The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-18
HOUSE OF REpR esENTATIvEs

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
On motion Of Dir STEPHENS. of Georgia. the House
vsut into Committee of the Whole the private calen-
dar fkr SsfsAH OF Ohio IN the chair and proceeded
60 the consideration OF the bill TO revive The examination
aud paymeut certain Chains OF ctiscns OF Georgia and
Alabama on of losses sustained by the depeda-
tons OF the Creek Indians in 1885, 1887, aud 1888.
Mr. SHORTER. Of Alaams, proceeded to state the cir
cumstances attending this cim IL appeared by treaty
between the United States and the Creek Ih'ars m is2
FRAT the latter coded their lands 30 tue irner reseByig
howegef certain portions with the right 10 dspose of
them The Object Of the government IN giving these
reservations pians in fee simple was to accom-
psh their removal to the waters Of the Arkansas when
they had disposed of them In order TO carry out this
sooy government had the land ssfveyed and offered
at ptaic iehe alluded to that poo" OF the land ec-
aujred bg lfe government citizens from Georgia.
South Carolina aud rlorila Hocked into that new ooun
try For first time III te history OF the government.
they found the white man and She tnah were lNins to-
aess,sr the soil side by side
Mr. 6inpINGS of Ohio said lie Ind lived ~ the side
of the Indians ;i bad them burn buildings around
him.
this the first time in the por at the government
settlers lad been invited TO reside With she Indians foi
the purpose OF ceeng the removal of the latter 10 a
other portion of the cot'y After the lndlaos nau aus
posed of their lands and sct the money they M" re-
oeved for them they reduced ~ yagrancy and s'a
vation and commenced pludcrng tic e,rsmunity for
Subsistence Instead OF sending troops "Fost Mtchet
for the purpose of protecting the Settlers the government
had ordered the troops from Fort Mitchell TO poesd to-
klorda and it under these circumstances thai the
depretiations were committed
The Indians commenced numbering the citizens and
burning down their houses and the whole country
was depop,tlatci. 10 suppress these hositics the
United States after time, sent out General Jesup with
a command of government troops and these, with the
volunteers s,bssted by these claimants The gov
ernment bound to pay these CLAIMS Under the cons
tuition which said that private property should not be
taken for public use without due compensation. The
question then, was, whether not the private property
of citizens of Alabama had been taken for public nse
General Jackson knew that this property was taken for
the subsistence Of the United States array anu III one Of
his messages to Congress recommended I'M pnymeh. OF
these claims. The citizens made out claims 70 he amount
of upwards of sl,250, Ooo but the commissioner APP
pointed the part of the government had reduced the
to $3I9, 100 and this bill merely propofed 10
| pay the amount recommended by the commissio~s
which had not been paid heretofore
| Mr. WASHBURNE of Wisconsin, opposed the claim,
announcing his surprise that the Committee ON Indian
Affairs of the last session had reported unanimously IN
OF the payment of these claims, when the Commit
tee the Thirty fourth Congress- Of which no had been
member had decided, after careful examination that
there merit in them. These claims grew out OF
with the Creek Indians, and it not necessary
inquire into the origin of that war, though he would
say that there would be little found in IT to commend
these petitioners to the consideration of the House he
admitted what Mr. SonTEn had said about the treaties
with this nation but said that the Indians had declared
that they deancd OF their lands and he believed
that the proof substautaed their declarations There was
proof that some property had been destroyed, but
proof that the property OF any particular Individual was
destroyed Gen Jesup that but forty or fifty pen
|
were one thousand and three Aabamians asking over
million Of dollars because thirty forty Indians had
driven them from their homes. They asked to be re
warded for their bravery and out Of these thousand
and three there only nineteen who owned land
and there were who had become purchasers OF
those Indian reservations But if property had been
taken from these citizens for public and bnd not
been paid for if they would frame bill that would cover
such he would vote for it, but for no such bill as
| the before the committee
Mr. SHORTER inquired whether he hal understood
fatta pf
Alabama had fled from their homes in fear OF the Indians
and thereby lost their property, they now came before
| Congress and asked pay for their bravery
/ Mr.. WASIIBURNE did not recollcct exactly what he
said probably hid said that they claimed pay in add
ton to their bravery, the losses they sustained
/ Mr. SHORTER, far rs tho gentleman S remarks re-
lated to the bravery of the citizens OF Alabama, pro
! nounccd them false and sanderons.
/ Mr. WASHBURNE said the citizens of Alabama were
| very brave as illustrated in his remarks to-day
i The CHAIRMAN reminded the gentlemen that no
member could be held responsible elsewhere for words
spoken in debate
Mr. JACKSON, of Georgia after detailing the losses
which had been sustained by the depedations OF the
Creeks, laid down the proposition that the government
was bound to protect citizens in the enjoyment OF their
rights and property. This proposition so clear
that IL needed argument. The government had sold
these lands and the people of Georgia and Aabana had
occupied them by then invitation The only course for
the government then to protect them and, rs they
removed the only troops placed there to keep the In
dams in check they were bound to make good the IN
ures which had been sustained through their neglect
Mr. STANTON, OF Ohio said that Congress had passed
law that where losses had been sustained in consequence
of the acts Of government in taking possession OF
private property and thereby drawing the enemy upon H.
the government would make compensation but ds
claimed any obligation to restore property destroyed by
an enemy passing through the country As he under
stood It, the government had informally repudated any
liability account of depredations made by lawess ndt
viduals upon the property of citizens, whether Indians
citizens foreigners, white black. matter OF WHAT
color, condition. country they might be Of Neither
the United States any State recognised liability 70
make compensation for such dcpredatons upon Its ctl'
zens.
On motion of Mr., DAVIDSON, Of Louisiana, the com
mitec then and reported the bill TO the House with
out action.
Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia, moved that all debate
upon this bill should terminate in two hours after tho
House should again resolve itself into Committee OF the
Whole the private calendar; which motion was
agreed TO.
Mr. BARKSDALE of Mississippi moved that when
the House adjourn it adjourn To meet on Monday next
which motion agreed to--aycs IS, noes 80.
And then, motion of Mr.. MORRIS, of Pennsylvania
the House adjourned.
PETITION,
BY Mr. Sir Of Illinois, petition OF Thos Hope prayhgA
upon principles equity and Justice re-
n ftrrcd 10 the OF aims.
by Mr. FLORENCE The memorial OF Hester Sergeant Art
widow William r. G. D., deceased, lat surgeon ~ V
u :. law granting hcr pes
Also the mcmor
OF Mrs Abigail iaxon, Geo Taxon Florida war for pen
during wilowhood referred to the COMMITTEES on Invalid l