I wish to say that it has been the practice of the House for a long period of years to pay claims like this on a deficiency bill. Some years ago I looked up the matter. and I found that on 21 deficiency bills a large number of these claims of the States which had rendered assistance to the Government in the Civil War had been paid. and it is not unusual and it is not an innovation to offer these amendments to the general deficiency bill at this time. The Oregon claim arose in this way: At the beginning of the Civil War the Government of the United States withdrew its troops from the Northwest Territory and left the mail trains. the emigrant trains to the Northwest. and the people of the Northwest open to the attacks of Indians. Unable to provide for our protection. the Government appealed to the State of Oregon. then the only State on the northwest Pacific coast. to provide protection for her own citizens against Indians. to provide for the protection of emigrants coming across the tountry to the Northwest. and to provide for the safety of the mails of the United States. The government of the State of Oregon. which at that time was not rich in money and did not have a great amount of property to tax. pledged its future revenues for the protection of the Governments mails. for the protection of the people of the United States who were coming to the Northwest. and for the protection of her own people. and the troops so raised actually fought the Indians in Oregon. Washington. northern California. and Idaho in the protection of the Governments property. the Governments mails. and the settlers who were crossing the country.
Keywords matched
emigrants emigrant