Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-10


Nebraska and hdnSds .....
Mr.. Houston. It is now half past eleven o'clock.
cannot see any particular necessity for going on
tonight, and therefore we might as we'll adjourn.
Several senators. No, no.
Mr.. HoUsroN. Then give notice that | shall
take the floor after the Senator from Illinois gets
through. 4l.Is Ina.,. r,.
r. Mr.. SUMNER. Before the debate closes, hope
to, be heard on some points. ...
Mr. DOUGLAS We shall hear the Senator from
Massachusetts,. of course, upon whatever points
henday, desire to speak. | would gladly have a.
greed to an arrangement by which it should have
been understood that the vote would BE- taken at
any fixed time; but we found it impossible to
come to an agreement to fix any day or any hour
on which the vote should, by common consent be
taken. Consequently we have thought it was bet
ter to insist upon proceeding to vote tonight
will not occupy the attention OF the Senate long
er than can possibly help in doing Justice to
myself. .@a' H-"l 'I3+..i H- e ~.
1,rMr. HoUsToN. Objection has been made to my
course, it seems, because | evinccd disnclna-
tion to consent to fix any particular day for the
closing Of the debate. | did not see any necessity
for doing So do not care how soon the debate
closes; / hope il will be concluded speedily; but
do not wish to have it done informally, nor in
the hurried manner in which it has been pressed
on the Senate. claim all the privileges of u
senator; but am perfectly willing to consent to
an adjournment, or any other arrangement which
the Senate may make. ! am in minority, but l
shall yield to the. will of the Senate.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. / think there seems to DC a
pretty good disposition mlnlestcd now, and we
shall be able to close the debate and proceed to
the vote in very short tine
Mr.. President, before proceed to the general
argument upon the most important branch OF this
question, I must say few words in reply to the
senator from Tennessee, Mr.. Bel,] who has
spoken on the bill to-day. He approves Of the
urinciples of the bill he thinks they have great
merit; but he does not see his way entirely clear
to vote for the bill, because Of the objections
which he has stated, most Of which relate to the
Indians '''
Upon that point desire to say that it has never
been the custom in territorial bills to make regu-
latious concerning the Indians within the limits
of the proposed Territories. Ill matters relating
to them it has been thought wise to leave to sub
seoucnt legislation, to be brought forward by the
Committee on Indian Affairs. | did venture org
inally in this bill to put in one or two provisions
but, at the suggestion of many senators on both
sides ut the chamber, they were stricken out, in
order to allow the appropriate committee Of the
Senate to take charge OF that subject think,
therefore, since we have stricken from the bill
ali those provisions which pc tain to the Indians,
aud reserved the whole subject for the onsidera-
ton and action of the appropriate committee, we
hive obvated every possible objection which
could reasonably be urged upon that score. We
have every reason to hope and trust that the Com
,nittee on Indian affairs will propose such meas
res as will do entire Justice to the Indians, with
out contravenng the objects ot Congress IN Or
uanizino these Territories. .... '...
But. sir, alluson has been made to certain In.
dan treaties, and it has been intmated, if not
j churoed in direct terms, that we were violating
the stpulations of those treaties in respect to the
rights and lands for the Indians. The senator
from Texas Mr., Houston made a very long and
interesting speech OH that subject but it so hap
.pened. that most OF the treaties to which he re-
fired were with Indians not included within the
= limits of this bill. We have been informed, in
the course of the debate to-day, by the chairman
cf the Committee ON Indian Affairs, Mr.. Sebas-
tiaD, that there is but treaty in existence re-
lating to lands or Indians within the limits OF el'
ther Of the proposed Territories, and that is tie
treaty with The Ottawa Indians, about two hun
dred persons in number, owning about thirty -four
thousand acres of land. Thus 1t appears that the
whole argument of injustice to the red man, which
in the course o! this debate has called forth SO
much sympathy and indignation. is confined to
two hundred Indians, owning less than two
townships Of land Now, sir, is it possible
that { country, said to b. five hundred thou
sand square lies in extent, and large enough t.
make twelve such States as Ohio, is to be con-
signed to perpetual barbarism merely on account
ofthat small number Of Indians, when the bill it
self expressly provides that those Indians ant
their lands are uot to be included within the lin
its Of the proposed Territories, nor to be subjec
"a their laws or jurisdiction! would not allow
10 ho nj IN
dian. and hence inserted in the first section
the bin that none of the tribes with whom W.
have treaty stpulations should be embraced with
in either OF the Territories, unless such Indians
shall voluntarily consent to be iAcluded thereir
by treaties hereafter to be made. II any sena
: tor can furnish me with language more explicit
or which would prove more ,effectua in securing
the rights OF the Indians will cheerfully adopt it
Well, sir, the Senator from Tennessee, in
very kind spirit, here raises the objection for mt
TO answer, that this bill includes Indians within
the limits of these Territories with whom WI
have no treaties; and he desires to know what w
are to do, with them. will say to HIM that tina
is not matter of inquiry which necessarily o.
properly arises upon the passage OF this bill; tina
is not proper inquiry to come before the com
mttee on Territories. You have in all your ter
ritoral bills included Indians within the boundary
softhe Territories When you erected the Ter
ritory Of Minnesota, you lad not extingnished th'
Indian title to one foot Of land in that Territory
west Of the, Mississippi river, and 70 the majo
mart OF that Territory the Indian title remains
4 Sanesxtinguished to this day, In addition to thos
Wild tribes, you removed Indians from Wisconsin
and located them within Minnesota since th'
Territory was. organized. It will be Q question
for the consideration Of the Committee on Indian
Affairs, and for the action of Congress- when, il
settlement aud civilization, It shall become ne
cessary to change the present policy in respect =
the Indians. When you erected the territoria
government of Oregon, q few years. ago, you EN-
6raced within it ell the Indians living in Terrific
~ without their consent, and without any, sucl
Reservations I in their behalf as are contain
] I'd i'll this bill. You had not At that time mad
,ra.tv with those Indians, nor extihguished thei