The sentiments of the petition, from certain citizens of Delaware District, placed in my hands, by your direction, viewed in connection with your resolutions, imply that I have received all the monies paid, by the Government of the United States, on account of the Cherokees, since the year 1935, without having rendered any account of them. The combined tenor of the two papers, seem to embrace even the monies received and expended under the Schermerhorn compact, from which the people have been incited to expect per capita money. Now it is well known the Nation has always disclaimed that compact, and that I have disclaimed it also. How then could per capita money under its provisions come into my hands? Yet there can be no doubt but im- mense sums of money were expended under its provisions and charged to the Nation, which it would be very proper to ex- amine into. I have no documents in my possession which furnish information respecting disbursements under that com- pact: but if the books and papers of the Cornmittee of thirteen, who acted under it, together with those of the Commissioners, were laid before the Council and people, they would no doubt shed much light on the subject. It is known to the Chero- kee People, that several points in controversy, as well as their public and private claims against the United States, re- main open and unadjusted. And though the Delegation in their late negotiation with the Secretary of War failed to pro- cure their settlement, we still hold, not only just and equita- ble claims on the United States' Government, but the unequiv- ocal promise of the President that they shall be satisfied. And as you have been informed in my message, Commission- ers have been appointed for the purpose of investigating these claims.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, JNO. ROSS. December 20th, 1842.
