Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-26

me-, reported the same with an amendment, slrkins
out the word "nine" and inserting the word six !,
which was read.
M. White made the following report:
1he Committee on Indian Affairs, TO whom was re
erred that part Of the Presidents Message dated IN,
Sth day OF December last, which relses to Indian AZ
a"s, nave n"u me same nnder consideration, and AL
leave TO submit tho following report:
Every thing which relates TO those Indian tribes O,
tMons WIN "hith we have political relations created
" regulated, by tea,ies, is becoming, every year
more aud more interesting; especially those relating tc
suen asre'iue within any OF the States of the Union,
81 me territories belonging to il. The matters com
nuncaed by the President. in his Message, relative
me Cherokees, are OF the most delicate and Dtcr
esng Character whether considered in relation To the
United States, to the States OF Georgia and ALBANIA OF
to the Cherokee Nation. The Committee have em
poyed themselves assiduously in their investig alton
with anxious wish 10 avail themselves of all tho in
formation witbia their reach and desrons 10 recon-
mend something TO the Senate, which if productive o.
positive good will at least have the merit Of net far
Their embarrassing questions, already sufficiently com.
plicated.
| With this Nation, the United States have formed a
number OF treaties, commencing early as the wear
1853, aud ending in the year 1919. At the formation
ne nrst; the Indians occupied portions OF territory
whin the chartered limits of the States of North Car
o'na South Carolina, and Of Georgia Since that ne.
Rod, North Carolina ceded part of her territory ON
which portion OF these Indians resided to the United
safes aud hatterriory according 10 the terms of the
meed " ceSSton has been since formed :he State
tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. amicablv sci.
tied the boundary between the m: and nv AN
between me United States and Georgia, dated i'm the
year leoz the " States acquired the title to portion
oil terri'oyout Of which, the State of Alabama and the
greater part Of the State Of Mississippi has since
formed And nowt so happens, that part Of the Cher
okees still reside within III. States Of North C.rnl;n
ana Georgia, according TO their present boundaries
wei az within the limits of Tennessee and of Aba
ma Latterly, Georgia, in the exercise as she suppo
ses' oil her sovereign powers has extended her laws
over the whole OF the State. anI subjected the
to her jurisdiction. Meantime, the Cherokees have
formed civil government of their own entirely indie
pendent OF any State, claiming to have right 10 do an
Ia virtue OF their original title TO the lands on which
'hey 'osie, and relying, like wise upon the guarantee
oil thelr country, in several OF their treaties
with thu United States. They have c,lI.d nson IN.
Executive to make good this guarantee by preventing
ne OPERATION oil The Iaw', ct either Georgia Alaba
ma within those limits secured to them by the said
treaties. - ~ ~
10 this application the President has replied that he
mas no power to check the operation of the law. OF
uiose states, within their respective lmits-that the
Constitution Of the United States Gorb, = The Gro,,,i
oil any New State, within the limits of an old one with
out It's consen therefore the Cherckecs cannot h. r
coghzed as separate State, within those limit. where
'hey now reside; and that, il they choose 10 rema n
,he'e, they shall be projected in doing So: hun uat
they must submit 10 HI laws of the respective Stats
at The same time they protected by them and ear
nesly recommends 10 them, consent 10 EXCHANGE tho
country where they now reside, for one West of The
MISSISSIPPI, owned by the United States and M, va,
included within the bounds of any State or Trr,itoyy
wnere 'hey can be again united with that portion of
hrir nalion which has already emigra.ed and ,vher.
The w. States can and will make them for ever secure
from any interruption from the whites or from apv o.
ther nation or people whatever.
10 this proposition the Indians have eiy.n an ,bso
iu'e REFUSAL still insisting ulment of their treaty
stipuations. 'J
The laws OF Georgia will commence their operation
In the month OF June 1t is easy TO foresee The
painful consequences which will probably folIov from,
laws operating over the same territory, at one and the
same time aud flowing from Jurisdictions or soyereiyns
independent oil each other.
The evil will not stop here; already we are advised
hsssiPpl has passed law, Incorporating her Indian
population with her citizens; that Alabama has sx,en
Ell her laws over the Creek Indians within her limits
ai ue1ofe iohg we may anticipate, that the like pol
ICY VIII be pursued by several other States
From the information before the committee no hone
need be entertained that either of those States viii
change their policy, and repeal those laws period has
arrived, when the United States have duty TO per.
form which must be discharged ia eood faith m the
States concerned, TO the Indians and with sacred re-
gard 10 their own high character
In the view which the committee have of this sinh.
Jec' they believe it woudbe cessary not impro
per- Tor them TO offer any opinion upon the points in
dispute between the conendng parties because there
can be no reason TO suppose any additional enactmens
ny congress are necessary 10 put in the power of the
Executive 10 make good The guarantee contain
ed IN the treaties ii, in his Judgment thew ought
TO pave The consiruc ton for which the Chrokees
and his duty, according the contribution would an
thorze hun to oppose the operation of the State laws
" ,"' No"S, Pdsscu an act 10 regulate trade and
Intercourse with the Indians, the pr0v ions of which
connected with the treaties are sufficiently broad TO
authorize the Executive TO give effect 10 every stipu
ation; which 1t is the duty Of the United States TO
form -
The failure to comply with the wishes of the Cbero
KEGS, as 1t appears TO the Committee proceeded NOT
from defect in the law, but bcrause in the onnion
OF me Executive constitutional objections exist which
IL not IN the power of Congress to remove bv any
law which they could enact
The difficulties which have actually occurred ,rere
Iorcseen some years since and successive Almnstr,
tons seem TO have been anxiOusly avorug 10 avoid
them, anu The only remedy suggested by anV appears
10 have been, to provide country Wesi of the Miss
'ipp beyond the limits of any State or orc anzed r
rory, to have II laid off and divided into as manv die.
Ulrts as would accommodate all the Indians residing
within any OF the States, Territories TO have tbose
districts so described, by natural or artificial marks
hat each could De known from every other and the n
ny "ir and peaceablc means induce the Indians IN
exchange the lands chere they lire for some of tbose
mus de'cTined, and 10 emigrafe Suitable country
as IS believed, has been procured but owinr TO some
cause or other, the Districts have not. az vet been
OF, and properly described. Exchanges however IN
considerable extent have been made and CO., enuen,
cmigralohs from various tribes, have taken Mac.
portion OF the Cherokees, equal az is believed 10
from One-ihd, TO one-half Of the whole has octuslv
removed to, and settled in - country well su n, IA nj,
wants and wishes, west Of the Mississippi The re i,
good reason TO believe many would have remov.
ed before this time, except for various causes which
ssyet the United States have not been able to oyer
COME The principal one il, the idea of separate and
independent State OF their own, where thew now live
Tbs - the work, principally. Of comparatively fe,
VINO are either white men connected with the natives
by marriage, or of those OF mixed blood horn i'm ,bA
nation, who we'll educated and intsilictnt ,vha
have acquired considerable property and thf,ueb he
annuies PAID ny the United States and by other