the writings-6-第33章

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from　the　three　months　now　reported　upon　by　the　Interior　and　not　by

the　Treasury。



The　Indian　tribes　upon　our　frontiers　have　during　the　past　year

manifested　a　spirit　of　insubordination；　and　at　several　points　have

engaged　in　open　hostilities　against　the　white　settlements　in　their

vicinity。　　The　tribes　occupying　the　Indian　country　south　of　Kansas

renounced　their　allegiance　to　the　United　States　and　entered　into

treaties　with　the　insurgents。　　Those　who　remained　loyal　to　the　United

States　were　driven　from　the　country。　　The　chief　of　the　Cherokees　has

visited　this　city　for　the　purpose　of　restoring　the　former　relations

of　the　tribe　with　the　United　States。　　He　alleges　that　they　were

constrained　by　superior　force　to　enter　into　treaties　with　the

insurgents；　and　that　the　United　States　neglected　to　furnish　the

protection　which　their　treaty　stipulations　required。



In　the　month　of　August　last　the　Sioux　Indians　in　Minnesota　attacked

the　settlements　in　their　vicinity　with　extreme　ferocity；　killing

indiscriminately　men；　women；　and　children。　　This　attack　was　wholly

unexpected；　and　therefore　no　means　of　defense　had　been　provided。　　It

is　estimated　that　not　less　than　800　persons　were　killed　by　the

Indians；　and　a　large　amount　of　property　was　destroyed。　　How　this

outbreak　was　induced　is　not　definitely　known；　and　suspicions；　which

may　be　unjust；　need　not　to　be　stated。　　Information　was　received　by

the　Indian　Bureau　from　different　sources　about　the　time　hostilities

were　commenced　that　a　simultaneous　attack　was　to　be　made　upon　white

settlements　by　all　the　tribes　between　the　Mississippi　River　and　the

Rocky　Mountains。　　The　State　of　Minnesota　has　suffered　great　injury

from　this　Indian　war。　　A　large　portion　of　her　territory　has　been

depopulated；　and　a　severe　loss　has　been　sustained　by　the　destruction

of　property。　　The　people　of　that　State　manifest　much　anxiety　for　the

removal　of　the　tribes　beyond　the　limits　of　the　State　as　a　guaranty

against　future　hostilities。　　The　Commissioner　of　Indian　Affairs　will

furnish　full　details。　　I　submit　for　your　especial　consideration

whether　our　Indian　system　shall　not　be　remodeled。　　Many　wise　and　good

men　have　impressed　me　with　the　belief　that　this　can　be　profitably

done。



I　submit　a　statement　of　the　proceedings　of　commissioners；　which　shows

the　progress　that　has　been　made　in　the　enterprise　of　constructing　the

Pacific　Railroad。　　And　this　suggests　the　earliest　completion　of　this

road；　and　also　the　favorable　action　of　Congress　upon　the　projects　now

pending　before　them　for　enlarging　the　capacities　of　the　great　canals

in　New　York　and　Illinois；　as　being　of　vital　and　rapidly　increasing

importance　to　the　whole　nation；　and　especially　to　the　vast　interior

region　hereinafter　to　be　noticed　at　some　greater　length。　　I　purpose

having　prepared　and　laid　before　you　at　an　early　day　some　interesting

and　valuable　statistical　information　upon　this　subject。　　The　military

and　commercial　importance　of　enlarging　the　Illinois　and　Michigan

Canal　and　improving　the　Illinois　River　is　presented　in　the　report　of

Colonel　Webster　to　the　Secretary　of　War；　and　now　transmitted　to

Congress。　　I　respectfully　ask　attention　to　it。



To　carry　out　the　provisions　of　the　act　of　Congress　of　the　15th　of　May

last；　I　have　caused　the　Department　of　Agriculture　of　the　United

States　to　be　organized。



The　Commissioner　informs　me　that　within　the　period　of　a　few　months

this　department　has　established　an　extensive　system　of　correspondence

and　exchanges；　both　at　home　and　abroad；　which　promises　to　effect

highly　beneficial　results　in　the　development　of　a　correct　knowledge

of　recent　improvements　in　agriculture；　in　the　introduction　of　new

products；　and　in　the　collection　of　the　agricultural　statistics　of　the

different　States。



Also；　that　it　will　soon　be　prepared　to　distribute　largely　seeds；

cereals；　plants；　and　cuttings；　and　has　already　published　and

liberally　diffused　much　valuable　information　in　anticipation。　　of　a

