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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1855
will not violate a treaty unless the aggression is commenced by the whites. A few outlaws of a tribe may; but in such a case the tribe will not sacrifice its annuities for the lives of outcasts. It will either execute them or hand them over to the military authority of the country for condign punishment. In this way a few examples would have an electric influence upon all the tribes, for they have a more direct communication than the United States Government possesses with all its mail facilities, until it establishes a telegraph. They carry intelli- gence a hundred miles in twenty-four hours, and do you think that the laying off of this town in Kansas is not already com- municated to every tribe of Indians in the prairies? Yes, it is; they know that the white man has told the Indians, the Delawares, a lie; they know they have stolen their land; they know there is no faith to be reposed in them. Keep faith with them, send men who are wise and instructed in the Indian disposition and character, and they will give you peace-my life upon it. You have not a solitary man between the Mississippi and the Pacific coast, but knows that all the money in the Treasury lavished, will never give you peace or protection to the emigrants, until you have the confidence and friendship of the Indians. Were you to pay ten thousand, or a hundred thousand, or two hundred thousand dollars to keep the troops there, they would render no aid of importance to the migrants, unless you secure the friend- ship of the Indians. Whenever that is secured you will have peace, but as long as you rely on military force to give protection to the emigrants, you will not have peace. Janw1/1'1f 31, 1855. [After a speech by Mr. Dodge, of Iowa, Mr. Houston said:] Mr. President, I am impressed with the belief that any effort of mine, on the present occasion, will be unavailing for the accom- plishment of the object which I have in view; but, nevertheless, I regard it as an imperative duty to do everything in my power to prevent the adoption of a course of policy which I consider detrimental to the peace and security of our frontier settlements. I admit, sir, that the measure proposed by the Senator from Illinois [Mr. Shields], as chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, is presented to the Senate in an imposing manner. It seems to be indorsed by the Secretary of War and the President of the United States; but, though I entertain full respect for the opinions of those distinguished gentlemen, I must be allowed
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