Andrew Jackson's Speech to Congress on Indian Removal

AndrewJackson'sSpeechtoCongressonIndianRemoval

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"ItgivesmepleasuretoannouncetoCongressthatthebenevolentpolicyoftheGovernment,steadily

pursuedfornearlythirtyyears,inrelationtotheremovaloftheIndiansbeyondthewhitesettlementsis

approachingtoahappyconsummation.Twoimportanttribeshaveacceptedtheprovisionmadefor

theirremovalatthelastsessionofCongress,anditisbelievedthattheirexamplewillinducethe

remainingtribesalsotoseekthesameobviousadvantages.

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TheconsequencesofaspeedyremovalwillbeimportanttotheUnitedStates,toindividualStates,and

totheIndiansthemselves.ThepecuniaryadvantageswhichitpromisestotheGovernmentaretheleast

ofitsrecommendations.Itputsanendtoallpossibledangerofcollisionbetweentheauthoritiesofthe

GeneralandStateGovernmentsonaccountoftheIndians.Itwillplaceadenseandcivilizedpopulation

inlargetractsofcountrynowoccupiedbyafewsavagehunters.Byopeningthewholeterritory

betweenTennesseeonthenorthandLouisianaonthesouthtothesettlementofthewhitesitwill

incalculablystrengthenthesouthwesternfrontierandrendertheadjacentStatesstrongenoughtorepel

futureinvasionswithoutremoteaid.ItwillrelievethewholeStateofMississippiandthewesternpartof

AlabamaofIndianoccupancy,andenablethoseStatestoadvancerapidlyinpopulation,wealth,and

power.ItwillseparatetheIndiansfromimmediatecontactwithsettlementsofwhites;freethemfrom

thepoweroftheStates;enablethemtopursuehappinessintheirownwayandundertheirownrude

institutions;willretardtheprogressofdecay,whichislesseningtheirnumbers,andperhapscausethem

gradually,undertheprotectionoftheGovernmentandthroughtheinfluenceofgoodcounsels,tocast

offtheirsavagehabitsandbecomean interesting,civilized,andChristiancommunity.

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Whatgoodmanwouldpreferacountrycoveredwithforestsandrangedbyafewthousandsavagesto

ourextensiveRepublic,studdedwithcities,towns,andprosperousfarmsembell ishedwithallthe

improvementswhichartcandeviseorindustryexecute,occupiedbymorethan12,000,000happy

people,andfilledwithalltheblessingsofliberty,civilizationandreligion?

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ThepresentpolicyoftheGovernmentisbutacontinuationofthesameprogressivechangebyamilder

process.ThetribeswhichoccupiedthecountriesnowconstitutingtheEasternStateswereannihilated

orhavemeltedawaytomakeroomforthewhites.Thewavesofpopulationandcivilizationarerolling

tothewestward,andwenowproposetoacquirethecountriesoccupiedbytheredmenoftheSouth

andWestbyafairexchange,and,attheexpenseoftheUnitedStates,tosendthemtolandwheretheir

existencemaybeprolongedandperhapsmadeperpetual.Doubtlessitwillbepainfultoleavethe

gravesoftheirfathers;butwhatdotheymorethanourancestorsdidorthanourchildrenarenow

doing?Tobettertheirconditioninanunknownlandourforefathersleftallthatwasdearinearthly

objects.Ourchildrenbythousandsyearlyleavethelandoftheirbirthtoseeknewhomesindistant

regions.DoesHumanityweepatthesepainfulseparationsfromeverything,animateandinanimate,

withwhichtheyounghearthasbecomeentwined?Farfromit.Itisratherasourceofjoythatour

countryaffordsscopewhereouryoungpopulationmayrangeunconstrainedinbodyorinmind,

developingthepowerandfacilitiesofmanintheirhighestperfection.Theseremovehundredsand

almostthousandsofmilesattheirownexpense,purchasethelandstheyoccupy,andsupport

themselvesattheirnewhomesfromthemomentoftheirarrival.CanitbecruelinthisGovernment

when,byeventswhichitcannotcontrol,theIndianismadediscontentedinhisancienthometo

purchasehislands,togivehimanewandextensiveterritory,topaytheexpenseofhisremoval,and

supporthimayearinhisnewabode?Howmanythousandsofourownpeoplewouldgladlyembrace

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theopportunityofremovingtotheWestonsuchconditions!Iftheoffersmad etotheIndianswere

extendedtothem,theywouldbehailedwithgratitudeandjoy.

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Andisitsupposedthatthewanderingsavagehasastrongerattachmenttohishomethanthesettled,

civilizedChristian?Isitmoreafflictingtohimtoleavethegravesofhisfathersthanitistoourbrothers

andchildren?Rightlyconsi dered,thepolicyoftheGeneralGovernmenttowardtheredmanisnotonly

liberal,butgenerous.HeisunwillingtosubmittothelawsoftheStatesandminglewiththeir

population.Tosavehimfromthisalternative,orperhapsutterannihilation,theGeneralGovernment

kindlyoffershimanewhome,andproposestopaythewholeexpenseofhisremovalandsettlement."

Citation:PresidentJackson'sMessagetoCongress"OnIndianRemoval",December6,1830;RecordsoftheUnitedStates

Senate,1789‐1990;RecordGroup46;Recordsofthe UnitedStatesSenate,1789‐1990;NationalArchivesandRecords

Administration(NARA]

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