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'• J, » n y of lho political evil., under which every Country in the world labours, are not owinj to any waul of lovo for our Country, but to an ignorance of u» real cumti liiliun nn.l interests." Fill ESTI. Y .
NEW SERIES. Vol. VIII. AUGUSTA, TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 3, 1830. No. 13.
SPEECH OF
MR. WILDE, OF GEORGIA,
On Ihe Bill for removing the In Hans from
the East to the ff'est side of the Missis
sippi. Delivered in the House of R j>re
sentatives, on the 20 Ih May, 1830.
[continued. 3
Mr. Wilde said, lie would next refer to
the speeches and messages f the different
Piesidents of the United Slates, as illus |
trative of the course pursued by the Go
vernment on this subject.
Un il near the close xis General Washing-,
ton’s administration, the relations between
the Indians and the United Slates, as was
well known, were those ot almost unceasing
hostility. The detention of the western
posts, ami the machina'ions of foreign agents,
among the savages, were topics ot frequent
complaint.
In his first speech to Congress, January 8,
1790, he says: “There was reason to hope
that the pacific measures with regard to cer-j
tain host ile tribes of Indians would have re
lieved the inhabitants of our southern and
western frontiers from their depredations.
But you will perceive from the information
Contained in (he papers which i shall direct
to be laid b fore you, that v.e ought to be (
prepared to afford protection to those parts
of the Uni»n, and if necessary, to punish thei
aggressors.” In his speech at the opening ofj
Congress, Bth December, 1790, ho informs
Congress of the murders and other outrages
committed by the Indians, and that defen
sive operations being inadequate, he had or
dered out the militia, and directed offensive
operations.
On the 25th October,, 1791, in his speech
at the commencement of the session, he in
forms Congress of the steps taken to pun-! 1
ish the savages, and restore peace to the 1
frontier, and recommends measures in re- 1
lation to trade and intercourse with them, j'
In his speech November 6, 1792, the j
President details the efforts made to restore J
peace, and the various depredations and 1
outrages of the savages. After adverting to
the hostilities north of the Ohio, he pro
ceeds : “ It must add to your concern to be
informed ; that, beside “ the continuation
ot hostile appearances among the tribes,
north of the Ohio, some threatening symp-j
toms have of late been revived among soinej
of those souih of it. A part of the Chero-'
kees, known by the name of Chickamagas,,
inhabiting five villages on the Tennessee;
liver, have long been in (he pratice of com-; 1
mining depredations on the neighboring'
settlements. ,
“ It was hoped that the treaty of Hoi- j!
slon, made with the Cherokee nation in{
July, 1791, would have prevented a repeti- 1
tion ot such depredations. But the event
has not answered this hope. The Chicka
magas, aided by some banditti of another
tribe in their vicinity, have recently perpe
trated wanton and unprovoked hostilities
upon the citizens of the United States in
that quarter.”
In the succeeding year’s speech, Decem
ber 3, 1793. he states the obstinacy of the
savages : the liberality of the United States
to them ; the relief extended to them in
food and clothing ; the anxiety of our Gov
ernment for peace, and still critical state
of our relations with the Creeks and Chero
kees.
On the 19’.h November, 1794, he refers to 1
the military operations under Gen. Wayne,
the willingness of the Government to grant
the Indians peace, and adds ; “Towards
none of the Indian tribes have overtures of
friendship been spared. The Creeks, in
particular, are covered from encroachment
by the interposition of the General Govern
ment and that of Georgia.”
In his speech at the opening of Congress
Blh December, 1795, he mentions the suc
cessful termination of the war with the
Northern Indians, and the trespasses al
leged to have been committed on the South
ern, Indians, by some lawless white men.
This is the only instance during the whole
course of his Administration, in which the
Indian hostilities do not appear to have
been entirely wanton and unprovoked.
In the same speech he suggests the pro
priety of taking means to supply their ne
cessities, and the possibility of civilizing
them.
In 1796 he speaks of the measures taken j
to secure peace and establish forts and trad
ing houses.
Thus far :
■*’' To chastise their unprovoked hostility by!
Irms ;
To provide them occasionally, and in!
case of absolute necessity, with food and
clothing; ...
To cultivate their good will by presents ;|
Prevent intrusions on their hunting’
grounds ;
Provide for intercourse and commerce
with them ; and establish forts and trading
houses, seem to have been the principal sub
jects of Executive solicitude.
During the ensuing Administration, Mr.
