Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-03-18
Mr.. Dousla., speseh-InaI.n rrc.,Ie.

Mr.. Douglas spcech-IndIan Trc.tie.
We give below an extract from Senator Douglas clio
sing speech, on the Nebraska Bill in reply toan objcc
ton very confidently relied upon by the North, ant
urged by some in the Southland that is that the bill
violates our treaty stpulations with tho Indians. Th
objection has been urged with greater earnesness
with higher degree Of plausibility than any other
Many Southern, men without an accurate knowledg,
of the facts, have permitted their sympathies to be-
come unnecessarily excited in behalf Of the rcd man
and to them to hesitate in giving their
to the bill under the impression that this unfortunate
would thereby be harshly and cruelty dealt with
Senator Bell, we believe rested his vote against the
bill upon this ground-and upon the additional
ground. Also of inadcquacy of population in the ter
ritories and the concquent non-necessty Of any i'm
mediate territorial government.
e-t.. Do.e,a,, however, completely annn,iates
all objections to the bill growing out of treaty
sipulations with the Indian tribcs-showing tina,
there is but tribe of Indians within the limits Of
Kansas and Nebraska with whom our government
has any treaty obligations. And that is the Ottawa
tribe, numbering about two hundred and owning on.
ly about thirty-four thousand acres of land-whle
the country included in these territories is said to
embrace an Of five hundred thousand square
miles. He shows also very concusively that the pol
icy proposed by the Nebraska bill with respect to the
Indians is pre- csely identical with that which has uni
formly been adopted in the organization of all previ-
Gus territorial governments But his exposition OF
this subject is clear and satisfactory that we shall
not longer detain the reader from his remarks upop
it. He said
But sir, alluson has been made certain Indian ,rea
ties, and IL has been Unlimited if not charged in direct
terms, that violating the stpulations of those
treaties In respect to the rights and lands of the Indians
The senator from Texas, (Mr Houston) made very long
and interesting speech that subject but so happened
that most OF the Indian treaties which referred Were
with Indians not included within the Limits Of this bill
We have been informed in the course Of the debate
day, by the chairman Of the Committee on Indian Affairs
r Sebastian that there but treaty in existence
relating to lands Indians within the limits Of either OF
the proposed Territories and tina, the treaty with the
ottawa Indians about two hundred persons in number
owning about thirty thousand acres of land Tins
it appears that the whole argument OF Injustice N tho |
man. which in the ofthis debate has called forth 80
much sympathy and indignation confined 20 two hundred
Indians owning less than two townships land Now sir
possible that country, said to be Ave hundred hon
sand square miles in extent, and large epouyh "a u,Lo
twelve such States as Ohio is be consigned TO pcrDe
ual barbarsm merely account of that small nuher NJ
Indians when the bill itself expressly provides th,, tho.c
Indians and their lands to be Included within tbc
limits OF the proposed Territories nor TO be subject 10
their laws or jurisdiction would not allow This rnea
to invhde the rights Of even one Indian and hence
inserted in the first section the bill that of tho
tribes with whom We have treaty stipuatons should be
embraced within either Of the Territories unless such In
dams shall voluntarily consent be included therein h,
treaties hereafter TO be made If any senator can f-
nish me with language more explicit, which would
prove more eectua in securing the rights of the nJ,n
i will cheerfully adopt il.
Well, sir, the Senator from Tennessee in vary Lind
spirit here raises the objection for me to answer
bill includes Indians within the limits of these e-t;,
with whom have treaties and he desires IN Lno
what we are to do with them. | will say to him th,t
that is not matter Of inquiry which necessarily or prop
erly arises upon the passage of this bill that ia no,
proper inquiry to before the Committee nm Ts,,;,,
res \ on have in all your territorial bills included nd
ans within the boundaries of the Territories When Won
erected the Territory Of Minnesota YOU had no, c,,in
guished the Indian title foot of land in that Tor
ritory west of the Mississippi rve and to the major mart
oil that Territory the Indian title uuextncushed
TO this day. In addition to those wild tribes yon 70
moved Indians from Wisconsin and located them within
Minnesota since the Territory Organized |. will h.
