The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-12-05

The resources OF the Bank, applicable to the
payment Of this debt, amounting 10 $685..
369 60, whcih is an excess Of available assets
over the liabilities of The State Of 81 ,532, e34.
80. or over two and a half millions. il the sum
of 81, ,O5l,O 900, received from the federal gov.
ernment on deposit be included.
/ In conclusion, allow me TO add that. as far as
my personal knowledge extends. the Bank from
its organization to the present day has been
ably and faithfully conducted. My objections
are no, to its administration, but to The policy in
which the Institution itself originated.
The accompanying letters from the President
and Cashier we're written in reply to certain
interrogateres propounded by me.
CATAWBA INDIANS.
The Legislature, at its last session, confided
10 the care of the Governor this whole subject,
with request ,hat.he would "appoint some fit
and proper person to examine into the condi.
ton of the Indians, and report to him." In
conforming to the spirit Of this resolution. |
nominated FIVE commissioners from the districts
Of York and Lancaster 10 meet me, with as
many Of the Catawbas as could be assembled
in the vicinity Of Nation Ford, on the 23d day
of July. At that meeting full and satisfactory
answers were obtained OH manymaterial points.
Subsequently,, proposed series Of questions
to the commissioners 10 elicit written reply.
At the same time, B. S. Massey, Of Lancaster,
was dispatched TO Haywood county, North
Carolina for purpose connected with the main
object tobe accomplished. Copies Of the pa.
pers, disclosing the result OF my investigation,
| now forward.
The two important questions involved in the
general inquiry. have reference, the one, to
the proprietors of the lands in the Indian boun.
dary; the other, 10 the Catawba tribe.
Thirly.seven years ago, the Catawba coun.
try, embracing an area Of fifteen miles square,
was unreprespnted in the Legislature. The
member elected in 1903, being only lease.
holder. was declared ineligible to seat. The
law of 1912, constituting lease for three lives,
or nineiy.nine years, qualification equivalent
to freehold, placed The people Of that region,
in relation to representation, on fon'ing with
The rest of their ow.citizens. BY an act
passed in December, 1888, the Revolutionary
right to the lands, which thereafter were to "be
considered and adjudsed real estate, was trans.
ferred from the State TO those who owned them
las leases from the Caiawba Indians" In
ls49, an agreement was concluded with the In.
dians, BY which they contracted to cede their
interest in their lands for twenty.one thousand
dollars. To be refunded Tor this expenditure,
the Legislature imposed q tax Of one and hall
cents on every acre within the Catawba limits.
The present assessed rate is one halfa cent
an acre. BY The act of,hat year, ITO carry into
effect the late agreement between the Ca,awba
Indians, and the commissioners on the part OF
this State" South Carolina succeeded ITO the
right, title, and interest heretofore vested in the
Catawba Indians, for the purposes of taxation
and of issuing grants to the respective lessees
thereof The 7th section declares, that the les
sees who hadiexecuted bonds, enjoined by pre-.
vous act were required TO pay into the Treas
urv the annual sums stipulated until they should
expiration orthe term of their leases; at either
ofwhch periods, they shall be entitled TO grants
for their respective Ieasehold possession" By
the 5lh section, it appears that the sum of $1,000
was set apart 10 purchase land, and for "lhe
establishment and outfit of the Indians" Un'
der this provision no action was taken, as nei'
Their the money nor object were named in the
appropriation act of,hat year. In ls+l, S250O
was appropriated for that purpose. At that time
the Agent had conditionally bargained for a
tract of land in York district, containing sos
acres, at 81 pc, acre. As it was subsequently
ascer,ained that no better arrangement could be
made, tho contract was concluded.
This brief history shows, that the inhabitants
ofthe Indian tefsitsry occupy an anomalous po