The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-11


ment2 Sir let that senator recoec that there is this inn
portant differences Under the Mexican government there
very sparse population Of white people in California
and amply supplied all the wants Of the Indians
the streams full OF fish there there plenty Of
nuts and acons and everything that necessary TO
subsis the aborignes Now, under your American gov
ernmen you have three hundred and fifty thousand white
people scattered the whole surface Of that State for
unlike the other new States OF the Union they have moi
advanced gradually from settlement TO settlement but
your people have gone there and scattered in al the
rrvnes and guches and upon all the streams in that State
They have taken from the Indians the supplies which ma
ture provided They have destroyed their game. They
taken possession OF that forest where they OBJ
tanned their supplies They have taken their FISH Yet
now, the senator moral obligation resting on
this government afford them subsistence Sir there
be higher obligation than that which humanity imposes
upon youp If by our action il by the action of our
people these Indians have been reduced Of AFFECT
perjury and want; if by conduct have deprived
them Of the supplies that God intended they should have
is there obligation resting upon us only as en-
ghtened citizens but as men, TO make provision for
these unfortunate people2
Mr.. PETIT win the senator allow me 10 ask him
whether these Indians have requested treat with
them? Have they asked for appropriation Have
they asked that should do what this amendment
proposes or are we voluntarily TRUSTING upon them
Mr.. WELLER Mr. President | happen to know the
there hundreds OF these Indians
who driven to the mountains during the last winter
and who suffered death for want of the necessary food TO
life There thousands Of them who during the
coming year. if there be no provision made for them must
absolutely starve
Mr.. PETIT That does not answer my question.
Mr.. WELLER They have not asked for my chart
ty They have not said to me- American SENATOR
that they wished that they be saved from star
walton. had heart that required such appeal Now
sir if the from Indiana obligation; If
he is content to sit down and say le them starve do
not find IL written in the bond that am to support them
let him SO decide by his vote
Mr.. PETIT They should, at least have asked for
this
Mr. WELLER Mr. President the great body Of the In
dans to whom ! now alude wild and unciyilized
the grizzly bear of the mountains and if they attempted
to speak to me- they could speak only in tongue that
cOud cOmprehpnl Indians
who suffered during the last year for the want of food
have been driven high up into the mountains by the white
man. and there they obtain no food subsistence
Now propose by these locations to induce the Indians
to down from the mountains, engage In agriculture,
and rely no longer upon nature alone for their food That
there and the senator from Georgia seemed think that
inducing those Indians abandon their labor
the mining region of the State and down. and loaf
away their time upon agricultural pursuits Let me tell
the senator that those Indians who be provided for
by this system never worked day in the mines They
unaccusomed TO labor They have performed it.
They have obtained their supplies directly from nature
The white has robbed them OF these and there is in
my Judgment an obligation resting on US e supply the
place As to whether the appropriation shall be $l25000
or 100000 that is question which the Senate can deter
mine feel greater solicude in this matter than every
should feel who the Indians fading away day at
ter day because of the inhumanty of the white man.
But did not intend to trespass upon the Senate again
for desire above all things to have this question settled
The argument Of my friend from Georgia fully
swcred AT the last session of Congress and it would be
work of supererogation to relute il again
Mr. BELL If the senator from Georgia be right in his
views of this policy shall be opposed TO it myself
The question not much debated at the last session Of
Congress when the policy was adopted but if have any
memory about it il directly the reverse of that
which is stated by my friend from Georgia. understood
that these farms TO be reserved and these grounds
opened and prepared for cultivation with view to lure
the Indians from their wandering idle habits and TO in
duce them become agricultural laborers That is the
very basis of the policy proposed TO be established by this
new systcmnot that they shall be maintained in eness
by the government but that they shall their sbsst-
ence by their own hands So far have obtained any
information on the subject (and wish the from
Arkansas TO state whether il Is the ac we have rrea
great number Of these Indians their wandering habits
and they are laborers now upon these grounds.
Mr. COOPER About two thousand three hundred OF
them are now reservation.
Dir. BELL. So understand The government, does not
propose to employ aborers any further than may be
eessay to initiate the experiment. but il relies upon the
Indians rs the laborers upon these grounds
& Mr. WALKER Certainly that is it,
4 Mr. BELL If am mistaken in that am wholly mis-
taken as to the scheme which has been adopted
Mr. DAWSON But the government is to buy proyis-
ions to sustain them until they get the lands cleared and
Mr. BELL understood the senator 10 saw that 4 vas
permanent system that instead of allowing them TO la
Dor In the mines seek subsistence they ought to do
ana as every human being ought to be encouraged do
tins was a system TO maintain them in idleness
Il Mr. DAWSON Undoubtedly, though not in idlencss
is TO maintain thcm and i has not been denied OF
course all that cannot labor be sustained and II YOU
have nothing 70 sustain the Indians on this year when
you bring them in how are they TO subsst?
Mr. BELL OF course they TO be suhsisted for a
II Mr. DAWSON Then they are TO clear the land and
you are TO teach them how cultivate but all this time
they are to be sustained by the government
Mr. BELL And that is precisely what we did with the
INDIAN tribes that we removed TO the west OF the MSs-
sippi We gave millions millions for the purpose of
paying the expense OF their transportation west and then
of subsistng them for Eve years afterwards.
Mr. DANSON That was in pursuance Of treaty stpu-
lations.
Mr. BELL That part Of this policy is in conformity
with the past practice Of the government and what
wanted my honorable friend from Arkansas TO was
whether il was not the very basis Of this experiment that
the Indians should be lurcd from the nouutains and
taught 10 seek their subsistence and earn their
i bread by the sweat Of their brows
Mr.. SEBASTIAN. The senator from Tennessee has
stated correctly the spirit Of this system, which was
adopted at the last session of Congress IL is conten-
plated that the Indians be brought together fed
and supported absolutely at the expense Of the
but they TO be taught work. work actively like
other persons engaged upon firms. According the re-
port OF the superintendent the Indians who have been
ected upon the TETON are actively en-
gagged in labor and profitable labor II is astonishing
fact stated by the superintendent that the wild Indians
from the mountains with great facility brought down
to the arduous and assduous abos OF the field As a
ter OF detail would mention that during the operations
the last forty Indian boys engaged plough
boys and few days training from the agent man OF
saea a 70 n r n6orsas on Se rm and
otwo thousand three hundred Indians now engaged
there understand that every has duty assigned him.
and performs II strictly, and with prompude and fac
Ivy which quite astonishing considering that the In
dams there collected the roodiggers from the noun
tns and not those who have been heretofore subssto at
the Missions
/ Mr. BELL They are tho wild Indians
1 Mr.. SEBASTIAN. Yes sir; they the wild Indians