Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1849-12-08
CATAWBA INDIANS.

fiJed to the care OF the Governor this
whole subject, witha request that he
would appoint some fit and proper per-
son to examine into the condition of the
Indians and report to him. In conform
ing to the spirit of this resolution, nomi-
mated FIVE commissioners from the dis
tricts of York and Lancaster to meet me,
with as many of the Catawbas as could
he assembled in the vicinity of Nation
Ford, on the twenty third day of July.
At that meeting full and satisfactory an
swers were obtained on many material
points. Subsequently, proposed Sc
rics Of ofqucstioas to tic commissioners TO
-cicit written reply At the same time
3. S. Massey, of Lancaster, was despatc
cl to Haywood county. North Carolina,
for purpose connected with the main OBJ
jcct to be accomplished. Copies of the
papers, disclosing the result of my inves-
legations, nov forward.
The two important questions involved
in the general inquiry, have reference, the
one, to the proprietors of the lands in the
Indian boundary: the other, TO the Cotaw
ba tribe
Thirty years ago, the Catawba
country. embracing an area of fifteen
miles square, was unrepresented in the
Legislature The member elected in
1908, being only q leascholdcr was de-
clared Ineligible to % scat. The law Of
1912, constituting lease for three lives,
or ninety-ninc years. qualification equiv
alcnt to a freehold, placed the people of
that region, i'll relation to representation,
on footing with The rest of their fellow
citizens. BY an act passed in December,
1898, the reversionary right to the lands,
which thereafter were to be considered
and adjudgcd real estate, was transferred
from the State to those who owned them
'as lessecs from the Catawba Indians
In 1910, an agreement was concluded
with the Indians, by which they contrac-
ted to cedc their interest in their lands
for twentv-one thousand dollars. To be
refunded for this expenditure, the Lcgis-
lsture imposed tax of one and half
cents on every acie within the Catawba
limits. The present assessed rate is one
half cent an acre. BY the act of that
year. 'to carry into effect the late agree
ment between the Catawba Indians, and
the commissioners on the part of the
State South Carolina succeeded 'to the
right, title, and interest heretofore vested
in the Catawba Indian, for the purpose OF
taxation and of issuing grants to the res
pectivc lcssees thereof The 18th section
declares that the lessccs who had exccu-
ted bonds, as cnioincd by previous act,
were required to pay into the Treasury
the anna sums stipulated, until they
should accedc to the terms of this act, or
until the expiration of the term Of their
leases; at either of which periods, they
shall be entitled to grants for their es-
pective leasehold possessions BY the
5th section, it appears that the sum of
seven thousand dollars was set apart to
purchase land, and for the establishment
and outfit of the Indians Under this
provision no action was taken, as neither
the money nor object were named in the
appropriation act of that year. In 1871,
$4,000 was appropriated for that pur-
pose. At that time the Agent had condi
tionally bargaincd for tract of land in
York district, containing 5O8 acres, at
IOur dOilarS per acre. AS III was SuDSe-
quently asccrtained that no better arrange
ment could he made, the contract was
concluded.
This brief history shows, that the in
habitants of the Indian territory occupy
an anomalous position, in which the gov
ernment should no longer compel them to
acquiesce. South Carolina did not, by
the treaty Of 1910, buy the Catawba
lands. The fec simple from the first set
tlnment of the country had been vested in
her, according to the legal doctrine as to
Indian lands within the boundary of the
original thirteen States; nor did she pur-
chase the usufruct of the Indians, for the
State had, previously, conveyed it to the
lcssces, who then held right to their
possessions for nincty-ninc years, with
the privilege of renewing their leases. 1t
is true that, by the interposition of the
supre!ne authorities, an uncertain tenure
has been converted into sure and per-
manent one. For this just exercise of
power, the proprie!ors have returned an
adequate equivalent. In confident anti
cipatiou of speedy relief from their rulcIs,
fhaxy oottlod on1 roducod n ,y;l,Jorno.. 10