The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
Saturday, Jan'uary 3l,-l857.

| The resolution of irH ury in relation to re
| cent cases of desertion from the naval service
after the adoption of an amendment restricting
| its terms, was passed but Mr.. Houston moved
| its reconsideration.
The Indian appropriation bill was consid
| cred, and several amendments were adopted
| An animated discussion took place on the sub.
| ject of our Indian affairs in Oregon and Wash
| ington, in which the conduct of Governor Ste.
| vens was severely criticized,
| Mr.. Hale quoted from The correspondence OF
General Wool, in support Of an argument
against allowing any further supplies fer the
prosecution of offensive war against the In
| dians. :t
Mr.. Hunter 6efende1the necessity of the ap
preparations reported by the Committee on Fl
nance, and replied to the structures offered by
Mr.. Bell, of Tennessee, at former session OF
| the Senate.
Mr.. Bell, of Tennessee, replied to the re-
marks of Mr. Hunter, and defended the con.
sistency of his course with reference to the
Indian policy Of the country. After few
remarks made by Mr.. Weller, upon the Indian
reservations" Of California,
| Mr.. Toombs spoke briefly in opposition to
the whole reservation "policy recently adopt
ed by Congress. 1t had been originally recon
mended only as an experiment, and had already
|
ling Indians, he thought, was to whip them
into submission.
| Mr.. Houston next spoke at some length in
opposition to the opinion Of the last speaker
| He thought the Indian was accessible 10 kind
ness, and susceptible Of civilization, if proper.
| ly approached by the white man. The Indian
demanded justice, and, failing 20 receive THE,
was often provoked to violence. He believed
| that no Indian tribe, as a community, had ever
been the first to violate 9 treaty. Tie general
| character of those appointed as Indian agents
was also severely criticized, and the necessity
of some reform earnestly advocated.
HOUSE
Mr.. Grow, of Pennsylvania, from the Com
nittee on Territories, reported House bill to
authorize the people of the Territory Of Mime.
sofa to form Constitution and State Govern
ment. ts
Mr.. Grow explained that the area Of the pro-
posed State would embrace about seventy thou
sand square miles, leaving west of the bounda-
ry line about ninety thousand square miles, to
be organized into Territory under the name
of Eacotah.
Mr.. Phelps, Of Missouri, wished to know what
portion of the proposed State lay west Of the
Mississippi river?
Mr.. Grow. About three-fourths.
Hif. HoAPS' UclicF0 Tue gentleman from
Pennsylvania has ever advocated upon this
floor the sacredness of compacts. desire now
to know whether the gentleman does not be.
lieve in the sacredness Of the Ordinance of
1887?
Mr.. Grow. Certainly
mir. Phelps. By the fifth article of that Or.
dinance, but FIVE States were to be formed ont
of the old Northwestern Territory. and ~
number has already been - s1a'
With = :. gentleman proposes to embrace
:. II .ne limits OF this proposed State por-
s'on OF territory which it was stipulated By those
VINO framed tnat ordinance should be included
IN one OF the hve States already formed. un-
derstano; then, that the position of the gentle
man Is TINS tnat the sixth section of the Or
dinance of 1887 is sacred comnact lint that
'ne nitn section Is no compact whatever.
only desire to call the attention of the country
to the fact that the House is now abont IN dis
regard the sacredness of this celebrated Ord.
nance-an Ordinance which I believe has M
binding efficacy upon the country. n
MIR. Grow replied that he had no disposition