Washington sentinel., 1854-04-26

the virtue and patriotism of its people, has be-
come the seat of enterprise, intelligence, and
refinement; and upon the bosom Of the great
river that waters it the wealth of empires is
borne.
But, sir, emigration has not stopped there
even. Directly through the territory that is
proposed to be organized by this bill, around
Cape Horn, and across the Isthmus of Panama,
it has already made its way to the shores of the
Pacific ocean, and from the State of California
eastwardly it is now almost as rapidly extend.
ing. From the west on the one side, then, and
the east on the other, our population is spread
ing into the Territories of Kansas and Ne
braska And it requires no prophet to make
the prediction, that but a few years will elapse
before the American flag, blazing with its stars
and stripes, will float over every mountain and
valley from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
No human power can stay the hand or fetter
the energies Of the American people. With the
true spirit of the Anglo-Saxon race, which
wrested the Island of Britain from its rude and
warlike possessors in the sixth century, and oi
their descendants, who freighted the Mayhower
with their all, and trusted its fortunes to the
winds and the waves, they conquer and take
possession wherever they may go. Those Of
our people who are emgrating to California by
the overland route, and who pass directly
through this Territory, as well as those who
permanently reside there, require, and should
have, the protection of this government
But, sir, we are told that portion of this
Territory has been given to the Indians, with
the most solemn treaty stipulations that they
shall hold it in fee-simple forever. Tread from
a speech recently delivered by the gentleman
from Vermont, Mr.. MEACHAMl
But | may be asked if would forever keep
,.,, INJ, ,,,rfa a
these Indians and will answer that | would at
all events ard all hazards, keep my word. /
would run line north of those Indians from the
Missouri TO the Rocky mountains. and make all
territory south OF 1t sacred to the red man. Or
dain and execute laws TO protect him; you can
do that peacefully. If not keep your faith with
the helpless, and do it by force plant a line oi
soldiers, double or triple line, if needed, around
the whole boundary. If that will not do, keep
your word, and plant Chinese wall around II
and let flaming sword geam over every gate
way
has been made in the bill for the protection OF
the Indians in that Territory; but if these pro-
visions, which | shall presently read, are not
strong enough, let the gentleman offer his
amendments in good faith, not with the inten-
ton of embarrassing the bill or defeating its
objects, and, for one, | will vote to sustain
them.
Pyocided farther, That nothing in this act con-
tained shall be construed 10 impair the rights Of
person or property now pertaining TO the Indians
in said Territory, so long such rights shall re-
main unextinSushedb by treaty between the United
States and such Indians, to include any terrific
ry which, by treaty with any Indian tribe, is not
without the consent Of said tribe TO be included
within the territorial limits Jurisdiction of any
State or Territory but all such Territory shall be
| excepted out of the boundaries and constitute nc
z 4 49,. -
Shall signify their assent TO the President of the
1 United States TO be included within the said Ter
ri,ory of Nebraska 10 affect the authority of tht
| government of the United States TO make any reg
ulation respecting such Indians, their lands, pro
pcrty or other rights, by treaty, law or otherwise
| which il would have been competent TO the gov
ernment TO make if this act had never passed"
The gentleman warns us to keep our faith
and preserve inviolate our contracts, or COM
pacts" (for both mean about the same thing,
in nv estimation) with the Indians There is
nothing which can be done to preserve and
ameliorate the condition of this race, in which
am not ready to concur. As Mississppian,
| remember with pride that our State has of
fered the example to others of admitting these
people to the rights of citizenship as an Ame-
rican. am not afraid to contrast the treatment
which these aborigines have received from our
government with that that they have met from
the hands of any other 1t was in the course
Of things and the necessities Of the case, that
a hunting people should retire before the ad.
vancing tide of an agricultural race. Such has
been the fate of the red man, from the rock Of
Plymouth to the Columbia and, however well
it may answer the purposes of q sickly senti
mentality to prate about the wrongs the origina
possessors of this continent have received at the
hands Of our fathers, reason and the good o
mankind must reject the appeal as pnerile
Many years ago, when the pseudo philanthro
pists Of the Old World were arraigning the gov
ernment of the United States for its harsh poll
cy towards the Indians, there appeared in the
North American Review full and lucid expo
sition Of the subject, being comparison of oui
own treatment Of the Indians with that OF the
English, French, and Spanish governments
These articles were then, and are still ascrlbed
to the able senator from Michigan, Mr. CAss,
who had peculiar advantages, and was known
to have special information on the subject. No
one can read them without marking the broad
discrimination between the conduct of our gov.
ernment in this connexion, and that OF others
to wit, that we have never taken territory ex-
cept by the consent of the possessors, and they
have never paused to ask 1T.
By turning to our treaties, it will be found
| that we have paid to the Indians more than the
usunl usufruct of land. But, sir, there was a
compact made in times passed and gone, BY
those who had achieved our independence
amid the tolls and perils of the revolution, Q
compact to which sovereign and independent
States we're parties, and to observe which the
faith Of all was solemnly plighted. That com
pact was the Constitution of the United States
read from the Constitution the following
clause: -
aNo person held TO service or labor in one State
under Tie laws thereof, escaping into anothe
shall in consequence of any law or regulatio
therein, be discharged from such service or labo
but shall be delivered up, on claim of the part
to whom such service or labor may be due"
To carry out this plain provision of the Con
stitution, which, in my estimation, it is tn
bounden duty of the States themselves in goo'
fellowship to enforce, Congress has passed wv, v,
acts, one in 1893, and the other in laoo, po'l
known as the fugitive laws. Yet, IN viola'iG, 7,
of this plain provision of the Constitution i u
violation of the acts Of Congress 70 ylsd wnlen
have just referred the legislature ol H. sgrno n;tai
-. "a /, ,,a,al offence to aid the Unltet