The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-24
TIE Chcrokees md Mr. nIcCormicit's Bil.
10 the razor Of The Sun.
SfR! Ia your paper Of Yesterday We fad the

sni Iu your paper Of yesterday We fad the
following;
ser ha, prom'sea GOOD result. in the wor. ctoiv
Mccormick he Las lutte duccd N Tie IiousG Or irnre
tcttuivcs b.ll Lorosing 70 oTnnize The tleroFoc'
ana CHI claws under REGULAR territorial Cover emit
and To- make them owners Of their lands individuals
tra SrranlaIiSrs and eiyng to each naiVdrai 10.
dim hs own homestead IN Zee simple vii, We 'eCl as
surcd lie OF more real ty than any quantity Of
missions, treaties. and expenditures Of money"
~ behalf Of The Cherokee National Delegation now
IN this city, to which we belong, VIC respectfully ask
tac privilege Of making q short reply to the above,
conscious however, that the pressure uron your col.
unus is too great to allow to do full justice to our
selves and to our people.
We ore satisfied that your intention is not IN
friendly, and therefore take the liberty Of saying
that ours Is not properly DESIGNATED 70 "trlbaI"
organization, but that we have regularly organlzcd
civil government, republican In form, aud mode led
ater the state governments Of the United States
We have lived under q written constitution for more
Uan a third Of century; have a written language,
statutory laws, common school system, colleges
churches, and manhood suffrage, without regard TO
race, color. or former condition " servtude. The
ownership Of lands In sevetalty would not be in
consistent with present fern OF government, but
Il is doubted. by those familiar with the sub
1oci. whether any good TO the Indians would result
from the change.
To men Who have the good Of tAe Indian a, honrt
there IL really no manifest for this proposed
change Of governmentas the Chcrokees and the other
civilized Indians are doing well; not only doing
well, but have advanced In civilization ss rapidly an
other people did and this is sufficient eyi.
donce tlat there is little fur anxiety their
behalf as to their condition. We fear that the inter
est lately manifested in several quarters to the
poor Indan springs to some xtent at least from
other causes than deep sohcitude for his peculiar
welfare and the changes proposed would be but ex-
ptrmenls which might involve our very existence
tend ng "a they would TO bring about state Of
things similar to that under the operations Of which
the greater portion Of the continent has been dopop
ulatcd Of lts original inhabitants The Indians re-
fcrred to In THE Sun are those toward whom
different policy has been pursued, and they have
prospercd under ", ana now, as humble wards OF
the Government Of tie United States, ask only q
continuance % Its good faith in the execution Of
treaty supulaoRs, and the protection OF it, strong
arm AGAINST the lawless and the dcspciler.
Wcw not fatigue you by quoting from our treaties
but would simply refer all who desire to unuer-
stand the Cherokee question o. any question there
10 the first article Of the rcnty OF ls2S second
article OF that Of 1855 and twelfth article n that Of
1868. The "Gcncral Council provided for hv the
latter article would be al the change our condition
requires.
We have tho honor to be- with great rcsrect, your
NEST Obcdiont sertntI,
G. y. VANN
NN PENN ADAIR
.sufNar,v Il fs-n