\V, said, he found in the speeches of the
—iniimb iinmin— mm mi
President only one reference to our Indian \
'affairs : on 23.1 November, 1797, where he;t
speaks ot the interference ol foreign agents,'i
and their attempts to excite the savages to r
hostilities against the United States, and ,
suggests the passage of a law to reach such j
offences. |
The President, then, evidently did not t
i oonsidei such a law as an unwarrantable t
interference with Indian sovereignly. (i
Neither in the Inaugural Address or first t
Message of Mr. Jefferson, is any mention f
|mada of Indian affairs. t
j The remaining Messages of the first four
years of his Administration, refer, in gene- t
i ral terms, to the settlement of boundaries, i
; the cessions of lands, and the efforts of the (
G iverumeut to preserve peace and intro- s
duce agriculture and the arts among them. (
in his Inaugural Address, at the com- t
inencemeut ot ins second term, 4th Maich, s
1805, he comments on the condition of this 1
! people more at length s j
I “ I'lie Aboriginal inhabitants of these c
'countries 1 have regarded with the cummis- i
cration their history inspires. Endowed a
with the faculties and the rights of men— a
breathing an ardent love of liberty and inde- t
pcndence—and occupying a country which t
left them no desire but to be undisturbed—j
,'the stream of oveiflowing population, from a
'other regions, directed itself on these shores i
■j —without power to divert, or habits to con- I
Itend against, they have been overwhelmed t
by the current, or driven before it—now re- t
duced within limits too narrow fur the hun- t
ter’s slate, humanity ei joins us to teach <
them agriculture and the arts—to encourage i
them to that industry w hich atone can ena
ble them to maintain their place in exis- t
lence —and to prepare them in time for that a
'state of society wnich to bodily comforts f
adds the improvements of tbc mind and mu- f
rals. We have, therefore, liberally furnish-;!
ed them with the implements ot husbandry i:
and household use ; we have placed among 1
them instructors in the arts ot first necessi- v
ty ; and they are covered with the aegis of!
the law, against aggressors from among f
themselves. jr
“ But the endeavors to enlighten (hem olil
the fate which awaits their present course s
of life, to induce them to exercise theirjt
reason, follow its dictates and changer
their pursuits with the change of circutu- I
stances, have powerful obstacles to encoun- J
ter; they are comuatted by the habits of s
jtheir bodies, prejudices of their minds, ig- c
norance, pride, and the influence of interest* t
ed and crafty individuals among them, who t
feel themselves something in the present c
iorder ol things, and fear to become nothing r
'in any other. These persons inculcate a v
sanctimonious reverence for the customs of v
their ancestors,* that whatever they did, t
must be done through all time, that reason a
is a false guide, and to advance under its |
counsel in their physical, moral, or political ti
condition, is perilous innovation ; that their t
duty is to remain as their Urea'or made t
them, ignorance being safety, and know- f
ledge full of danger ; in short, my friends r
among them is seen the action and counter- a
action of good sense and bigotry ; they too, p
have their anti-philosophers, who find an in- a
terest in keeping things tn their present
state, who diead reformation, and exert all r
their faculties to maintain the ascendancy 1
of habit, over the duty of improving our rea-;0
son, and obeying its mandates.” is
la the Messages of 1805-6 and 7, the es jt
forts of the Government to preserve peace— p
the acceptance of cessions—the determine- c
tion to promote their progress and welfare
are mentioned. s
In 1808, the President informs Congress, n
that “ one of the two great divisions of the n
Cherokee nation have now in consideration
to solicit the citizenship of the United States, t
and to be identified with us, in laws and t
government, in such progressive manner as 1
we shall think best. In the Message of I*
President Madison, in 1809-10 and lino-"
thing material appeared in relation to this s
topic. In 1812, he says, “ The Indian v
tribes, not under foreign instigations, re- 1
main at peace, and receive the civilizing at-i>
tentions which have proved so beneficial to «
them.” \ c -
In the Messages of 1813 and 14, refer- s
ence is made to the war with the Southern a
I Indians, and the military services of the a
{present Chief Magistrate. t
j In 1815, the President says, “The In-l
dian tribes within, and bordering on the t
Southern frontier, whom a cruel war on their I
part had compelled us to chastise into peace, V
■have latterly shewn a restlessness, which t
has called for preparatory measures for sup- *
' pressing it, and for protecting the comtnis-'j
sioners engaged in carrying the terms ot the <
!peace inu> execution.”
