Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-04-06
-..-s5--- Congressionak Proceedings.

Mr. SEBASTIAN lam instructed by the committee on Indian affairs, to offer an amendment:
 For defraying the expense of ransom, re- coyery, and restoration to their homes, of the children surviving the massacre by the Indians of the emigrant train from Ar kansas, in the fall of 1857, Sl0,O00
 The object of this appropriation is stated very conciselv in the terms of the amend ment which have offered The Indian appropriation bills for some years past have contained nominal appropriation for the rescue and ransom of captives who have been taken in different Indian wars, and the forayS and incursons which they have made on the white settlements. h the case em- braced in the amendment the expenses are so large in proportion to the fund voted that the. Indian office recommend an extra appropriation. The contingent fund is entileiy too small and they have estimat- ed this amount. 1t comes within the pur- view and policy of existing laws which provide for the ransom and recovery of captives taken by the Indians in their wars. In 1857, large body of emigrants from Arkansas to California, were en- countered either by the Indians, or the Nor mons instigating the Indians, and entirely massacred the children alone being saved. My attention was called to this fact, some twelve months since; and on instituting inquiries, and the department having as certained the whereabouts of these children, they were found to be amongst the Indians in the Territory of Utah; and through the exertions of the superintendent there they have been ransomed from the Indians, and are now in his possession. The object of this amendment Is simply to provide the necessary expense for paying their ransom and recovery from the Indians, and their restoration to their relatives in Arkansas It is merely to fulfill a subsisting law for which the existing law is inadequate.
 Mir. FREDERICK. Ihope the amend ment will not prevail 1 can assure the Senator from Arkansas, that if there is a request from our government to deliver up the children, the Mormons will deliver them up without any expenditure.
 Mir. SEBASTIAN. The Mormons have not got them; they are now in the ldHtAS oI lht Su 1tl illci AitHt.
 Mr. JOHNSON, of Arkansas. There are seventeen of these children who are all that now remain of very large party which left the State of Arkansas two years since The fathers and mothers of all these children are dead, having been de stroyed in that general massacre The children were taken possession of by the Indians, and they have been ransomed and delivered up; and are now in the posses sion of the officers of the government of the United States. Those officers are pay ing their board and taking care of them. They are of various ages, from infancy up, but the eldest is still in childhood. They are now in the wids of the west with such protection as can be rendered under the cir cumstances. There can be no question as to the propfiety of our furnishing the means to bring them home and deliver them to their friends.
 Here are seventeen helpless children, whose fathers and mothers have been mas- sacred in passing from one part of our ter ritory to another We have legislated for Africans, who in their own wars have been captuied and sold and brought here; we have voted money to take them back and educate them. do not think the amend ment goes far enough. think these white children who have been torn from their natural protectors on account of the ineffi- ciency of our government to protect its citizens within it's own limits, should be protected and cared for, at least as we'll as you would provide for Africans What objection is there to pursuing in this case the usual policy? It has been customary to ransom children taken by the Indians, and restore them to their friends. These children have been recovered from the ln- dians and they are now in the hands of our officers. Shall we leave them to finger and