Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-09-04
From g's NIaiona; {a,etGgeacer.
To THE EDITops

PRESENT CRISIS IN THE CONDITION OF
TIE AMERICAN INDIANS
No. "
II our Statesmen are about to interpret trcai;cs
on the principle OF avoTing the party which assumed
superiority, they must take care lest there should
be some very unexpected consequences.
In treaty formed between the United States md
the Chickasaws, iii tie year 1901, and ratified By
President Jefferson and the Senate, the first article
commences thus: 1.-THE Mingo, principal men and
Warriors Of the Chckasaw Nation OF Indians .,ire
(saoe and permission 10 the President Of the Uaited
States Of America, to lay out OPEN and make conye
hient wagon road through their land" CATER stating
thai the road "sall be highway for the citizens Of
the United States and the ChickasaWs," and that
the Chickasaws shall appoint two discreet men as
guides, who shall be paid by the United States GDr
their services, the article closes thus: Provided al
ways, That the necessary ferries over the water
courses, crossed by the said road, shall be held aHd
deemed 70 be the property IF The Chietasa,o -rdti0n."
The second article makes pecnniary compensation
attention 10 the President Of the United States of
America. and 10 The request nlade TO them in his name
10 permit the opening of he T0ud."
Who is the superior here, Translate these passa-
pes faithfully, aud send them 10 the Emperor Of
China and let him lay ilc matter before his coun-
sellers, who never heard OF the United States. They
will say, in moment, that the MDgo Of the Chick.
asaws is a monarch, who, in his great condcscension
has granted the humble request OF the President on
the condition that the petitioner shall make pecu-
mary compensation and pay tribute, under the name
Of fcrriagc 10 the Chclasaws, as often as any of the
Presidents people pass thc territory Of the King OF
the Chickasaws.
According TO the recent code of national morality.
what is to be the operation Of this Chicasaw treaty,
Most und5ubty, 10 the first place, the Chickasaws
au1y close up he TOcoi, tho sipulsons Of Tie tfea
~ TO the contrary Notwithstanding. Indeed, they
must have exercised great forbcarlncc already as
they lave permitted the road to be open foenfy scpon
s,ears; solely out Of regard to this treaty. Just as
Georoia has waited twentyscyon years before takng
ossesgon Of the Cherokee territory, Of cornpai-
sanoe 60 the enga gements oftbe United States, winch
are in fact OF 80 validity.
In the sccGnd place, none OF the treaties made sub
eeauenily bv the Cbckasaws are binding upon them;
md therefore they may reclaim oil the lands which
they have coded to the United States. OF course
the inhabitants Of West Tennessee, who live on
fertile lands, which coded 70 Tie Whites by tho
Chickasaws, must immediately remove, If the Chick
ssaws require IL. The reason is plain. No superior
Gun DO bound to an interiors bu that the Ch.cknsaws
are the supcriOrs Is evident the Secretary IF war
Gays in the other case because sthe emphatic lail-
gnaQe" Of the treaty ''cnunot be mistaken"
hut may be said that there ate other Indications
in the treaty of IIopewe. that the United States ne
surned superiority, beside the phrascology in tho
instances abese cited. The question Is not be IL
reuernbered, whether the United States Ut tie time
ofthe treaty 81 Hopcwc'i, v-'a . mote cogye.s -