Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/224/413
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 14:54:10+00:00

Document:
P. E. HECKMAN and Robert L. Owen, Appts., v. UNITED STATES.
Argued: October 12 and 13, 1911.
The relations of the United States to the Cherokees have repeatedly been described in the decisions of this court. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 5 Pet. 1, 8 L. ed. 25; Worcester v. Georgia, 6 Pet. 515, 8 L. ed. 483; United States v. Rogers, 4 How. 567, 11 L. ed. 1105; United States use of Mackey v. Coxe, 18 How. 100, 15 L. ed. 299; Cherokee Trust Funds, 117 U. S. 288, 29 L. ed. 880, 6 Sup. Ct. Rep. 718; Cherokee Nation v. Southern Kansas R. Co. 135 U. S. 641, 34 L. ed. 295, 10 Sup. Ct. Rep. 965; United States v. Old Settlers, 148 U. S. 427, 37 L. ed. 509, 13 Sup. Ct. Rep. 650; Cherokee Nation v. Journeycake, 155 U. S. 196, 39 L. ed. 120, 15 Sup. Ct. Rep. 55; Stephens v. Cherokee Nation, 174 U. S. 445, 43 L. ed. 1041, 19 Sup. Ct. Rep. 722; Cherokee Nation v. Hitchcock, 187 U. S. 294, 47 L. ed. 183, 23 Sup. Ct. Rep. 115; United States ex rel. Lowe v. Fisher, 223 U. S. 95, 56 L. ed. , 32 Sup. Ct. Rep. 196. But in view of the nature of the present controversy, the facts of main importance may be briefly restated.
By the terms of the treaty of May 6, 1828 (7 Stat. at L. 311, 315), with the representatives of the Cherokee Nation, West, reciting the purpose of securing to them and their friends and brothers from the East who might join them, 'a permanent home,' which should, 'under the most solemn guaranty of the United States, be, and remain, theirs forever,a home that shall never, in all future time, be embarrassed by having extended around it the lines or placed over it the jurisdiction of a territory or state,' the United States agreed to guarantee to the Cherokees forever seven millions of acres of land, as described, situated in what became known as the Indian territory, and, in addition, 'a perpetual outlet, west, and a free and unmolested use of all the country lying west of the western boundary of the above-described limits, and as far west as the sovereignty of the United States and their right of soil extend.' On May 28, 1830, Congress authorized the President to assure title to the Indians to such exchanged lands, and to execute a patent, if desired, 'provided always, that such lands shall revert to the United States if the Indians become extinct or abandon the same.' 4 Stat. at L. 412, chap. 148. A supplementary treaty confirming the guaranty of lands, and fixing boundaries, was made on February 14, 1833. 7 Stat. at L. 414.
The two tractsthe one consisting of the 7,000,000 acres and the 'outlet,' together aggregating 13,574,135.14 acres, and the other of 800,000 acreswere conveyed to the Cherokee Nation by patent on December 31, 1838, subject to the condition specified in the act of 1830, that the land should revert to the United States if the Cherokee Nation should become extinct or abandon the same. On September 6, 1839, the Cherokees adopted a constitution for the reunited nation. Dissensions having arisen among the members of the tribe, a new treaty was made with the United States on August 6, 1846 (9 Stat. at L. 871), in which it was set forth that the lands occupied by the Cherokee Nation should 'be secured to the whole Cherokee people, for their common use and benefit,' and provision was made for the settlement of differences. There was a further treaty on July 19, 1866. 14 Stat. at L. 799.
The commission for which provision was made by the act of 1893-known as the Dawes Commissionalso made reports to Congress (November 20, 1894, and November 18, 1895), 'finding a deplorable state of affairs and the general prevalence of misrule.' In the report of November 18, 1895, the commission said: 'There is no alternative left to the United States but to assume the responsibility for future conditions in this territory. It has created the forms of government which have brought about these results, and the continuance rests on its authority. . . . The commission is compelled by the evidence forced upon them during their examination into the administration of the so-called governments in this territory to report that these governments, in all their branches, are wholly corrupt, irresponsible, and unworthy to be longer trusted with the care and control of the money and other property of Indian citizens; much less their lives, which they scarcely pretend to protect.' Stephens v. Cherokee Nation, supra, pp. 452, 453.
This national interest is not to be expressed in terms of property, or to be limited to the assertion of rights incident to the ownership of a reversion or to the holding of a technical title in trust. When, in 1838, patent was issued to the Cherokees, providing that it was subject to the condition that the granted lands should revert to the United States if the Cherokee Nation became extinct or abandoned them, neither the rights nor the duties of the United States were confined to the reversionary interest thus secured. And its relinquishment made it no less a matter of national concern that the restrictions designed to protect the Indian allottees should be enforced. But this object could not be accomplished if the enforcement were left to the Indians themselves. It is no answer to say that conveyances obtained in violation of restrictions would be void. That, of course, is true, and yet, by means of the conveyances and the consequent assertion of rights of ownership by the grantees, the Indians might be deprived of the practical benefits of their allotments. It was the intent of Congress that, for their sustenance, and as a fitting aid to their progress, they should be secure in their possession during the period specified, and should actually hold and enjoy the allotted lands. As was well said by the court below: 'If they are unable to resist the allurements by which they are enticed into making the conveyances, will they be expected to undertake the difficult and protracted litigation necessary to set aside their own acts? To ask these questions is to answer them. Congress intended that both the Indians and the members of the white race should obey its limitations. A transfer of the allotments is not simply a violation of the proprietary rights of the Indian. It violates the governmental rights of the United States. If these Indians may be devested of their lands, they will be thrown back upon the Nation a pauperized, discontented, and, possibly, belligerent people.' 103 C. C. A. 4, 179 Fed. 16. The authority to enforce restrictions of this character is the necessary complement of the power to impose them.
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