New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-05-24
THE TRIBUNE.
Tn. Cherokee Indians.

az TIE Cherokee Memorials" have seen, also'
the Editorial of the Courier and Enquirer 10
which YOU refer. There would seem to be some
haste in the getting up of this Editorial. WISH
the able Editor Of that paper had waited to see
both sides of the question before he had reviewed
it. He will, doubt not, in the end, DO justice 10
the sub;ect. as well as to JSo Ross, than whom
there lives no man more upnght OF better quail
fed TO administer the affairs Of the Cherokee ma
ton. Jno Ross will be found In this controversy,
as in others that are passed, quite able TO defend
himself. see in the article in the Enquirer, a
dribble from the original source whence have
come the greater portion if not all of those foul
implications that have connected HIM with the
killing of the Ridges and Boudinot. That source
IL the Head of the Indian Department at WASH
inpton So much Of implication emanated from
Mr.. Crawford the Commissioner of the charac-
lions, as made it necessary for the laterto appeal
10 facts and to Congress-and he who may desire
to know the truth Of the allegation of Ross
agency in the killing Of the Ridges and Boudlnot,
and other like foul and unjust asperslons, may
find all this false coin nailed TO the counter,
in the national archives. For this manly and
triumphant defence of himself Ross has never,
10 this hour, been forgven-nor has he, IN the
head of the Indian Department, any thing to hope
for but a continuation OF the same embarrassment
that has proved affecting to himself and dis
tracing to his nation, from the period OF the dis
graceful Schermehorn treaty of New Euchota
till this hour. 1t is this known hostility to Ross
in the Department at Washington made bitter by
ROSES exposure of its injustice and rnalignity that
has warmed into life tins excitement ana these dis
sensions among the Cherokee people. There has
always been, in such cases. as (my word for ~
there is now some reckless but talented white man
at the bottom of this memorial movement. is there
not such man no,o at Washingt0nl Ii so, he
will be found the companion of the Rodgers, or
"Treaty" party, and in familiar Intercourse with
the head OF the Indian Department. Your re-
marks, allow me 10 say, on the question in issue
between the old and the more recent emIgrants,
and upon the character and worth Of jno. Ross,
are pertinent and just.
This whole Indian subject needs overhauliDg.
There is now, and has been for years, not only
the absence at Washington of the requisite intel
lipence to manage it, but the presence, as have
stated, of vindictive and bad spirit, which has
land the records are referred to for proof never
failed. since the infamous New Euchota Treaty,
10 show itself against Ross and the sixteen thou
sand of his people who, together with himself,
protested against it's ratification. The history OF
that whole affair is one broad and foul blot on the
Justice and humanity of this nation 1t would
take volume to expose its enormltles. pass
them over, and beg leave to inform the able Ed.
tor of the Courier and Enquirer, that there has
never been q Treaty made except that by Scher
mehorn) with part, only, of the Cherokee Ma
ton; nor is there an article in any one OF these
compacts from that of Hopewell, in 1855, to
that under which the Cherokees consented 10
leave their Country on the East of the Mlssis-
sappi, which recognizes the Cherokees in the
light of divided or separate community. 1t is
The United States on the one side, and the
Cherokee Nation ON the other" | appeal to the
Treaties. When, therefore, the Treaties of 1917
and others of a subsequent date were concluded
between the United States and this people, and
lands were assigned them on the West of the
Mississippi in exchange for lands East oft, those
lands were intended for the accommodation not
of part only, but of all, should all incline to go;
whilst the party prclerring the West to the East
of the Mississippi carried with them all their
rights to preexistlng annuties, the same as though
they had remained at home with the bulk of the
paid.
The idea that the party who chose first to
emigrate were to be the sole owners of the coun-
try allotted to the Cherokee Nation, West of the
Mississippi, is preposterous. dozen or fifty en-
igrants, had no more gone, might have,with the
same show OF justice, set up this claim, as Tor Il
third, or fourth of the nation to do II.
But the Ross party-thc great bulk of the
,,afiop-io cbarued Will, havipu 81 uot nnSSns
sion Of very large shar of the Treaty money, i'll
the shape of contract for removing the Indians
and in other ,oayS, and from that time to this
fuse to pay any portion over to the rest OF the
tribe" If the ground assumed be correct, that
the Ross party were separate and distinct from
the earlier emigrants, and had no claim to any
portion Of the territory West of the Mississippi,
then surely these earlier cmigrants have no right
to any of the benefits arising out of the Treaty
under which the Ross party emigrated TINS part
of the argument overscts itself But viewed as II
people, all are alike entitled to the lands Yves, of the
Mississippi; and those who emigrated first, and
prior to the Ross party, having received the pay
for their transportation, the treaties stipulated
cannot expect 10 share the money granted to their
brethren to support them on their way from the
East to the West of the Mississippi; neither can
they, in Justice expect to share in the amount APP
praised on the property of their brethren, those
earlier emgrants having received pay for their
property when they left, and under like appraIsc-
ments There is. therefore, no invasion of the
rights of those earlier emgrants, no clutchipg"
of any thing, in the money way, that belonged 10
them, in the Ross party approprlating TO them
selves the cost of their transportation, and
the value of their own improvements. AS well
might the mass Of the nation, who did not emi,
CRATE with their brethren under the treaties of ISL
CT 1919, have claimed of those who were going 1t
division of the stipulated cost of their removal,
and OF the amount valued on the property lett by
them, as for those earlier settlers to set up like
claims upon their brethren who followed after
them.
1t is moreover urged that "when Ross and his
Cherokees arrived they assumed the entire con-
troll, subjected the old residents to their laws. and
finally usurped the whole direction Of affairs"
This is entirely an error. There was neither
" Assumption f" nor uSupati0n in the whole
affair. The Cherokee nation had separated, bu,
had not lost its identity oneness. This is shown
hv the manner of nsvipr .her annuit,eS One