Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-28


t-zzWAGHHa10N NKWe AID 00osR.
A Good Work.-We find the bill recently
reported by Senator johnson of Arkansas. FINN
the ssnste's Indisn Committee for the est.-
blishment Of three territorial governments for
the south western Indians, who are more .,
less civilized, rapidly working its way into the
favor OF the public men in W ashington. Like
the Dill OF Mr.. Orr, the chairman of the House
committee on Indian Affairs, it proposes to at
last begin the work in that quarter, of faith
fully discharging this Government duty to
the Indians Mr.. O's project designing to be-
gin it with reference to those in Nebraska
Mr.. johnson proposes to take from the south
| western civilized and half-civilized tribes
| nothing which they now own, or enjoy By treaty
with the United States; and while throwing
around them the panoply of our constitution,
and Of such Of the white man. laws as will be
likely 10 further their individual and common
prosperity, to leave them under the influence
and operation of ali Indi an laws, which are
still necessary in their existing condition. This
Dill u evidently framed to train them in the
art Of self. government as practised by the
whites, and to held out inducements to them
to initiate the whites hereafter more closely in
their habits of life boil .E
Its details, which are simple, are eminently
calculated to produce such results protecting
them effectuaily from the sinister interference
in their. affairs Of the class of unprincipled
and INSCRIPTIONS whites, who at all times seek
to prey on the Indian. No white man is al .
lowed under it to obtain the right of citizen
ship in either of the proposed new territories,
except under restrictions which will practically
preclude all such, but those who, intermarry-
ing with Indian women or follow the pursuit of
agriculture among them. These by the by,
are prevented from obtaining any control over
or Identification with the rights or interests of
the Indians, involved in their existing reser
vations or annuities. ~ s.p1-.z
Mr.. johnson deserves the sincere thanks oc
all who have the we'll being of the remnants
of the tribes on our borders at heart His
long experience with their affairs, at home, in
Arkansas, and as Chairman of the House In
dian Affairs, Committee, eminently qualities
him to originate this important measure prop
erly. And thus he has drawn up what is here
pronounced more perfect bill or plan, than
was ever before mooted in Congress to the
same end the members being we'll aware tina.
the question now is, will the United States at
last do justice to the Indians? or will they
pursue the policy of extinction to the bitter
end? We repeat, there seems to be very
general desire amsng them to make this bill,
law; which, we trust, will be consummated
ere the termination of the present session
The Long Bridge-Potomac Channels-
Georgetown and Washington, &C., &e.-We
have received a long and very earnest letter
from Georgetown, protesting against the views
Of Colonel Albert, Of the United States Topo-
graphical Engineers, and the Corporation of
Washington, relative to the improvement of
the Washington-side channel Of the Potomac,
from which we make extracts sufficient to lay
thus before Congress, Georgetowns side of the
case; as we shall also take due occasion to state
that of Washington.
Thus, writing under date of 'sGeergetown.
February 18th" this correspondent demurs to
the report of the Washington Councils COM
mittee, wherein it is said that
''The principal channel of the Potomac
rlver, from Easby's point to the mouth of the
Anacostla river, was originally upon the Wash
ington side, and that said channel has been
diverted from that side to the Virginia shore,
BY the construction Of the causeway at Mason's
Island, by the breaking off a portion of Ma
sons Island during a heavy freshet, by a
gradual formation opposite and below Easily 3
point, consequent upon the break, which has
closed the entrance from the point to the
Washington channel, and last, but not least.
by the unfortunate and ill-advised (Iand no y
plan of constructing a solid causeway more
than halfway across the river for the purpose
of BRIDGE
The writer denies the correctness of all above
stated, except the allegation that the cause
way portion Of the long bridge has proved a
great evil to the Washington side channel. He
denies, tn toto, the correctness of the allega
tons of the report, wherein it is claimed that
the main channel was once ON the Washington
side, saying: ..- ..s ...
1--WE acknowledge that, at one time. there
was on the Washington side of the river be-
low Easby's point, q sort Of swash channel. but
'oo snalloW 10 be OF any service of moment; in
proof OF which, we have now in our possession
an authentic chart Of the Potomac river. from
Geesborough point to the Little Falls, compiled
In 1873, which shows that at that time a vessel
drawing over seven feet water could not posi-
ply get through it. While. upon the other
hand, In the Georgetown or main channel the
soundings between the above named points
varied from twenty to forty feet. So, we think
We have completely spiked that gun; and now,
we ask, how it is possible that the building Of
the causeway could have had anything to do
with the destruction Of a channel which was
not to be found ten years before it (the cause
way was built? As regards the breaking off
q part of Mason's Island, all we have to say is,
that such thing has not happened at any
time within the recolle ction Of persons who
have been living in our city for nearly seventy
years, and that the portion which was broken
on must have been the most remarkable and
ALFRED contrary body Of earth ever heard of,
to make its way across and up the stream
against heavy freshet merely for the pur-
pose Of finding q comfortable location, and
closing the entrance to the w Washington channel
LET US now look at the plan Of Col Albert,
and its certain results, if adopted and executed.
which is to change the course Of the channel
OF the river by constructing a solid stone wall
from Massn's Island in an eastwardly direc-
ton. This wall, to accomplish any good, must
extend out opposite to or beyond Eas by's point
some two hundred yards east of the George
town channel, which would so completely
blockade our port that an oyster boat, drawing
three feet Of water, could not reach our