The Arkansas banner., 1849-03-13
lcSnsgsndsact efths Bsahsv.l Major Boriand, asd che ttsOid settler ''l
 Cherokee Cinims.


 l Cherokee claims.
 FoKr SMru. Feb. 23, Isl9. 1 My. Editor. 1-The following remarks, which find in thc speech of Major Boriand upon bill for the rpliefof Pierre Cbo,eau r., {, becones my duty 10 whom 6,tbcrs reputation Is dear, to notice. It Is not only right, bat duty incumbent upon son. at all hazards. to defend his father and shield him in hts deciIaing years from the prosecutions aad assaults of his enemies.
 !" l believe tsaid Mir. Borlaa,l3 these tvansaeiiens of ilc iraaers with the Indians have given rise to most of the wars of the Indian tribes with the set- tiers on the frontiers. think, sir, as far as my rcaiting os congressional proceedings las extended hat there has not been session of Congress, since the commencement of cur transactions and inter. course with the Indians, in which some such clam as ihis has mol been preseuIedand llat too. in the very face of treaty stpsistons It is not to bc for gotten ;s,s;, toward e close of the last session, ctsim of sl,is kiad was brought forward, iR which the Indian tribes and sPeeRa,orS of my own State were concerned; it was claim In violation of the treaty of lsI6 with the Cherokee Indiaps. l, sir was besct with applications after application to give my support towards the payment of tle claim listened to the arguments advanced in It's favor pa tcnily, and, for time. favoTably; but. sir. when
 e full merits oG the claim and tI'e facts connected with it, camc to my knowledge, became satisfied tat if moi a valid cism-aud more, sir, that it was clalm not founded ia good faith. hut in viola ton of treaty s,ipulatons confess, str, oppose claims of this sort pot only from sense of duty, bat matter of feeling am free to state, sir, that hold myself responsible to my constituents. in justice to them, to manifest this sort of feeling whenever any such claims are presented.
 "I take occasion to say that my position on this floor, at this moment, depends in solne degree upon bringing all my in1ueHee 10 bear against the allow ancc of such claims. l know, sir, there are num- Der of individuals the western frontiers who nre deeply interested in these claims; and know, sir, tlat in my own State there are such persous, who have their attorneys and agents in Washington, who are constantly bridging to bear all the inilu- encc that be brought 10 get such claims tarou gh the executive department; and, when they fail in their applications there, they bring them before Con- gress and attempt 10 pass them herb. Why sir, for my opposition to the claim presented at the last ses- sion-which Iconsidered unjust and nefarious Il have been assailed from one end of my State to the other. Ii stated in the newspapers, and in public and private circles, wherever 1t could be used to my prejudice, that opposed to western interests and hostile to the prosperity of that great portion of our country and that 1 was opposed to the prosperity and advancement of the interests of l the western portion of my own State, because had opposed that particular claim. But, sir, the people of my own State had confidence in my judgment and they have enrolled permanent evidence of that confidence on the historical records of the country Sir, sbail always oppose such uefarious and unjust claims, whatever may be the consequences. Feel ing therefore sir, that it is not only duty that owe to myself, but that i, is due to my shall vote againstthis, agaiHs. all similar claims '' l IL will be remembered that, during the late sena- torial canvass, my father and Capt. Rogers were virulentiy assaed in the newspapers-c charged with having sought the passage of fraudulent claim by Congress, and denounced as being engaged in " neIarious scheme to piunder the treasury" Why they, being private citizens seeking no public office, were thas rudely attacked, may be explained by the fact that they in the exercise of rights dear to every citizen, gave their warm and hearty support to the lamea,ed Sever, to whom they were attached by N~'S VI ''tNHNSuifS VufinH dH acquaintance Ot twenty years, and who, from his distinguished character was, in their opinion, better qualified to represent the State in the Senate than mere polit- cal adventurer. In answer to these deuunciatiops. they published mild and full statement of their connection with the Indians. and their interest in the claim defeated by Major Borland; in which. by ihe testimony oi such men as Armstrong, Sebastian, Houston, and Gen. Arbucke, they diSproyed tho charges of "speculation and fraud" I, was hoped and desired by all that, after the excitement If the canvass had passed away, the voics of detraction would be hushed and the tongue of islander mute |; i but Major Borlaud, ranklt,g with feelings' of hate, engcndered by the opposition of my father and Capt Rogers to his election makes his official station the medium for still further persecution of them. Not content with having denounced and defeated them, and deprived them of the hope of ever being compensated for the money advanced and the time spent in the service of the Indians, he, as "mGtter ofeehn9 takes occasion to rcierate charges of the blackest character; seeks to destroy their reputa. tionsand this gratuitOusly, for they have no claim before Congress, but are each engaged in the pur- suit of their ocn business. He says hs was ' beset with application after application :'' they called on him, as they did upon other Senators, to explain the nature of their claim and the transactions out of which it grew; he gave them reason to expect
 his support, nor did they dream of opposition from him until he defeated the passage of sebastian's resolution. This resolution, setting apart Sso, ,O0o from the amount due the Old Settlers 10 pay their debts, was offered by Judge Sebastian, at lie request of their delegation, acting under the in- structiOus of their council.
 l They submitted this clalm to Messrs. Houston, iSe Achson, Sebastian, and others, gentlemen dis iiDguished for integrity and talent they found no fraud in ii nor suspected n nefarious' design to plumber the Indians of the United States. By the Majors logic, these gentlemen are either knaves or 'oois = the dupes of designing speculatOrs Nor