; | In 1816, he says, “The Indian tribes [
pjwithin our limis appear also disposed to j r
remain at peace. Fiona several of them, ‘
! ;purchases have been made, particularly fa- <
I vorable to the wishes and security of our '
(frontier settlements, as well as to the gene
ral interests of the nation. In some in- '
• stances, the titles, though not supported by '
: |due proofs, and clashing those of one tribe I
with the claims of another, have been ex
tinguished by double purchases—Hie bene
volent policy of the Uni e;l Stales, prefer
ring the augmented expense to ihe hazard
of doing injustice, or to 'he enforcement of
justice against a feeble and untutored peo-i
pie, by means involving or threatening an,
effusion of blood. lam happy to add, that!
the tranquillity which has been restored a-'
lining the (rib s themselves, us well as be
tween them and our own population, will|
favor the resumption of the wm k of civiliza j
tion, which had made an encourugi ig pro-!
gress among some of the tribes ; and tha'i
the facility is increasing for extending that
divided and individual ownership, which
exists now in moveable properly only, to the
soil itself; and of thus establishing in the
culture and improvement of it, (he ti ue foun
ilation for a transit, from (be habits of the
savage to the arts and comforts of social
life.”
President Monroe, in his Inaugural Ad
dress, 1817, Says, “ With the Indian tribes,
it is our duty to cultivate friendly relations,
and to act with kindness and liberality in
all our transactions. Equally proper is it
to persevere in our efforts to extend to them
the advantages of civilization.”
In his message of December. 1817, he
adverts to the purchases of land from seve
ral Indian tribes bordering on L ke Erie,
by which the Indian title, with the excep
tion of moderate reservations, has been ex
ti> guished to the whole of the land within
the limits of the State of Ohio, and to a part
of that in the Michigan territory and the
State of Indiana.
“ F om the Cherokee tribe, a tract has
been purchased in the State of Georgia, and
an arrangement made, by which, in exchange
for lands beyond the Mississippi, a great
part, if not the whole of the land belonging
to that tribe Eastward of that river, in the
States of North Carolina, Georgia, and
Tennessee, and in the Alabama teiritory,
will soon be acquired ” j
The House will remark how far these,
flattering an'icipations are yet from being
realized.
The President continues : “ The hunter
state can exist only in the vast uncultivated'
desert. It yields to the more dense and
compact form and greater force of a civi
lized population ; and of right it ought to
yield, for the earth was given to mankind to
support the greatest number of which if is
capable ; and no tribe or people have a right
to withhold from the wants of others, more
than is necessary for their own support and i
comfort. It is gratifying to know hat thei l
reservations of land made by the treaties 1 !
with the tribes on Luke Eiie, were madejl
with a view to individual ownership among i
them, and to the cultivation of the soil by i
all, and that an annual stipend hasbcenji
pledged to supply all their wants. It wil 1J
merit the consideration of Congress, \vhe-,
(her other provision, not s;ipulated by trea '
ty, ought to be made for these tribes, and
for the advancement of the liberal and hu
mane policy of the United States towards
all the tribes within our limits, and, none
particularly, for their improvement in the I
arts of civilized life.” ;j
In the message of 1818, speaking of so- j
reign adventures among the savages, the .
President says : “ it is to the interference 1 !
of some of these adventurers, in misrepre-.i
senting the claims and titles of the Indians*!
to land, and in practising on their savage i
propensities, that the Seminole war is prin- i
cipally to be traced
On the general topic, he remarks, in the i
same message, “ Experience has clearly de
monstrated that independent savage com
munities cannot long exist within the limits
of a civilized population. The progress of
the latter has almost invaribly terminated in
the extinction of the former, especially of;
the tribes belonging to our portion of this,
hemisphere, among whom loftir ess of senti-j
ment and gallantry in action have been con-i
spicuous. To civilize them, and even pre-|i
vent their extinction, it seems to be indis-,i
pensable that their Independence, as com
munities, should cease, and that the control!
of the United States over them should be'i
complete and undisputed. The hunter-'i
state will then be more easily abandoned, 1
and recourse will be had to the acquisition
and culture of land, and to other pursuits
tending to dissolve the ties which connect
them together as a savage community, and
to give a new character to every individual.
