WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
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do its arms and its chivalry. It is as much their duty to do so; and there is a chivalry always in protecting the weak against the strong, the defenseless against the aggressor. If the honorable chairman of the Committee on. Military Affairs is prepared to say that no officer of the army has been concerned in this nefari- ous transaction, I am perfectly willing to waive it. If I have done injustice, show it to me, and I will take it back. But if the Senator is not prepared to do it, I insist upon it, as a matter of grave consideration and import to the honor of the nation, that it devolves the responsibility on the Executive of prompt action. [Mr. Shields renewed his request for names of the officers charged.] Mr. Houston. The report is made by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and is predicated upon the statement of General Whitfield. The gentlemen named are Major Maclin and Major Ogden, of the United States Army. If they are innocent of this, I most heartily hope-having known one of them, and felt an interest in his appointment--they will be enabled to vindicate themselves most fully, and to establish the character which, I believe, they were entitled to up to this time, or until this in- formation came. Now, Mr. President, here was a report made in relation to the Indians at Fort Laramie. We are told that, for three years, these recommendations for an increase of the army have been before the Senate; and yet, wonderful to tell, all the outrages that have been committed upon the emigrants to California, and Oregon, was the crippled cow transaction. Three years ago there was a call for this as loudly as there is now, and yet no disastrous consequences have taken place; for, if Lieutenant Grattan had never gone there, there would never have been any difficulty; or if, previous to that time, the army had not gone and committed outrages upon the _Indian across the Missouri River, there would not have been any difficulty. Here, sir, by way of digression, I will state that Governor Stevens, with sixty men, and comparatively few presents, perhaps not amounting to more than $5,000 in value, traveled through all the hostile tribes from Fort Laramie, or where he first struck the Indian country, to Oregon, and never met with molestation. He conciliated them all; and he speaks of their great anxiety to conciliate the United States, and the great respect and hospitality
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