Click on a box to explore each statement from the speech.
It gives me pleasure to announce to Congress that the benevolent policy of the Government …
Point of View:
- Jackson uses the term “benevolent” to describe the removal policy to convince his audience in Congress that the government’s policy is kind and generous.
- Jackson’s point of view is that the policy is in the best interest of the native tribes.
It puts an end to all possible danger of collision between … State Governments on account of the Indians.
Purpose:
- Jackson explains that Native Americans are somehow responsible or “accountable” for tensions with states.
It will relieve … Mississippi and … Alabama of Indian occupancy, and enable those States to advance rapidly in population, wealth, and power.
Purpose/Point of View:
- Jackson also explains that removal of Native Americans will “relieve” states of the “occupancy.”
- He suggests that the Native Americans are a burden to Americans, and their “occupancy” is merely temporary until the removal law is enforced.
- He also indicates his point of view that once removed, Native Americans will no longer be able to impede the states’ rapid advance of population, wealth and power.
It will … enable them [Indians] to pursue happiness … under their own rude institutions [and] cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community.
Point of View:
- In this last sentence Jackson provides evidence of the insensitive attitude that he and many other Americans had for Native Americans.
- He refers to their “rude institutions,” suggesting that Native Americans are underdeveloped and in many ways inferior to American settlers.
- He also claims that they are in the progress of decay, when in fact their civilizations were thriving prior to the arrival of Europeans and eventually Americans.
- Finally, he summarizes his point view by saying that if given the chance, Native Americans can become an “interesting, civilized, and Christian community.”