26TH CONG.... 2ND SESS. industry, of the very Indian fighters whose cause I now endeavor to plead. The same Western men who had continued the contest throughout the Revolution, and down to the treaty of Greenville in 1795-a period of twenty years were the first to unlock the gates and open the avenues to the "far West," by which a safe and permanent entry was made into the Northwestern territory. They were, emphatically, the van guard to the emigrating multitude, who, in search of a home and a competency, flocked to the Western country; at the approach of whom, the affrightened natives, pressed at the point of the bayonet, retreated with hasty steps to the banks of the Mississippi; thereby affording partial security to the bold and enterprising adventurers. What, I would ask, was the situation of the West in 1795? A deep and almost interminable wilderness-"where the boughs of the lofty buckeye waving in.the wind served but to swell the melancholy notes of solitary nature;" where a monotonous silence ever reigned, save when disturbed by the howl of beasts of prey, or the more hideous yell of savage man! But, Mr. Chairman, never was transformation from the long silence of the forest, to the active, cheering, busy scenes of civilized life, so sudden, rapid, and so radical. Millions of freemen in the full enjoyment of all the comforts, and, I may add, all the luxuries of life, are now spread over that extensive and diversified country; and if we may be permitted to glance at futurity, and measure the probable increase of population by the ratio of past, the time is near when a majority of the the Pension Bill-Mr. Johnson. inhabitants of the United States will be found in the valley of the Mississippi. Will Congress continue to disregard the claims of this meritorious class, after having provided for every other description of soldier? Will you do this, too, at a time like the present, when we are at peace with all the world; the national debt paid off; the country in the full tide of a prosperity unexampled in any nation, with a population exceeding seventeen millions, in the full enjoyment of all the blessings and immunities which Providence, in the plenitude of its goodness, has capacitated man to enjoy? I will not believe it! I think I know too well the liberal and honorable feelings of gentlemen of both parties. It is a subject elevated far above the party feuds which too often enter this hall, and prevent action upon important measures. I am sure the hydra-monster party will not be permitted to interfere in this sacred question. Will the Northern man hesitate to place these claiman's upon an equal footing with the thousands of pensioners in his own section, where three-fifths of the pension fund is expended? Surely his sense of justice will forbid it! Shall we appeal in vain to the generous South on this occasion? No, sir; she has ever been feelingly alive to the claims of the warworn soldier, and her liberality, which is proverbial, will not be withheld on this—perhaps the last― appeal in behalf of some of the few who remain unprovided for. To Western gentlemen I have nothing to say; the scenes which I have feebly attempted to describe are all familiar to them. The first impressions made upon their juvenile minds, were derived from the the traditionary history detailed by their fathers; in which the thrilling inci H. of Reps. dents of Indian warfare were feelingly and eloquently detailed. And although no costly edifice or marble monument points to the place or commemorates the battle field of these heroes, yet their memory will be cherished in the bosom of every Western man, long after the most stately temples shall have been mouldered away by the ravaging hand of time. I will only add, in conclusion, that, if aught be done to smeoth the short but rugged path which intervenes between the aged man and the grave, it must be done quickly. The fell destroyer, death, is rapidly removing him from earth, and hurrying him to "that bourne from whence no traveller returns!" On reference to the report of the Secretary of War, it will be seen that more than two thousand pensioners have died during the last year. The number pensioned under the act of 1818, has decreased from about twenty thousand to less than eight thousand. Of these pensioned under the act of June 7, 1832, eight thousand six hundred and nine have died. Out of eleven hundred and eightysix pensioned under the act of 1828, only six hundred and five remain. A few short years, and the last relics of Revolu tionary times will have been gathered to their fathers, the most of them having spent their latter days in penury and want, and dropped into the grave "unwept, unhonored, and unsung!" Will an American Congress permit these things to transpire? If so, our lips should be hermetically sealed when the charge shall be repeated, which has been so often gratuitously made