The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

Tho Cherokee Neutral Lands-A Great Work
for Lawyers-The Job to be Carried Ia the
Supreme C0urt-Senator Anthony ON Secret
session Indian Jobs-Thc Homes Of Ten
Thousand Settlers sold 10 Band Of Specu.
Iafors-Messrs. McCulloch and Van Dyck's
Secret sales Of Bonds Continued same as
Ever.
WASHINGTON Oct %, 1858.
The celebrated Cherokee neutral land job that has
alternately turned up before the Secretary OF the
Interior and In Senate secret session at various
times since the spring OF 1865 has at length reached
stage favorable for transfer OF the contest to the
courts.
The Secretary OF the Interior has ordered the Com
missioner OF the General Land once to issue patents
for 10000 OF the land to the assgnees OF the
American Emigrant Company, tho original pur-
chasers from Secretary Harlan In 1885, which sale, II
may be remembered, was pronounced illegal and
void by the Attorney General, but "iegazed" and
finally ratified by the Senate in secret session on
the 9Th OF June, 1868.
The amount involved Ia 500 900 OF choice land
varousy estimated 10 be worth from s40oO.o00 to
$4,000, 00o and the contest Is between the settlers
occupying the land and the assgnces Of the Ameri-
can Emigrant Company, VINO have bought out the
settlers homes against their repeated protest and
remonstrance
All farmers who have settled on the land since
August a. 1860; all who have coal or other mineral
lands on their claim, and probably all who have
bought from those who had settled previous to Au-
gust 81 1885, will see their improved farms, their
homes sold out from under ,neir feet to band Of
willingly pay the government to retain them.
The anti-rent trouble IN New York was mere bag
atelle In comparison TO the revolution the govern
ment is breeding by Its course In this matter These
vacant wild lands belonged to the Cherokee Indians
and were held in trust for them by the United
tar
by emgrants from all parts OF the Union, who, in
accordance with universal custom, had taken and
improved them under the presumption law, holding
themselves In readiness TO pay whatever price the
government might require on demand.
In 1868 the Cherokees authorized the secretary OF
the Interior to sell the lands In question expressly
STIMULATING that all settlers On the land ut the date OF
the ratification OF the trcaty-August n, lsb6shoud
have the first chance TO buy their homes at price
fixed oy disnterested appraisers. without consult
ing farmers who had settled since that date Secre
tract only TO the American Emigrant Company for
six cents per acre cash down and ninety -four cents
long credit. BY tins operation. as have before
stated the homes Of over ten thousand settlers are
sold out from under their feet to company OF spec
lators at price far less than the occupants would
willingly paw n the cnance was offered them.
This treaty or authority to sell was first ratified
August %, 1865, but the sale was pronounced illegal
and void by the Attorney General. 10 then rested
unt June 0, 1868, when the sale was slegazedv
finally ratified, assigned to a party whose name I
forget, and now the Commissioner or the General
Land once e ordered to issue patents for the first
The settlers WILL however, contest the sale inch by
!1ch. They are determined not to be driven from
their homes or pay this go-between an exorbtant
price for their farms case will be carried to the
supreme Court where the settlers viii be quite Ger.
tam 10 triumph. several points not raised before
the Attorney General will be raised and argued In
the court. For example,
The Cherokee neutral lands were. by the treaty OF
1865 renquished TO the jurisdiction OF the state OF
Kansas. All settlers on the land at the date Of tho
ratification OF The treaty were TO have their iars at
All appraised value.
W tu mn,
The spectators contend IL wgs August u, lS6S
The date OF the Illegal treaty. The setticfa on The
other handt hOd that IL was June 1858, the date I
the ratification 0 the 'icvaikcdr nnal treaty. Here
T. question Tor Tie courts. The homes " over
1000 people 1ra involysl ii d.
na!ia taU dispuicd period thssa people have act
tied GA vac ilnd5 tnIs opened up " settlement OK.