The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-03-01


dians south of latitude 43 G; of these
only four are Indigenous, born in that
country while nineteen of those arc
exotics. transported thither from fourteen
different States. They have q pvppla
tion Of about forty thousand, and posses.
about tbirty-sevcn million acres of land
How came so many tribes natives oil
distant States grouped together on this
portion of territory Was it matter
of accident Were these Indian strata
the deposit made by the shifting and
drifting of some chaos in human affair 50
Was it spontaneous or voluntary move.
ment Of their own, that lifted them from
their native soil, and planted them. BY
natural attraction. on that spot2 Meth
er of them 1t was the result of q plan
long discussed. and warmly disputed but
finally settled ms the measure Of the
Government of the United States. In
1929, General Jackson, commiscratnr
the wasting condition of the Indians
proposed plan OF removal. lie thought
IT too late to inquire whether they
were justly Or unjustly included within
the limits of States lie wished to save
them from further depression
"As a means Of efItcting this end, | sug-
sest the propricty of setting apslt an ample
district west of the Mississippi and Nithou,
the limits of any State or Territory now
formed, to be guaranteed to the Indian tribes
as long as they shall occupy it"-369.
1t should be kept in mind, that the
avowcd, and doubtless the real, object to
secure them from destruction. which he
believed was pending over them. In
pursuance of his plan treaties were made
Will n number Of tribes. In lis message
of $50 be calls the attention Of Congress
to these treaties
" In negotiating the treaties the Indians
are made TO understand their true condition :
and they have preferred maintaining their in
dependence in the western forest to submit
ting to the laws Of the States where they
now reside. These treaties bcrg probably
the last that riH ercr he modc with them, are
characterized by great liberality on the part OF
Government. p. 39S.
Here are marks Of design, apparently
a benevolent design, to take them out
from tho State lines, and place them
where State lines should not again sur
round them
The intent Of the President is plain
was it so with Congress In tho third
section of all act, passed the ensuing
May, for the exchange of lands with the
indians, it is enacted:
That in making any such exchange or ex-
changes, it shall and may be lawful for the
President solemnly to assure the tribe or ma
tion, that the United States will fdrerer Sc
cure and guarantee to them and their heirs
or successors, the country so exchanged with
them. '-Vol. 4, 4l2.
Let us now see what guarantees we're
made to the Indians l can rccitc but a
part. With twelve of the nineteon trans
ported tribes treaties were made during
the administration of General jackson,
and they were all in accordance with the
spirit of his message and tho law of Con-
gress
In tho second article of the treaty
with the Kickapoos, is this guarantee ;
alt is hereby agreed, that the country shall
:
and is hereby assigned, conveyed and secured
by the United States TO the said Kickapoo
tribe, as their permanent residence - vi. 7,
3sl,
The guarantee to tho Cherokcc--arti.
Gle 5-is
The United States hereby covenant and
agree, that the lands cedcd TO the Cherokee
Nation, in the foregoing srticlc, shall in no
future time, without their consent, be ncud-
ed within the territorial limits or jurisdiction
of any State or Territory. - Vol. I, p. lsl.
The ninth article in that treaty with
the Ottowas, (rOl 7, p. 36l,) and tenth
article Of the treaty with the Shawnees,
(roL T., 355. are in exactly the same
words, and the words are these:
And the United States guarantee that
said lands shall never be within the bounds
of any State or Territory, nor subject TO the
laws thereof"
That title is absolute and complete /;
it is consequently, exclusive, conveying
not only the soil but the sovereignty,
and shutting out all others from the pow.
ers here conveyed Three of the indi.
geneous, aud one Of the other tribes, have
an Indian title;twelvc have their lands by
treaty in pcrpetulty. four by patent, ono
by treaty, and two by purchase There
are the treaties. Do you need any inter
probation If so, President Jackson will
give it. After rcctipg the pledge of
the United States given to tho Indians,
he says, in 1885
A country west Of the Missouri and Ar
kansas has been assigned to them, into which
the white settlements are not to be pushed
No political o0mmJRiiieS can be formcd in
That cricHSiro region crcept those lrhich are as
tqbiiShed By he Indians themselves, or by the
United States for them, with their concur
renee. A barrier has thus been raised for
their protection against the encroachments of
our citizens"
Here We have the plan, and the cxecu-
tion Of that plan. No man but General
jackson could have carried it through
The Indians feared respected, loved and
him. They looked up to him as
the great father of great nation. He
told them. that if they went to the new
abodes assigned in the West they should
there remain unmolested forever. The
Indians believed the words Of General
Jackson. backed by the ple6ge of Con-
gress and assent Of the people. Thoro
is the solemn covenant of this nation
her honor is pledged to keep that cove.
nant 1t seems degrading to ask, will
you do it 2 If so, now is the time to do
it. viii the same Congress that sends
medals of gold to Captain Ingraham for
the rescue of Koszta, of doubtful citizen
ship, crush the poor Indian we have
sworn to protect You took up these
tribes from out the old States, because
you could not allow them to have a gov
ernment Of their own within another gov