325
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1839
subject alone to her disposition. It was this that had induced him to introduce this bill - and he again repeated that he hoped members would lay aside all party feelings, and, having their country's good alone at heart, decide the question on the princi- ples of equity and eternal justice. This question had never been rightly understood by the people of Texas. There has been a party in the Country who have always endeavored to suppress the light, and throw as much dark- ness and mystery about it as possible. This party have been engaged in extensive land speculations, and would fain have monopolized all the Cherokee lands, to their own unhallowed pur- poses. The Executive had been under the necessity of publish- ing the facts connected with this subject himself - and it had been made the grounds of violent opposition. He had been called the Indian's friend, and accused of greater lenity towards them than he could show to his own countrymen. Those accusations had not intimidated him, but he had steadily pursued that course which he conceived to be, not only required for the reputation of the country, but for her safety and prosperity. In this holy cause, he had to oppose the cupidity and avarice of those interested, and meet the whole might of their opposition. They suppressed the truth - they endeavored to blind the peo- ple--they declared that the Cherokees had no right to the land- that the pledge made by the Consultation was not binding - and that the President was endeavoring to give to them a large portion of the most beautiful and valuable territory in the Republic. They attempted to prevent the true state of the question from be- ing laid before the country, and instead of attempting to meet the arguments which had been brought forward in support of the claim of the Indian, the whole weight of their influence and the opprobium which the very name of Indian had in this country, was well calculated to make him unpopular, and the principles of eternal justice we~e forgotten in the unpopularity of the meas- ure. But he hoped the time had arrived when this question would be met upon its true merits - and that each member would make up his verdict as he would if setting upon a jury and deciding between man and man. The reputation of the country required it; and though it is too late to do the Indians justice, we should at least acknowledge their claim. But it is contended that the Consultation had no power to pledge the faith of the nation - and that they had no power to· dispose of any portion of the public domain. Sir, said l\fr. H-,
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