WRITINGS OF SAl\f HOUSTON, 1830
156
of the country, and comport, seemly, with its character at a dis- tance. It would present the rare and beautiful spsctacle, of a country, renowned in arms, vast in her resources, unconquerable by foreign enemies-reposing in the consciousness of h~r own power-at the same time cherishing a love of justice, maintaining the faith of treaties-redeeming her pledges solemnly, and vol- untarily given to a people, from whom power, united with injus- tice, can only withhold their fulfillment! Where stood the Indian of other days? He stood on the shor3 of the Atlantic, and beheld, each morning, the sun rolling from the bosom of its green waves. In that sun he beheld his God, and bowed in homage to the shrine. He felt that no intermediate crea- ture, could usurp the favor of his Divinity. He was monarch of the wilds, and his buoyant step proclaimed him, "every inch a king." That age has long gone by-the aboriginal character is almost lost in the views of th,3 white man, or by a series of impo- ~itions. A succession of injuries has broken his proud spirit, and taught him to kiss the hand which inflicts upon him stripes-to cringe, and ask favors of the wretch, who violates his oath, by defrauding him money promised by treaties-base!y retaining it, for purposes of speculation-by becoming a partner in trade, with creatures s2lected for the purpose-or a secret partner, in 3:ll con- tracts for which the Government has selected him as its agent. If this were the limit of injustice to, and fraud upon, the In- dians, and peculation upon the Government, it would be toler- able-but when, added to this, the introduction of. ardent spirits, in vast quantities, by the agents-the quantity sold by their knowledge, and with their connivance, ensures the Indians, a ce1·tain, if not a speedy destruction! It would require much time, and attention to this subject to place it in a situation, where the wisdom of the President would be brough,t to act fairly upon it. For that purpose, the writer of this article will pursue the subject, by chapters, in which he holds himself pledged to exhibit a scene of corruption in the agents of the United States, without a parallel-unless it is to be found in the conduct of Warren Hastings, while employed in the East Indies. At the same time that he regrets the necessity of exposing delinquents to deserved odium-he ·will nevertheless feel himself warranted, in so doing, by the facts and circumstances of the case.- They were, or-are at this time, public function- aries, and as such they are ·amenable to public censure. They have betrayed and abused public trust, and therefore deserve
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