1 present this subject to the consideration
of Congress, on the presumption that it may
be found expedient and pratici.ble to adopt
some benevolent provisions having these ob
j cts in view, relative to the tribes within j
our settlements ”
In the message of 1819 and 1820,
passages relative to Indian affairs either do
not bear so immediately on this question,
or do not present any thing material to be j
quoted, in his Inaugural Address of 1821,
Mr. Monroe expresses himself thus t
“ The care of the Indian tribes within
our limits has long been an essential part ol
our system ; but, unfortunately, it has not
been executed in a manner to accomplish 1
all the objects intended by it, VVc have
treated them as independent nations, with
out tlieii having any substantial pretensions
to that rank. The distinction ha« flattered
their pride, retarded their improvement,
;and in many instances, paved ihe way to
i,their destruction. The progress of nur |et
jtlemen's Westward, supported, ns they are,
by n dense population, has constantly dri
: v n them back, w'nh almost the total sacri
fice of the lands which they hove been com
ipelled tn abandon. They have claims on
■ the magnanimity, and I may add, on the|
justice of this nation, which we must all
t (eel. We should become their real bene j
i factors ; we should peifurm the office of
> theii Great Father, the endearing title which
t they emphatically give to the Chief Magis-j
(rate of our Union. Their sovereignty o
• ver territories should cease, in lieu of which
the right of soil should be secured to each
individual and his posterity, in competent 1
portions, and, for the territory thus ceded I
by each tribe, some reasonable equivalent i
should be granted, to be vested in perma* I
nent funds, for the support of civil govern-|l
ment over them, and fur the education of'
their'children ; for their instruction in the;!
arts ot husbandry, and to provide susten-jl
ance for them until they could provide it i
tor themselves. My earnest hope is, that |
Congress will digest some plan, founded on I
the-e principles, with such improvements i
as their wisdom may suggest, and carry it
into effect as soon as it may be practicable.” 1
In the Messi'g • of 1821, there is nothing
. of peculiar interest, relative ip (he Indians.!
In 1822, the President informs Congress,
i of the abolition of the trading houses, in
conformity with (he act for that purpose, j
In 1823. there is nothing important on
this topic. I
In 1824, the President informs Congress ;
of some Indian hostilities, on the Upper
Mississippi; of the preservation of pacific (
relations with the other tribes, and after re- 1
(marking upon the schools, pursues the ge
neral -subject thus ; i
"The condition of the aborigines within I
our limits, and especially those who are widi- 1
it. the limits of any of the States, merits like- *
wise particular attention. Experience has 1
shown, that unless the tribes be civilized, 1
they can never be incorporated into our sys- 1
tein, in any form whatever. It has likewise
shown, that in the regulai augmentation of'
our population, with the extension of our set
tlements, their situation will become de- *
ploruble, if their extinction is not menaced.
Some well digested plan, which will rescue *
them from such calamities, is due to theii *
rights, so the rights of humanity, and to the f
honor of the nation. Their civilization is in
dispensable to their safety, and this can be *
'accomplished only by degrees. The process} 6
itnust commence with the infant state, thro’ *
'whom some effect may be wrought on the!
.parental. Difficulties of the most serious 1
'character present themselvrs to the attain-i*
ment of dus very desirable result, on the *
tfcrritmy on which they now reside. To re- a
move them from it by force, even with a view S
to their own security and happiness, would 0
be revolting to humanity, and ulteily un- u
justifiable. Between (he limits of our pre- 1
sent States and Territories, and the Rocky *
Mountains and Mexico, there is a vast ten-j
ritory, to which they might be invited, wilhj r
.inducements which might be successful. lt| il
is thought, if that territory should be divided *
into districts, by previous agreement with;*
the tribes now residing (here, and civil go-i°
vernmenta be established in each, with!*
schools for every branch of instruction in| c
literature, and in ihe arts of civiliz d life,. 6
that all the tribes now within our limits might;*
gradually be drawn there. The execution of j
this plan would necessarily be attended with 1
expense, and that not inconsiderable; but it;'
is doubted whether any other can be devised,j*
.which would be less liable to that objeciion,;
jor more likely to succeed.”
j On the 27th January, 1825, Mr. Monroe,'
Jsent his special message (o Congress, on die *
subject of the Indians, accompanied by the a
[then Secretary of War’s plan of colonization- *
That message and report are comparatively
|eo recentand well known, that he would only S
'quote a short paragraph from each. Mr. a
Monroe says ; u
“Experience has cleaily demonstrated, t
that, in their present state, it is impossible t
to incorporate them, in such masses, in any i
form, into our system. It has also demon- t
strated, with equal certainty, that, wi bout t
a timely anticipation of, and provision, a-!|
gainst, 'he dangers to which they are ex-|e
posed, under causes which it will be diffi a
cult, if not impossible, to control, (heir de-lr
gradation and extermination will be inevi-’a
liable.” !a
; Mr. Calhoun, in hia repoit, speakingoli
(he Southern tribes, says : q
“Os the four Southern tribes, two of r
|them, the Cherokee* and Choctaws, have i
already allotted to them a tract of country i
West of the Mississippi. That which has a
been allotted to the latter is believed to belt
sufficiently ample for (he whole nation.;c
ilshould they emigrate ; and if an artaoge-
Wnt, which is believed m>t to be imnrac.ti-'s
cable, could be made between them and tha
Chickasaws, who are their neighbors, and of
similar habits and dispositions, it would be
sufficient for the accommodation of both.
