Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-30

ident that IT was 10 VAIN TO hope look Tor
The Cherokees remained inhexible and the preserve
rance Of Georgia placed the administration in a sit
uaton in which It vas more probable that they might
be called on to preserve the faith of the country
plghted to the Cherokees in the solemn pledge gi-
to that nation under the adminisr ation of &C.
neral Washington, for the integrity of their country.
IN TINS condition OF things, Georgia put forth her
uffimottnn, and passed her resolutions of the eYth
December, 1897. In these she declared her right
to extend her authority over the whole Indian coun-
try; to coerce obedience to it, and openly asserted
that she could rghtfuly take possession OF the Cher
okee lands at her Will and pleasure. During
the last year she has followed UP these CLAIMS and
annexed their country to the adjacent counties; she
has extended her laws the Cherokees, aud cou-
pied with them peculiar CODE framed for that pur-
pose and applicable to the Indians only Of the op.
Grafton and character of these laws, shall say sons
thing before sit down. f. a.a
There has been complaint on the part of
Georgia, that from the commencement of her coils
ion this subject with the former administration
she has been much misunderstood and often greatly
misrepresented II Is fair and candd therefore TINT
this occasion and in tins House, the principles on
which she has relied support her measures should
be stated by herself that she should be heard in her
own words; and that If she fails to DO convinced the
doctrines on which she has rested her prctentions
may be no longer Mistaken her principles rnisre-
presented l shall not trust myself to state them
from rccoeG.ion and must ask the committee to in
dulge me In reading extracts from the proceed
ings of her Legislature in I5SS- Joint committee
of that body to whom the Governors message rela-
ting "the acquisition of The Georgia lands at pre-
sent in the occupancy of the Cherokee Indians and
the absolute and urisdictiona right of the State TO
the same had been referred reported that they had
given that subject the most mature and deliberate
consideration, accompanied the report with an eabo-
rate exposition of the principles which they foun-
ded certain resolutions submitted with it, The
whole argument is finally recapi uated with COM
prehenslveness and cearness which relieves me from
reading the whole report 1855 -satfta
"Beiore Georgia., says this report, "became par
ty to the articles of Agreement and Cesson (of s0sl
she could righfully have possessed herself of those
lands, either by negotiation with the Indians or by
force; and she had determined TO do so; but by this
contract she made 1t the duty of the United States
to sustain the expense of obtaining for her the pos
session; provided it could be done upon reasonable
terms and by negotiation. But in it should be-
come necessary to resort force this contract With
the United States makes no provision; the conse-
quence is that Georgia il left untrammeed at full
liberty to prosecute her rights in THAT point of view
according to her own discretion, and thoygh no
contract had been made Your committee there
FORE arrive at this conclusion that anterior to the
revolutionary war, the lands question beonred to
Great Brltaln thlt the right of sovereignty both as
TO DOMINION and empire, complete and perfect in
her; that the possession of the Indians was perms-
sivc; that they tenants at will and that
such tenancy might have been determined at any
moklent, either by negotiation force at The plea
sure OF Great Brltain that upon the termination of
the revolutionary and by the treaty of peace,
Georgia assumed all the rights and powers in rela
ton to the ands and Indians question: which there
toore belonged to Great Britain; that since that time
she has not Invested herself of any right or power
in relation to he lands in question. fIrhe. than
she has in relation all the ba lance of her territory:
and that she Is at full liberty and has the pow
er and right to possess herself, by any means she
may choose To employ, of the lands dispute and
to extend over them her authority and laws Al
though your committee believe that the absolute tile
TO the lands in controversy is IN Georgia. and that
she may righfuly possess herself of them when and
by what means she pleases, yet they would not re-
commend an exercise of that right till all other means
fail. We are aware that tie Cherokee Indians talk
extravaguntly of their devotion to the land of their
fathers, and of their attachment their homes; and
that they have gone very far towards convincing the
general government, that negotiation With them with
the view of procuring Their reli punishment of title TO
the Georgia lands will be hopeless; yet we do conf
IDENTITY believe that they have been induced to ASSUME
this lofty bearing, by the protect onand encourage
ment which has been afforded them by the United
States and that they will speak totally different
language, u the general government Mill change its
policy toioards them, and cppri<e hou Of The nature
and eztent of the Georgia title to their lands, and
what will be the probable consequence of their re-
naming refractory.
"YOur committee would recommend that one other,
and the last appeal be made to the general govern
ment, with view TO open negotiation with The Che
rokee Indians upon the subect that the United
do instruct their commissioners to submit this report
to the said Indians; that such negotiation OPEN
ed, or fit Is and proves to be unsuccessful that then
the next Legislature Is recommended 10 take into
consideration the property OF using the most efectu-
al measures for taking possession 3 and extending our
authority md iarcS the whole ofthe lands in con
troversy Your committee, in the spirit of ibe
raty, and Tor the purpose alone of AVOIDING any Diff
Guilty or Misunderstanding, with either the general
government or the Cherokee Indians, would recon-
mend 10 the people of Georgia. to accept any treaty
that may be made between the u. States and those
Indians, securing to this State much of the lands
In question os may remain, after making for
term of years, for life forever fee simple TO he
use of particular Indians, not to exceed in the aggre-
gate sixth part of the whole territory But II all
this will no do; if the Uuited States will moi redeem
her pledged honor and il the Indians continue to turn
deafear to the voice Of reason and friendship; we
now soemny warn them of the consequences. The
lands in question belong Georgia-she must and
she mill have them Influenced by the foregoing
considerations your committee beg leave to offer the
following resolutions:
Resolved. That the United States in failing to
procure the lands IN controoersy early The same
could be done upon peaceable and reasonable terms
have palpaby violated their contract with Georgia
aud are nom bound, at all hazard. and Vtopt re-