The Arkansas banner., 1846-05-06

manity in the Indian country are left to be punished by the Indian laws, they will generally, if not always, be permitted to escape with impunity.- This has been the case Tn repeated instances among the Cherokees. For years, unpIovoked murders have been committed, and yet no effort has been made to bring the offendersto punishment. Should this state of things continue, it is not difficult to foresee thatthe weaker party will be finally des- eyed As the guardian of the Indian tribes, the government of the United States is bound oy every consideration of duty and humanity, to nterpose to prevent such disaster.
 From the examination which have made into the actual state of things in the Cherokee nation, am satisfied thai there is probability that the diff ferent bands or parties into which 1t is divided can ever again live together in peace and harmony, and that the well being of the whole requires that they should be separated and live under separate govern ments, as distinct tribes.
 That portion who emigrated to the west of the Mississippi prior to the year 1919, commonly called the s'0ld SettIers," and that portion who made the treaty of 1885, known as the "Treaiy party" il IS believed, will willingly unite, and could live ogeth- CT in harmony. The number of these, as nearly as can be estimated, is about one-third of the tribe The whole number of all the bands or parties does not probably exceed twenty thousand. The coun- try which they occupy embraces seven millions of acres of land with the privilege of outlet to the western limits of the United States. This country IS susceptible of division, and is large enough for all,
 1 submit to Congress the propricty of either di viding the country which they at present occupy, or of provsing by law new home for the one the other of the bands or parties now in hostile array against each oher as the most eiectual, If not the only means of preserving the weaker party from massacre and total extermination Should Congress favor the division of the country, suggested, and the separation of the CheTokees into two distinct tribes, justice will require that the annuites and funds belonging to the whole, held in trust for them should be equitaby distributed among the par ties, according to their respective claims and num- bers.
 Thereis still small number of the Cherokee tribe remaining within the State of North Carolina, who, according to the stipuiaons of the treaty of 1885, should have emgrated with their brethren to the west of the Mississippi. IL is desirable that they should be removed and, in the event of di- vision oi the country in the west, of a new home being provided for portion of the tribe, that they be permitted to join either party, as they may pre- 1 fer, and be incorporated with them.
 submit the whole subject to Congress, that such legislative may be adopted as will be just
 to all the parties or bands of the tribe Snch meas ures am satisfied, the only meads of arresting the horrld and lnhuman massaeres which have mark ed the history of the Cherokees for the last few years, and especially for the last few months
 The CheTokees have been regarded as among the most enlightened of the Indian tribes but expert ence has proved that they have not yet advanced to such state of civilization as to dispense with the guardian care and control of the government of the United States.
 JAMES K. POLK. Washington, April B, 1916