Cherokee Phoenix

MONEY AND PRINCIPLES

Published February, 28, 1828

Page 2 Column 4b

MONEY AND PRINCIPLES.

In reviewing the Public offices of the Cherokee Nation now held by different persons, it will be found, on recurrence to the signers of the late Constitution, that there is no conformity to it in their subsequent proceedings, compared with their asserted principles. The late Constitution was composed of twenty one members, ten of whom were then members of the National Committee; to them and other Counsellors this Constitution was submitted for the government of the Cherokees. The law which created the above Constitution has these words--'that after the rise of the Council of 1827, the new Constitution shall go into full and operative force.' This Constitution in article 4th contains these words; 'that the judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts shall receive no perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit or trust.' It is much to be feared that the last council, in electing John Martin, one of the signers of the Constitution, Treasurer of the Nation for one year, have infringed on their principles recommended to us for our government. That the elected treasurer is adequate to the duties of the department is admitted by all. But when the Constitution was going into force, it was inconsistent and exceptionable in a high degree to have elected a treasurer who was at the same time a presiding Circuit Judge, a Judge of the Supreme Court, and holding a 4th executive appointment as public Turnpike keeper on the Federal Road:-being one of the signers of the Constitution, who were so careful as to distribute offices, so that one man should not hold more than one Constitutional appointment, ' now exercising the duties of four different offices. In what way then can his acceptance of the treasury be safely accounted for, if it be not that friends exalt high; and that emolument of office, has induced an abandonment of principles, which were

at the same time advised for the Cherokee Government. It is feared that the last Council, having established a precedent in keeping the treasury at Coosawatee, in preference to New Echota, the seat of government of the Nation, will in the next treasury election, add to our present inconvenience in respect to that department, by sending it up to the mountains on the skirts of N. Carolina, or one of the most novel ideas in legislation that has ever occurred in the annals of history.

A. CHEROKEE