National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-01-24
THE CuOCTAw NATION.
Response 10 n Letter Of the Solicitor Of the
Treasury Advising the liquidation Of u
Treaty Pledge, aud OF nm Award Of the
Senate OF the United States.
addressed to TIC House Gf Representatives. n The
UHiici States.

Addressed 10 the House Gf Representatives n he
UHitcd States.
n, ~ hoHc'ahl' o., Sgtat,' " ne Hoa'' " R91ss'H
taitrts " hs FHhsd Siuiss
sR: The ChOotaw nation Of Indlans, by the
undersigned, for twenty years their delegate near
the Government OF the United Statea, mot "the
person styling himself" suCh,) asks TO be heard
In reply, as follows, TO tile letter lately sent by
the Solicitor Of the Treasury to the Secretary Of
the Treasury, and by him laid before the House
Of REPRESENTATIVE and that this response may
be laid before the House.
The Solicitor should have been wiser than to
commence an argument which, tOhave any value,
should be Impartial, with gibe. II Is the erup-
tive symptom Of soreness, caused by q former
defeat, aud Indicates that he Is rather the adyO-
cate than the impartial adviser.
II the Government OF Great Britain should,
payment during ten years Of the moneys awarded
TO the United States by the arbltratOrs who
sat at Geneva, and u, at the end OF that
time, and when an act Of Parliament had, two
years before, ordered the payment of a tenth
part Of the sum by the Treasury, the First Lord
OF the Treasury should send TO the House Of
Commons his suggestion that perhaps the money
ought not TO be paid, fOrtifying the suggestion
by an opinion OF some law OiiiCeT Of the Crown,
rectlng the case presented by the counsel Of
Great Britain to the arbitratOrs, with yOlumlnous
extracts from records existing before the treaty,
and references to the dissenting opinion Of the
English commissioner, two or three things would
be likely TO happen.
The House OF Commons would be likely to In
form the First Lord OF the Treasury that his In
reference was entirely out Of the line Of his
duty and lmpeTtlnent; and, perhaps, that II
might be possible for Great Britain TO continue
to exist, II deprived OF his services; which, In
deed, decent respect for the United States
might require the Crown 10 dispense with.
The law onicer Of the Crown would probably
be Informed, before the discussion ended, that
the award was nnal and conclusive, that he might
remember II thereafter. For the law Is, In the
words Of Nattel, and by the unanimous consent
Of all civilized nations, that u the sentence Of
the "A nFDltfAtOTa unlpF treaty ella n.
IN the precise words OF the submission the dis
putants must acqulesce In II. II Is conclusive,
unless II has been made In cOluslOn with one Of
the parties for there IL no superior authority by
which the validity Of such an award can he eK-
amlned, and consequently II lB binding although
II be unjust"
And IN the words OF GTotius, "that although
the civil law may decide upon the conduct OF such
aTbitratOTs, TO whom compromise Is referred,
or complaints against their injustice, this can
never take place between kings and natiOnsi for
here there TX no superior power that can either
riyet or relax the bonds Of an engagement. The
decree, therefore, Of such aTblteT LIust be nnal
and without appeal"
And the Parliament would probably feel II due to
Its own honor and the reBpeGAbllty Of the nation
10 declare that they were not prepared 70 court
the condemnation Of the whole world, and make
the fame Of Great Britain "a cracked credit" by
declaring the award not binding upon II, on ac-
count of the matters OF fact Involved In the case,
and as well known before as after the award.
BY the treaty Of 1850, the United States de-
clAred that they were not prepared 10 assent IN
the claim set up by the ChOctRw people under
the treaty Of 1850, hut that they desired that their
rights and claims should receive lust, fair and
liberal consideration. Aud therefore II was
stipulated that two questions should he sub
mltted TO the Senate OF the United States, Ger
talny an arbitrator on wnUm the United states
themselves could rely, ~ at least not likely to
lean against their own side, and certainly honest,
competent aUd not remarkably unlntelliRsnt or
uhinfUrmrd,) "iuI IIudl"atum.'
lhe INST vas, whether tue C49etaWs we've