Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-02-20
MONDAY. FEBRUARY 90, 1882.
From The Ne,c. York Daily .Adrerfissr.
THE CuICKASAW TREATY.

q There is nothing like driving a bargain on a
large scale. The life must be insipid, that is
doomed 10 drag out an existence in computing
the profits Of bargains by cents This admins
,tra,ion understands things better than this; and
although the Senate some years ago refused to ra-
tify treaty made BY Gen. Jackson, in whchswas
q large grant OF land reserved to HIMSELF still
friends may be provided for, and IN way to elude
the vigilance of the Senate, and the public The
President must be a warm hearted man, to recon-
pense his friends and supporters with, land as well
AS with Offices. These remarks are made prefa-
raiory to a disclosure that il almost too disgrace
ful 10 name. The 4th article of the treaty made
BY Gov. Shelby and Gen Jackson, on the part OF
the United >tates, with the head men and war
riors Of the Chickasaw nation OF Indians the 18th
OF October. 1918. provided as follows" The
Commissioners agree on the further and particu-
lar application of the chiefs, and for the benefit
Of the poor and warriors of the said nation. that
a tract of land containing four miles square, to
include salt lick springs, on or near the river
Sandy, q branch OF the Tennessee River, and
within the land hereby coded, be reserved. and
TO be laid off IN square or oblong, so as TO IN
c.ude the best timber, at the option OF their be-
loved Chief, Lew Colbert, and Major James
Brown. or either of them, who arc hereby made
agents and trustees for the nation, to lease the
said salt licks springs, on the following express
conditions VIZ for the benefit OF this reservation.
as before rected the trustees or agents are bound
to lease the said reservation to some citizen or
citizens. OF the United States for reasonable
quantity Of salt, TO be paid annually to the said
nation for the thereof; and that from and al
ter two years after the ratification OF this treaty,
no salt made at the works, to be erected on this
reservations shall be sold within the limits of the
C,r. prlca tltap flJOll
81 Of so pounds weight;-on failure of which the
lease shall be forleited, and the reservation re.
vert ~ the United States" William B. Lewis,
nov = Auditor, was a witness TO the execution
of the treaty. Whether the object WAS to de-
fraud the Indians, or to tsork the United States
ou' Of this land, at that time. can only be Infer
red by the facts disclosed, BY subsequent events.
W eaker evidence than this case furnishes, has
subjected many man to the penalties OF the
laA.
This treaty wrs ratified in the Senate on the
TN Of jan 1919. On the day the treaty was
exc uted, viz: on the 10Th Of October, 1918, WIN.
b. Lewis took lease from the trustees to ham
SELF aud another person, for this four square miles.
for one hundred and ninety nine years. and agreed
to piy the trustees for the benefit OF the poor
and the warriors of the nation, the yearly rent of
lS6 dollars, provided salt water was found. The
a reasonable quantity of salt. to be paid annual
liz; but the lease provided for the payment if salt
water should be found Ii Is to be borne in mind,
that the lease was made on the same day the treaty
bears date and that the treaty did not become
operative until the 9TH OF January 1919. 1t
should be recollecred. also. that Gen. Jackson
and Mr. Lewis had been for years on the most in
innate terms, s. had been partners with each other
in the profits of various speculations. They went,
it is belle, ed, to the treaty together. were togeth
er when there, and returned IN company. When
the Senate ratified the treaty, on the 9TH OF ia
nuary, 1919, this lease was unknown to the MEM
bers who composed that body.
No salt was found on the reservation, none
was paid by Mr.. Lewis under the lease, and the
reservation, by the express terms Of the treaty.
reusrted TO the United States. The President
and Mr.. Eaton went to the West in the summer
Of 1880, and Mr.. Eaton, under the act for re-
moving the Indians, passed at the preceding ses-
sion Of Congress formed another treaty with the
same Chickasaw tribe.
The President, at the opening of the Cd Session
Of the 2lst Congress. thus announced the fact in
his messase-after stating the policy OF the gov
eminent towards the Indians, aud after saying
the General Government had no more right to le-
gisiate for them, Or over them, than over foreign
nations; and after expressing his great friendship
for the Indians; to wit:-"With a full under
standing Of the subject, the Choctaw and Chick
asaw tribe, have with great unanimity determln-
ed "a avail, themselves Of the liberal offers presen-
led by the Congress, and have agreed TO a reno
val beyond the Mississippi river. Treaties have
been made with ,her,. which az due season, will
be submitted for consideration" Mr.. Eaton is
the brother-in.aw of mis- aforementioned VIM.
B. Lewis. and the bosom friend Of the President.
The Treaty with the Chicksau nation was to ex-
tihguish their title in Alabama and Mississippi.
The iour miles square OF land had reverted to the
United States, and Of course was not the subject
of the negotiation. This lard by some means,
must be- vested in William B. Lewis, and his cou-
sin, or friend, for what particular purpose, every
person will form his own opinion. How was this
10 be done? The question was a grave and no
doubt perplexing one. Ii the United States
should recognize the right, as existing in MIR.
Lewis and his friend, and they should sell or not,
there would be set up what believe lawyers call