A sufficient country should be reserved to
the West of the Cherokee*, on the Aikan
sas, as a means of exchange with those who
remain on the East. To the Creeks might
be allotted a country between (he Arkansas
and Canadian river, which limits the North
ern boundary of the Choctaws in that quar
ter”
| Go the 3d F. bruary, 1826, Mr. Secreta
ry Barbour’s report on the subject of Indi
«n Colonization was made,
j In 1828, M* . Adams submitted to Con
gress his views on this topic, and at the
jsame session was presented Mr. Secretary
Porter’s repoit. These he would not now
stop particularly to examine. He might
advert to them hereafter. Every gentleman,
he presumed, had read them, and he would
be fully borne out in the assertion that they
agreed, substantially, and in principle, with
the suggesli >ns of Mr. Monroe and Mr.
Calhoun. On th> se documen s, he would
offer only one reflection. From the days of
| Mr, Jefferson, to the present, this policy had
jbeen steadily kept in view by the Govern
ment. It had always been deemed wise,
practicable, and just. Why, then, ate wa
told it is new and visionary ?—that we have
not sufficient information on which to act ?
that the plan has not been duly consider
ed and matured ? Have so many eminent
men amused themselves by throwing out
(crude notions, to Congress and the People,
upon a question so deeply affecting the in
terests of the Union and the lives and hap
piness i ( thousands of their fellow-beings ?
Have they dared to practise a deception on
the country, and has this deception been re
peated through foui Administrations ?
Mr. Wilde said, before he left this part
of the subject, he would advert to what had
been smd as to the supposed opinion of Gen.
Washington, and his Cabinet, as to the
rights of the Indians and the policy to be
pursued towards them. He, too, had had
access to the original documents on (In flies
of <he Senate, and he begged leave to qu ne
a part of them", for the purpose of showing
that the course adopted was considered as
one of expediency chiefly, if not solely.
The paper he should read was a commu
nication from Gen. K-uox, the Secretary of
War, to the Presid nt of the United Slates,
dated IJtli June, 1789.
“ The United S ates, having come into
the possession of sovereignty, and an ex'en
sive territory, must unavoidably be subject
to the expenses of such a con'trion.
“ The time has arrived, when i is highly
expedient that a liberal system ol justice
should bo adopted for the various Indian
tribes within the limi s of the United States.
“By having recourse to the several Indian
treaties, made by the authority of Congress,
since the conclusion of the war wi‘h Great
Britain, excepting those made January,! 789,
at Fort liarmar, it-would appear (hut Con
gress were of opinion that the treaty of peace
of 1783,absolutely invested them uilh H e fee
ufall the Indian lands within (he limits of
the U. States; that they had the righ m as
sign or retain such portions as they should
judge proper. But it is manifest, from ihe
representations of the Confederated Indiana
at the Huron village, in December, 1786,
that they entertained a different opinion, &
that they were the only rightful proprietors
of the soil; and it appears, by the resolve of
the 2d ot July, 1788, that Congress so far
conformed to the idea, as to appropriate a
sum of money solely to the purpose of ex
tinguishing the, Indian claims to lands they
had ceded to the U. State*, and for obtain
ing regular conveyances of the same. This
object was accordingly accomplished at the
treaty of Fort Harmar in January, 1789.
“The, principle of the Indian right to ih«s
lands they possess, being thus conceded, the
dignity and interest of (he nation will be ad
vanced by making it the b„sis of the future
administration of justice towards the Indian
tribes.
“The whole number of Indian warriors
South of the Ohio, and East of the Missis
sippi, may be estimated at fourteen thous
and; 'hose to the. Northward of the Ohio. &
to the Southward of the Lakes, at about five
thousand. In addition to these, the old men,
women and children, may be estimated at
three for one warrior, the whole amounting
to,seven(y-six thousand souls. It is highly
probable that, by a conciliatory system, the
expense of managing Ihe said Indians and
attaching them to ihe United States, for the
next ensuing period of fifty years, may, on
average, cost fifteen thousand dollars annu
all>'*
"A system of coercion and oppression,
pursued from time to time, for the same pe
riod, as the convenience of the United States
might dictate, would probably amount to a
much greater suin of money. But the blood
and injustice which would staiu the charac
ter of the nation, would be beyond all pc
cuniary calculation.
“ As the settlements of the whites shall
approach near to tho Indian boundaries es