Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-06-19

land for the accommodation Of the whole
nuiion on their removal west Of The Mssis.
sippi, the United Stsfes, in considera
tion OF the sum OF $500 900. therefore
hereby conveusnt aud agree to convey TO
the said Indians and their descendsuls BY
patent. in Zee simple, the following tract
vi land"
That was raii6ed by On act Of Congress
which Is here before ne. Now, this is
the very tract OF lsud embraced ia this
resolution.
Mr.. JULIAN. understand .iba, per-
fecsiy we'll. 1.-THE gentleman had listened
~ the debate here the other day he would
<@o t>eu ,|st this resolution does net
eaeet 'bs ess'ls6aes position 10 any
Iwsy.
Mr. MAYNARD. think. Mr.. Speaker,
if the gentleman uudsrslood this tsct aud
the other SUI lpementsl iacis he would not
feel justified IN Offering such resolution
~ this 10 the House and ssk lis passage.
III these lands do not belong 10 the Ubited
States, aud if The u ,iIed States can cell
aud convey anything for pecubiary con
sideraiion o. mn Indian. II an Indian has
amy rights which y white man IL bound
TO respect" we arc bound 20 respect the
title TO that trsct OF land. Tho treaty ~
1866 that IL spoken a here Is one by which
the Indians sell back To the Upiied Siu,es
this tract. They give back the title IN
lrus, 10 bs sold tlthe United St,ies, aud
they stipulatc fol aymcnt for the land,
and ous action u golng to deprive the
Indians of the ben,iit Of that treaty. 10
other words, il j. going 20 take away their
lands aud give them nothing for II. !
would like io have read portion Of
Communication. not from spectators. but
irvmIhe principal ebi,f of that IIibe aud
a nuuiber Of delegates from The tribe who
are here. | ,hiuk they state that ought
To- eou mend II " the aueuliou Of the
lluuse. tsr
Mr. JULIAN. have only yielded Eve
minuier
Mr. vASiionS. Of Missouri. I desire
10 ssk the genIleInnn from tndiana IL there
Is any request Irum the Cherokee nation,
either FROM its Legislature or from soi-
,ary indiyidual. Tor the rasraee of any,
thing Of this kind2 Has there been pre-.
senied 10 the co. miiiee anything from
the ludian nation on this subject In any
form2
Mr.. JULIAN. Mr., Speaker, have not
copyefscd with any representative OF the
Cherokee nation ON this subject. Ii was
neither material nor necessary that !
should The gentleman from Tennessee
aud tho eentleman ftom Missouri both
scem 10 misupdefsipd my position, ]
agree that by patent this land was con.
veyed to the Cherokee Indians. | reeog-
nize the sncredne,s OF their right thereto.
n, body here coniroverts IL. What ray
Is that when they see ft to cede their land
20 the Uuired States they must do 50 for a
consideration agreed upon, aud cannot
mike any conditions OF cession that shall
deprive Congress OF the right thencefor-
ward 10 dispose OF aud manage the land
thus cedo1 The Cherokees have no right
to deed their lands 20 England or France,
but only 10 Us, and without any conditions
as to what we shall do with them. That
is my position. The Indians are mere
occupants Of the soil without title, aud we
are their guardians. aud a treaty between
these minor children Of the Lslion aud
the treaty making power In contravcnIion
of the authority ol Congress over the
public domain aud subyersive OF our laws.
is a spurious treaty, political abortion. a
thing unk nuwn TO the Cpnstiiution. and
unworthy ofour respect. That j. what
assert, aud the effect OF passing this joint
resolution will be to make such treaties
void, to restore to our Indian tribes their
valid title 20 their lands until such time
as valid treaties can be made.
Mr.. VASIIoRN. of Missouri. Will the
gentleman yield long enough TO have the
letter read? IL is a communication ad-
dressed to the Speaker of the House by
the principal chiefs and delegates OF the
Cherokee nation now 10 Washington; not
minor children, but many Of them The in
ielleciual peers Of any gentleman upon
this floor.
Mr.. JULIAN. | suppose the amount
Of Il is that the Cherokee Indians are
said TO desire the ratification of this
treaty.
Mr.. yASTloRN. Of Missouri. II ex-
Plains the whole matter of tho title TO
these lands.
Mr. JULIAN. Task the gentleman IT,
there is or can be anything in that letter
TO effect my position that these Indians
have no power to dictate our land policy
by treaty?
Mr. YANIIoRN, Of Missouri. It will
enlighi the house on the merits Of this
questions.
Mr.. JULIAN. Under the unfortunate
limitation OF the morning hour the Com
mittee on the Public lands will never get
through their pressing aud important
business ii documents Of that kind alc to
be read.
Mr.. vANHoRN, of Missouri. Then
ask the House not TO second the previous
question on this resolution. Here is
communication addressed by the aurhori
ties Of the Cherokee nation to the House
explaining this whole matter from begin
ming to end, aud | undertake to say that
IL any member will read il il. will satisfy
them upon this question. Now, l deny
that the Cherokee Indians or any person
in their interest has asked this, aud they
are, many of them, educated, and the
equals Of The gentleman from Indiana and
myself in the management of their own
business. | win state further that this
matter has come up within very few days
upon the representations of outside
parties, who have proposed to me that tha
opposition shall be Withdrawn if they are
paid certain sum Of money.
II l. n - a..