The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-17

fia4 bts, dnf ~ irfuT of mgtHiainfnr
iAs G0rc-nH,sHi jdiA ,r.h TIE Iafiun
T'rides.
The House being ia the committee
of the whole on the state Of the Union.
MIR. MEACHAM said Mr.. Chair.
man, the spectacle noW Witnessed in
the settlement Of this country is Of very
rare. II not singular occurrence. No
thing like ii, certainly. has ever been
seen before, and, probably, never can
be seen again; drama that is TO have
bot one representation in oil time In
other parts Of the world colonies have
been planted. Greece did II. as she
would be believed, 10 ciSilizc mankind .
Rome did il 10 conquer and retain the
provinces, and she did it, without dis
guise, as a military movement to ex-
tend and perpetuaie her power
Swarms Of Mortimer or Easimen have
often swept the plains Of Europe, al
ways TO devastate, and rarely 10 re-
build the place of their conquest all
these were either stimulated and di-
recied by government, or were organ
lied masses moving in concert. Ours
is entirely different our lands are not
taken from the original inhabitants by
bands Of barbarians, rowing over the
country. and leaving blasted pathway
behind them. From the beginning, ours
have been settlements by individuals,
moved, perhaps, by the same motives,
with the same object, with common
though uncertain action; by indivdu-
ais enlightened, educated, having the
knowledge and power to govern them
selves. AT first their movements were
slow and cautious. Fear Of the savage
held them in check ond it is well
they were so. Had each one been per-
mitied TO occupy unmolested some fer
tile spot of his own selection, they
wold have spread SO widely as TO loose
the arts, the institutions Of education,
Of government, and Christianity. But
there has been change in this re-
spect. Freed from fear of the savage,
men are spreading more rapidly and
widely. There is now no civilized ma
ton with so sparse population, only
fifteen TO the square mile, in the organ
lied States, and only seven to the
square mile, taking the whole area OF
the United States. This may tend 10
the more rapid increase Of wealth, bu,
not TO an improved state of society
Now, it may certainly be doubted
whether wise policy would open the
door for wider expansion, especially on
the borders of States the most thinly
settled. You understand that design
these remarks to apply to the policy oI
organizing new territorial govern
ment for Nebraska. Having voted
against that bill in the last Congress
shall not be charged with inconsistency
for doing so now, even if no additiona
and stronger motives led me TO such {
decision.
My first reason for voting agains
the present bills is, that a governmen
is no, needed there. On the llth o
October last, the Commissioner Of In
dian Aiiasrs left the frontier, and say
that there was not at that time any set
tlement made in any part of Nebraska
that, except the employees Of the Gov
eminent, there were bnt three whit
men in the Territory. For what, then
do you need government there 2
There is certainly no superabundan
population in that vicinity, or any wher
else, overlapping the barriers Of thei
own States and Territories. Missoui
has ten to the square mile, less tha
one twelfth Of that of Massachusetts
Iowa three; New Mexico twenty-eigl
one hundredths of one man Minneso
Ia seven one hundredihs of man ; an
Oregon three one hundredlhs Of a ma
TO one square mile Of territory.
would seem US If there could be Il
pressing necessity for opening a ne
saieiy-yalye, to prevent too great cot
densaIion on the adjoining territory
To I'LL all the places named in tho.
bills will take near hundred men;
I'LL the executive offices will requll
five times rs many men as are in II
whole territory. You must import yoi
men from some other place. Near
100000 are to be appropriated
carry out the provisions Of that bill
, all This 10 erect government for te
riiory where there are but three men, e
cep, those in the employ Of the Init
States, TO govern. and in close proaiu
~ TO other fertile territories that ha,
only lhiny-ihree and one third per cer
Of "a man to a square mile. Why co
siauci this costly and cumbnons machi
cry, and transport 1t TO place whe
. there are no materials on which il c
b work
My second objection 10 these terri
. rial bil Is, the great and eross injusti
which iheir passage uiil inhici Up
tre Indians. am quite aware Il
/, these bills have proyisoes not to inclu
the ierrelory Of any Indian tribe viii
the limit. or Jurisdiction Of Kansas
= Nebraska That look, fair on pap
| have no doab, the authors mean
deal s. fairly a. they can by the 10
2 ans. We car refiaia from exercise
- Jurisdiction bot Is IL possible TO er
L a M ~. s.ua.H