The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-01-14
Vol. 21


therefore acknowledged nstionsl chsrsc.
ter OF these communities. All gave CON.
sideration for the lands which they receiv.
ID ~ graiitess, which could be nothing
less, IN the circumstances OF the case, than
a recognition Of title in the original pos.
SCISSORS. All agreed upon lines or dctnark.
alton; and therefore admitted that the In.
dams had right to lands on the other aldo
Of those lines.--Ail the colonsts solemniy
engaged that they would not encrosch up.
on Indian limits aud that, in future put.
chases OF land, the new settlers would
submit their proposals 10 the unbiased
decision Of the Indian councils; and would
never take possession OF lands belonging
TO Indians, except with tho consent Of tho
rightful owners. On these terms were
the first settlements made without single
exception. On no other terms could q
settlement have been made by the small
bands Of treble colonists; and for more than
hundred years the new settlements
would have been exposed TO utter ruin, il
the Indians had been frankly told, that
they had no right TO the lands in their pos
session, and that the whites might lawful.
" seize oil these lands as soon as they
should be strong enough 30 do il.
The result Of wars between the whites
and Indians may fairly be laid out Of tho
case; for oil these wars had somo other OFF.
gin than the claim 10 assert the right OF
discovery at the point Of tho sword.
With several nations Of Indiuns, peace
was preserved without interruption for
more than hundred years before the re-
volution, and has been continued, In like
manner, down TO tho present day. During
all this lapse of years, tho lndians wcro
treated as our faithful allies, and triod
friends: and were often expressly, and al.
ways implicitly, acknowledged 10 have q
perfect right TO the lands within their tor.
r'soriol limits, both In regard to soil and
sovereignty. -
AT the commencement of the revolution.
ary struggle. the Congress of the cenfedo-
rate stntcs appeared before the Indian M.
tons earnestly bosoeching them to remain
ncuter during the war, and solemhDy plcdg.
ing the public faith. in that hour Of dis.
tress, that IL the Indians would only assert
their national rights Of neutrality, the u
nised States would respect those rights,
and would guaranty to the Indians their
soil and sovereignty forever. In the dark.
est moments Of tho doubtful controversy.
such compact was formed and tbcre 10
no protcnce that il has ever been violated
by the wenker party.
Your memorialists now beg leave 10 call
the attention OF Congress to the relations.
which have always subsisted between
Georgia and the Greek and Chervkeo ua :
tons 0f Indisna. At the fret settlement
Of Savannah BY charitable corporation,
which afterwards became q colony, small
portion Of land, wds solicited from the na.
tivos az a favor, and for reasons grounded
upon benefits 10 be conferred on tho M.
tivcs themselves. A grant was made Of
such lands, ss tho original inhabitants had
no occasion TO uee, with the express rcscr.
walton that not q single new town should
be settled By whites, unless with tho con.
sent OF tho Indians. When this grant was
made, the chiefs Of the Crock nation, out
of abundant caution, solennly protested,
that they were the rightful owners OF the
Atlantic coast, from the Savannah 10 tho
81. Johns, with the ncighboring islands.
and the interior 10 the mountains; and that
they were, and had been, In actual posses.
sion, az they could show by tho heaps OF
bones OF invaders slain in battle. Treaties
wero repeatedly made between the colony
Of Georgia and Indian nations residing
within the chartered limits OF that colony;
and always upon the ground ofthc distinct
national character Of tho Indians, and OF
their rights Of soil and sovereignty wiihin
their national limits.
So late rs the years l7e5 and 1880.
Georgia, then an independent state, made
treaties upon the same bases; her chief
magistrate, nnd most eminent men, being
tho negociators. These treaties, thus mado
by Georgia as an independent state, sro
not alleged to havo BEEN violated by tho
Chcrokees, and are. In this moment, a.
your momorinlists conceive, binding upon
Georgia in honor, law, and conscience, ex.
cept so far a. they have been superseded
by subsequent treaties made between tho
Cherokees and the government Of the Uni
ted States.
Nothing more need be said oftbc Creeks
as they have recently ceded TO the United
States for the use Of fGeorgia, snch part OF
their country as falls within the chartered
limits OF that state.
by the federal constitution, the treaty
making power was expressly given 10 tho
general government. ond the several states
were expressly inhibited from exercising
il. Soon afcr the federnl government
went into operation, our public relations
with the Indians underwent thorough OK.
sminstion and rovisal. Your memorislists
have not learned that q doubt arose in the
mind Of q single individual, whether these
relations came within the scope of the pow.
crs given TO the general government AZ
any rate, ia question arosc, IL was settled
by the President and Senators Of the Uni
tod States, whose decision, in this case,
must bs final and conclusive, unless we re.
sort 10 the sbsurd snpposition, that thero
is some other body, beside the President
and Senate, which hes an appellate juris-
diction over treaties, which other body