Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-20
Expense Of Territo,,.

last year, we called attention to tbs 49,.
ordinary bill of charges which had b.
brought sgaiostthe Government, by the T.,.'
tories of Oregon aud " asbington, for ern.,..
alleged TO have been incurred IN tba
ecution of Indian Wars in thar nor,;, pro-,
our national domain. The account t",.' y.
up the SUN OF six millions of dollar, IT,
was not the cost OF the regular Arpv -.
toned IN that quarter out was f,-
teer service alone. Ii was in sii;,;,s
the regular allowances Of the Am. "
Was debt alleged to be due bv rho - ."
ernment to the volunteer scldiery ubo ~.
fought the Indians, independent OF the ,. aa'
lar forces stationed upon the Pacif, ca,
We scarcely expected that these p,,'s,
people would have the assurance TO como 80 =.
fore Congress, and claim payuen, Of ,b;s ~
traordinary demand. Six millions of dill
tor volunteer service in fighting Indian. =
Oregon and Washington Territories IL -
volunteer service, too, 10 the fullest sans" y
the word. They were not volunteer. an,So.
lied by law of the Uni,ed State,--bo, ' ~.
who, of their own motion. took IN 49,
against the Indians, aud had few .kjrm,s,
rs with them, as is usual with all the sa,,s..
upon our Western frontiers.
We say We scarcely expected thew uorI,
make demand upon Congress for this AZ,
traordinary and unprecedented clalu--hn,
we were mistaken. They have not only mad
the demand-but they are stenuousIy uroir,
in upon Congress at this very time. The
claim is now before the Committee on MI
tsry Affairs, and two memters Of the Hguss
in Committee Of the Whole, have made ELI
crate speeches 10 favor OF It's payment.
That some idea may be formed Of tbs
character Of this claim, let Us look AZ n.
statistics. According to tue ceusus of lisa
the entire population OF Oregon, which then
included Washington Territory, was Hul.
upwards Of thirteen thousand. This ipcIo.
ded white and black, old and young m,Is
and female. These Iodan Wars TOOK plac.
in 1855, when the population could not has.
been very materially increased. The whole
male population of Oregon, old and Young
10 1850, was little upwards of eight tnOu.
sand. Assuming that there were six thOu.
sand of these capable of bearing arms
which is large allowance the reader
can make the calculation for himself how
much each man 10 the Territory, capable Of
bearing arms, would receive of these sY
millions OF dollars, distributed among all Of
them IN equal proportions. The amount is
enormous.
! Let US look at it 10 another point Of view.
! According to the same authority De Bows
Compendium of the Census) the whole value
of the real and personal estate 10 Oregon 10
1850 was very little upwards Of i've mi.
lions of dollars. This was toe entire wealth
of the Territory. Now, it is proposed 70
pour into the Territory larger sum than
the whole Territory was worth IN ls5U-srd
nearly az much, we doubt not a. It IS worth
now. This claim, be il remembered, is made
up, in great measure, OF charges Tor horses,
beef, provisions, a., furnished the uolp..-
! Yet it amounts 10 more than the whole pro-
perty of the Territory, real and personal,
was worth 10 1850!
Again-it is ascertained that none Of tue
volunteers served more than twelve months
great many Tor only few weeks. Accord
ing to the bill, as We understand It, o.! ar:
to be paid for twelve months service.
1t is not pretended, at the present tue
that Oregon has a population 10 ell, OF mor
than sixty thousand. We doubt # It ha
that number. Washington has probably
thirty thousand. Six millions dollars to e
distributed among ninety thousand peoPt
for fighting Indians a few months SI OIL
lions of Treasury gold to be poured 10 up'a
people not mum berlng more than coosutut"
one Congressional District in Virginia
This, it is true, is larger SUN, we believe
than has ever been claimed before by SOY
Territory for any purpose OF under any Ell
cuse--5ut il is a sufficient Illustration oi Toe
enormous cost Of these Territories upon 10
public Treasury. Let it be remembs'!
that this is not the only expense connecs!
with Oregon. AL the expenses Of the o.
ministrstion Of justice--all the expenses q
the Legislative and Executive Departures
10 the Territory--all the land Cthce expense
together with subsidies TO steamboats, to-
carrying the mails, and numberless oth:;
charges-all foot up an enormous sun "hics
our Pacific coast annually costs the Irea'0
ry. 90 top of it all, comes this claim d 81
millions of dollars for fighting the lnd:an'
-Lynchbwg FUgin,an
~ YOusG MES's CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION