Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11

ed to be my fortune srit was twentyionr yeare aeo'
/ believe; my friend from Tennessee Mr. DELI WI
collect itas member Of the other House. 10 take IN
active part in the discussion of this question: ne WI"
remember am sure the ardent but not unirieny con-
ficts between himself chairman OF the commttee on
Indian Affairs and myself on that subject tnen main
taned that il was impossible if you remved these In.
dams to the West to give them a permanent home
for that was the cardinal idea, the very OF
the policy Of Gen. Jackson TO remove the Indians from
their locations east of the Mississippi river where they
were crowded by the white population and undergoing
hardships of various kinds SO lar west as wouu aoW
them TO find permanent home. ventured TO say then
that in my opinion they could ind no more permanent
home west than east of the Mississippi My friend from
Tennessee thought otherwise and said So speaking
am sure in as good faith did in expressing the OPP
poste opinion. But the policy was carried through and
an act was passed authorizing an exchange OF indian
lands will read single short section from that act
"Sec g. And be further enacted, That in making of such
exchange exchanges il shall aad may be lawful Tor the
President soemnly the tribe or nation w,ih which
the exchange is made that the United States VIII forever
guaranty them and their heirs and successors
ihe country exchanged with them; and II they prefer ~
the United States will patent grant to be made ana
executed them for the Proridd aray That sush
lands shall the United States if the Indians become
extinct or abandon the same"
This the legislative foundation of the policy; and
Gen. Jackson deemed it of much consequence that
in his farewell address he congratulated the country
the with which it had been carried OUT and his
successor Mr.. Van Buren,, in one OF his annIa! mes
sages, spoke of it in the same glowing terms
Now, sir these the hepes these were the expec
taons which the policy Of removing the indians west
of the Mississippi proceeded do recall the recol
lection of the subject responsibility have re reproach
to cast upon any Events which no mortal could
have foreseen have taken place. The whole relation OF
our western frontier has been changed The territorial
acquisition the Pacific and the admission of sister
in that quarter Of the Union have created political
necessity of character for mProyeu means
and fear that it is not possible to pre-
serve intact this Indian barrier But want information
that subject should like to hear other Senators who
understand the subject much better than do tell US how
that matter stands and whether it is absolutely necesa
that this measure should 60 on which, it seems to me-
If not conducted with great care viii be attended with
great not utter to those rem
nants Of tribes
If We must that hateful plea of necessity, which
am always unwilling to take upon my lips; if must
that yrants plea of necessity and invade the per-
nanent home of these children of and oppres-
sion, hope shall treat them with than justice
with more than equity with the utmost kindness and ten
derness. Now, am unable to say, not having ample in
formation the subject, how their condition will be
affected by the clauses in the bill which struck out
yesterday lam unable to how it will be affected by
leaving the bill without any provisions in reference to
that subject suppose there to be provisions in
gard to it in other bills. think the Senator from
Illinois ntmated much but what the to be
proposed are should like to be better informed. have
no suspicious on the subject | have no misgiyngs.
have no doubt that Senators and the Executive will be
animated with the purest spirit OF humanity and tender
ness toward these unfortunate feow-men but should
like to know what is to be done with them should like
to know how the bill in its present condition, or with
such supplementary measures to be brought in
hereafter will leave these persons who depend upon us
upon kindness upon consideration for their very
existence hope that before this debate closes shall
hear something this point from members of the body
who are competent to speak the subject Unless the
doubts which feel this point shall be removed shall
be compelled on this ground alone, to oppose any such
Territorial bill.
Trusting, however, that proper precautions will be
fng anIn
measures will be adopted if possible to give the
advanced individuals of these tribes personal
tlons OF land to them from being driven off to
still more remote resort in the wilderness trusting that
this or some other measure of wisdom and kindness will
be pursued think could cheerfuy support the Terri
toral bill which passed the House of Representatives OF
the last session and lost in this body believe for
want of time in the very last hours and certainly the
very last day. OF the late session of Congress think
that If could have been assured that proper safeguards
were contained in that bill for the Indians should have
been willing to support it and when it revived at
this session Of Congress by the Senator FROM Iowa.
DopGE and referred the Committee on Territories
which have the honor to be member did certainly
hope that if it thought expedient to report any bill
adopted by the committee. The majority thought other
wse however, and they have reported the bill before the
Senate .."
will not take up the time of the Senate by going
over the somewhat embarrassing and perpexed history
of the bill from its first entry into the Senate until the
present time. will take it it now stands, as it is
printed on our tables, and with the amendment which
was offered by the Senator from Illinois Air DorGLAs)
yesterday, and which suppose is printed and OIL
tables and will as briefly as can the diff
culties which have found in giving my support to this
bill, either as it stands Us it viii stand when the
amendment shall be adopted. My chief objections
to the provisions the subject of slavery and especially
to the exception which is contained in the 4h section
in the following words:
Except the sh section of the preparatory the adj
mission of Missouri into the Union approved March 1920
which superseded by tho principles of the legislation Of
1880 commonly called the compromise measures and is here
by declared imperative" ..*
On the day before yesterday the chairman OF the Com
mittee on Territories proposed to change the words
perseded by to Inconsistent with, expressing
distinctly all that he meant to convey by that impression
Yesterday, however, he brought in amendment drawn
up with great skin and care notice given the day be-
FORE which to strike the words which was s-
perseded by the principles of the legislation of 1850
monty called the compromise measures and Is hereby
declared imperative, and to insert in lieu of them the
following:
(which being inconsistent with the principle of
yenon by Congress with slavery in the States and Terrific
RES recognised by the legislation $780, commonly called
the compromise is hereby declared imperative and
void 1t being the true intent and meaning of this not TO
lcgate slavery into any Territory Sute exclude it
thereom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free
form aud regulate their domestic institutions in their
way, subject only to the Constitution Of the United Statcs
Now, agree with the remark made by the chairman
Of the committee YESTERDAY, that this is change in the
phraseoogy alone 1t a somewhat broader ground
but the latter part of it is explanatory and to the
main point which it proposed to declare the Missouri
restriction Of 1920 imperative and void do not find
any change between this amendment and the words
tanned in the bill tables. 1t be the de-
sign Of both to carry out the principle which was laid
down by the chairman in his report '
will read from that report the following sentences
for conceive them to be those which give the key the
whole measure
the or vonr