Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-30

JssS0u aI TUG present. ADMINISTRATOR mas, 10 uf
of the policy and views Of Georgia, Changed
the former policy of the government anddpprised the
Cnerookees of tho nature and extent of the Georgin
title TO their lands, and what the probable consequent
css world be Of their sremaining refractory. !" ~.
Against all these pretensions of Georgia, the Che.
rokee nation have the present adnnistra
ton as welas 70 the last. They have asserted the
nyiolablilty their treaties and invoked the faith
uno demanded The protection of the government
They have received the answer of the present Secre
tafy Of the Department of ar and the President,
have finally appealed to this House, and ofared
their memorials here their last refuge from the Gas
ianities winch they believe await them aterwe shall
have turned them away. Speaking of their case, tie
PRESIDENT says in his message: portion however,
OF tue Southern tribes having mingled much with the
whites, and made some progress tn the arts IF cfi<ed
Ge, have lately attempted to EJECT independent
government within the limits of Georgia and Alabama
These States, claiming to be the only sovereigns
within their extended their laws the
Indians. which induced the latter to call on the Uni
ted States TOR protection. Under these circumstan
ces The question presented whether the general
government had right to sustain these people in
their professional
1t is to be deeply regretted that before the Presi-
dent assumed the power to decide against the Chero-
kee nation the interesting questions which were thus
presented under the constitution, laws and public trea-
ties OF the country he had not submitted the whole
matter to Congress as his constitutional advisers or
at least to the Senate with the view eft dsposing of
these difficulties by amicable negotiation II seams
been done The Superintendent Of Indian Affairs il,
the War Department, IN letter of the Eth of April
to the Cherokee Delegation, says: The Secretary
or war IS not now prepared to decide the question in
vowed IN the act OF the Legislature of Georgia. 10
which you refer, IN which provision is made for OK
tending the laws of Georgia over your people after
the first of June, $780, 1t is question which will
doubtless be the subject Of Congressional inquiry and
what is proper IN regard to it will doubt be der
cd by that body" regret that this disposition of
the subject had not been made These questions :phf
doubtless have been safely trusted to Congress- Blu.
IL ths was ever the intention of tho government it
appears to have been soon abandoned On the 18th
OF April, and within week after Col. Mckinney S
etter, the Secretary OF the Department cf War in
formed the Cherokee Delegation that since that com
nuncation TO them, he had co;yersed freely and full.
~ with The President, and had been directed by him
20 submit TO them his views on The whole SUBJECT -
lie then explicitly tells them that their claims to the
protection of the government under these treaties and
the laws of the United States against The operatop
OF the laws of Georgia, could not be recognised
shallno now call the attention of the committee to
the dpctriues assumed by this department farther
than to read one tyo extracts from this la;er to
the Cherokee Delegation.
TO all this, says the Secretary ssthere is plain
and obvious answer deducihle from the known histo-
ny OF the Country During the war of the revolution
your nation was the friend and ally Of Great Britain
power which then claimed sovereignty within the
limits OF what constituted the thirteen United States
by the declaration OF independence and subsequently,
"
ta,ning to Great Britain became vested respecvely
IN the original States Of this Union, incrdin North
Carolina and Georgia. within whose territorial linn
It's as defined and known, your nation was then sit
uatcd IL as Is the case, you have been permitted
u a6te oil your lands from that period to the present,
enjoying the right of soil and privilege to hunt if is
not thence to be inferred that this was any tinrsnore
than PERMISSION gr3wing out of compacts with your
naiinn nsr Is 1t circumstance whence now to deny
TO those States the exercise of their original sovcr-
eignty." After further explaining TO the Cherokees
the views of the President, the Secretary continues:
But suppose, and it suggested merely for the pnr-
pose OF a'rafen.ns your Judgment that Georgia
cannot and ought not to claim the exercise Of such
power, what alternative Is presented," He then
explicitly says that if any collision should arise even
on this admission that Georgia aoas thus in the toyonp
he claims set up by them under their treaties for
protection. cannot even then be recognized and No
to the interference of the Executive under the avs
OF the Union or these Treaties be adds: THE Pfesi-
dent cannot and will not 6eguiie you-yitb such an ex
pectation:" and finally tells them: mo remedy can
DC perceived except that which frequently hereto
ofe mas Deen submitted for your cobslderatono re-
moral beyond The mississippi where alone can be as
sured TO you protection and peace I, must be obvious
to you and the President he's instructed me again
10 bring II to your candid and serious consideration
Ina. 70 where you are within the territorial
limits of an independent State, can promise Won mo-
a10tS bal interruption and d,squietude" About the
same time, find that in talk delivered bv the Pres
ldent TO the Greek nation, through their agent he
tohu sHsi tudl WncrS LDey now RESIDE their s.rhte
orotherS always claimed the land. and these lands
IN Alabama happen to be the lands of the United
states He further informed them that his ..tohite
children" in Alabama had extended their laws over
thc'r country and that if hey remained there, they
must submit to these laws. believe, Sir, that
this bill owes its origin, at this time to this state of
THINGS and that its chief policy is CO operate with
these States in the acquisition of the benefits which
they expect to attain to themselves by the removal of
the Indians
Blythe course adopted by the Executive and the
principles on which he has thus assumed to act on his
own responsibility without consulting Congress these
Indian nations have been substantially placed with
out the protection OF the United States The trea-
ties OF this government made with them from its first
organization and under every administration, to
Which they have solemny appealed for their securI
against these fatal encroachncnts on their rights
have been treated subordinate to the laws of these
States and are thus virtually aorogated by tho Ex
ecutive Department. The, President has assumed
Vhe power TO dispose of the whole question: and the
message proposes to little more than TO register
this Executive decree. This has seriously en1bar