The true Democrat., 1854-09-27
MORNING, SEPTEMBER 27. 1854

are dependent upon her tardy movements for justice-she being, in all cases, the arbiter.-
 The intelligent and rehecting Indian must see their present dependent and unpleasant situatio, and must deprecate the gloomy prospect before them, should the several nations determine not to accept of the boon rendered them by the Senate of the United States. What will be their situation in few more years, and what will be the condition of the rising generation? The three tribes embraced in this bill are now the most intelligent and powerful of any of the Indians in the limits of the United States, and nave, Tn great measure, become sufficiently civilized in agriculture aud education to be oenehtted by becoming territories m thereby !ormlng closer and more substantial and last ing connection with the States of the Union than they have ever before enjoyed.
 We have pursued this subject further than we at hrst intended; but as it is so important. a matter to the Indians, involving their future prospenty-and also of immense interest to the people of our State, if the Indians should estab- hsh on our western border three new territories. which are eventually to become States-we could not avoid giving our views. We hope, however, that they may be of service, and aid in bringing about right state of feeling among our red brothers over the line We therefore request perusal of the following eloquent ex- tracts which we make from the report:
 "The history of our. intercourse with the h. dans contain too many things which we can- not help but regret, and which call loudly upon us for atonement and remuneration. Too of- ten have treaties, upon the letter of which our government has stenly and mercilesslv in- sisted, been made by few chiefs only. not authorized to cede the lands of the nation It has been rare, indeed, that for any such reason we have relinquished our grasp on their fields and hunting grounds. In one instance, we took millions of acres by naked confsca- ton from our Indian friends and allies, at the close of a war waged against them and oursel- the side of our troops in every battle; and we humble prayers for compensation.
 No doubt the injuries done the red man have often been born of an memorable necessity the necessity of progress and expansion.- With as, as with all other growing nation might has often been right, and necessity has justified oppression. It has too often been ta- ctly consdered-as, indeed, it hath been on behalf of sovereign State gravely argued that treaties between civilized and barbar- ous nation do not bind the former to as strict an observance of entire good fait and honor, as those to which civilized communities only are parties
 "We will not enter upon recital of the wrongs done the original proprietors of this continent, or even the once powerful and popu- lous nations, for the remnants of which this bill is intended to provide It is sufficient to say that once undisputed owners of the lands now forming the States of North and South Carol- ma, Georgia, Florida, Alabama Mississippi, Ten nesscee, and part of Virginia they have been forced to recede before our determined and re- sistless advance, until driven over the Missis- sippi, they have found a'resting place far to the westward, with state of this Union lying be- tween them and the great river. The Choc- taws and Chickasaws have always boasted and with truth, that they have never shed the blood of white man; but as long as peaceful oppo- sition was etfectual, they clung desperately to the lands on which they were born, and where the sky and the woods were familiar to them The Cherokees, the Creeks, and the Semnoles fought for their country, against hope that need- ed no success to enable it. Anxious to prop- tiate us, and hoping that gratitude might for once overpower self-interest, the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, and the Chickasaws have often enlisted as our auxiliaries, and fought for us with constancy and courage. Their blood, shed in our cause, has stained every Indian bat tle-ground in the south west.
 But they found all efforts unavailing.- They have yielded to the stern decree of desti- ny, and engaged in naw struggle, in which we can be their allies against the barbarism and ig- norance of nomadic life. They now study the arts of peace. They are rapidly advancing in the education, enlightment, morality, and tho science of self-government, and in these efforts this bill proposes to give them aid.
 "The leading principle of the bill is, that nothing is proposed to be done in reference to these Indians without their own consent The question of authority and power over them is waived. In the opinion of the committee, it is wise not to seek to impose particular form of them. The relations that exist between the government of the United States and those of the red race, who have no other interest in the soil than mere usufruct, are not the same as those existing between it and those of that race who hold their lands in fee simple by patent, grant or treaty. It may be an inte- resting question to inquire what power Congress had to make regulations for tracts of country which are not Territory of the United States. It is at least clear that whatever is to be done for the people now in question, is to be done by persuasion and not by force. It is not proposed to impose upon them new laws or new system of municipal government. The constitution and laws of apeople, to have any actual vitality and force, must be the result of the necessities and fixed habits of acting and thinking of that people. All law that is worthy to be called law, and that is heartily and sincerely obeyed as law, is but the directly expressed opinion of the particular people by, or for whom, it is en- acted We cannot civilize a people by giving them good laws, no matter how wisely enacted; but to be effectual those laws must be the result and product of'theirown civilization. They are the fruit--civilization is the tree.
 "The first question suggested to the commit tee in regard to this bill was, what were its ob- ject and purpose, and whether that object and that purpose were right, just, proper, and credi- table to the nation. The next was, whether the provisions of the bill were calculated to att tain them.
 "We imagine that no one can mistake the duty of the government of the United States in regard to these Indian tribes. The national honor is too deeply involved to admit of any misunderstanding upon that point. Humanity