Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-11-07
WHOLE NO. 1873.
From the New-York Commercial Advertiser.
PUBLIC LANDS,

! Another cessIon of more than FIVE miIs
lions OF acres of land is said to have been
recently effected by the Commissioners,
appointed TO negotiate treaty with the
Pottdwatamie tribe OF lndinns In pay.
ment, besides the transfer oi other lands,
II is said to be stipulated that the United
States shall pay TO the Potiawatamies,
the sum OF one million, one hundred
thousand dollars. This in reward TO the
sum, we presume, is mistake-i for sure.
ly the price mentioned is much more
than the land, in so large quantity, and
IN the remote region west Of Lake Mich
igan, can possibly be worth. BE that,
however, as II may, II is not improper to
inquire into the policy of purchasing, at
this time, such vast tracts Of Indian ter
rItory. There have not been fewer than
five, (and we believe more) treaties
made within the last twelve months, in
all which Indian lands have been ceded
to the United States, who in addition to
other considerations, have engaged to
pay for the same, large sums in cash
And why this policy; Had we not mil.
lions and millions of acres of excellent
land already in market, May not the
most faslidious purchaser be suited in
quality, quantity, situation and climate,
from among those vast bodies Of unsold
land already surveyed and registered'-
There is but one answer to the question.
! Why, then, We again inquire, this ea-
gerness to increase the overwhel lining
! quantity we already possess? 1t is to
| glut the avarice and corrupt purposes of
the harpics who hover round the palace
at Washington-who bask in the sum
shine Of the Dctator's iavor-a and " hd
obtain payment for political services in
the unprncipled expedient Of turning
public patronage TO individual profit
Every man who has found glory in serv-
ing such Chief, claims his "reward"
;, and as the applicants for Royal Boun-
ty are more numerous than vacancies in
such Offices are already created by law,
: the expedient is reso'ted 10 of creating
b. new Offices and employments, to gorge
the rapacity of political followers. In
the outset Of negotiation We have not orr
ly three Commissioners, bu. Interpre!
tcrs, Clerks, Surveyors, and hangers-on
by dozens, Of all the characters and ca
pacIties that avarIce can conceive or
I corruption sanction-so that in the very
inception of the measure, some halfhun-
dred tents are provided for The hopeful
porcine progeny, and the hungry expec-
lants sIlenccd, if not stated by the spols
And here we may inquire wherefore
1t is that all the formalitv should be OBJ.
r served, and all the expense incurred, of
concluding, in the most solemn form of
tl L.. IL
. in cheating the Indians out of their lands,
If the other "high contracting party" is
= not to be regarded as an independent
power, and entitled to the immunitles of
'g nationalltys Why the silly parade Of di-
= plomacy, If it is mere matter OF ofbargam
., and sale-equally as well conducted by
an agent as an ambassador-if, after all,
The adverse party, like the poor tribe OF
m Cherokee Indians, is to be trodden un-
J. der foot or "extermnatedp But let
that pass-for it is not worth while to be
Il diverted from ferreting out corruption
S and debasement, by any diversions in
tracing the absurdities of its costume.
Alter the first batch of treaty makers
are provided for, and the arrangement
:. worked through the Senate, per tas aui
is per netas, in the usual forms Of rutitica-
ton, then comes another harvest for the
Is glorihers-anothers shower OF rewards for
= huzzaing the Hero ottwo wars, and twen-
ty-seven combats. For each newly ac-
= quired terrtory--or rather for each dis
trict of territory--(for the apple pie will
be cut into as many sections as possible)
new surveyors are to be appointed--and
J; new deputy surveyors--and demi-de pu.
;. ties-and demi-semi-de with long
line of depend to the head
waiter upon the chairman.
= After the ramilication Of office, with
its dependencies and serviities, has
reached its extent, then comes the es-
tablishment Of those notorious land OF
fees, with their receivers, registers,
clerks, and far spread powers Of patron
age-besides the ample field for official
speculation-nlleged pre-emptions-pri'
vate reservations, and the thousand 9TH
er scenes and practices of corruption, by
which the power OF the Old Roman is
sustainsd-his lctors rewarded, and the
succession to the empire achieved and
perpetuated. And TO accomplish ul
this, a quiet and submissive people
once citizens, now subjects, cbeerlully
= = open the vaults of their Treasury. Tc
70 pay the wages Of sin aud death they con-
- sent 10 lavish their money, and add to
possessions already more broad than
they can dispose of or occupy!
.. Aud agaIn--Independcnily OF the sin
y lister purposes for which these treaties
are formed. another reason pre- So uts Il.