The daily union., 1854-02-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. sA n HOUSTON,

0PEECH OF HON. "a N HOUS ION,
or IrxAsi
Delivered in the Senate OF the United States February
Ia 1854, in favor OF mantaiD Dng ths public faith with
ths indian uibes.
The Senate having under consideration the bill TO or
ganixe the Territories Of Nebraska and Kansas
Ar HOUS ron said: regretted extremely yesterday,
MIR President that was much indisposed proceed
10 address the Senate. 10 facilitate the progress OF
This bill Tar may be connected with H. Though
indsposed to-day have disposition 10 embarIass the
bill in Tie slightest dsgree and therefore | viii
now proceed aud lhough the apprehension OF the
Senate may be that shall be tedious. IRON the mum
ber oi books which are here exhibited, Il IS my IN
teniion to occupy but short time have brous sht these
books, respectable from their numbers. II for nothing
else, matter ot reference, and that the Senate may
how much pals have been taken IN relation to The
Indians by the OF the United States, whether
negotiate treaties with them, TO deceive them by
promises, conhr,D TO them rights long PROMISED
am aware, Mr. President. that in presenting myself
a the advocate OF the lsdans and their RIGHTS, shall
claim but ltrie synpa,By from Inc community al large.
and khat | shall sand very much alone. pursuing The
course WHICH ttei 4 my imperative auty ~ auhsfe %;
II II not novel ior advocate the fighls OF
the lodians upon this floor and ese@htfe. ian,'af
knowledge OF them, their manners, her habits una 'he
intercourse with ihis government tor the last hai GEN.
rnrv from nv early buyhood through life, have placed
within my possession facts. and tsust, implanted ~ me
principle enduring n lie ITSELF Ihat paciple Is 10
project the Indian against wrong and OPPRESSION and TO
vind,cate in the enoynen OF rights whch have been
soenny guasantied 10 him By this government and that
Is the principle, Mr Pesient. which shall insist grows
out OF the OF policy avoWed by this government
"A far back l7s5 The hopewell treaty was then ne
gotiaed with Use Cherokee lnians in Tennessee. The
country in winch tney lyed was solemny guaranteed to
them 1t was promised that they shoula Be regarded
ueopie ia alliance the UnlIed States ami that they
should have delegate IN Congress How far that has
been complied with. The history OF more than y years
Sscessiye promises we're made from 1855 to ls02, du-
ring the administration OF General Washington ana The
pledses OF aniy and regard thai made to the Indians
by him Injured 10 Mi Jefferson for he. 1902 made so
emu promises to them, provided they woaid migrate
the Mississippi Long aaieIrof TO tbat they had
been seduced by the promises OF ns government They
went OF the Mississippi and were recognised BY the
United States ina, territory was acquired from
France. They coh,inuei there ny 10 lSli, 1916, and
1871 under the promises Of the government battling
against The hostile, wild indians, and relying upon the
pledges Of lhe different Presidents OF the United staes
Their great fahei,hat they snoud not De moiested IN
their settlement there The treaty OF 1877 was nego-
tialed after the war o! lSi2 in winch il will be reco-
leced that the C6eIosees allies OF the United States
enlisted under The banner OF this government and
marched to battle under The immediate command oil
General Jackson They engaged in all the
OF tue Creek war OF 1913 and 1914 Hefe was
earnest OF their fidelity 10 ae pledges which they
had given 10 the government OF the United States
In OF these services, bsy considered
in The treaties OF lsla made With the Creeks After
that the policy OF The government became more stringent
npon them and disposition ausIng. owing TO pressure
from surrounding Siales, TO remove them Arkansas,
proposed thai The whole nation OF CbeToKees
Of the Mssisspa should migrate. and exchange their
lands the Tor lands lying TO The Tar west. The
white people hzd surrounded them Ii WAS suggested that
