)Ir. Whorton, from Uw committee to whom was referred the letter from Me.si,rs. McKinny & Willinms, made report and read a letter. On motion of l\'[r. S. Houston, the whole was referred to the general council. 'rhe committee of three, whose duty it was made to report a declaration in conformity to thl' report adopted by this rnn:,ultalion, respecting the Cherokee Indians and their associnte bands, and whose duty it was made to report a declaration, in conformity to the report adopted by this house, reported the following dednrntion, which wus rend and adopted, on mo- toin of llr. Barrett: BE IT SOLEMNLY DECREED, Timi we, tire clrosm delegates oftire consultatioll ofall Texas, in gen- eral convention asscmhlcd, SOLE:ltNLY DECLJ\tn:, 'l'hat the Cherokee Indians, and their associate bands, twelve tribes in number, agreeably to their late general council in 'l'exas, have derived thC'ir just claims to luncls included within the bounds hereinafter men- tioned, from the government of Mexico, from whom we have also derived our rights to the soil by grant and occupancy. We solemnly declare, that the boundaries of the claims of the said In- dians lo land is as follows, to wit: lying north of the San Antonio road and the Neche.s, and west of the Angeline and Sabine rivers. We solemnly declare, that the governor and general council, imme- diately on its organization, shall appoint commissioners to treat with the said Indians, to establish the definite boundary of their territory, and secure their confidence and friendship. \\'e solemnly declare, that we \\ill guarantee to them the peaceable enjoyment of iheir rights to their lands, as we do our own. \\'e ~olemnly dcc:larc, that all grnnl~, s11r\'cys and locations of !anti,; within the bouncls hereinbefore mentioned, made after the settlement of the suicl Indians, are, and of right ought to be, utterly null and void; ancl that the commissioners issuin).! the same be, and are hereby, ordered immediately to rec·nll and cnncel t.he snme, as having been made upon lands 11ln·udy appropriated b~· the J\fexican government. We ~oh•mnlv declare. thnt it is our !.'incere desire that the Cherokee In- dia11~. 1111d their w;.•oc-i;ile hand:;:, ,:hall remain onr fricn,1s in peace and war: 1111d if tl1ey do so, we pledge the public faith for the support of the foregoing declarations. We solemnly <leclare, that they are entitled to onr commiseration and protection, ns the just owner:;: of the soil, as an unfortunate race of people that we wish to holrl as friends, and trcnt with jn!.'tice. rleClply and sol- emnly impres~erl with these sentiment!;, ns n mnrk of ~inccrity. your com- mittee would respectfully recommend the adoption of the following reso- lution. Rw1li:ed, That the memhrr,c of thi~ ronvcn\ion, now pre~ent, sign this ,lrclnration anrl plt•rlJ.!'' or f!,e puhlic faith. on the pnrt of the people of Trxas. Done in convention nt Snn Frlipe rle Austin, this i::Jth Novemher. A. D. 18~5. R. T. ARCHRR, Preside11t.
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