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


whites i would have been 10 its power TO give them
pofay reef Then. il should be the policy OF the govern
meh 10 use Starvation as means OF coercing the removal
OF thtse Indians, those gentlemen may have calculated
that the Executive OF the United States conformity
win the practice and policy OF the government in such
cases when sufficiently warned, would station sufficient
military force 10 repress the hostility OF the Indians and
protect the lives and property OF the white settlers can
see all hat and suppose the honorable from
Michigan may have made the same calculations But the
TACT IS that neither subsistence provided for the stav
relations
NOW, how does the honorable senator avoid the force
OF that argument lie says that II was neither starva
ton nor the want OF military force that led TO these dep
relations but that they mainly account OF the
gross frauds upon the Indians by the whites in the pur
chase oil their reservations Let the force of that
argument, and whether the honorable senator take
anything TO himself upon that ground.
Ihe treaty provided that the contracts for the sale OF
the reservations should be certified by agents appointed
by the government Ii is alleged that the gross frauds
Pepetraled in the transfer OF those reservations was one
principal cause OF the depedations committed Will the
honorable senator say that the government the admin
straon OF that day is exempt from all responsibility
to public sentiment, and TO the individuals who lost
their property on the ground Of the default of their
own agents. The agents divided the country into
three parts, and one OF them, named McKenry, had
the hadihood afterwards 10 report to the government
that nineteen twentieths OF the reservations certified
by HIM were fraudulent, and yet the honorable sena
tor says the administration was not responsible
Why not, sir9 The proof is, that this agent must
either have been wholly incompetent dishonest
was wholly incompetent Tor the duties he undertook to
perform, no man in Georgia or Alabama, or anywhere
else, denies, Who was he He was taken, as Tar as
could perceive at the tne on account OF his being
warm partisan in some county in the north Of Alabama,
and the Job OF certifying The contracts for the sale OF the
reservations by the Indians was given to him; and
with no associates because II seems those agents
al liberty TO take separate districts and certify separately
This man, with no known competency for such a bust
ness, not known TO the country man of business
was appointed by the administration and ii was in his
district principally that the grosses frauds were perpe-
trated nineteen twenteths of all the sales he certified
being admitted to be fraudulent And yet the honora
Bile senator persists IN his argument that the government
is not responsible Remember that am answering the
argument that the Indians driven to commit the dep
relations mainly by these frauds and the senator says
the government was not responsible for the consequent
ces which ensued But will leave the subject of the re-
sponsbllty Of the government for the incompetency OF
lis agents without further remark.
word now with regard TO another point By the
terms OF the treaty white man, except those who had
gone already and put their crops upon portions of the
Indian territory, was authorized to enter the country
until The lands were surveyed and the selections made
Tor the Indians. That is the stipulation OF the treaty
What are the facts Even anterior TO the ratification OF
the treaty IN 1882 the white population went in by hun
dfeds and thousands The surveys were not completed
until 1884, two years afterwards, and in the mean time
the country was pretty well filled up with white settlers
This was IN violation OF the express terms of the treaty
and yet The honorable senator says the
responsible is not LIABLE for the payment of these depre
dations, because il was fauess 10 bringing on the hos
ties complained Of He says that they from ciIcum
stances beyond the control OF the government and did
not grow naturally and necessarily out of its policy
VIII the honorable senator, when he comes to reply 10
what say on this point, answer me-was there no de-
faut IN the government IN permitting white 10 settle
IN the country prior to 1884, when the surveys
peted The depredatons did commence until about
TWO years after the lands put up for sale in 1884,
and The whole country was then overun with white peo.
pie They did not commence until May 1886 but still
the difficulties and discomfort brewing all the time
In further answer TO the argument OF the honorable
senator, that The government is not responsible for the
TO detan the Senate for few moments in referring the
testimony TO show either the negligence OF the govern
ment or lis indifference TO any consequences shall give
II as presents itself in historical order without taking
up point al time. With regard to The matter of fur
nlshing subsistence or supplies TO the Indians, the hon
orable SENATOR as understand him day. does not reaf
hrm that tue government undertook to supply them but
attempts 10 evade the force OF the Argument on the
side OF the claimants, by involving the mist OF
general discussion as TO the policy oil subssng the In
dams on the frontier generally He said that il was
false policy TO furnish them with supplies and 30 support
them IN ideness and dlssipation and il has been
questioned whether The annuity stem not false policy
on the same ground Sir that is to my ar
gument My Argument was that there were symptoms OF
approaching Indian depredaons the whites and that
The government was iorewarned of them, and notified
that II was necessary TO furnish of subsistence
or the Indians would be driven by starvation 10 commit
depredations upon The property of the whites, In an.
swer 10 that, repeat that the honorable senator goes of
into philosophic investigation OF the policy of attempt.
ing 10 supply the Indians upon the frontier generally,
and says that i is false policy, that il is preudicia TO
"a
pressing Tor the decision OF the government that hostli.
ties threatened, and that the government ap.
peaed TO to avert them by sending supplies 10 the
starving Indians, 10 provide competent military
force to restrain them and that they did neither shall
refer to the testimony showing that the government was
forewarned of the danger OF Indian hosiilities
read from Lieutenant McCabb's letter TO the adiu.
ant general OF the army, General Jones,l from Fort
Mitchell, Alabama, dated April 4, 1896
have the honor inform you that have this minute
received trBrS, which states that the Cowga and
adj ot Iudia have al uu.ar
arms some fifteen wepty miles below here, and
committing depredaons the property OF the whites
oi serious nature. Had force here sufficient
march to the Of depredaions and severely punish
Bat our number, too few 10 hazard such expedt
ton"
The same officer writes thus 10 the Aduiani General on
the 9TH Of May, 1896
"The Lower Creek Indians have OF late ovinced very
restless disposition they ia state of starvation and
are daily depredang he properly OF the inhabitants,
oltentmes IN the most open and daring manner bidding
defiance to the owners"
Captain Page of the United States army, wrote 10 Gov
Clay of Alabama the 9Th OF April, 1896, whose let
ter the governor transmitted TO the Secretary Of War
The Captain makes this statement in his letter:
al think troops (say i've oompinies) absolutely ne
cessary for the protection Of this part OF the State"
:" No longer than days the Indians collected
(about three four hundted) 10 swamp with their rifles
and commenced firing them of. IL done Of to
irghen off the families, and they accomplished their OBJ
iecl." "The Indians called the Lower
Creeks and hostile, and well disposed 10
make trouble, and are plferng every day"
There Is not Tndidn IN this section Of he nation but
iohaf has sold his land" | shall concur
with YOU and write 70 the War Department the neces
sy OF troops 70 keep the Indians from committing so many
depre dations."
MIR CASS ho that1