Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-01-19

opinion; but it is an opinion not confined
70 one, or two, or twenty, of our publick
men. At any rate there is no unchar;ta.
oleness In saying, that Georgia is actuated
py a DESIRE to get the lands of the Chero.
Eees for she openly avows it. As little
can IT be doubted, that the plan in cues.
1lon is suited to accomplish her desires.
II is not common, for party deeply in
terested, to devise the most kind and be-
nevolent way of treating another partv
whose interests lie in different direction
| 2. The plan is to be distrusted. be-
cause Its advocates talk much Of future
generosity and kindness; but say NOTHING
OF the present obligations of honour. truth
and justice. What should we saw in
private life, to man who refused to nav
his bond, under hand and scala bond
which he did not dispute, and which he
! had acknowledged before witnesses hun
dred times overland yet should ostenta-
tIously profess himself disposed to make
great many handsome presents to the
o,blIgee, if the obligee would only be SO
discreet as to deliver up the bond {? Would
II not be pertinent to say, "Sir, be just
oeJore you are generous; first pay YOUR
bond. and talk of presents afterwards"
Let the Government of the U. States
follow the advice given by Chancellor
kent TO the State of New-York. Let our
Publlck functionaries say to the Chero-
KEGS: "The United States are bound to
you. The stipulations are plain; and
you have perfect right to demand their
literal fulflment. Act your own Judge
ment. Consult your own interests. Be
assured we shall never violate treaties"
Ii this language were always used if
acknowledged obligations were kept in
front OF every overture; there would be
less suspicion attending advice, professed-
~ given for the good of the Indians. 1t
is not my province to question the motives
OF individuals, who advise the Cherokees
to remove. No doubt many of these adj
vIsers are sincere. Some of them are
otflclous; and should beware how they
obtrude their opinions, in case of which
they are proudly ignorant, and in manner
calculated only to weaken the righteous
cause. All advisers, ofevery class, should
begin their advice with an e1pIct ad-
mission Of present obligations.
.. The plan in question appears to me
entirely visionary. There has been no
experience among men to sustain it. In
deed, theoretical plans of government,
even though supposed to be founded on
experience gained in different circum-
stances, have uniformly and utterly failed.
30 wise and able man as Mr.. Locke was
totally incompetent, as the experiment
proved, to form a government for an
American Colony. But what sort of a
community is to be formed here In
dams of different tribes, speaking differ
ent languages, in different states of civili-
cation, are to be crowded together under
one government. They have all hitherto
lived under the influence of their heredi-
tary customs, improved, in some cases, by
commencing civilization but they are
now to be crowded together. under gov
eminent unlike any other that ever was
seen. Whether Congress is to be employ
ed in digesting municipal code for these
congregated Indians and in mending it
from session to session, or whether the
President of the United States is to be
the sole legislator, or whether the busi-
ness is to be delegated to civil or militia
ny project, we are not told. What is to
be the tenure of land what the title to
individual property what the rules of de-
scent what the modes of conveyance !;
what the redress for grievances these
and thousand other things are entirely
unsettled. lnded, it is no easy matter to
settle them. Such man as Mr.. Livngs-
ton may form code for Louisiana, though
it requires uncommon talents to do it.
But ten such men as he could not form a
code for heterogeneous mixture of In
dians.
If this embarrassment were removed,
and perfect code of aboriginal law were
formed, how shall suitable administrators
be found =? Is it probable that the agents
and sub agents of the United Stages will
unite all the qualifications of Scion and
Howard ? Would it be strange if some
Of them were indolent, unskilful, partial,
and dissolute and if the majority were
much more intent on the emoluments of
office, than on promoting the happiness
of the Indians One of the present In
dian agents, very respectable and intel
ligent man, assured me, that the plan for
the removal Of the Indians was altogether
chimerical, and, pursued, would end in
their destruction. He may be mistaken !;
but his personal experience in relation to
the subject is much greater than that of
any person who has been engaged in
forming or recommending the plan.
A. The four southwestern tribes are
unwilling to remove. They ought not to
be COMPOUNDED with the northern Indians,
as they are in very different cireumstan-
ces. The Cherokees and Choctaws are
rapidly improving their condition. The
Chickasaws have begun to follow in the
IL