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Congressional

Congressional image
Parent Issue
Day
13
Month
April
Year
1848
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The Indian Appropriation Bill under consideration. Mr. Giddings moved to strike out the first item under the head -- "To Florida Indians." Mr. G. said there were some facts to which he wished to call the attention of the Committee. He designed to show, that the treaty under which the appropriation was proposed to be made, had never been observed. By the third article of the treaty of the United States, Government stipulated to take the Seminole Indians under its protection, and defend them against all persons whatever. He wished to call the attention of the House to the fact, that instead of protecting these poor Indians, we had suffered them to be robbed with impunity, An Indian Chief has been charged with contemplating mischief to the whites. To disarm suspicion he voluntarily surrendered his and his people's arms. In this helpless state, he had been robbed of all the negroes he held, valued at $15,000, by a vagabond negro-stealer named Robinson, who had ran off and had never been apprehended. Mr. Giddings made this motion to call the attention of the House to this gross outrage, which had never been atoned for. -- The facts of the case were certified by the U.S. District Attorney of Florida, and by the Judge before whom the case was brought. He wished the House and country to know how these Indians, while under the pledge of the United States, and been treated by Florida slave-thieves, who, after the Indians had manifested their confidence by laying down their arms, had robbed them of their slaves, while they were crying to our government for relief. The offenders were to this hour "un-whipped of justice." They had been indicted, but could not be convicted. As a member of the Committee on Indian Affairs, he deemed it his duty to call the attention of the House to these facts; and to show up the different ways in which this Government meted justice to the helpless and to the strong. Mr. G. in his remarks showed that Slavery among the Indians is comparative liberty to slavery among the whites, as shown by W. Thompson, our late agent among the Seminoles, He says that slaves to Indians look with perfect horror upon being sold to white men. Mr. Giddings having thus affected his object in bringing this subject before the House, withdrew his motion to strike out. The discussion of the Loan Bill has ended, and it has passed both Houses. There were but two votes against the Bill in the Senate. These were given by Messrs. Hale and Baldwin. The amount is about $16,000,000. Part of the loan will be appropriated to the future expenses of the war. Mr. Hale presented a resolution for the abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia, which was not received -- 7 to 23. Mr. Allen, of Ohio, asked and obtained leave to introduce joint resolutions congratulating the people of France on the success of the recent Revolution through which they have passed in the establishment of a Republic, &c. Mr. Hale, to test the soundness of gentlemen Senators, proposed an amendment: "And in the 8th line, after the word government, these words: 'And manifesting the sincerity of their purpose by instituting measures for all the immediate emancipation of the slaves of all the colonies of the Republic,'" and after some remarks, moved the amendment he printed for the use of the Senate, and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. -- Here was trouble. Moved a postponement -- lost 14 to 28; but after some discussion the bill was finally laid over. It will be a matter of curiosity to see how the amendment of Mr. Hale will be disposed of. We have been politely furnished with the first number of the Western Excelsior, a small sheet printed in Detroit. The editorial is short, but spirited and expressive. We think the name of the paper appropriate. Should like to know the Editor's name. Suppose it is edited by a colored man. We notice about some resolutions passed at a meeting of the colored citizens of Detroit, on the death of John Q. Adams, which were sent to Mrs. Adams. We give her reply, as published by the Detroit Advertiser. TO THE COLORED CITIZENS OF DETROIT Washington, April 3, 1848. Mr. William H. Day -- I have to acknowledge the reception of your letter, accompanying the resolutions adopted by the colored citizens of Detroit, in honor of the memory of my departed husband. It is one of the cheering reflections which attend my present bereaved state, that the individual whom we mourn did his duty whilst on earth, not less to the enslaved than to the freeman, not less to humanity than to liberty. With many thanks for the expression of your sympathy, I remain, Louisa C. Adams.