Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-06-26

From The Globe.l
JOHN ROSS AND THE TREAT WITH THE
HERO EES

Georgian of the 10th inst. that the individual whose
name stands at the head of,his art Gle, is cxerting him
self TO procure the rejection by the Chcrokecs, Of the
very liberal terms proposed by the Government. These
terms have been made public, and their favorable cha
racter das been recognized and admitted by al! parties.
our readers will reconcct, that the amount to DC paid for
inc REIMBURSEMENT OF their title to lands in the States
nasto oil the Mississippi, was fixed by the Senate, at its
last session, at five millions OF dollars. But all of them
may moth aware of the circumstances which OCCASION
cd The reference of this question 10 that body. a brief
recital VIII put them IN possession OF the facts.
IN Ic3Z, propositions were submitted to the Cherokccs
Tor a treaty oiccssion and removal, the execution Of which
would have cost the United States near three millions of
dollars. These propositions received the approval of ma
NY OF the most distinguished advocates OF these Indians,
and were recommended to their acceptance by the Hon.
Ncssrs' frehnghuysen aud Everett, and by the AmeIi-
can Board OF Foreign Missions. They were transmit
ted through MIR. Chester, then Il resident in Georgia, and
a lawyer of standing, whose opinions were known to
be- favorable to the Ciicrokecs, and who felt and xiii
blted a warm interest in their behalf. The Cherokces,
actin9 at The i~nstigation OF John Ro :, twice rejected
.nese offers. Al the commencement OF the last session
OF Congress, two delegations came TO this city. At the
head OF one of these were John Ridge and Elias Boudi.
not, who were disposed TO enter into treaty arrange
iientS. AT the head Of the other was John Ross. On
the lIth VI February a Commissioner was appointed To
meet the former, and ascertain the terms upon which
they would be willing To negotiate. AT the special in
stance OF Ross, this Commissioner was directed to sus-
pend proceedings, TO give him time to submit his propo-
sitions. After the lapse OF ten days, These propositions
were received. They required the payment OF twenty
mitions oil dolIa:s, payment of debts to an unlimited
amount, remuneration for losses since 1917, and cxenp-
ton from the jurisdiction ofthe States for a period olive
years: An assent to these propositions was out of the
question. When their rejection was communicated to
hIn, Ross requested that the amount to be paid should
DC determined by the Senate. In the letter from his
delegation of the 2oth February, he saws, awe are pre-
pared, so Tar as we are concerned, to abide the award of
the sense OF the American Senate upon our proposition.
and to commend the same for the final dcte summation
ofour nation"
a copy of his proposition, as above stated, was accord
ihgly communicated to the Senate, and that body re-
commented the payment of five millions of dollars. a
provisional arrangement, subject To the approval of the
SneTOhcc ndtiOn, was concluded with RldIe and his
associates upon this basis. Ross imncdi .teIy cvinced
4 disposition To cvade a compliance with his cnpape.
ments. On the 9TH of March, he presented II new pro-
position, that the whole matter should be referred to
our nation, to be dclibcra,cd and determined upon in
General Council. 'And in order, he remarks, ito insure
harmony andgood feeling among ourselves, ii was greatly
TO be desired that the Cherokee people and their rcprcsen-
tatIves, should not he tramincllcd by any premature act OH
our part, ana that the whole subject should be brought be-
tore them free from any suspicion or unjust inpuiations
against ourselves or others In the same letter, lac pro-
Irssed a belief, that the arrangement with Ridge would
ueieat Tie great Object OF preserving harmony among
their people, and insisted that the wishes OF the whole
nation should DC consulted in the application OF the
amount named by the Senau, 81 they will consent to
treat and accept OF the sum offered This is mere ure-
tencc on the part OF Ross, for he knew that nothing, was
hxed, III the arrangement with Ridge, but the amount.
me several stiPulations were all SUBJECT TO notifications,
II the Chtrokees requested 1t. If there could be any
doubt OF his purpose not to keep the promises he had
made, IT would Ue manifested by the following sentence
IN the same letter
We, as the duly authorized delegation of the Chero-
kee nation, are prepared III good Faith to redeem every
PROMISE WHICH we nave made 10 The Department., so JaT
as recommending 10 oar notion Tie cnpedieney II ciOStng
our unhappy dtto"l.eS by a treaty t0Mh The LHtod States.
