commissioners the opinion that
this was the principal cause OF the outbreak.
have made these references to the testimony 10 be
found IN the public documents TO make good my state
men-a statement which meets denial in the history OF
The ransacons-that not only this treaty IMPROVE
dent in lis commencement, but that new policy
adopled-the policy OF permitting influx OF white set
tiers into an Indian country where there twenty odd
thousand people, large portion OF whom
ages whatever may have been the exceptions in ndivd
ual iamliesthe policy OF admitting the whites TO settle
promiscuously with the Indians with view coerce the
removal OF the latter BY the necessities of their condition.
when they should fad they must either starve go
westward. stated further that the government is re.
sponsble not only to the claimants, having FORE
seen the natural consequences Of the policy in the first
place, but still more deeply responsible for having per-
sisted IN the non-interyenon policy; Tor persist il
they did up TO the very moment OF the commencement
of hostilities Not only does the report of Commits
soner Bach show that ii was the policy OF the gov
eminent not to subss the Indians, but both the gov
ernors OF Georgia and Alabama, and the officers in
command OF the garrison at Fort Mitchell, where there
were lew troops, perhaps hall company, or a COM
pany for anything know all concurred in the opinion
that the Indians were desperate, and il something
not done, they must either be subsised restrained by
military force, or they would drive the white settlers
out OF the country, murder them and destroy their
property yet the honorable senator says The government
is not responsible
Now, Mr, President do not care to pursue the argu-
ment any further in reply TO the honorable senator from
Michigan except with regard to large portion Of these
claims wish to read some testimony 10 which did not
advert before have not been prepared TO go into every
question that might be presented IN the discussion OF this
claim had right TO suppose that there would be no
earnest opposition TO the claim, particularly from the SEN
a,or from Michigan.
Mr. CASS have not said word about it.
Mr. BELL. But the honorable senator opposes the
claim lie voted about two years agoeither in 1880
ls5l-for bill extending the principle of the inter
course law the States OF Alabama and Georgia,
from the date OF the commencement oil the Creek HOSTILE
ties in 1896 and believe did every gentleman of large
experience in Indian affairs in the Senate. Such al
that time was the force OF the argument when these parties
came forward claiming indemnity. | had therefore,
right TO anticipate that the honorable senator would
Ter into any earnest opposition to the grounds which
the claim was brought forward. But | wish to present
other facts connected with that portion of the claim
which seeks indemnity for property taken by the United
States troops. When you come TO investigate The proofs
before the public IN the printed documents, you will find
that larger proportion OF the claims than stated the
other day founded upon depredations committed by
the friendly Indians in the service of the United States,
or for property taken 10 subsis them IL will be found
that from thirteen hundred 10 fifteen hundred friendly In
dian warriors engaged by the United States in
sistng 10 suppress the depredaons OF the hostile Creeks
Mr.. CLEMENS. Two thousand.
Mr.. BELL The honorable senator from Alabama
advises me that there were two thousand. Colonel Ho-
gam who was acting adutant and inspector general OF
the Alabama militia, organized force, under the orders
OF General Jesup and Governor Clay, consisting, he
States OF between thirteen and fifteen hundred friendly
Creek warriors This force, he states, he directed
by General Jesup 20 subsist upon such cattle and corn
he could find. He further states that, from his camp
at Big Spring. in the Eucbee district he sent out for
aging parties, and secured the whole country the dis
OF eight ten miles each way, and ordered up all
the cattle that could be found in the woods No marks
or brands taken notice of In fact, he says no
such thing could be done He believed that not less than
five hundred head OF cattle destroyed that
campmenl He could not discriminate the cattle of the
white settlers could he say that did not belong 10
the Indians but the Indians IN Euchee district espe
ciay destitute OF property-the poorest perhaps in the
whole Greek country lie thence inferred that the
greater part OF that property belonged 10 the white set
Tiers Colonel Hogan states, moreover that immense
number OF cattle destroyed beyond what
quired to subssl the whole army. Topreventa general
destruction OF cattle impossible As soon as The
troops and friendly Creeks arrived IN the country they
commenced shooting down the cattle wherever they found
them. Colonel Hogan, some other person N authority
also states that other property besides cattle, OF great
amount destroyed, such as household furniture |
Mules and HORSES abandoned by the white settlers in
flying for their lives, driven oil by the friendly
Creeks in great numbers II is stated by the au-
thority that the friendly Creeks loaded their ponies with
property plundeed from the houses of the flying nhab
tans
And, Mr.. President, that is not all, These friendly
Indians who enlisted in the service OF the United States
stated upon the authority OF Colonel Hogan amounted
TO abont fifteen hundred The senator from Alabama
says that number was increased TO two thousand
Mr. CLEMENS. There were FIVE hundred under
General Howard
Mr. BELL Very well that makes the whole nun
Der two thousand But the material point is, that Cen
eral Jesup promised them in advance the privilege of
taking all the property they could find in The country
belonging to the hostile Indians and as the white settlers
A n A IL.