North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-02-08
REMARKS OF MR.. THOMAS,

Delivered in the Senate of North Carolina, on the
bill for the relief OF purchasers of Cherokee ianos
and to secure debts due to the State.
Mr. Speaker: II is well known that unless upon
ouestions in which my constituents are INTERESTED,
am not the habit of consuming the time oil the Sen
ate but the bill for the relief of purchasers OF Chero
kee lands being one in which lney are oeePy 'n'e1
ested am under the necessity OF asking the indu-
pence of the Senate while make PLANTATION OF the
bill and amendment proposed by the Senator from
Rutherford.
The relief bill provides for the appointment OF three
Commissioners by the Governor W no are required 10
take and subscribe oath to value the lands TAR
lu and imparti0Liy between the purchasers and the
Syate, according to the provision of this act.
While the Commissioners are not restricted oy the
bill from placing higher estimate on the lands than
they sold for in 1888, they are prohibited by the I'd
section of the bill from valuing any lands lower than
the minimum price placed upon them by the act of
Cherokee lands were divided into five classes the 5th
quality was priced at 20 cents. 4th quality al so CTS
Sd quality at 300, Cd quality 5000, and the LIST
quality at $500 per acre. Is this not sufficient
guarantee, that the Commissioners will not value the
land too low, while there is provision in the bill
to prevent their valueing them too high
The public lands of this State not acquired
by purchase, but by coE1ues and in that conquest;
the ancestors of the gsPe of my district contributed
their full share. Af the close of the Revolutlona-
~ war, by which tt5 lands were acquired, large
number of the soldiers engaged in that struggle LOT
freedom, being paid off in continental money winch
was valueess, and being destitute OF homes,
the pioneers of the West The first policy OF theI
State in the disposition of her public domain was
founded in a spirit of lberality The lands east OF
the Allegheny range OF mountains including the lands
occupied by the constituents oil tne senators rom
Burke and Rutherford much superior to the lands in
Cherokee County, were disposed of at from five to
ten cents per and part of the purchasers were
allowed to make payment in deer skins.
This liberal policy to settlers continued west OF
the Allegheny range of mountains, until the lands
were sold in Haywood and Macon counties under
the act of 1920. Under that act new policy was
adopted, and the State commenced system OF spec
ulation upon the citizens of those counties. The
pioneers, instead of being permitted to purchase their
homes at from five to cents per acre, were COM
PEELED pay from fifty cents to four dollars per acre.
and much bidders could be found to offer,
without preempon rights protect them against for
eign competition and they were compelled TO pur-
chase their own improvements which added fifty per
cent the value of the lands, or lose their labor.
Under this policy of the State, large number of
the settlers the public lands were deprived of their
homes, and compelled TO remove farther west.
Under the Cherokee treaty of 1923, the United
States to pay the Cherokee's, who emigrated
west, for their Improvements abandoned. The agent
Of the United States invited whites to into the
county of Cherokee and settle there. A large num-
her of the pioneers who had been deprived of their
homes in the counties of Macon and Haywood, moved
in and settled those Improvements, To effect their
removal they had to pass high mountains along
Indian trails which wound round ravnes and precip
ices through wilderness thirty miles in extent, SUBJ
iecting themselves and families to dangers and hard
ships that but the Indian hardy pioneer would
have encountered. This emigration principally took
place in 1928. They made new improve ments.
and enlarged those left by the Indians, and packed
their supplies either from Macon county the State
of Tennessee. In the year 1885, a treaty was con-
cuded with the Cherokees Of Georgia, who had
been deprived of their laws and dispossessed of their
lands by that State. By this treaty thus made, the
cession of the lands occupied by the Cherokees in
North Carolina held under grant from the State,
was claimed to have been coded without their knowl-
edge or consent. As might have been expected they
manifested great opposition to the treaty, and it be-
came necessary for the United States to send into
the country large number of troops to coerce the
Indians to remove.
This created a demand for provisions far beyond
the supply; corn advanced to 81 so per bushe and
everything else in proportion; money became abundant,
and the settlers, anxious retain their homes bid as
high as they able to pay the eighth, re-
CURED to be paid down at the sale of 1888. The ap-
gregate quantity sold was 190,440 acres, which dc-
cording TO the prices fixed thereon by the State, as
the minimum price which she willing take for
those lands. amounted to $s6,03l As; whereas under
the circumstances stated they sold for $780, 3d.
being $246, $50 48, more than the States valuation.
Of this SUN S46,45 IS was paid down, which added
TO subsequent payments the State has already receiv
ed for those lands, 1887. $50 %, being more than
double the amount the State willing to take for
these lands. The United States troops having COM
Pleed the removal of the Indians except such indi-
vlduals as remained and became subject to the laws
of the State provided for in the 18th article of
the treaty, removed with the Indians westn the ear
iy part of 1889. On the removal of the troops the
price of produce that had command
ed 81 Is per bushel, fell to 25 cents. The money
paid for the lands being expended in the eastern por-
tionof the State, the country almost entirely de-
Prive6 OF circulating medium. In 1914, many of
the purchasers finding that they unable to pay
for their lands, petoned the Legislature 10 permit
them to surrender them with the improvements TO
the State, and release them from the payment of their
bonds.
This led to the passage of the act of I945, which
authorized the surrender to be made By the subse-
quent act of 1867, Commissioners were appoint
cd 10 value the lands which had been surrendered,
and The purchasers were allowed cancel their
bonds and take them up by giving new bonds with
approved security at the valuation.
ne Dill now under consideration is intended to ex-
tend the same relief TO the remainder of the purchas
ers. A bill similar to the present was introduced
al last session, passed the Senate by of
TWO thirds and failed in the House of Commons in
consequence of an amendment placed on the bill to
refund to purchasers who had paid for their lands.
Al me same session a bill was introduced into the
Senate transferring all the Cherokee bonds and lands
TO the use of constructing Turnpike road from the
georgia ne IN the County Of Cherokee, Salisbury.
At the time that bill under consideration in the
atel was particularly stated by the Senator from Bun
combe and myself, that the amount of the bonds
though nomlnay LARGE was only expected to be made
available tor the of the road by the passage of the
relief bill, and it was only the that remained af-
ter new assessment, that was intended TO be trans
terred to the use of the road.
This measure of relief is not only recommended
by every principle Of equity and equal Legislation,
but II has received the recommendations of Governor
Reid and his predecessor, Governor Manly. The lat
ter, IN his Massage TO the General Assembly of the
18th OF November, upon the subject of the Western
Turnpike and Cherokee lands, says "Among the
funds appropriated and pledped for the If ths