Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-24

ing that our representatives had been eX-
tremely neglected. III permitting the adop-
ton Of this measure. They were the very
persons who ought TO have seen 10 it. The
failure CT the constituted authorities to pay
the troops, ard the Claims on the quarter
masters department., were equally sub
ject of complaint. Even in the payments
which had been made. the pay department
had given a preference to one kind of
claims over another, which he thought was
improper and unjust. So far as the money
went, they had paid those soldiers who had
retained their discharges, while they refuse
cent to such as had purchased claims
altho' relying on the pledged faith of gov
eminent, they had advanced their money
to relieve the war-worn soldier from those
difficulties. under which, but for the time
ly supply, he must have labored. This, he
thought, was not right.
MIR. Hannum rose, and read the first and
last articles of the treaty made by the
President and Senate with the Cherokees,
ia order, as he stated, that the citizens
might at once perceive what extent of
country was coded to the Chcrokees, like
wise, that the citizens might observe the
reasons stated in the treaty for govern
ment's paying the Cherokees S25, 900 in
cash in the first place, he deemed the
cession of this land by the President and
and Senate to be both unconstitutional and
inexpedie nt-uiconstitu because he
did not believe that the President * Senate
possessed the power of ceding the sovereign
ty to one inch Of tho soil of the u. SIT
was his opinion that this power was happi--
ly lodged by the constitution with the Pre-
sdent, Senate and House ofRepresentatves
Il
land by the army of Tennessee they were
expelled from it by that army all man
kind must believe that they had the best
title to this land, that Indians can have to
any land within the territory of the u. S.
it is an insult to the people of Tennessee,
TO say that doubts existed as to the title of
this lanl-the Cherokees never lived on it,
nor did they claim it of the Greeks there
fore, it was highly improper to have given
up this land to them, because, if government
had kept possession OF it., and sold it out to
its Citizens, set lement would soon have
been formed in that country, which would
have bid defiance either to a foreign or sa--
wage toe. This land would have bro't at least
five millions Of dollars, sufficient to have
betrayed the expenses OF all the western
war-but at the same time, he could not
believe with some gentlemen present, that
the heads of departments were hostile to
the interests and happiness of the western
country. lily would not believe that those
characters were destitute of policy as well
as gratituie-because it was the gallant
army commanded by Gen. Jackson that
resuscitated the dying spirits of the heads
OF department and the people of the east
it was that army which stamped and fixed
the character OF the American people-;t
was that army who wiped away the dis
grace nXed on us all by the unmany and
permanent retreat of the American army
at the battle of Bladensburgh-i was that
army composed of freemen, who evinced to
the world, by. their unhcard of sufferings
and gallantry, that the citizens of the wes-
tern County yet possess the holy fire of
patriotism which animated their ancestors
In their glorious struggle for independence
it was that army which gave to the world
a lesson how to fight and how to die. Then,
he could not believe il possible for the Pre-
sident and heads of departments to be in
imical to us. He believed if the President
and Senate had known the real value of
that country, and the necessity there was
for its being settled by white population,
they would not have been induced to have
lavished it upon an accuTsed nation, who
have occasIoDed ten thousand times more
distress to the early settlers of Tennessee
than ever was sustained from the toma.
hawks of the Creeks. 1t was the duty of
our representatives to have watLhed over
our rights In this respectfully can tell
whether they have executed the trust re-
posed in them. Again, Mr.. Chairman
where, in the name of God, or how did the
Tennessee army destroy property belonging
TO shc Cherokees, to the value OF 325 900
That man or body of men who have repre-
sented his to be a fact, have wantonly SLAM
dered the army of Tennessee, and basely
stated that which is not true. If govern.
ment had deemed this land a nu.sance---
and like d child with its toy were tired of
it, would they not have thrown it away to
have been seized upon.by the first happy
occupant, or on the other haNd, were there
not thousands of individuals in the ". s.
who had just claims on their country for
services actually rendered Where is the
war-worn soldier, whose Constitution has
been broken down Where is the orphan
child, whose father fell in battle Where
is the mother surrounded by numerous
family of helpless children, and perhaps
oppressed by sickness, poverty and age, q
whose only consolation IS in believing that
her sons may live TO initiate their father
i'm his dying moments ! Are all these indi-
vlduals to be forgot aad must this land,
which might have been resting place for
50 many worthy citizens, be given away to a
ruthless nation of savage Indians, who in
lieu thereof, would dash their knives into
our hearts the first favorable opportunity