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

be necessary ana IL not tnen I0r such Soui0e -
gress may think proper 10 adopt
Very respectfully. &c, puy,s cAss
To the Hon HUGH L. WHITE, = : go.
Chairman Committee Indian Affairs, Us senate
These are the views OF the then administration con-
Dected with the furnishing OF provisions 10 me INDIANS
You cannot feed tribe OF Indians with safety; Tor, u
Won commence they will expect you 10 continue IL and
where are you sop II you do not stop TIL the distress
ceases Won will never stop. An Indian knows how 10
die but he does not know how TO work. lie dies win
as much soeism any OF the great names whose sell
devotion has them place upon the records OF his
tory No displays more power over himself Than an
Indian when he is about 10 die repeat they know BOW
10 die but not how 10 work i you begin 10 feed them
il you collect them together Tor that purposethey VIII
learn 10 depend upon you, and not upon themselves and
when you stop. their distress will begin again.
The game OF these Indians IN this country had dsap-
peared altogether IL had been swept away before the
advance of the white population II the government had
collected The Indians for The purpose OF feeding them IT
would have been compelled 70 continue mat pacuce
limited extent OF time But, besides. what right had the
administration 10 Introduce such system Congress
alone could do it. Congress- places at the disposition OF
the Executive very small amount of money, with
view 10 issue provisions under very peculiar circum
stances when there is peculiar Distress but not TO con-
tnue great system OF furnishing tribes OF Indians with
provisions, which would alike exhaust the resources OF
selves
There is singular fact connected with this matter,
which will explain To the Senate Notwithstanding all
that has been said this subject it is fact that until
the war actually broke out, the whole amount OF dam.
dians was but 1910 The whole amount claimed up TO
that time but 1850 There one thousand and
thirty persons claiming damages against the Indians AL
though these committed for period of four years
between 1882 and lS36ye only $3.50 We're claimed du-
ring that tme and only 1870 had been allowed by the
commissioners. Such fact is examped Do you be-
leve that if The Indians reduced to the extreme
state OF distress which has been supposed they would
not have committed depredaons 10 amount greater
than $50 III there had been such degree OF distress
supposed, the Indians would have swept the whole
country they would have taken all the cattle hogs and
corn they could find Yet in four years, the facts show
that they took property the value OF but $780, and du
ring the to $350,000 The thing is obviously mpos
sibe its face that they could have been driven
in consequence OF these dslresses, when their dsesses
only compelled them TO commit depredatons 10 the amount
of $3.50 before hosllies actually broke out
have no doubt whatever that Judge Crawford correct
ly states the causes Of the 1t from the cond
ton OF the Indians; from their state of distress from the
frauds which had been committed upon them; and from
all those injuries and insults and aggresslons by which
hgh-mnded people in a state of desperation, driven
to the last extremity. do believe that any of
these causes, sngy produced the war but believe the
Indians were lated and all the other causes were mag
mined by The system, and by the frauds which COM
mted upon them Under these circumstances they were
driven TO hos,ilites.
Mr. President was about 10 enter upon the consderas
ton OF the questions connected with the claim for DANA
ges presented before the Senate but shall decline do
so. | think have said sufficient | have confined my
observations the general facts connected with the course
of the administration OF General Jackson in the extinc-
ton OF the Indian title TO the lands OF The Creeks, in
tended to have SAID much more, but shall not do
sion--and, as think il will be shown, occasion pre-
scented unnecessarily by the honorable senator from
Michlgan--to occupy little more time than conem-
plated necessary important in The further discussion
OF the proposition which has been submitted The hon
orabe senator from Michigan has taken positions
winch think are not warranted by the facts OF the
and he has, moreover thought proper TO present in
an altitude which expressly dsclamed in my discus
sion OF this question.
Mr.. CASS. Il the honorable senator from Tennessee
enters into this discussion under the slightest idea that
wished to do him injustice, he is mistaken. On the
trary entertain towards him every feeling of personal
Mr.. BELL. | have no doubt OF that at all. | have
doubt that the honorable senator had unlrendly
feeling towards myself personally.
Mr.. CASS. Not the eas. in the world
Mr.. BELL. But nevertheless, the senator has pre-
scented the course OF Argument 10 which thought proper
to resort the other day as having bearing intention,
which did not give 10 IT, and which do not think
be fairly inferred from anything that said or did The
honorable senator from Michigan has assumed that had
assaled the policy OF the administration OF General Jack
son in regard TO Indian removals generally not combining
II TO this particular am presented in the attitude
OF those who, in both houses OF Congress. and in the
country throughout the period Of General Jacksons adj
minstraon, strenuousy opposed his general policy OF
Indian removal Now, sir, instead oil arragning the
policy oil General Jackson's administration in regard TO
Indian removal, although during portion OF the period
when that operation most active an opponent
OF Geneal Jackson's administration generally, and
many points OF public policy, yet ! was strenuous adj
yocate for General Jacksons policy OF Indian removal TO
the close OF his administration, and whenever the ques
ton has been brought up since Then IT Is impossible
that, nyihing have said in this debate, could have
meant TO attack that policy.
Well in more limited sense, what view did take Of
the policy OF the administration Of General Jackson
said thai this treaty was unfortunate in its provisions
and 10 that extent the ofeknowedge of the alminstra
fon OF which the honorable senator from Michigan con-
stuted part, may be said 10 have been attacked But
expressly excused the honorable and the whole
administration from any intentional vlolaton-rom any
Intentional improyidence in the adopted in that
treaty. assailrd the treaty unwise an IMPROVE
dent one that had doubt had been pressed upon
the administration by the necessity in which the govern
ment then STOOD in order to prevent collision between
the federal government and the States in which these
Indian tribes situated. | said that could excuse
great deal OF mprovidenCe in any experiment under
such circumstances. | said could great deal
OF mprovidence, in the peculiar circumstances under
which the experiment OF removing The Creek Indians, by
peculiar means, resorted TO- But, nevertheless, my
argument was, that while made these admissions. the
in seeking at the hands OF the government indemnity
from consequences which stated seemed TO me neviia
BILE from the nature OF the provisions OF the treaty, and
which, think, might have been considered inevita.
BILE by all, unless the government proceeded with de-
gree OF caution and clrcumspecon IN the execution OF
the treaty which could hardly be expected OF that admin
isiraton in the midst OF the turmoils and distraction OF
perhaps Of The most agiialing periods OF history
II was time when the questions OF notification, the
currency and the removal OF the deposites mixed
with The policy OF the removal OF the large Indian tribes
OF the South, under threatened conflict with State
thorIy engrossed almost exclusively the attention OF the
administrators OF the government, and OF public gen
orally. believe hat, even as mpfoyldent the
features OF this treaty. yet il the government bad given
its attention closely and vglantly To the proper
al fhoso