Washington sentinel., 1854-03-10

them 10 be prevented by fifty thousand wander
ing Indians. who merely traverse the country :?
Mr.. BELL. There are ten thousand of the
emigrant tribes.
Mr.. DAWSON. Twill speak of them pre-
sently, but refer now to the whole number of
Indians; and / ask, shall they occupy FIVE
hundred thousand square miles Of land? Shall
we refuse to place government over our own
property of five hundred thousand square
miles in extent, equal to eight States, when
there are but ten thousand. Indians to whom
you are under obligations?
Mr.. BELL. do not wish the gentleman
to be misled was speaking of the Territory
of Kansas west of Missouri. These large
tribes are north, in Nebraska.
Mr.. DAWSON. | understand that; and
hence it was that / put the whole number at
fifty thousand. Is there any obligation upon
US to allow this number of Indians to occupy
such vast extent of territory? Gentlemen
must recollect that when they make charge
OF a violation of plighted honor and plighted
faith in our dealings with the red man, it tends
to degrade the character of our country, not
only in the eyes of our own people but Of the
civilized world is it just the impression
should 60 out thatwe are violating plighted faith
with the Indians on such state Of facts Are
FIVE hundred thousand square miles of land to
be occupied forever by few wandering tribes
of indians, who have no fixed locality, and who
do not make the land useful by following agr-
cultural pursuits? Because we propose to
throw it open TO settlement and cultivation is
the world TO be told that we American sena-
tors, are violating our pighted faith to these
people; and is our character as a nation to
be injured at home and abroad on this az.
| COUNT? ~. 5.<-<.
| Sir, statesman should never use arguments
which are calculated to do injustice to his
country, and 10 depreciate the reputation of the
! body to which he belongs. Yet sir, both the
| senators to which have referred have sugges
ted or intimated objections on this ground.
will say TO my friend from Tennessee that he is
m st prudent man. He has argued the ques-
ton ably on both sides and if a majority OF
our friends heret shall go Tor the bill he is bound
to do so, under his argument. He made OBJ
Iections on this ground. My friend from Mas
sachusetts, Mr.. EVERETT, who touched the
subject so ably, and with such beautiful Ian
guage, said that he had objections to the bill
on the ground OF our obligations to the Indians;
but he said further that he had confidence in
the body with which he was associated. and be-
lieved them to be controlled by principles Of
justice, phianthrophy, and liberality towards
these tribes, and therefore would waive these
| objections, and leave them in the hands of
those whose duty it is to protect the, rights OF
the people. .s#
| say now for myself, that if this bill does
not protect the rights of the Indian tribes with
whom we have treaties, and does not do all that
| the obligations of justice, humanity, and phi
lanthropy require, shall vote d -anst it.
Besides the two objections hich | have
named, is there any other objection to the
organization of territorial government over
| this vast region? 1t has been objected that
the chairman of the Committee on Territories
has proposed to form two Territories, Kansas
and Nebraska, instead of one. Why, that is
a matter of discretion. Here is region Of
FIVE hundred thousand square miles; where
would you locate the seat of government, so
as to make it convenient, and comfortable,
and liberal, towards population spread over
such an immense surface? The small matter
of the expense of an additional territorial gov
ernment weighs not feather in the scale
against doing justice to the noble pioneers
who first settle on your lands. take occasion
here to say, that was born within few miles
Of the border, and know something about the
character and feelings of the population to
whom have referred. know their nature
and their love of justice; and whenever l can
4 close my heart or my political action against
liberality to them, want to leave the legsla-
tive body to which belong. These men are
scattered over a country which is subject to
Indian depredations, by which they suffer-
They and their families run the risk of being
put to death. They 60 as the pioneers Of
civilization, and it is your duty to extend to
them protection, and conveniences, and advan-
tages which you do not give to the slow
moving man of wealth. 1t seems to me- there
fore, that the objection that it is improper to
create two Territories over country of five
hundred thousand square miles is not one
which should have weight with the Senate.
! Is there any other objection to the organiza-
ton of these two Territories? / do not know
of any other which was sufficiently strong to
make an impression on my mind. / have dis.
posed, therefore, of the objections to the organ
| ization. ...a
Now, sir, the next question is, how are these
Territories to be organized? There seems to
be division of sentiment upon this point.
Some wish to have governor and few other
gentlemen compose council and govern them.
This bill provides for governor and legisla-
tive body to be chosen by the people. have
one observation to make upon this matter,
which think will cover great deal of the argu.
ment. The people who settle there are Ameri-
lean citizens, entitled, under the Constitution
Of the United States to the same privileges
and immunities which you and possess and
enjoy. They are entitled to the right of voting
for those who are to make laws to govern
them. Our principle Of government is, that
the representatives Of the people alone shall
make laws to govern them. Those of us who
are friendly to this bill say, let the people elect
their Legislature they know better whom to
choose to govern them and control and man.
age their rights than we do. Where is the man
who at this day would say that there is anv
power known to the Constitution or any par,
of the organization of this government, which
can take away the representative right of citi.
zens of the United States? However we NAV
differ on other matters, all of us will yield that
point.
The next question is, should that legislati,e
council, thus chosen by the people, have the
right OF making laws to govern all the domes
tic concern of that people--plenary power like
tie States? We impose one limitation upon
the exercise of their power What is that linn.
itation? 1t is. that they shall legislate, subject
TO the Constitution OF the United States. That