more　elaborate　report；　which　will　in　due　time　be　furnished；　embracing

some　valuable　tests　in　chemical　science　now　in　progress　in　the

laboratory。



The　creation　of　this　department　was　for　the　more　immediate　benefit　of

a　large　class　of　our　most　valuable　citizens；　and　I　trust　that　the

liberal　basis　upon　which　it　has　been　organized　will　not　only　meet

your　approbation；　but　that　it　will　realize　at　no　distant　day　all　the

fondest　anticipations　of　its　most　sanguine　friends　and　become　the

fruitful　source　of　advantage　to　all　our　people。



On　the　22d　day　of　September　last　a　proclamation　was　issued　by　the

Executive；　a　copy　of　which　is　herewith　submitted。



In　accordance　with　the　purpose　expressed　in　the　second　paragraph　of

that　paper；　I　now　respectfully　recall　your　attention　to　what　may　be

called　〃compensated　emancipation。〃



A　nation　may　be　said　to　consist　of　its　territory；　its　people；　and　its

laws。　　The　territory　is　the　only　part　which　is　of　certain　durability。

〃One　generation　passeth　away　and　another　generation　cometh；　but　the

earth　abideth　forever。〃　It　is　of　the　first　importance　to　duly

consider　and　estimate　this　ever　enduring　part。　　That　portion　of　the

earth's　surface　which　is　owned　and　inhabited　by　the　people　of　the

United　States　is　well　adapted　to　be　the　home　of　one　national　family；

and　it　is　not　well　adapted　for　two　or　more。　　Its　vast　extent　and　its

variety　of　climate　and　productions　are　of　advantage　in　this　age　for

one　people；　whatever　they　might　have　been　in　former　ages。　　　Steam；

telegraphs；　and　intelligence　have　brought　these　to　be　an　advantageous

combination　for　one　united　people。



In　the　inaugural　address　I　briefly　pointed　out　the　total　inadequacy

of　disunion　as　a　remedy　for　the　differences　between　the　people　of　the

two　sections。　　I　did　so　in　language　which　I　cannot　improve；　and

which；　therefore；　I　beg　to　repeat：



〃One　section　of　our　country　believes　slavery　is　right　and　ought　to　be

extended；　while　the　other　believes　it　is　wrong　and　ought　not　to　be

extended。　　This　is　the　only　substantial　dispute。　　The　fugitive…slave

clause　of　the　Constitution　and　the　laws　for　the　suppression　of　the

foreign　slave　trade　are　each　as　well　enforced；　perhaps；　as　any　law

can　ever　be　in　a　community　where　the　moral　Sense　of　the　people

imperfectly　supports　the　law　itself。　　The　great　body　of　the　people

abide　by　the　dry　legal　obligation　in　both　cases；　and　a　few　break　over

in　each。　　This；　I　think；　cannot　be　perfectly　cured；　and　it　would　be

worse　in　both　cases　after　the　separation　of　the　sections　than　before。

The　foreign　slave　trade；　now　imperfectly　suppressed；　would　be

ultimately　revived　without　restriction　in　one　section；　while　fugitive

slaves；　now　only　partially　surrendered；　would　not　be　surrendered　at

all　by　the　other。



〃Physically　speaking；　we　can　not　separate。　　We　can　not　remove　our

respective　sections　from　each　other　nor　build　an　impassable　wall

between　them。　　A　husband　and　wife　may　be　divorced　and　go　out　of　the

presence　and　beyond　the　reach　of　each　other；　but　the　different　parts

of　our　country　cannot　do　this。　　They　cannot　but　remain　face　to　face；

and　intercourse；　either　amicable　or　hostile；　must　continue　between

them。　　Is　it　possible；　then；　to　make　that　intercourse　more

advantageous　or　more　satisfactory　after　separation　than　before？　　Can

aliens　make　treaties　easier　than　friends　can　make　laws？　　Can　treaties

be　more　faithfully　enforced　between　aliens　than　laws　can　among

friends？　　Suppose　you　go　to　war；　you　cannot　fight　always；　and　when；

after　much　loss　on　both　sides　and　no　gain　on　either；　you　cease

fighting；　the　identical　old　questions；　as　to　terms　of　intercourse；

are　again　upon　you。〃



There　is　no　line；　straight　or　crooked；　suitable　for　a　national

boundary　upon　which　to　divide。　　Trace　through；　from　east　to　west；

upon　the　line　between　the　free　and　slave　country；　and　we　shall　find　a

little　more　than　one　third　of　its　length　are　rivers；　easy　to　be

crossed；　and　populated；　or　soon　to　be　populated；　thickly　upon　bo