The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1845-09-20


has been paid IN sotua time past" Then fol.
lows an argument lha, the Chiekaaawa we're an /
pnofan, people, bat had great confidence IN the I
people oi the United States aud that large
amount ot the purchase money had been inves. |
ted IN tho stocks Of several Of the States which I
form component part ofiho American Union. I
"Ihat these States constitute portion Of the I
very parties with whom said treaties were made
by the Chickasaw nation: and that they cannot I
believe that the government Of the United
States would PERMIT an ignorant and cotiding
people 10 tDilsr lr0m.the neglect Of any Of ts
own members, to place IN the hands Of their own
government those moneys and interests TO
which the Cbickasaw nation were Justly emit.
tied" (Thls seems 10 be rather an insinuatlon
that some Of the States might be against the
payment Of their stock, because of their inter.
est: and the appeal ia made to Congress no, to
PERMIT the States to repudIaie. We'll, coming
from an "gnorant and confidng" Indian, no ex.
cepions, hope, gcn,emen) They then say,
"1he memorasts fully expect that the monies
received by the government of the United
States from the sales of the Chickasaw lands,
will be fully secured to the Chlckasaws.'
The second branch of the memorial states
that the Chickasaw fund had been plundered of
various amounts of money, contrary to right and
treaty stlpuatons; and concludes with the
prayer that the Chckasaw nation may be al
lowed the privilege Of coming before the judi
ctal tribunals of the country, to test the validity
of these expenditures, and that provision may be
made for the repayment OF such sums as may be
due by the United States.
This memorial of an Indian nation, asking for
redress Of supposed grievances, is presented TO
the Senate, and forthwith on motion, referred
10 the committee on the Judiciary. BY what
rule of Legislation this reference was made, | am
wholly unable to see. There ls standing com
mittee OF the Senate on Indian affairs and to
this committee all petitions, memorials, resou
tons and bills in any way touching or relating
TO the interests, claims or welfare of Indians or
I0dan tribes, are properly referred. This CON-
mittee, thuse charged with this branch of bust,
ness, are held responsible to the Senate for all
necessary information pertaining to Indian at.
fairs. This memorial, IN my opinion, belonged
TO this committee; but, overruled here, it should
have gone TO the committee on claims; this re-
jected, a special committee should have been
raised. ! am thus particular, knowing that
every fact pertaining to this law is demanded.
But | am ready to admit that MIR. Walker is
better acquainted with parliamentary proceed
ngs than am. II was referred, and Mr.. Wal
ker from the committee on the Judiciary, repor-
ted the bill above alluded TO. This bill author
zed the Chickssaw nation, through their COM
nissIoaers, under the treaties of 1882 and 1884
10 file petition IN the nature OF bill IN Chan
Gerry, in the circuit court of the United States
for the District ofColumbia, setting forth THEIR
CLAIMS UNDER SAID TREATIEs,oR EITHER OF THEM
against the United States--the citation TO an
swer which bill shall be served on the Attorney
of the United States for said district, &c. The
same proceeding were to be had sin the cause
as in ordinary proceedings in Chancery. =
Each party had the right of appeal. sand if
upon the appeal of either party, said decree
shall be affirmed, in whole or part, by said
court, then and in that case, such sum as shall
be finally adIudged by said supreme court to be
due by the United States to the Chickasaw ma
ton, shall be accounted for by the U. States,
and held and disposed of by them, subject to the
trusts specified in said treaties; and said decree,
whether for or against the United States, shall
| be final and conclusive"
This bill was reported, and the clerk, pre-
sumo. marked It "pRIvATE," for it is the duty
of the clerk so to designate the different bills
which may be introduced. 1t was regularly
passed through the Senate, after some debate,
and reported to the House as Senate bill
/ There ought, and indeed it had been my IN
tention, to have moved its reference to the COM
mittee on Indian affairs, but on motion 1t was
again referred TO the Judiciary committee; and
this motion was made, put and carried without
arresting my attention. And it is proper that
should admit that here ought to have exer-
cised more vigilance, but the reference having
) been made, submitted, and looked into the
subject, and prepared myself for full develope-
ment of its principles and provisions whenever
it was reported back to the House. The mo-
ment came whichrequired me to meet the issue;
the true character OF the bill was exposed, and
, the House refused to enact it into law.
MY speech has been published in all the pa.
pers; nv objections are there stated to It's gen.
: eral provisions, as well as TO the principles on
> which the bill is based. But in the concluding
paragraph of that speech, the phrase 'the enor.
mites of the bill" is introduced; andit is said
: that the intention of the bill being but to sub
: serve the ends Of Justice, such an expression
$, was unmerited, and raised false alarm IN re.
u gard to the bill. With the intentions OF the OIL
J / have naught to do. deal with the bill i'seii
! and the abuses which may be pract'ced uhoer IL
= LIST. regard the very principle that lnt
Chickasaw nation shall be required TO institute
\ suit against the United States, in the circui
court of the District of Columbia, even tor
:, inst claim, as an "enormity," as reflection up
q on Congress and the executive departments Q
q the government: because it implies that the.
\ either have not the disposition to deal JUST.
! with the Indian, or the ability to comprehen
! and properly understand their rights.
. I'd. Iregard the principle as precedeh'
\ leading to the most "enormous" consequences
q The claims Of the Chickasaw nation, when
: have admitted in all my arguments may be Jus'
# sink into insignifcance when brought into com
. narison with those of the Cherokee nation an