The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-12-23

I" The Oneidas, and the other tribes compos-
ing the Six Nations of Indians, were, originally,
free and independent nations. Do our laws,
even at this day, allow these Indians to partici-
pate equally with US, in our civil and political
privileges? Do they vote at our elections, or
are they represented in our legislature, or have
they any concern, as jurors or magistrates, in
the administration of justice? Do they pay tax
es, or serve in the militia, or are they required
to take share in any Of the details Of our local
institutions? Do we interfere with the DISPOSE
ton, or descent, or tenure of their property, as
between themselves? Do we prove their wills,
or grant letters of administration upon their in
testate estates - Are they subject to our
laws, or to the laws Of the United States against
high treason and do we treat and punish them
as traitors, instead of public enemies, when they
make war upon us' Are they subject to our
laws of marriage and divorce, and would we
sustain a criminal prosecution for bigamy, if
they should change their wives or husbands at
their pleasure, and according to their own Gus
toms, and contract new matrimonial alliances.
aPprehend that every one of these questions
must be answered in the negative, and that on
all these points they are regarded as dependent
allies, and alien communities"
But there is another feature in the message
in relation to this subject, which struck us, as
more extraordinary than all the rest This
might, perhaps, have been because we were
prepared for the ground taken on other points,
while this was unlocked for After saying
that, when the laws of the States shall have
been extended over the Indians, {" they will,
without doubt, BIO protected in the enjoyment
ofthose possessions which they have improved
by their industry" he adds, "but it seems to
me visionary to suppose, that in this state of
things, claims can be allowed on tracts Of coun.
try on which they have neither dwelt nor made
improvements, merely because they have seen
them from the mountain or passed them in the
chase" Thus the right of the Indians to the
territory which they have inherited from their
fathers, and which they have until now peace
ably enjoyed, is, with single dash of the pen,
narrowed down to the :rifiing portion which
they may have actually cultivated, and pre-
tence is set up for Georgia to seize upon all
the rest. If the claims Of the Indians are thus
visionary, why is 1t that their lands have never
before been occupied but by purchase? Why
have repeated treaties been entered into with
them for portions of their domains And why
have commissioners been appointed to run the
boundary line between them and the good
people of Georgia? We rejoice for the honor
of our country, that this wicked and unjust
proposition has never been advanced but by
one individual, and that he is the one who
caused a cruel massacre of defenceless and un.
resisting Indians, in cold blood, and hung an
Indian Chief after he had surrendered as a pris-
oner of war; and we should hope that there is
not, in the whole extent of our country, a per-
son who would justify it, if we did not know
to what degree people are influenced by the
prevalence Of party spirit.
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON. In addition to
the extracts of letters from Washington which
we have published, we have some private ad-
vices from that City, in relation to a delicate
subject among the high dignitaries there, which,
though it has no immediate connection with
politics, still bids fair to have an important in
auence on the political affairs of the nation. 1t
seems that Gen. Eaton, the bosom friend of
Gen. Jackson, short time before his appoint.
ment as Secretary of War, took to himself
wife. The lady of his choice, not being alto.
gether exempt from the fraiLties to which poor
human nature is sometimes subject, her char.
acter had become the subject of public scandal
at the seat of Government Under these cir
cumstanccs Mrs. Vice President Calhoun, Mrs.
Secretary Branch, and Mrs Secretary Ingham,
with the ladies of several other high offers,
valuing themselves on the purity of their own
characters, declined associating, or reciprocal
ing any clvilities, with Mrs. Secretary Eaton.
This created much i'll blood, last spring, and the
fame, then kindled, has broken out again this
winter, with renewed violence. The ladies' re.
main firm to their original purpose, and the
President s,oears-start not, gentle reader,
strange as it may seem, he does swear but we
suppose he swears, as Gen. Jackson, and not as
President-well then, Gen. Jackson swears,
that the lady of his friend shall be sustained in
the station in society, TO which she is entitled by
the official character of her husband.
Meantime, Secretary Van Buren,, having no
family of his own, is favorably situated for stand
ing upon his favorite ground of non-committa!,
and takes advantage of it, TO ingratiate himself
in favor with the President, at the expense of
his rival, Calhoun, without, however, going so
far as to cause a rupture between him and the
other party. The influence of this important
affair is extensively felt at Washington, and may,
ere long, be productive OF some important re-
suits.
The CouRT OF COMMON PLEAS is now in the
third week of its session. Since the first week,
it has been held by Judge Cummings We un-
derstand that, at the close of the present week,
it will probably adjourn till week after next,
and then be continued till the business before
"a 3. 1;soo.ad &c