, 1858-08-06

DELIVERED IN HOUSE OF REPRESENrArlVES,
Mag 81, 1858.
The House being in Commitle of the Whole on the
State Of the Union
Mr.. STEVENS, of Washington, said:
take this occasion, Mr.. Chairman, to
present few observations in regard to the
Washington and Oregon war claim. This
is matter certainly Of some little conse-
quence, for it involves no less sum than
six millions Of dollars. Incident to this,
however, is another question of more i'm
portance still, namely; the character and
honor Of the people of those distant Terri
tories, and the honor Of our whole country
One question touches the Treasury of the
United States, and the other the good
name of the people of the United States
/ shall dwell upon them both shall en-
deaTor to vindicate the character and con
duct Of the people of those Territories, and
the operations undertaken by the author
tiles Of those Territories for the purpose Of
suppressing Indian hostilities ! shall en-
deavor to show that these operations were
necessary, that they were economical, and
that they are entitled to the confidence and
sympathy Of the country; and finally /
shall endeavor to show by precedents, by
the course Of the Government in regard to
other portions Of the country, that VIC have
right to expect prompt and ample justice
from the Congress of the United States.
Mr.. Chairman, it has been often charged
against u.s. that that war was brought on
by outrages upon the rights of the Indians;
that it was gotten up for the purpose Of
speculation; and that it was the treaties
which caused the war. Well, sir, suppose
the treaties did cause the war; suppose we
did have vagabonds in that country who
committed outrAges upon the Indians; sup
pose some few citizens we're operated upon
by the motive Of making q speculation out
Of the war; if these things be true did they
make it any less the duty Of the people,
aud Of the authorities of the Territories,
a war having come upon them, to protect
the settlements2 What account would an
executive have had to render, who, when
he heard that the Indians wero devastating
the settlements, burning the houses, and
masacreiug the women and children, had
declined to protect those settlements on the
ground that here and there a white man
had outraged the Indians, and had driven
them to armsH Suppose the treaties did
incite the war, was it the fault Of the
people of those TerritoriesY Was the ap-
pointment of commissioners, the calling to-
gether Of councils, and the forming of treat
les their act2 Not at ALL 1t was the act
Of your Government. 1t was the act of
your Congress 1t was done under the or
ders Of your President. The people of the
Territories certainly were not responsible,
nor were the executives Of those people re-
sponsible. Sir, it does seem to me that it
would be triAing with the intelligence and
insulting the understandings of gentlemen
Of this Committee, if were to undertake
to defend the people of those Territories
from the charge of having brought about
this war for purposes of speculation. Who
are the people Of those Territories? How
did they get therel Were they mere vag-
abonds and Outcasts2 Did they go there
without law, and give to the world an ex-
ample of lawlessness and insubordination?
No, sir, they were American citizens, the
very choice and flower of your yeomanry
They went there carrying with them the
arts and arms, the laws and institutions Of
their country, and their they planted en-
pire and civilization. How is this Govern
ment, aud how are the people of these
States known upon that coast? 1t is
through the eighty odd thousand people
there who have given to the world from
their first settlement, an example Of law
abiding, an Industrious patriotic, suf-
ering-ay, and heroic people. You are
known there through them, and through
the institutions which they have carried
there with them. Sir, when men talk
about vagabouds in that country, might
with prOpriety refer them to Baltimore,
and to Philadelphia, and to New York,
and to all your large cities, and even to
this National Capital.
Have you no Vagabonds? Have you nc
courts no juries, no jails, no penitOntiaries!
Why, even here, murder stalks at MONDAY
and has marched in procession. 1t ha;
controlled the elections of a neighborinq
city; and this too, in your densely populat
ed old States-this too, in your cities
where civilization and refinement reign
| say to gentlemen who fling the tern