question for the consideration OF the Committee on In
dian Affairs and for the action of Congress when in act,
element and civilization, it shall become necessary IN
change the present policy in respect to the Indians
When you erected the territorial government of Oregon
few years ago. enbra ed within IL all tho Indi,n
living in the Territory without their consent and ou
such reservations in their behalf AS are contained in
this bill. You had not at that time made treaty with
those Indians, nor exngnshed their title to an acre nj
land in that Territory nor indeed have you done so 10
this day. SO it is in the organization of Wasbing,o
Territory You ran the lines around the country wIcb
you thought ought to be within the limits of the Terrific
~, and you embraced all the Indians within those Inca
but you made no provision in respect to their RIGHTS n,
lands you left that matter to the Committee on Indi1
Affairs, TO tue Indian laws and TO the proper depsrtnent
~ be arranged afterwards the public interests ih
require The same is true in reference to Utah and Yey
Mexico. 49,
In fact, the policy provided for in this bill in res,oc,
10 the Indians is that which is in force in ever n
OF the Territories. Therefore, auy senator wbo ois, ~
this bill on that should have objected TO and yosd
against every territorial bill which you have now in e,
'ence Yet my friend from Texas has taken occ,sion N
remind the Senate several times that il was meter ot
pnde-and ought to be matter Of patriotic pride viii
hm-that he voted for every measure OF the comntor;
OF 1885, including the Utah and New, Mevico ,a.
bills embracing all the Indans within their Limits n,
triSnd IRON Tennessee too has been very liberal in vo
for mos: OF the territorial bills; aud therefore ,,,, &
the patriotic aud worthy motives which idJ h;
20 for the territorial Of 1850 will er,hi H.
give his support tie present hill especially "a bo on
which IL rests. e'' 'P''
The senator from Tennessee remarked further that tho
proposed limits ofthese two Territories were too ,cnsve
that they were large enough 20 be erected into gh az
ferent States and why he asked the necessitv nj in
ding such vast amount OF country within tie limits NJ
these Two Territories! remind the senator Tho,
conn,,v psen e practice to include large Of
ouutry wmn one territory, aud then to subdyi itffon
time 70 time as the public interest might reoni,c sci
was the case with the old Northwest Territory Il va.
All originally included within one torri,ori, ony,
Afterwards Ohio was cut of: and then Indi,,S Wiobi
iilnos and Wisconsin, successfully erected In,n
tod into the Union as States. "'''''
At one period, II will be remembered ,t, T.;,. . A.,
wisconsin included the country embraced within the
Imts OF the states OF Wnconsn and Iowa and part Of
the State OF Michigan, aud the Territory of Minpcs,t,
There Is country enough within the Territory M Me-,
eota TO make two three States Of the size of New Ynrk
washington Territory embraces about the same area
oregon IS large enough TO make thfee four States al.
ttensVe AZ Pennsyiyanil. Utah two three and New
hetico Tour or five OF like dimensions Indeed the
moe county embraced within the proposed Tcrriorie.
m Neo,,kA and Kansas, together with the States Of Az.
kansas MISSOURI aud Iowa and the larger mart nj
SOFA ahu me whole Of the Indian county west Of Arkan
as, once constituted territorial government under IN,
name o, lne Missouri Territory In view Of this course
Regulation upon the subject Of terri,o,iI n,,an,,i
commoncing before the adoption Of the Constitution
tne united states and coming down to the last session
Oonges surely cannot be said that there Is auythin
unusual or extraordinary in the size of tho nronossd Ter
9y which should compel senator To vote aeains. III
o Hns he approves OF the principles Involved in N
IMPORTANT ~ TEUE-A Paris corresponden. ment, Z
The following discovery:
very rem,tkable discovery was announced IN IL