The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-13
THE CHEROKEE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

, L
report of these proceedings until tomorrow
THE CHEROKEE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
In our paper Of Wednesday evening noticed
the organization Of board Of commissioners, on
that morning, charged with the settlement Of all diff
hcutes existing among the Cherokees. The board
adjourned on that day pending motion requesting
an inquiry to be made respecting the powers con-
forred upon it by the commission which brought it
into existence. IL appears that the commission, as
il read, only conferred power upon the commission
rers examine into the difficulties existing among
the several parties Of Cherokees" but into the
clsms preferred by these parties against the Uni
ted States" This was deemed an unintentional
omission on the part of the appointing power, and
the board entertained the motion that it would ap.
ply to the President to amend the instructions, if
error had been committed.
The council met on Thursday, at ii o'clock, and
opened by the reading Of the Presidents an
swer to the inquiry contained in the application OF
the previous day. He invests the board with full
and complete pOcers to eramas and adudieats upon all
matters Of difficulties and claims sristing beioesn the
United States and the CherOkees, osH bstreen the
ChsrOksss themselves. The board then made a writ
ten order to regulate proceedings before it. Each
party is required to file statement of their case,
with references to all the authorities relied upon, and
the arguments Of counsel must be reduced TO wr-
ting, that they be fled with the other pro-
ceedings. The parties then informed that
they would be called upon in the order in which
they are placed in their applications to the Presi.
dent, which places the government or Ross party
first. General Waddy Thompson, counsel for this
party, objected to this order, but the board did not
change it, and he is required lead of in the argu-
ments.
At this session of the board, the several parties
presented generally the points in their case for
which they would contend. The Ross party claim
to be the Cherokee nation, having the right to settle
all matters connected with it, they ask for faithful
execution Of the treaty of 1885, allege that large
amount of money has been misapplied under its
provisions, which must be refunded to the nation;
that they must be paid for losses sustained in being
removed under the General Scott contract in 1898,
and previous unsettled claims must be hquidated;
that they must have patent for their country in
the West; and the laws and regulations of their ma
ton must not be interfered with by the United
States.
1t appears to us that General Thompson will
find some difficulty in maintaining the position he
has assumed. He now claims for the Ross party
faithful execution ofhe treaty Of 1885, by which, he
says the Cherokees will receive several millions of
dollars,noney misappled in paying for reservations,
spoations, removing the Indians and other expendi-
lures made in violation of treaty provisions by the
government of the United States. This is some
thing new. If the public records ofthe country can
be relied upon, Mr.. John Ross and his adherents
have always, heretofore, denounced the treaty of
1885 fraud upon the United States and upon the
Cherokses; "a fraudulent instrument negotiated Nth
handful Of traitors" that the Cherokee nation cod
never acknowledge lis palidiy or binding force and
nerer poud remove under lis provisions! We are
pleased to find, however, that the heavy denuncia-
tons Illuminated against the administration who
made this treaty withdrawn by the dominant
party of Cherokees and that the treaty is now
looked to the ark of their safety. If this view of
the case had been taken prior to the tragic scenes
enacted in the Cherokee nation in 1889, much mise
ry and desolation might have been avoided.
We desire, and the American people desire, to see
all our contracts, no matter with whom made, faith
fully complied with. If Mr.. Ross has just claims
under the treaty of 1895, we trust he will be paid to
the last dollar. But we cannot but wonder to hear
him talk, through his counsel, about money misap-
piled by the United States in the "removal of the
Cherokees." John Ross himself received on this
accountsl 357, 745 s6I Zone million three hundred and
fy-sepen thousand ,euen hundred and oriype dollars
sghty-sr and half cents) for removing his nation,
under the General Scott contract. A committee of