The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-03-27

! From the New York HIS.
The most nefarioas job ever before anl
legislative body 10 now before the Senate
TO be considered in secret session only.
is STYLED ARTICLES Of Agreement betweeI
the United States of America, represente,
by \. G. Taylor, Commissioner of Tndial
Affairs, and the Cherokee Nation Of Indians
represented BY L. Downing, ii. d. Reese
WIN. p. Adair, J. p. Davis, Archie Scraper
Samuel Smith, J. "A. Scales and Elias c
Boudinot, with full powers to conclude tn
4 same"
The bompsct, bargain or Ftreaty' enter
ed into secretly between the above mention
ed worthies-takes untold millions Of dol
lars from cur national Treasury; yet il i
to be sted r7fl BY the Senate IN seers
sessisa, when perhaps no more than twt
members are present, and the people or sh'
representatives are to know nothing OF thi
bargain until il Is concluded, except Wha
they learn through the Herald.
The Senate is &C this time ttreating" 70
the purcbsse Of immense tracts OF lands wiz
the Cherokee Indians, tribe who inhabit I
portion OF our own public domain and whS
always have been practically paupers Of phs
United States. They have never paid taxes
even to support their own local govern mem
or schools, m uch less anything for the sup
of the national governusnts Taey have fol
years been constant burden to the tax
payers OF this nation; and vet the Senate j.
at this time gravely considering "treaty'i
with them, precisely as though the CherOkees
were an independent nation like France or
Rns-ia, FOR the purchase OF millions OF dol
lars worth Of land within our own byln-
dairy.
This treaty starts out with the modest
assumption that the Cherokee Indians are
an independent nat on Like France or
Spain. Having thus comfortably settled the
status OF the two "natiOns" they provide in
article four, that the United States shall par.
/ chase OF the Cherokee nation acertan tract
OF land, situated just north Of Texas, con
tanning altogether abont 1905, 900 acres,
for the modest sum Of SO 500 900, portion
Of which 10 to be deducted 10 paw certain
expenses, portion to be distr bused among
.he Cherokees per capita, s5Y some suit ibIe
agent who shall be selected BY the Secretary
OF the Interior" and the balance, if anv
there be, invested for the future benefit of
future Cherokees, the United States mean
while taxing all its inhabitan's, except In-
diaus. 10 pay the interest.
The Cherokee nation, however, reserves
all salines 10 the ceded lands west-of the
Arkansas river, together vita the tree use
OF wood, coal and other facilities requisite
for the Development Of said satnes yanl Tor
the manufacture Of salt therefrota, AMI also
the right of exporting aud disposing Of said
salt free from taxation.
When il is cons dered that every inch OF
these lands is within she boundaries OF the
United States aad Is really portion of our
oatlonal domain, and that the agent who
will have the distribution Of the aforesaid
SO 500, 900 can, if he chooses, retain large
portion OF it to be divided 10 the lobby, 1t
will be seen where the plunder comes 10.
Furthermore, it must be remsnbered that a
large portion OF the lands in question Is en-
| tirely worthless, excepting for the purpose
Of manufacturing salt which is reserved ID
the treaty, together with a stipulation, that
the business shall forever be tax free. So
much for the fourth article. Put it down at
50, 100000.
Articles FIVE and six are unimpOrtant, but
the seventh gives the "treaty" makers an
other grab a. the tax payers treasury-this
time an unlimited grab. Here it is entire
ARTICLE Z. The government Of the United
States being in arrears TO the Cherokee natiou
for several years Of it's annuity funds, aceruina
during the late war and remaing unpaid. il il
agreed that the government will pay the nation
the amount of said arrears whatever the same
may be, and when received it shall be applied
IN accordance with treaty stipulations.
defy the reader to find a more brazer
faced piece OF assurance than that stipuIa
tion OF "treaty" between great govern.
ment and q band Of paupers who have sub.
sisted on Its bounty for generations.
Article eight provides that the laws or the
\ United States shall be null and void ia thai
portion Of our national domain occupied
and held BY the '-Cherokes nation" New
YORK Merchants know to their cost what il
is to give credit to any trader within tht
Cherokee natl )n's limits. The chances oil
collecting just dues are about as good, and
no better than in the cO1federacy during
I the Presidency Of jefferson Davis.
4 Article nine provides the Cherokee Indiau
agent may investigate certain claims held by
the citizens Of the Cherokee nation again Il
\ the United States could be hunted up by
sharp and experienced Indian ringists. The
history Of claim that grew from IS 900 ID
$250, 900, as set forth in the Herild Of Oc
tober 24Lh, shows how saeA matters ar,
managed.
Ar,iele twelve provides for adJitiona
cfices 20 carry out tbs provisions Of th,
''treaty." And as a pleasant relief, article
sixteen provides for the payment Of still a.
other batch Of Cherokee claims against ID
United States for commissary and Quarter
masters stores furnished the United States
also nil claims for pro perty lost or destroy
ed by the operations Of the late war on nc
count Of the failure by the United States 81
protect the Cherokees.
Here ii will be observed that the Chero
KEGS are cisiz rs Of the United States whel
the question for damages on account Of %
failure to receive the profession of the gov
ernment comes up, buE an independent "ns
tlon," like France or England, for othe
purposes.
/ Article sixteen OF this notable sstreaty
~ the coolest yet. IL is az follows Ever
Cherokee shall have tbs right 10 sell an
product Of biz farm, including his live stOc
; or anv merchandise or manufactured pro
. duets, and to ship or drive the same 90 maj
ket without restraint or payIns tax thereo
J 10 the United ) ates or any one VI them
aG1 no liscense to trade with the CherOke
J nation iG goods, wares Or merchandise sha
J be granted by sae United States 70 any {
its citizens, unless approved BY the Cherc
! kee National Council"
} No State In the Union has ever elaine
' any such rights as have been accorded ID
Cherokee nation by the high treaty
J ing powers whose names are afhEed 10 Gh
] document now before the Senate, % be cor
} sidered ia secret session only. | quote Al
B ticle seventeen in full. Ii is as follows:
: ARTICLE II. The sum of $50, 600 is beret
stipnls1ed and agreed 70 be paid by tue Tn e
$ States to defray the expenses OF the CherOk,
delegation while engaged in the negotiation
this treaty, one~half Of which 70 be paid ont
' the fnEds Of the Eherokee nation.
a Tax-payers will particularly note this.
. IL here proposed 20 pay ia eight lndian 10
|, byists ST., 900, one Of whom was In tbe rsb
~ army, for afhxine their signatures 10 II
! document havs here described. The Uni
!, ed States does nos pHy 6ensral Grant on
! hundredth part a. iberaiiy.
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