the nature of representation: the cherokee right ... - Boston University
the nature of representation: the cherokee right ... - Boston University
the nature of representation: the cherokee right ... - Boston University
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136 PUBLIC INTEREST LAW JOURNAL [Vol. 15<br />
3. Cherokee Rejection <strong>of</strong> Delegate Right<br />
Cherokee denials, post-removal, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Treaty <strong>of</strong> New Echota’s validity arguably<br />
undercut current Cherokee efforts to make <strong>the</strong> U.S. government respect particular<br />
Treaty provisions, including Article 7. Allowing <strong>the</strong> Cherokee Nation to<br />
simultaneously deny <strong>the</strong> Treaty and make claims on it would on first blush seem<br />
perverse. Prior to removal, Ross wrote, “<strong>the</strong> Cherokee Nation, never have<br />
recognized and never can recognize any moral obligation in <strong>the</strong> instrument<br />
purporting to be a treaty between <strong>the</strong>m and <strong>the</strong> United States dated in December<br />
1835.” 230 Cherokee leaders used a variety <strong>of</strong> descriptions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> same document, all<br />
undermining <strong>the</strong> idea that <strong>the</strong> Cherokee Nation and <strong>the</strong> United States had signed a<br />
treaty in 1835: “<strong>the</strong> late Christmas trick at New Echota,” 231 “<strong>the</strong> (so called) treaty<br />
<strong>of</strong> December 1835,” 232 “<strong>the</strong> instrument <strong>of</strong> December 1835,” 233 “<strong>the</strong> falsetreaty,” 234<br />
“<strong>the</strong> pretended treaty,” 235 “New Echota arrangement,” 236 and “<strong>the</strong> Schermerhorn<br />
instrument.” 237<br />
If “<strong>the</strong> fraudulent and invalid instrument purporting to be a treaty” 238 put no<br />
obligations upon <strong>the</strong> Cherokees, why should <strong>the</strong>re have been obligations put upon<br />
<strong>the</strong> U.S.? Part III <strong>of</strong> this Article gave a partial answer: <strong>the</strong> advantages <strong>the</strong> U.S.<br />
received and continue to receive from <strong>the</strong> Treaty prevent <strong>the</strong> U.S. from arguing <strong>the</strong><br />
non-existence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Treaty. But according to <strong>the</strong> Cherokee’s own John Ross:<br />
“How can it be material what are <strong>the</strong> stipulations <strong>of</strong> an instrument pr<strong>of</strong>essing to<br />
be a treaty if <strong>the</strong> fatal <strong>the</strong> conclusive objection exists that no authority was ever<br />
given to negotiate it.” 239<br />
In <strong>the</strong> same letter, Ross noted that as far as he was<br />
230<br />
Letter from John Ross and Edward Gunter to John Mason, Jr. (Nov. 14, 1837), in 1<br />
THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 548 (emphasis added).<br />
231<br />
Letter from James J. Trott to <strong>the</strong> Cherokee Delegation headed by John Ross (Jan. 6,<br />
1836), in 1THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 379.<br />
232<br />
Letter from John Ross and Edward Gunter to John Mason, Jr. (Dec. 6, 1837), in 1<br />
THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 560.<br />
233<br />
Id.<br />
234<br />
Letter from Lewis Ross to John Ross (Jan. 4, 1838), in 1THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN<br />
ROSS, supra note 14, at 577.<br />
235<br />
Letter from John Howard Payne [signed by John Ross] to Joseph Gales and<br />
William W. Seaton, editors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Intelligencer (Mar. 29, 1838), in 1THE<br />
PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 619.<br />
236<br />
John Ross, Annual Message (Nov. 14, 1842), in 2THE PAPERS OF JOHN ROSS,<br />
supra note 14, at 152.<br />
237<br />
JohnRoss,AnnualMessage(Oct.3,1843),in 2THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS,<br />
supra note 14, at 179.<br />
238<br />
MemorialfromJohn Ross, R. Taylor, Edward Gunter, James Brown, Elijah Hicks,<br />
Samuel Gunter, Situwakee, and White Path to <strong>the</strong> Senate and House <strong>of</strong> Representatives<br />
(Dec. 15, 1837), in 1THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 568.<br />
239<br />
Letter from John Ross and Edward Gunter to John Mason, Jr. (Dec. 6, 1837), in 1<br />
THE PAPERS OF CHIEF JOHN ROSS, supra note 14, at 562 (emphasis added).