WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
430
the offense felony. It is necessary to do so to vindicate the national honor, and to punish delinquents. If this amendment be adopted, I shall vote to retain the proviso ; otherwise, I shall be in favor of striking it out for I am well satisfied that unless something of this sort be adopted every cent of the money appropriated will be obtained by greedy attorneys, and not a cent will go to the Indians. This is so in regard to the Indian annuities. The drunken and worthless Indians involve the annuity of the nation to these people, while the more discret and temperate and properly- behaved men avoid these machinations and designs upon their annuities, and they are rendered responsible to satisfy these men who are continually striving to rob them of the pittance which our Government gives them. It is the duty of the Govern- ment to vindicate its honor, and to punish delinquents who deserve to be whipped through creation with scorpion lashes; and unless you apply the lash, you will see every law that you pass here evaded by men who are actuated by averice and cupidity, and who will stop at no crime to accomplish their infernal ends. Sir, my remarks apply to no man who is exempt from the imputa- tion. No honest man can object to them. I am not abusing my privilege here, for such men as will enter into contrivances of this kind to swindle and defraud the Indians are entitled to no consideration here; and what will be hereafter I know not. I feel that some provision like that which I have proposed should be made in order to protect the Indians, to carry out the views of the Government, and vindicate its honor... The objection made cannot apply to this. It was insisted upon by gentlemen who wished to pay the money to the Shawnees in the State of Ohio, that it belonged to that tribe of Indians and that the money belonged to them per ca.pita,. The Government is not, I hope, going here, in the discharge of the trust confided to it, to hand over to the Shawnee chiefs the amount of money in precious metals, because it would be unsafe to trust that amount to them in traveling, for they have not the same protection that the white man has. If it were so given, and lost, the Government would still be amenable to the nation, who have a right to claim it per capita. They say that it is inconvenient to pay in the manner proposed; that some of the Shawnee chiefs objected to it. Has the Goverment listened to the objection made by the Indians as to any particular mode in which they wish to treat them'! It is the first time the voice of the Indian has been heard in
; I , I '' 1 1
I I• I• I I, i I I!
: I I '.
'I
Powered by FlippingBook