il necessary ior then 10 remove; that when lhe
white the Indian IN contact. AMI particu-
larly when the Indians surrounded by " ie men,
they could 10 IoD4sf fosperi That they We're
rounded and had outlet; that they not pepaI ed
Peessy logo INTO The aoodes OF civilized men; and
Therefore. was necessary 10 Withdraw them from that
vicinity. and 10 give them soundess latitude to the
These were tie suggesiions and the most solemn
pledges wese made BY ias goyeIaneni-hat II tDey
would the west Of The Mississippi, they should
again be surrounded oy white men, and that they
should have boundless and Iuerminabe outlet far
the jurisdiction OF the UniIed States extended. This
soenniy guaranteed 10 hose Indians, and in
obedience TO that and TO the desire OF the government
smphaicay expressed, almost amounting TO COM
msnd The nation DIVIDED, and portion of them Went to
Arkansas They had been driven IRON their htst sste
msnt; they bad gone up beyond the white settlements
ia Arkansas Terrltory and had located themselves al
Point Remove 40 called iron the fact OF ihe't removal
10 IL, They remained inere untl Lovels pufchass was
made north OF the Arkansas from the Usage indisos
White people Immediately bocked In beyond 'heu, cut
tnr n n ain their outlet, and ccuBscrIbnn them WIN
in l,mi,s treaty WAS negotiated, IN ls2s, thins, u
which IL WAS declared 10 then iha IN exchange ioi
the territory they aen occupied. several buBdred nie be
kow Loveis purchase, and BY the settlers on Lovely
purchase. The Neosbo and Grand rivers and VeFdssis
they should be removed below For smith, and That lhes
should hask eternal possession OF that land Toe ex
change look place the settlers on Loyeiys purchase
were removed down, head rights or pte-enpons were
granted TO them as recompense Tor The sscfhce when
they had made by sufrenderng the cabins which they
had uped and each received three hundred and
twenty acres of land The cberokees received for then
Compensation nominal sun, ana remover 70 lhe country
In Uhch they abide. Inis cOsnty was gwen to
under every solemn obi CATION ~ perpstaiy Every
night that the United Siaes possessed invested ~
them and declared that should nure TO them anc
tben posefily pepeuaiiy TIE most solemn pledge hsd
Asen made lhat pooBaIsss outlet should be gwen: tba
white should settle beS ond tbeo ~
the iarsdc,ion OF the United States in conformity with
that the Chefokees made the treaty. w TO 1888 h'ns
it WAS, the nation divided. one portion OF remain
ing sSsi OF the Mississippi. the otnet west where loei
had s.xsed Tue government gave that portion OF lans
hat lhpV WSfs
and they were treated independent and separat
tfihs from that eas, 81 the Mississippi
have some knowledge personally ot the Induceuen'
which fataished the Indians or which were held
Ia ths pefsuaj. isem 10 GUT ihslt easisrD oca
lion and remove tnst proposed "a The West Unds
the treaty OF lsi7 by General Jackson II agreed
thai OF the nation should be taken, snd anau
hes divided between its tvo branches, aat the amour
of annuity should be spporoned TO zach third
thds to east that supposed to be proper
ton to their numbers might have dis,r1sied The tact
Of the pledges given had not heard them with my own
can hardly be charged with egotsm BY connect
myseit with iacts certainly not very con-
spcuous situation which held were the services
rendered very important but they Afforded oppor.
tany OF estimating these pledges, and The circumstances
undss which they gyen, 10 the Cherokee Indians.
Ia Isl7 a delegation OF two, thins from Ar.
Kansas TO the Chsfokse agency, where then was. a
@ubxsrn desilea iron tue army m the capacity OF
si-,ant agent TO Colonel Ms1s These Indians came in
his absence. aud Governor McMloa. rx'ohcio supeue-
teajeni OF Indian ssirs. held council The Cherokee
authorities east OF the Mississippi slssed posuFay TO
send any deeg alton to this g0Feramen relying on the
pledges given 10 them Of their Fghul possession OF the
eoahiry lying east OF The Msstsspp, and cooendihg