Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-05-18

0eeRduOli,
voting against them.
In deciding upon the validity of the treaty off
Washington the only principle involved is this. Is
it competent for the parties to contract, to annul
OF set aside that contract? Will any man, in pri-
vate life say that if he and another enter into
tract, for the sale of house, for instance, the
tract may not be avoided by the agreement of both
parties to annul it, on account of fraud on the part
of their agents. or for any reason whatever? This
is IA principle of universal obligation, applicable as
well 10 treaties as to private contracts. The treaty
of Indian Springs was annulled by the treaty OF
Washington. The former treaty purported to have
been made by the Creek nation OF the part, and
the United States of the other. Either the Creek
nation party, or it was not. If it were not, it
was no treaty: If IT were party, then it was per-
tecty competent for it. in conjunction with the other
party, the United States, to set it aside.
No reasonable man would have anticipated, that
even Governor Troup would have created any diff
iculty, or have felt otherwise than gratied at an
arrangement which settled this dispute so amcably,
and beneficially for Georgia. Every thing that
Georgia had sought by the treaty of Indian Springs,
!. was secured to her by the new treaty excepting
small and barren track of mountain land, containing
about 1873, 632 acres. If love of harmony, if pa
| riosm if any good or honorable feeling existed in
his bosom, here was an opportunity for displaying
it. He was not called upon to make any sacrifice
. to the public weal--he was not required to humble
himself before that country which he had SO often
nsulted and detied-to atone to the constitution
which he had so often outraged--nothing of this
all that was necessary was quiet acquiescence in
an arrangement that did every thing for the honor
and interest of Georgia, while it restored peace
and harmony to the nation. But this course suited
neither the temper nor designs of Governor Troup.
He set himself up the expositor of the treaty Of
Indian Springs and although it had been annulled
by the parties, he, who was party to it, insisted
upon its validity. He had already defied the Exc
i cntive department of the government, and he now
threw his gauntlet in the face of congress. He or
il dercd his surveyors to proceed and survey the
lands coded by the treaty of Indian Springs and
III called the militia of Georgia into the field support
them; thus manifesting disposition to carry his
II lnurlaed passions to the last extremity of and
r bloodshed.
IS The President of the United States has declared
. his determination to support the treaty of WASH
J. ingon and has directed the District Attorney and
Marshal of the District Of Georgia to arrest and
prosecute any person who, contrary to that treaty
and to the law of the land shall go upon the Indian
lands, not ceded for the purpose of surveying them
d Governor Troup has been informed also that the
l. President will be compelled to use all the means
n entrusted to his conrou, to maintain the treaty of
,f Washington; and to this communication he has re-
lie turned direct and insoent defiance.
1t would be insult to the understanding of the
" reader, to enter into grave argument to demon
Of strate the proprety of the pursued by the
,e government in relation to the treaties of lndaT
e, Springs and of Washington. To protect the help
I, less Indian from fraud and violence to support the
t. laws of the land, duties which concur with
!, Mr.. Adams in saying have higher obligation upon
70 the president of the United States than could be de-
i, rived from any human source whatever. 1t was an
n obligation made with Heaven, by the oath he had
y taken to support the constitution and the laws and
Al
tpeope, We cannot sympathlze with the patriotic
Dr. Floyd in the civic honour he has displayed at
expression, which merely ranks duty to Coz
n above all human obligations We regard it as al
omen of every good from the present administration
hail it as the strongest proof that it deserved
all our esteem that it has shown itself thus
al in the sacred cause of justice and humanity that i
lie has firmly opposed the vicious and dlsorganzing ca
reer of demagogue, in defence of weak and help
less race-that when interested policy might have
suggested a dishonorable connivance at fraud and
Itreachcry, when smooth and popular breeze
might have been secured, by suffering the Indian te
be trampled on or cxtermnated, it preferred the
lie rugged path of duty.
c. 1t is time to bring this history to a close. From
to what has been said, the reader may decide, whe
I'd Their the rights of Georgia have been invaded or any
lie oppression exercised towards her by the United
h. States 1t is surely not the Interest nor the wish
of any portion of the Union, that the rights of Geor
s. ga should be trampled infringed by the gene
raj government every consideration of interest is
as against it for the blow that falls upon her unre
dressed, may be aimed at another time, upon
ID sister state. And while we are tenacious of the
10 rights Of the states, equally socitous that
" the constitutional attributes of the federal govern
ne ment shall be fully sustained and preserved We
as love country-because it is the freest and hap
~ piest country on the sobe-and we attribute its
I'd happiness mainly, to the able and admirable man
lis ner in which the government has been administer
20 ed by succession of the best and wises thai
nu country WIS ever hpssed with Ia the nre.