The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-07

who approves their Acts. Whatever
share the portion of the Nation re-
sldlng in North Carolina may have IN
making their laws, il is very certain
uhey derive little benefit from their
operation. They are distinguished as
Nalley-Town Indians. in contra-dis-
tlnction TO Over-Hill dian The
are generally poor and peaceable.
and live by hunting and raising a
little corn, melons. &c, and have some
stock.
The policy pursued by neighboring
States towards the Cherokees tended
10 drive them from their borders
and fasten them upon our soil" and
the General Assembly m-emorialized
Congress in respect of its policy in
the same matter.
A treaty was concluded between the
United states and certain Chiefs and
head men of the Cherokees in 1885,
,lth supplementary articles in 1885.
by which their title was finally ex-
tInguished. and North Carolina &C
CURED LIP square miles of land.
former treaties had given her 1915
miles. The Nation did not authorize
or confirm the treaty. but in 1897 they
were removed By compuIsion. They
were strongly attached TO their homes
and many hid in the mountains Of
Tennessee and North Carolina TO
avoid removal.
Public Domain.
The disposition OF the public lands
agitated the public mind during this
period. At the close of the Revolu-
tionaTy War these lands were chiefly
owned by Massachusetts, Connecticut,
New York, Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia.: yet all
the States were largely indebted on
account of the expenses of the war.
Congress recommended a cession OF
such public lands to the General Gov-
o-r ~ ant for h ~ n ~ ar
eft, and in October, 1880,
Resolved,
That the unappropriated land that
may be coded or relinquished to the
United Statesc shall be disposed of
for the common benefit Of the United
States" North Cardinals cession was
IN the following terms: All the
lands intended to be ceded by virtue
Of this Act shall be considered as a
common fund for the use and benefit
Of the United States of America, North
Carolina inclusive, according TO their
respective and usual proportion in
the general charge and expenditure
and shall be faithfully disposed Of for
that urpos and for no other use
or purpose whatever" AS a result Of
the various cessions the General Gov
eminent assumed the State debts.
That of North Carolina was $1,000
300. In 1882 the debt had been near
~ paid. and a question arose as to
the disposition Of the remaining lands.
Their great value gave Importance to
this question. On October 81, 1882.
there remained 1,042,731,765 acres
worth $1.sos,414,7o6 at the minimum
price fixed by law. II apportioned
according to the right Of representa-
ton in Congress it would have given
North Carolina 357,3Se.11o.
The Legislature Of North Carolina
adopted resolutions as follows:
"ResOlved,
That we consider the Public Lands
of the United States as the common
property Of all the States. and that
we therefore condemn the late Act OF
? Congress allowing settlers on the
Public Lands, the right Of preenption
at the minimum price. as an act OF
gross injustice to the old States, who
originally ceded them. or who con
tributed to a common fund for their
purchase.
Resolved.
That we believe that the proper
and equitable disposition of the pub
lie domain, is to divide the. proceeds
arising from sales among the several
States of the Union, according TO the
ratio Of their Federal population.
!, Resolved,
That each of the United States. be-
ing a party to the National compact.
possess an interest in the Public
Lands, proportional to the Federal
population OF each. or. in the terms
Of the compact according to the usual
respective proportions of the general
charge and expenditure.
Resolved,
That those States, in whose favor
Congress has not made appropriations
Of the Public Domain for the pur-
pose Of education, are entitled to such
appropriations as will correspond in
a just proportion with those hereto
fore made in behal OF the other
States.
Resolved.
That the General Assembly do con
denim. in the most decided manner.
the bill now before Congress-, propos-
ing to graduate the price OF the Pub
lie Lands as an attempt, in disguise,
TO cede them to the States in which
they lie, at a mere nominal price
THOMAS NJ. PITTNAN.
The End.