Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-07-04
From he .NaMrHic Tan, Registe,

Some curiosity having been expressed as 10 the laws
oil Inc Cherokee nation, the following sketch of them
may not be unacceptable TO cur readers:
They prohibit the introduction by white men of sn-
tuous liquors INTO tie nation. They have laws cstah-
sn'hg ana regulating tuInpikes prohibiting stealing
ana rape requiring white men, if they take Cicero
ace VIC, 10 be legally married 10 her, and then the
property OF the wife not thrown INTO the hands of the
husoahd' but remains at her disposal nor do they
permit one man 10 have more than wife.
The nation is laid OF into eight juciaI drlrcts ana
Judge and marshal appointed in each district in or
der TO the due administration of justice They have
eif rangers IN each district, whose duty il is to post
"HI ADVERTISE stray horses Their taxes regularly
iali and collected by the inashas Nor 10 they over
look the benefits of tuition their missionary se,nina
mes they compel parents 10 pay The expenses of such
ctuien as leave their schools without any lust capse
<y permit the superintendent Of these missionary sta
tons' with the consent Of the arents, bind oft chill
dren TO such trades may be suitable fer them and 4,
the expiration Of their apprenticeship, the nation is
bonnd TO procure them tools.
Zach district is entitled 10 be rcnresentol j., ,bo ~,
tonal Council By four members. The nav TO each e,
bar tor his services Is per day. and to the Sneak
er one dollar aud fifty cents. Tie principal chief the
Path Killer, is allowed $50 dollars nor apru,o -
charles Hicks in consideration Of his cy,o eery;as
as interpreter and writer, 200 dollars The Commit.
tee men are allowed two dollars, and their president
three dollars and fifty cents per day durin ,e e;,t;,c,
of the National Council
torembezziing, intercepGsG and opening sealed let
teFs The punishment fine ofone hundred dollars aud
one ,, hundred stripes on the bare back.
'uSiiiteH Oh tie council during ITS sUs-
pended on the Sabbath, and all merchan5 petars and
mechanics, at New Town. close their doors daring thai
Jay.
They have a lazy declaring what shall be a lawful
renee; tey nave also statute Of liina lions: but il
does not operate on notes or iqudated accounts The
treasurer OF the Cherokee Nation is authorized ,o ,oa
upon good security such surplus funds may retua in
alter dIschargW@ the annual appropriations.
a marshal, sheriff, deputy sheriff and two consta-
oes' are appointed in each district These officers have
superseded the companies Of light horse which before
the passage OF ts regulation executed ue decrees f
their courts and brought offenders to Justice The
Snr'S arc elected by the National committee; the She
riHs ana constabies BY the People ia each district The
duties OF these officers prescribed and securifv In
ken for their faithful performances Inpnrsuit OF chi
minal, they allowed TO summon as many men as ma,
be necessary to assist them.
viii, if found among Tie valuable napors IS no to
ceased although not Witnessed is considered establish
ed II proved to be written and signed By the testator
y WI 10 be regular according law should be signed
OJ Inc tesaioT attested by two witnesses and its vitY
proved 10 The satisfaction of the court of the district
There are also some regulations about nuncuoaiive
wills.
The property ofany person dying iu!csatc is divided
equally amongst he children and wife the wife taking
cmd's part. IT there are no children fIe wife * en-
titled TO fourth part aud the resilue eoes 10 his rea
est KIM after tie estate is freed from iacurnbrances
The property of the wife who has an exclusive ri~ht
TO it, distributed in the same way bctrsan H. iii
drcn and husband
This is faint outline of some Of the laws bv which
the Cherokee nation governed The fusoiuion 10
procure two sets Of types establish at Ncwtown a
printing Office has already been noticed IA former pa
per; one set at types to be composed of English letters
and the other Of Cherokee characters the ,nve,,i, ~
Cen Gui5 Cherokee The invention IS mucb admired
by those acquainted with it, for its ingenuity snnlict
~ ana usefulness; although there are perhaps tnore
than seventy distinct characters they are learned b
ihe natives IN short time with great ease and in their
own language they correspond with each other in
these characters.