Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-04-13
ALEXANDRIA,,
TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL l3.
THE CHEROKEES.

The visit from some OF the Chiefs Of the
Cherokee nation to Washington City, hav-
ing excited some curiosity, The following
account OF the nature and object OF their
embassy. may not be uninteresting. and
will supercede the necessity OF publishing
official documents. N the year lscs. The
United States entered into treaty with
the state OF Georgia, by which the former
agreed to extinguish Tor The use OF the state
OF Georgia, the Indian title TO all lands
within the slate, as soon as II might be
peaceabIy done, in consequence OF ces>
sion from the state OF Georgia to The Unit
ted States, of a certain tract OF territory
then within its limits. The tribe OF the
Cbeyokees residing With. these bounda.
ries, bias been offered by the General Co.
vernment lands beyond the Mississippi in
exchange, to which they have given the
most unqualified refusal. accompanied
with declaration never to remove. 10
remove them by force, the President con-
siders not within the purview OF the treaty,
and that It would further be attended with
injustice. This is the Presidential view OF
the question. Another is presented by the
Representatives of Georgia-ibey insist
thai there is no other alternative presented
TO the CherOkees, than their removal or
extinction, and deny that their consent is
necessary 10 end bic the United States Co.
vernment to fulfil It's oblig atoms to Geor.
gia. They contend that The right OF Geor-
gia to the soil has been recognised by the
highest authorities. The Representatives
from Georgia, in their memorial, use strong
language: they say that argument Is not
necessary 10 show that power which M
terposes obstacles TO the accomplishment
oil lis own promises, violates its faith; and
10 plead an impo.sibiity 10 perform an en-
gagement, when thai iDpossibiIity is pro-
duced by those VINO engaged to perform il,
would be equally dishonorable and hyp6-
critical Bolt. Morn. Ctron.
We have, says the New York Aneri.,
can, received from Washington, = s.ate-
men, made out from the reports OF the
Commissioners OF the General Land Office,
of the quantity of public lands surveyed,
the number OF acres sold, and the amount
remaining unsold, and in the market, in
the different states and territories. The
sum total OF land surveyed, is tic, O88 ,49S.
acres, of which 27,492, 76l have been
sold, and 90, 595, 1877 remain unsold. At
the minimum price fixed by Congress,
these lands will produce nearly two-thirds
more than The whole amount OF our nation
al debt, and the quantity already in mar.
ket shews that IT needs no addition, either
from Indian purchases, or surveys run
through wilderness.
WASHINGTON, April l9.-The board Of
Claims under the irst article OF the Trea-
ty OF Client, Ito award indemnity for de-
ported Slaves, adjourned few days ago,
until June-not being able as yet 10 agree
on the question OF the average value, 10
ascertain which, we understand, they are
collecting further informatiOS.
The Adjustment of imprisonment for Debt.
WASHINGTON, April I0.-A great prin-
ciple triumphed in the Senate yesterday,
and the day will be remembered as one of
the brightest in its history. That enligb-
tened body yesterday gave its final sane
ton 10 an act, which, we venture to say,
will co maDd the applause of the country,
and acquire for The body itself durable
renown. One branch Of the National Lee
gislature has at length said. that Debt
shall Do longer be considered criminal
that the dungeon shall no longer be the
portion of the honest debtor. The bill
which has passed is necessarily qualified
and guarded--it gives no immunity to
fraud, and it contains the requisite checks
to shield ITS benefits from abuse; but the
Senate has, substantially and formally. de.
cIared against The principle of Imprison.
ment for Debt; il has trodden down and
traUpled under foot one OF the last rem
nants of Feudal and Roman barbari.m,
which the force of education and habit
have been able successfully 10 uphold IN
til now against the spirit of the age. We
cannot doubt that the concurrence of the
other branch will render the overthrow OF
this anomaly in our system complete and
perpetual.
Our pleasure, We confess, would have
been greater, had this phianthropic nea-
sure received more unanimous consent
We have, however, the satisfaction to
know that its opponents, generally, were
not averse to the bill on principle, but be-
cause they thought the scheme imperfect;
and many OF them. We further know, are
so far from approving OF imprisonment TOR
debt. that they are the warm advocates OF
the still higher measure OF relief, gene
raj system of Bankruptcy. Of this, as
well as the object OF the bill which passed
the Senate yesterday, we have been the
humble but constant supporters. On the
subject Of tbs expediency OF a system OF
Bankruptcy, we have differed from many
for whose opinions we entertain habituai
respect; bat in our attachment 10 it we are
incorrgible. II rejoices US TO see this be.
nehcent measure even IN part accomplish
ed. Should the Congress in its wisdom
ever couple The other part with il, in the
laws OF the Republic. then, indeed, should
we expec: tie nation 10 rise up and call
tbs,p hIoesod NM Int