Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-04-07
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correspoudepce Of the New York S,m. WIN
you allow me TO correct certain mlsstste.
ncnts Of feet In said article, 90 that the
United States may not risk the creation Of
another Indian war from Misunderstanding
the terms Of the Cherokee treaty Of 1860 and
the temper Of that peoplei II may appear
ridiculous 70 the Chronicle for a small Indian
nation or tribe to wage war against the
United States, but In view OF the fact that
we arc now at war with tho Apacbes, Co.
mauchss, Piegaus aud Alaska Indians, per-
haPS II would be wisO 10 consider the causes
that led TO these wars, aud to be guided BY
self-lnterest ifnot by a sOnse OF Justice.
do not pretend to know who threatens
war on behalf Of the Cherokecs, but am
willing TO believe that a race so noble will
be slow To consider numbers when their
rights arc threatened.
It Is admitted that by the treaty OF 1890
the President In a certain Contingency, long
since arrived, must TX the price 10 be paid
for the lands coded BY tho Cherokees 10 the
United States. The President has lKed the
price at s3,50O,0O This was done by
agreement set forth In the treaty OF 1898,
for II was properly considered thatth seller
had somo rights In Axlng the price Of his
lands. That treaty Is not yet ratified, but
is now pending; but tho letter Of Secretary
Cox, published In the Chroniek Of the 5th
instant, states on behalf Of President Grant
and himself, that Said sun Is not objec-
tlonable, though he suggests amendments
Of the treaty In some other particulars.
In estimating the value Of the Cherokee
lands your correspondent ignored entirely
the large tract known as the "Cherokoo
strip" in Kansas, aud took as the basis Of
calculation Of the value per acre granted BY
Senator Harlan's bill, a new and arbitrary
map Of the Cherokee country devised this
winter In direct conflict with the territory
assigned them always under their treaties on
the official map Of tho United States. His
calculation that the bill Of Senator Harlan
oilers them twenty cents per acre Is unfair,
because II is based upon smaller number Of
acres than they claim and believe they have
o title to.
Nor is the reasoning conclusive that be-
cause the Creeks sold their land at thirtv
conts an acre 10 1895, the Cherokees should
sell theirs for ticsniv cents In 1870. At the
same rate Of hirtD cents an acre, the Chero-
kse lands would now bring t3,000, 900, and
they might reasonably claim an advance in |
price to compensate for the advantages Of
reconstruction aud the greater security Of
title now assured for the future. But 10 pay
the Cherokees for the whole number Of
acres they have transferred 10 the Govern.
ment by the treaty Of 1850 at the rate paid
the Greeks, the aggregate would exceed the
$4,000, 900 fixed by the treaty Of 1868, and
we have little doubt that now that President
Grant and Secretary Cor have expressed
their willingness to pay that sum, Senator
Harlan will be willing to reconsider the In
Sufficient amount appropriated by his bill.
With the Kansas strip the Cherokee lands
q lded by the treaty Of 1886, as aScertAined
BY treaties and all former maps Of the coun.
try, cover upwards Of 81 200, 900 acres, and
tho United States will get a great bargain
10 them at the treaty price at about seven
teen cents per acre. :.
As 10 what the semlnoles, Choctaws and
Chlckasaws did by eompulSion In 1896, 1t Is
no guide for the Cherokee Nation, that
knows It's title and holds patents for Its
lands.
The statement that the treaty OF 1886 au-
thorIEes n territorial government Ike that
proposed by Mr.. Cullom's bill Ia erroneous.
By the treaty Of 1866 the different nations
In the Indian Territory arc authorized 10
sIect n General Council from among than
selves, which is 70 have power to legIslate
ppop matter, nertaJnIpv IN intercourse and
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re'a .i,.n, a ~ t,s - InO ~, ~
0A""u'''on OF o'ir"'na' e'eaP."s run one
tribe TO anotheri the Administration OF
in Mia TcrrI,orv. ana Maroon, tb,r.In other
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