by the enemies of free Government-that "Republics are ungrateful!" THE END. 2ND SESS. Pa Wright, Silas, of New Yorkremarks of, on the prospective pre-emption bill remarks of, on the right of the States to con26, 30, 120, 1 fer the elective franchise remarks of, on the bill to recharter the banks of the District of Columbia, 180, 1 remarks of, on the proposition to go into the election of Sergeant-at-Arms speech of, on the protective policy speech of, on the bill to distribute the proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the States Young, Richard M. of Illinois speech of, on the prospective pre-emption bill, the distribution bill, and the ces sion bill 12 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Goddard, Nathaniel, Thomas H. Perkins and others, bill for the relief of Stanly, Edward, of North Carolina— remarks on, by Mr. Turney - 91 Hand, Augustus C. of New York speech of, on the fortification bill 339 Johnson, Joseph of Virginia Johnson, William Cost of Maryland— remarks of, on the bill granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows remarks of, on questions connected with the public lands 382 speech on the Treasury Note bill - 371 remarks of, on the navy appropriation bill remarks of, on the general appropriation bill Steenrod, Lewis, of Virginia speech of, on the bill making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of the Government for the year 1841 . Surveys, bill making appropriation for remarks on, by Mr. Carr Thompson, Jacob, of Mississippi 221, 22 38 16 131 Lane, Henry S. of Indiana remarks of, on the Treasury Note bill Mallory, Francis, of Virginia . 262 speech of, on the Treasury note bill Thompson, Waddy, of South Carolina— · 173 speech of, on the Treasury Note bill 302 Monrce, James, of New York speech of, on the Treasury Note bill Naturalization laws, proposition to amend 284 remarks of, in relation to the fees of marshals, clerks, &c. remarks on, by Mr. Duncan . 266 Naval appropriation bill speech of, on the Treasury note bill Treasury, annual report of the Secretary of the, on the state of the finances. Treasury notes, bill providing for the issue of, speeches on, by Mr. Adams Mr. Barnard 250 319 227 . 160 Bynum, Jesse A. of North Carolina remarks on by Mr. Saltonstall Mr. Bell 242 . 186 Mr. Black remarks of, in reply to Mr. Nisbet speech of, on the proposition to strike out the appropriation for the branch mint in North Carolina Carr, John, of Indiana remarks of, on the bill making appropriations for surveys and other purposes Coles, Walter R. of Virginia speech of, on the Treasury note bill Cooper, Mark A. of Georgia remarks of, on the Pension bill and the amendment appropriating $100,000 for the removal of the Seminoles, in reply to Mr. Giddings Mr. Smith, of Indiana 161 . 221 Mr. Weller Mr. Brackenridge . 172 . 271 Mr. Coles Mr. Wick . 315 Navy, annual report of the Secretary of Naylor, Charles, of Pennsylvania Mr. Davis, of Kentucky 255 Mr. Duncan 131 remarks on the Pension act of 1837 Nisbet, Eugenius A. of Georgia Mr. Evans 235 33 Mr. Garland, of Virginia 324 remarks of, in reply to Messrs.Cooper and Black Mr. Johnson, of Maryland Mr. Lane 313 . 262 speech of, on the Treasury Note bill Pension act of 1837, remarks of Mr. Anderson of Maine 259 Mr. Mallory, of Virginia 302 Mr. Monroe Mr. Nisbet 259 32 Mr. Naylor Mr. Rayner 305 170 Pensions to certain widows, bill granting— Mr. Reynolds . 140 remarks on, by Mr. Davis of Pa. Mr. Johnson of Va. Mr. Rhett, . 169 95 Mr. Shepard 112 speech of, on the Treasury note bill Davis, John, of Pennsylvania— remarks of, on the bill granting pensions to certain widows . 169 Duncan, Alexander, of Ohio Postmaster General, annual report of. 14 Mr. Thompson, of Mississippi Mr. Thompson, of South Carolina Mr. Triplett 173 . 250 . 273 .340 Mr. Vanderpoel 1 speech of, on the Treasury note bill speech of, on a proposition to amend the naturalization laws 150 Rayner, Kenneth, of North Carolina 266 Evans, George, of Maine speech of, on the Treasury note bill · 235 Everett, Horace, of Vermont . 187 . 339 remarks of, on the report of the Committee Fees of marshals and clerks remarks on, by Mr. Brown, of Mississippi, 160 Fortifications, bill making appropriation fordebate on speech on, by Mr. Hand. speech of, on the Treasury Note bill Reynolds, John, of Illinois Mr. Weller Mr. Wise 144 . 305 88 remarks on the bill for the relief of Nathaniel Gaddard, Thomas H. Perkins, and others 91 140 Underwood, Joseph R. of Kentucky speech of, on the Treasury Note bill Vanderpoel, Aaron, of New York 340 95 186 speech of, on the Treasury Note bill War, annual report of the Secretary of Weller, John B. of Ohio 169 speech of, on the Treasury Note bill Wick, William W. of Indiana remarks of, on the naval appropriation bill 172 144 . 170 Wise, Henry A. of Virginia remarks of, on the navy appropriation bill 315 speech of, on the Treasury Note bill |