Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-22

Mr.. GwIS That is mistake altogether was DESTROYS
agents should be investigated II had been charged that
there was fayoritsm in giving these contracts and extra
VACANT prices had been paid for beef all Of which want
ed TO be thoroughly Investigated Is that letter signed BY
Mr. PEARcE II is from Mr.. Lea the Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs. have another one from the Secretary Of
the Interior which corrobor&tes what be says: es>
DEAR SIR: My recollection Of Mr. Owns opinions in re-
gard the California treaties and the propriety Of suspend
ing action them until report could be received from the
superintendent Of Indian affairs agrees entirely with Colonel
Lea's.
have consulted from to time with Mr. Gwrs on these
subjects and supposed was acting in conformity with his
opinions and wishes and felt myself under obligations him
Very respectfully, your obedent servant
ALEX. II. Ii. STUART.
Hon. JAMES A. PEARcE.
Mr. GwN. All have to say is that both are entirely
mistaken far my views in reference the treaties
are concerned There was nothing to investigate as to
the treaties all knew the policy they adopted have
always been anxious that the Departments should disa-
the treaties not withhold them from the Senate.
did seek collision with the Administrations pre-
rred that the President should dsavow the policy of
agents rather than have the treaties sent to the Senate to
be rejected but it was due to the people Of California
that they should be acted on and either rejected ra
fed The Secretary and Commissioner in the discharge
of the important duties of their Offices have not recoec
ed the details of these conversations probably well
l. who deeply interested in the subject wanted
the treaties rejected either by the President the Sc
nae and the contracts investigated and also the acts Of
the agents, who might have been unusty assaied The
Secretary and commissioner incapable Of doing in
justice as know am incapable Of incorporating their
acts opinions
Mr. PEARcE How is it possible that drafts drawn in
pursuance ofreaty spuaons to be paid unless the
treaties ratified? Do you intend to comply with the
spulaons Of treaty, and reject the treaty itself? 1t
would require great deal of consideration before the Sc
nate would enter course like that There would be
great incongruity in it.
But there is another consideration why the President
should withhold these treaties for the present. at all
events The Senator from California think is mistaken
in saying that by Withholding them for the present the
policy recommended by them win become the fixed policy
Of the country suppose it will become the fixed policy
Of the country if they ratified but how can it SO
if we do not ray them and if they suspended from
the consideration Of the Senate Certainly authority
is given to the treaties authortys given any acts
Of the commissioners in relation them unless the Sem
ate ratify them. Ex nhizo, nhl it, You cannot make
the treaties valid but by their ratification There are
very good reasons why they should not be sent to the SEN
ate for confirmation now find at this very time-at
least at the date of the last advices from
the spulatens of these treaties under discussion in
the Legislature of that State They to know very
well there what their provisions and there is
difference Of opinion as to whether they should be ratified
or rejected. have seen majority and minority re-
port in the Legislature of California the former
mendng rejection of the treaties and that the power
Of the 81 IF California should be employed to secure
their reeSon the latter very guardedy advising against
this course. There is also resolution pending in the
Legislature, from the majority of the committee of
rather extraordinary character They recommend that
the State shall insist upon the observance of what they
say is the policy which has prevailed in every other
State that is, the entire exclusion of the Indians of
California from that State They insist that those peo
pie said to be 900 in number shall be driven out of
the limits of the State and shall not be allowed solitary
reservation They complain of the reservations which,
it is sad the commissioners have guaranteed to them by
the treaties which they have made They say that the
Indians must not be allowed to hold any Of the public
lands In the State but must be removed beyond its urs
dlcton that the Indian shall not be allowed to have
of that heritage which God gave him. and which
his before the white first landed the shores Of
America! What is to become of these Indians Where
are they to go? How are to remove them? Win you
drive them out at the point Of the bayonet purchase
their territory from time to tme at the expense of
told millions VIII you send them beyond the confines
Of the United States into the possessions Of weak
neghbor Mexico You cannot do that because it would
violate your treaty stpuations VIII you send them up
to the great valley of the Salt Lake. and consgn them to
the tender merces of the Mormons? viii you send them
to the Territory of Oregon where the system of
cusion is to be repeated? Will you turn them into the
great beyond the Sierra Nevada there fate
more dreadful than almost any of which the imagination
can conceive? You compel them to such existence
that theirs would be than the wandengs of the
tribes of Israel for forty years in the desert There
would be no pillar of fire by night cloud by day to
guide them There would be no refreshing in the
die in the deserts to which your selfish violence would
drive them and rather than do that it would be human
ty for to collect them in groups and treat them &C
cording to the example Of the French Revolution with
noyades and fuslades drowning them by hundreds and
shooting them down by squadrons Sir this Indian policy
requires more consideration While it is very desirable
admit, to them from the neighborhood of the
white man, there is limit to that and that limit YOU
have reached East of the Rocky Mountains YOU have
removed many Indian tribes beyond the white settle
ments and since 1922 have extnguished their title to
acres at expense, sad of 72 600 OO0
fou have congregated the borders of Arkansas Mis-
nd TQwoo vacf hn~1a Is
tween the prares east Of the Rocky Mountains and the
Pacific vast deserts extend deserts furnishing very little
subsistence the scanest support to the nomac tribes
who roam over them, who live upon the plumber of
our Mexican neighbours of the white settlements of the
frontier and Of the bands of emgrants to the western
coast than by any product of industry or even by the
chase New, what to do with them This is the
great question do not undertake the policy
OF the Government should be; but say this that they
who advocate the exclusion of formidable and numer
Gus band of Indians those in California must provide
some other place for them must be prepared with some
expedient which shall not shock humanity This grave
question now agtates the Legislature of California and
subject for the Presidents consideration at this mo-
ment He must determine for himself to give some re-
commentator TO in regard to the subjects before he
sends those treaties to the Senate of the United States
Where is the liability to blame then which can be Justly
thrown upon the President for taking time to consider
question so vast and momentous hsbecause he waits
to know public sentiment in California the action of the
Legislature and the further information which both the
Senator and myself desire
Inc Senator complains, however that these Indian
commissioners have not been removed He saws they
ought to have been removed promptly
Mr. Gw1N. said that if the President disapproyed of
their acts he should remove them
MT. PEARcE. The President cannot, and am sure
uoes not doubt that to make treaty stpuatons and then