Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-02-11
OUR INDIAN REPUBLIC,
A Remarkable Little Independent Govern.
ment in North Carolina.

ment in North Carolina.
How many American citizens know
that right in the heart of the United
States there exists a separate little re-
public, having a Constitution and code
of laws of it's own and actually elect
ing a president to govern the people?
Such a republic exists in the west
ern part of North Carolina, and is in
dependent of both State and national
governments. This remarkable little
republic owes its origin and existence
more to the negligence of the United
States Government than to anything
else. When the War OF independence
broke out the tribe of Indians known
as the Cherokee, in the northwestern
part of North Carolina, took up the
side of the royalists. This, of course,
excited the vengeance of the United
States, and 1900 soldiers were sent
against the Cherokese, under command
of Colonel Scott. The Cherokese at
this time numbered nearly $4,000 souls,
and occupied a good bit of territory,
but Scott broke up most Of their homes,
conffscated MOST of their land, and
drove them to their present territory,
which is hemmed in by the Ocoua,
Ilufta and Soco creeks.
This republic Within republic"
(Which, by the way, is the only one OF
it's kind in the world today, is called
the Qualia Republic, and has an area
of $4,000 acres, or about 80 square
miles of rich valley land. The popula-
tlion consists of about 1000 souls, and
is both interesting and unique, being
in manners and customs unlike any
other ON the globe, and if tradition be
true the people have most romantic
history. The Inhabitants of this little
republic are known as "Cherokese OF
the Eastern branch" but in reality
they differ in many respects from the
other Cherokee Indians of the State,
and even from the numerous half
breeds, who hang about the white vii
lagos, and sometimes visit the Qualia
Republic, but are never allowed to re-
main there longer than few days.
Tradition has it that the Qualfas are
descendants Of the aborigines and
members of Sir Walter Raleigh's first
colony, usually known as the "lost
colony" some of the members of which
are generally known to have escaped
massacre at the hands of the Indians
and to have been allowed to live among
them as prisoners the remainder Of
their lives.
Their manners, their dress, and.
strongest proof of all, their language,
bear unmistakable evidence Of their
partly English origin. Their language
IS a strange mingling of native Chero-
kee with the quaint old English OF
Queen Elizabeth's days. AS they sell
dom on never intermarry or associate
either With whites or with other In
dians, their language has been pre-
served in it's original purity. Their
dress, too, though most crude in ma
terial and design, still bears traces OF
the fashion Of Sir Walters day.
Every four years these queer people
elect a President of their little repuh-
lie. He receives salary OF $500 4
year, but when at Washington ON bust
ness for the republic he receives 81 a
day extra. He is called "chief," and
none but Cherokee over 80 years old
is eligible for the presidency. When
he is absent his duties are performed
by a vice president, or "assistaont
chief" whose caaary is $3.50 a year.
The President has Cabinet of three
Secretaries, and the Congress COM
prises two delegates from every 100
members of the tribe. To this Con-
gress only Qualla males over 16 are
eligible for election.-New York Jour-
nal.