The New York herald., 1869-03-01
THE GREAT CEERoKEE sWISDLE.

The United States Treating With It's Own
Paupers for the Purchase Of Its Own Land
Desperate Effort to Get Indian and
Other Jobs Through Before March A.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1869.
The exposure OF the great Cherokee swindc and
the scathng denunciation Of 1t killed the job at
The Senate Indian Committee rejected It yesterday;
but, instead Of letting It SO remain authorized
Senator Doottle to make another. desperate
effort win then be made to force It through the
Senate in secret session. before the 4th OF March,
as General Grant is known TO be utterly opposed to
the absurd and dangerous recognition OF separate
and distinct nationaties within the boundaries Of
the United States. The most nefarious feature or
this and other similar jobs is that they take untold
millions Of dollars from national treasury to pay
for lands that are within our national boundaries
and are always our own.
Take the 13,000 600 acres OF land that the "Chcro-
kee Nation' now propose to sell us for example.
Every acre already belongs to the United States.
The constitution expressly provides that Congress
shall have exclusive Jurisdiction In all matters re-
latlng to public lands. Now, the best lawyers
the present Congress-WilIiam Lawrence, of Ohio,
and others-inform me that these Cherokees have no
valid title to the lands they propose to sell the
United States, or, In fact, any other. Many years
ago the President, with the advice and consent OF
the Senate moved several Indian tribes-amopg
them the Cherokees-to their present location west
OF the MISSISSIPPI and put them in possession OF the
lands they now occupy, and to which tney now have
the regular squatter's right title IL is not, how
pied the ls 900 acres they now kindly oYer TO sell
10 the United States. The tract Joins the one they
have occupied for some years past; and they claim
power that can give title-but by virtue OF "treaty"
stipulations II this monstrous doctrine that GER
tain OF our inhabitants may make treaties with the
y
may as well be abolished &C once, and the govern
ment hereafter conducted by treaties Altogether.
Should the Commissioner OF the General Land once
make q "treaty" with Brigham Young providing
for the purchase by the United States Of the west
seriously consider its ratification, we should never
hear the last Of It. Yet the Cherokee treaty Just re-
iected TO make way for one little more guarded
who has given this subject particular and careful at
tention, In recent speech said:-
believe h The duty Of Consress 70 assert its rishtfn
tolerated sustained 70 the assumption o. right y dispose
Of hs public domain m the whole people the Constitution .ss
branch The peoples and felt win no ionrerde
% onSs n n s q s
% ssa sasd 's nso ss s % ss urson
.rosa By the millions whose rights and hsy win
No close observer OF afars Mt our national capital
can fall TO have noticed significant increase OF bush
ness transacted In Senate secret session. Matters
pertaining 70 internal revenue, customs duties, bus
ness transactions between private citizens the pur
chase and sale OF the public lands and great var1-
ely OF business In now transacted IN Senate secret
session by the use OF abuse OF the trcaty-makIng
power Take for example the fourteenth article OF
tne Cherokee treaty" which IL al follows:-"Evcry
Cherokee citizen shall have the right TO aell auy pro-
auc1s Of his farm, including his live stock, or any
merchandise or manufactured products and TO ship
or drive 70 market without restraint or paynr tax
.nereon 70 me United states or any Of them; and
no license 70 trade In goods. wares or merchandise
shall be granted by the United States 10 trade in the
Snerokse Nation unless approved by the Cherokee
National Council"
The reader Will please bear IN mind that the above
J - NOT quoted from our Internal Revenue law, but
Irom Ieay" between the United states and that
| portion OF ifs inhabitants who reside lust west OF
Arkansas ana that the "treaty'' In considered IN
senate secret session. only. The fourth Of next
month viii be likely 70 put end to All this Ipdar,
treaty business AZ u ~ understood that President
Grant Iavors the abolition OF the whole system and
| the substitution Of wholesome laws ipstead rhts
| VIII stop al Indian ring" frauds and settle the
much vexed Indian question. II, therefore the gov
eminent Ia not swinded out OF i've or ak million
dollars under this nefarious system within the nexi
six days we shall be likely TO have peace very soon