Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-10
CONGRESSIONAL.
Lively Debate en- the Indian Bill
The Reservation System De.
nounced as Slavery.
Efforts to Defeat the Thievery
of Agents,
HOUSE
Importing Cline.

Importing Crime.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-Mr. Cox offered
a resolution asking the President 10 conf
niunicate any corTSs,6n3snce between the
State Department and other Governments
as to the landing of foreign convicts on
these shores, and what legislation, if any,
is necessary to prevent such oatrages.
Adopted,
indian slavery = Compulsory Chris:
tfanity.
The House at 11:30 went into Committee
of the Whole, Mr.. Poland in the chair, On
the Indian appropriation bill.
Mr.. Eldricge opposed an amendment re-
quiring certain tribes to be put upon reser-
vations. He objected to that as only an
other form of slavery and recommended
that the Indians he treated with fairness
and justice, and that the attempt TO con-
vert them into Christian associations lie
abandoned. 1t had keen conceded on all
hands there had been nothing so injurious
TO the Indians or that had driven them into
such hostility against the whites as what
were called Christian associations.
Mr.. Loughridge, who has charge efthebill,
said that The effect Of the reservation SYSTEM
was I'd make slases of the Indians.
Mr.. Stelle reminded Mr.. Eldridge if con-
tact with Christians was demoraliZing then
the morality of the Indians wuild be pro
moted by segregation.
Remarks were made by Messrs. Hawley
and Niblack in favor OF placing The Indians
under military control and by Mr.. Parker,
OF Missouri, against it.
The proposition offered by Mr.. Beck re-
quiring vouchers for Indian supplies, etc,
to be submitted to the Executive Commit
tee of the Indian Peace CommissoHers,
gave rise to some lively discussion. Mr..
Beck charged that such provision which
had been put into the law some years agu
had since been repealed in the interest of
Thriving Indian Agents.
He declared that the Republican side of the
House was responsible before the country
for opposing this provision and thus refus-
ing to apply the only safe guards that could
be raised against the payment of millions
of dollars on fraudulent vouchers.
Mr.. Garfield opposed Mr.. Beck's prOpO-
sition because its effect was to depOse not
only the Indian Commissions, but the Sec
retary Of the Interior, and to impose theiI
duties upon outside parties. He did not
hesitate to call it mOnstrouS proposition.
Mr. Beck related various instances of big
frauds on the part of Indian agents, and
said it was for the purpose Of putting a
stop to such fral Ids, that the law which be
now proposed to review, had been original
~ passed in 1859, and the gentleman from
Ohio (Garfield) had not then dared to op
pose ii.
Mr. Garfield, sarcastically-Had not
dared-that is good.
Mr.. Beck, emphatiCally-Yes, had not
dared. l put it with .an emphasis. The
gentlemen (Garfeld) says am imposing
this provision on the department. l am
not. l am imposing it on the thieves in
side of that department, and only on them
want to make it impossible for fraudulent
vouchers to be paid.
Mr.. Butler, Of Tennessee, approved the
repeal of the law which Mr.. Beck wished
TO have re-enacted.
Mr.. Loughbridge admitted there were
frauds committed under the Indian Bureau
but denied they were peculiar to this era
or to his administration.
After further discussion Mr.. Beck with
drew his proposition.
At last the bill was got through with il
the House.
Mr.. Stowell, from the Committee OF
POst-Offices, reported bill authorizing the
Postmaster General TO join General Jones
late postmaster of New York, in the con
veyance of certain real estate which wa:
the property of J. w. Norton, the default
ing pOst-office official. Passed.
The House then adjourned.