WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1839
343
brought about by the influence of one man- he must have been omnipotent- or he never could 'have had so large a body so entirely under his control!!! It was written on parchment, and signed by all the members of the consultation- the Indians kept it, and looked upon it as a solemn pledge, before high heaven it was a pledge: and if the Indians were expelled, the lands reverted back to the government- no matter who had put their hundred leagues claim upon it- but he believed they were nearly all assignee claims, and it made little difference whether they were declared void by an act of Congress, or pronounced spurious by Commissioners appointed to examine the land office. [ He read from the proceedings of the Ayuntamiento of Lib- _erty County, to prove that they had recognized the rights of the Cushatta Indians.]5 Here, he said, was the expression of an opinion from some of the oldest settlers of Texas, and if it was not conclusive in rela- tion to the Cherokees, it clearly goes to prove that the Mexican government recognized the right of allowing the Indians to hold land. The Mexicans never changed their policy, but respected their rights up to the time when the revolution broke out between Texas and Mexico-and one of the earliest acts of this govern- ment, was to guarantee to the Cherokees, that under Texas, their rights should be respected. [Here he read the pledge of the Consultation in relation to the Cherokees and their associated bands. ]5 That to his mind at least had the cast of solemnity- When this pledge was made, it was no time to trifle with the Indians. A dire necessity existed for making the Indians at least neutral in the contest between this government and Mexico. This pledge secured their neutrality, and they had kept their faith, and the land belonged to them up to the time of their expulsion in July last. It then reverted back to the Republic as confiscated lands, and no individual had a right to appropriate it to his own use. It was stipulated in article 4th, of the Treaty, that the Chero- kees should have no right to dispose of their lands, except to the government of Texas. This was a further confirmation of their title, and it was deemed expedient on the part of the Commis- sioners, to prevent them from selling their lands to individuals. Consequently if they have made any sales they will be null, void, and of no effect.
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