The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-04
ADMISSION OF COLORADO.
SPEECH OF SENATOR LANE OF IND.
delivered In the Senate, April 25th.


considerable length into the general
discussion of the subject before the
Senate. | rise more especially for the
purpose of performing an act of jus
tice toward an old, long-tried, trusted
and true friend, whom | have known
for thirty years If the distinguished
Senator from Massachusetts, Mr..
Sumner !, had contented himself yes
terday with referring simply to. con-
siderations growing out of the condi-
ton of Colorado, and what he regards
as the exceptionables features in the
Constitution of that State, should
not have felt bound or called upon to
say one word further in the discussion
of this subject. aliaaa
The Senator from Massachusetts
undertook, however, to disparage
statements contained in the pamphlet
signed by the two Senators elect from
Colorado by reference to the report
of the Committee on the Conduct OF
the War. in which the name of Gov
ernor Evans. one of the Senators elect
from Colorado, occurs That report
was made under misapprehenslon OF
the facts. The evidence was taken
first before three members of a com.
mittee consisting of nine, then before
two. and finally, as | understand, only
one member of the committee was
present. They acted, doubtless, with
perfectly fair and honest intentions,
but they did injustice unintentionally
to Governor Evans, as | am prepared
to show by an abstract of all the doc
nments bearing upon the subject.
The report of the committee accuses
Governor Evans of prevarication as
witness before that committee. The
point in issue was this
Mr.. WADE-As / do not know that
K shall make any speech on the sub
iect, and allusion has once or twice
been made to what occurred before
the Committee on the Conduct of the
War, I barely wish to say that at the
investigation which is alluded to here |
was not present, although my name
appears as chairman of the committee
appended to the report. The evil
dence of Governor Evans, and all the
rest of the witnesses, will be found in
the epOrt precisely, ! suppose as it
was taken down, and every one can
consult that and ascertain how 1t was.
[ only wish to say that | was absent
In New York and Boston prosecuting
another investigation connected with
that committee at the time Governor
Evans testimony was taken, and
therefore had no connection with this
Mr. LANE, of Indiana That is
true; and if the Senator had waited
one moment, | should have so stated.
/ make no charge of unfairness
against the committee The evidence
is al. reported, word for word; but
they misapprehended the character of
Governor Evans's testimony, as the
published facts will show to any can
did mind. have no doubt their re-
port was perfectly fair. The report,
however, charges Governor Evans
with prevarications as a witness, in
this: the charge was that the Chey-
enne Indians were friendly tribe;
that they had been brought to Fort
Lyon under the invitation of Gov
ernors Evans and the Indian Bureau
to make treaty; and that they were
set upon by a Colonel Chivington
and murdered men, women. and
children; a charge well calculated to
shock the moral sensibilities of the
whole people. The committee took it
for granted, it seems to me, in their
report, that the charge was true; and
because Governor Evans did not in
dorse the charge, they accused him of
prevarication Now, what were the
facts, as shown by the report of the
s Indian Bureau and the Secretary of
9 War, which have before me? If
any gentleman cOntroverts what say,
| am. prepared to prove every word
that / shall say.
Ia the first place. these Cheyenne
1ndlanS were ilOC Irlenutys Jnuta Isns
they are at war with the people OF the
United States; they had been engaged
robbery, and murder upon the plains.
To show that they were friendly In
dams, the Committee on the Conduct
Of the War report the further. fact
that although they had seven white
prisoners with them they had pur7
- chased the prisoners. The proof
taken before the council is, that every
prisoner had been taken from muir
dered trains upon the plains by the
very men who had them, and there
was no purchase in it. s.g.5t,,@
The Committee assumed another
fact. that Governor Evans offered a
premium to the people of Colorado to
90 out and scalp Indians, men, women
and children, friendly and unfriendly
have the proclamation of Governor
Evans here, word for word, in which
,su5he excludes all friendly Indians; anG
who else? All who had been invited
to Fort Lyon to enter into treaty
where the massacre is said to hav
occurred. A I have the further fac
that Governor Evans was not In tn
~ Territory at, the time, and was n
IA !. = - ..lal,,nnr,aihle for that massacr