The design oil Ross 10 evident. The Senate had re-
Jectcd his cXtrayagant claim, of between twenty and thir-
ty millions OF dollars. They had fixed the consideration.
tor an entire ccssion by the Cherokces, at one filth of this
amount. A highly respectable delegation, embracing
individuals who mad long been his personal friends, and
co-opefaicd with him IN every public measure, had
cheeriuny accepted this offer OF the Senate, and be-
come parties 10 siipulations providing for and specify
ing ITS application. These slpulations were of Il cha
racier 80 JudicIous and liberal, that they commanded
a general aud cordial approval. There could be little
doubt, that If the whole plan, in all its details, were fully
explained to the Indians, they would pfcmptly assent 10
IL. lhis assent, once gwen 10 Il treaty, in the conclusion
OF winch he had had no fundamentally, his power ana
influence III the nation would be impaired, ifnot destroyed.
/ lie removed with ms countl Ymen, he would no
longer hold the supreme place. Ii he remained, the
treaty provided iol him no extensive reservation of
land, IRON which he might derive immense wealth bat
he would be a citizen OF Georgia, with sufficient, but
moderate means, without Il prospect of ultcrior cleva.
ton. 10 prevent these consequences to himself. he
must prevent the arrangement agreed upon with Ridge
from being communicated, in its details, to the Cheru-
KEGS. The whole subject must be lett open for them.
when 1T would be easy, by exciting diversitics of opinion
as to the application OF the hse millions, to ensure the
eventual rejection of the proposition OF the Senate.-
Having failed in this, nc has been laboring, with untinng
industry, to induce tile CherOkecs to believe, that If
they rejected the terms offered To them, they would be
able to obtain more favorable ones hereafter. lie has
imputed to the President a feeling Of hostility, and a dis
position to Cypress and defraud them. He has created
an impression that the success OF the candidate of the
Opposition for the Presidency was certain: and that then.
every tiln5 thcy might ask WOGld be grated 10 them.
These lnslnuations have had their effect. There is reason
TO apprchend the failure of the present attempt to termi-
nate forever a most unpleasant controversy, and the con-
scqucnt continuance of the Indians in the States, where
their residence Is equally p%rcjudicial to themselves and to
our own citizens.
1t IL fit that the conduct of this unprinciplcd man
should be held UP to mertcd scorn and Tcprobation. IL
is fit that they who have long sustained him, should
know his violation Of solemn engagements, voluntarily
entered intO-his selfish and ambitious yiews-for The
qualification of which, Ire has, for yeats past, pre- vented
the emigration OF his cOuntrymen from the scene of their
degradation, beyond the reach Uf the influences that are
wasting their resources, and keeping them in a state of
embarrassment and suffering. He PROCESSES to love bis
countrymen, aud totc actpatedby that love in all that he
does. Who will believe that he pencsiVes more accurate
ly, or appreciates more Justly, their true interests. than.
Ridge and BOudinot! lie Processes to believe that the
country provided Tor thrm wsst Of tlc Mississippi. is ina
dequate in rxlent, and inferior in yalae-that thirtcen
What is there in all this, but an utter reoklessness Of
characters "a shameless Disregard Of the lrath, and a wild
and hIrcguIatcd ambition We trust his countrvucn
will discern hs real Objects, aud reject his counscls-
That they will !istcu TO the advice Of their true friends
among themselves, and among our Owa citizens. and
cure to them independence and wealth in a region Of
unsurpassed saiubnty and fertility.
We publish at length, the portions Of the correspond.
cnce between Ross and the Department Of War, which
have been furnished to US, that our readers may be in
possession Of this wtsIle subject.
The first and only proposiiiono Of BOSS, which was in
admissible on Account Of its c~xotbitani demands, iscon-
tanned in the following extract, dated
WAsHfsGBoS. CRY, DRowS's HorEt,1
FtJFaary %, 1885.
We propose, Therefore, to meet the proposition Of the
President for an arrangement. on the basis Of a eross
sum being paid 20 our nation for its tide 90 AZ the lands
lying within the ehaster limits Of Gcotria. North Caro-
In T........ rAI ALI. I....-L l.. a. a.