, 1856-09-26

to make known the condition of that Ter
ritOry.
Mr.. HARLAN. ask that the amendment
as modified may be read.
The amendment as modified was then
read.
The CHAIRMAN. This amendment evi-
IDENTIFY proposes to pay for the services OF
volunteers in the Indian war, which is not
provided for by law The Chair must
therefore decide that the whole of this
proposition is out of order
Mr. LANE. am at a loss to know how
to get at this thing. If | have the right
to take an appeal from the decision of the
Chair, will do so for the purpose OF being
heard five minutes.
Mr.. ToDD. | rise to q point Of order.
1t is not in the power of the Delegate from
Oregon to take an appeal from the decls-
ion of the Chair His privilege on this
floor is limited to the right of debate and
extends no further.
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair is advised
that the question has been decided by the
House, that a Delegate has n right to
make any motion, except motion to recon
slider, and therefore he has right to take
an app al
Mr.. HoUsroN. That is the universal
practice.
Mr.. LANE. l desire to call the atten-
ton of the committee for few moments
to the condition of that country, and to the
Justice of this claim on the Congress of the
United States for compensation for service
rendered, and for the subsistence of the
troops in the field against the Indians. |
have in my hand q letter received by mail
this morning from Oregon, from one of the
early settlers in that country, Mr.. F. b.
Martin, reliable man, in which he says
that since the first day of last August,
we have had upwards Of three hundred
men, women, and children butchered in
cold blood by the Indians" Now, Mr.,
Chairman, / do not complain. l have
never complained of the large amount OF
time given here to the consideration OF
Kansas affairs
Mr. ToDD, (interrupting). rise to a
point of order. The gentleman is not dis
cussing the appeal. He is discussing the
merits of the Oregon war.
Mr.. LANE. If the gentleman desires to
put down the Territory Of Oregon, and, to
disregard its condition and sutferings, and
if he has the power to do so, aud the
Chair so rules, let him.
The CHAIRMAN. The Delegate from Ore
gon will con6ne himself to the proposition
before the committee, which is the question
of appeal The gentleman can only pro-
ceed by the unanimous consent Of the COM
mttee, the appeal not being debatable.
Mr.. Cox. l understand the gentleman
from Oregon to have asked the unanim Gus
consent of the committee to be heard on
that proposition five minutes. No objec-
tion was made, and the gentleman proceed
ed. / think 1t is too late new to raise the
objection, and think the gentleman from
Oregon ought to be permitted to go on.
The CHAIRMAN. That is now the recol-
lection of the Chair-that the gentleman
from Oregon had the unanimous consent Of
the committee.
Mr.. LANE. We have an Indian war,
and have had since last October, in Wash
ington and Oregon Territories, which has
nearly devastated the country. Numbers Of
our people have been shot, and women and
children have been butchered. Our voun-
teers, by TIE requisition of the regular Off
GERS, have been called into service They
left their homes-their quiet and peacefhl
homes, where they were safe-at few
hours notice-took the field, and remained
in the field from October till April, subsst-
ing on horse-hesh aud water, without tea,
coffee, or bread, for weeks at time. This
they did for the purpose Of defending the
country, and now they come asking that
they may be compensated for the services
which they rendered to the country. Will
Congress refuse the just claim of the people
of Oregon and Washington Territories ?
Will Congress refuse them hearing here {?
Not a moment of the time of Congress
has been devoted to the consideration of our
claims on the Government. appeal TO
those gentlemen here-are they determined
to turn their backs on that portion of the
country, and refuse to those people what
they never refused to the people Of any
portion of the country? Are gentlemen
here prepared to say to the people Of the
Pacific coast that they shall not he heard
in Congress, and that their sufrerings and
just claims will not be considered Weeks
of the time of Congress have been devoted
to the consideration of Kansas affairs, and
not On hour to the Territory Of Oregon.
l regret that there has been difficulty in
the Territory of Kansas. The people of
Oregon have been law-abiding, orderly
people. They have had no fighting among
themselves, but the savage foe rushed on
the settlements, massacred women and chill
dren in cold blood, and hundreds of our
people have been tortured, burned and
murdered, without the privilege of a grave.
Our people have been called into service
for the defence of the country and will
this committee now refuse to hear their
claims, and to compensate them for their
services and outlay in defending the settle
ments from the tomahawk and scalping
knife of the savage ? | ask leave to have