Unusual expenditures are always incident to the removal and
establishment of a people in an entirely new country. Domestic
dissensions and violence of a widespread character have a tendency
to destroy the security of life and property usually felt in a well
governed community, and insecurity in this manner becomes the parent of
idleness and the destroyer of ambition.
Thus from a combination of adverse circumstances the Cherokees since
their removal had been subjected to many losses of both an individual
and a national character. Their debts had come to be very oppressive,
and they were anxiously devising methods of relief.
_Proposed cession of the "neutral land."_--At length in the fall of
1852 they began to discuss the propriety of retroceding to the United
States the tract of 800,000 acres of additional land purchased by
them from the Government under the provisions of the treaty of 1835.
This tract was commonly known as the "neutral land," and occupied the
southeast corner of what is now the State of Kansas.
It was segregated from the main portion of their territory, and had
never been occupied by any considerable number of their people. After a
full discussion of the subject in their national council it was decided
to ask the United States to purchase it, and a delegation was appointed
to enter into negotiations on the subject. They submitted their
proposition in two communications,[540] but after due consideration it
was decided by the Secretary of the Interior[541] to be inexpedient
for the Government to entertain the idea of purchase at that time.
Thereupon, under instructions from their national council, they
withdrew the proposition.
As soon as the Cherokees resident in North Carolina and the neighboring
States learned of this proposed disposition of the "neutral land" they
filed a protest[542] against any sale of it that did not make full
provision for securing to them a proportional share of the proceeds.