Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-15
From the National Intelligence,
GEORGIA AND THE u. STATEs

OnGtA AMI The u. STATES.
HonSe Of Representatives, March 3, 1877
me Seiec: COMMITTEES, 10 which were referred
Message OF the President OF the United States.
OIL the OH uii. with accompanying documents
ana Message OF the 9Th ut. with accomrapvs
Ing documents; also, Report and Resolutions
Of The Legislature of Georgia, with accompany
ing documents; also, Joint Resolution to in
demnfy the Creek Indians for the land living
between the Chatdhouchie river and the Ovid
ing line between Georgia and Alabama; also. a
message OF the P1esident, with accompsnyjpr
documents, OF I'd March; have had those subiects
uhoer consideration, and beg leave TO report az
az follows:
The civilized nations of Europe. who, at diff
lerent periods discovered and settled the vasio,ta
portions OF the American continent fonnded
principally, ON the right Of discovery, claim 10
the Sovereignty over The Regions 20 discovered.
ms claim OF sovereignty does not appear. g,
least IN the case Of the English Government. TO
nave extended, in se!, beg ond exclusion of the
claims Of other nations. Tie Committee are no,
aware, that the English Government. or its Re-
presentatiyes, the q Jlonia Governments. ever as
snneo, IN virtue of this claim of sovereignty IN
exercise Inc power oil internal legislation over tho
peTsons who composed the various Indian trihes
"'hih the regions 10 which the claim Of sove-
Iesh'y extended These tribes were, on tha
contrary, considered ard treated as separate ,n3
10 certain degree, Independent nations. A
friendly Intercourse with them was kept nm bx
means OF conferences and councils: bouadariss
'he right to establish and maintain military poste
AMI occasionally the RICH, Of passage, were mar.
Ter Oh stipulation, by formal conventions entered
'n'o between me Crown or Colonies on the ono
hand, and The Chiefs aud Warriors of the ,,ns.
Or the other. When ,he provisions of these t,es-
YES were BROKEN by the Indian tribes, or when If,
any o.her way, state OF hostility arose ysrs en-
s'1cd, 90 between separae civilized countries and
.hese wars were rosclGded by treaty. No doubt.
IN The most early periods of our history, and In
reference to the remnants Of tribes, which md
ceased TO have separate existence, trans. ctiona
may have occurred, which imply different min
ciple oi action, on the part of the British or Colo
MAJ Governments, but IL is believed, that no ar
tempt was ever made by those Governments. mr. any
OF hern, TO incorporate the Indian rites into the
body polite. or 10 carry the sight of soyeregn,v
iariher 10 exclude The sovereignty of other fee
STATES, and 10 regulate at discretion the in,ereo,trse
with The tribes thus subj c,ed.
In hke manner the European Governments
claimed, IN virtue oi discovery right in the soil
occupied by The Indian tribes. I, j. not necessa,
fy' nor perhaps possible, to define the precise exa
tent TO winch tins clari was carried, In all instsn-
ce@. II IL wen known, how ever that il was
claim OF right Of pre- empion residing in the
Government by various public and IeaisIs,iys
acts, individuals were disqualified flom acnuirin,
title to Indian lands, by direct purchase Of ~
Indians and The Government recognized r,yb,
Of occupancy in the Indiane, which /, ct.iro.a
TO itself The exclusive prerogatiye of extinsushin
This well known fact has received the sapc,ion s5
Judicial decision, 9th Wheaton, in the case al
johnson ard Grahsm's I.essses We. McIptoyb...
saeh was the state Of ihings before the R.voiu-
ton.
La TIE even; Of the Of Independence, tho
TIghs 81 me British Government devoIved upou
ne United States. But grave question a. ose.
whether, IN reference 10 The Indian tribes within
ibe limits 81 any State, The right Of exclusive so
vereignsy end exclusive prescriptions, formerly
vested IN the Gown, passed, in virtue OF the De-
cisrsiion OF Independents. TO the Confederation
~ ostes Or to 'hs individual saies. rspectis ely.
within the limits os which each tribe was s;,.s.
ted. On the one bend, IL wss con,endsd. thar
che r'eh' 70 tie snoscapiel isnds. snd, ~bst s.s