Cherokee phoenix. (New Echota [Ga.]) 1828-1829, June 25, 1828, Image 3

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bound to fulfil it. He spoke at some length to persuade them to yield this strip of land, which would settle ail difficulties and troubles &c. Opoth- leholo, apparently tired of the har angue, told him, “you have heard our talk and we have no other. If you were to talk as you do now for ten days, the Council could nor would not give you another answer.” This was strong language and could not be mis understood, and dried up to its source, the 1 -sweet thins, for Indians.” He would now have denounced the Creeks with an awful prophecy of their impending ruin, but checked by a spark of con science, he stood with an expression of countenance indicating a sense of disappointment. All was lost. IIow could he appear at Washington, when his pompous chain of successful In dian treaties was broken. I felt for the Gentleman. He spoke—he was sorry they had made choice of such u talk for their father—he would take it with him as he must know every thing that was said by his children; and was about to take leave, when Mr. Vann reminded him of his promise to devote a day to our claim. He stop ped and said he would now attend to it, and asked for the letter to be pro duced, which was done. He acknow ledged the correctness of the letter to the Council; at this instant a person whispered something in his car. It was the whisper of Col. Crowell The closing part of Col. McKenney’s devotion of a day to the letter, there fore, was ambiguous and filled with in sinuations calculated to forestall opin ion, and to prejudice the minds of the Creeks against the claim. I there fore procured Col. McKenney’s per mission to speak, and told the Chiefs, “that claim was for money in lieu of reservations that had been granted us by the Delegation, and all vve wanted was Col. McKenney’s recognition of the letter in their presence, which he had done, but it was a matter of re gret to me that he had not made out his statement without listening to the whisper of Crowell, which they had seen.” Col. Crowell said he did not whisper any thing but what was cor rect. Col. McKenney told the Coun cil that if any man whispered bad things in his ear, either by a red or white man, he would knock him down. He said so because it had been insinu ated that he had been wrongfully whis pered to. This closed our Council for that day. Col. McKenney started as he told us for Washington City, and we to our lodgings. In the afternoon of the next day, after Col. McKenney took his leave, and as we expected was far advanced on his journey, the Council was called on. to convene at an out shed a few hundred yards from the square, where Little Prince with his Chiefs of the lower towns wished to meet the Principal Chiefs of the upper towns. I was asked by the lat ter to attend it, and there heard, Col. McKenney, instead of pursuing his journey, had halted on the other bank of the Tallapoosa from us, and had scut the lower towns to meet the Chiefs of the upper towns on the sub ject of the u verbal p-omisc.” Divis ion was visible now in their counte nances, but the upper towns possess ed the prepondering weight of talent and influence, and above all, the love of native land, so dear to all Nations, who yet are unshackled from the in fluence of base submission or corrupt ing gold. The lower town Chiefs placed a great deal of emphasis on the verbal promise. Opothleholo told them the verbal promise was nothing. It was like a note without a signature it was not in the treaty, it was not binding. “ But, said Little Prince, the Great man says you did make the promise.” Selocta, the sonofChin- nubbee and who was in the lost war a favorite warrior of General Jack- son, a Chiet of undaunted courage, here opened his mouth and spoke as follows. “I was sent by you to Wash ington to break McIntosh’s bad treaty. We did so and we secured to ourselves some land yet, that rs scarcely large enough for our people to stand upon. I don’t know any thing of the promise tills man is talking about. Our friends John Ridge and David Vann don’t know any thing about it. We the up per towns love our native land that has been under us, from our youthful days, and will not sell it. But I have heard strange reports about you Lit tle Prince & the Lower Town Chiefs. It is that you wish to sell land. I heard this at home, from the McIntosh par ty and from news heard of white peo ple. Is it so? or is it not?” Little Prince could not have been more clec- made the promise, and they were trifled, if a clap of thunder lmd struck off the shed of our Council House, than ho experienced from this speech. He denied the charge and said the report was lucli&cha, or false and was followed by his whole party in this denial. It was then decided that Col. McKenney should be called in Council, & that the Delegat ion should individually tell him, that they knew nothing of this verbal promise. In the mean time Mr. Vann had been met by Mr. Compere, who delivered a message from Col. McKenney, that if he would use his influence to induce the Creeks to accede to his proposi tion, he yvould sec that his claim on them should he paid. After this, Judge Blake told Mr. Vann that he had been sent by Col. McKenney to request him to go in and talk with the Council. All of which we had in formed the chiefs previous to the ar rival of Col McKenney. This was the third interview of the Council and Col. McK. and from what had passed on the proceeding day, I deemed it prudent to he furnished with a pipe tomahawk in the act of smoking, and to be ready to make effectual resist ance, in case of assault from the white men, should they be instigated to it by Col. Crowell. My position here again was near the Principal Chiefs. Cols. McKenney and Crowell came and listened to the Delegation, indi vidually denying their knowledge of the verbal promise of throwing in the Georgia lands, if the lines should not reach them. Col. McKenney said he believed these chiefs, but thepromi.se was made; and at Washington the most and all important business was transacted by Opothleholo, John Ridge and David Vann—these three usually came to the War office and spoke for the Delegation. He did not know why, but thought the Delegation had confi dence in them for sense and honesty, and in that light the Secretary of War transacted business with them. To prejudice the council against us appeared to be his object, but Opoth leholo was ready to face him in any ground or argument. He told Col. M’Kcnney, that “the Delegation were present and could tell the coun cil, whether any business had been transacted without their knowledge or consent at Washington. The trea ty was in existence and the names of the Delegation were to it, and if it had any benefits in favor of the Creeks, the council knew it. Facts do not sus- tainyour talk. You charge the two Cherokees and myself for having transacted all important business. I speak my own language only, and they do not understand mine, how could we understand each other to transact important business?” Col. M’Kenney said, an Interpreter tvas not consider ed an official person & therfore he did not mention him. ' Opothleholo pro ceeded, “you talk a great deal of the verbal promise, which is not recol lected. I can also tell you, that you have not always fulfiled your words or your promises. Look at the Black burn and Houston claim against us for upwards of $5000, for whiskey con fiscated by us at the order of our for mer agent, Col. Hawkins. This claim was brought here and was re jected. It was carried to Washing ton and rejected by the former Secre tary of War (J. C. Calhoun) and so written down in the books of your of fice. This claim was again brought forward by Gen. Cocke at Washinton, and you wished us to pay it, and we refused. We scarcely had turned our backs for our nation when you paid this claim, without our knowl edge and consent. (See letters mark ed B and C the only correspondence on the subjects. Col. M’Kcnney said, “do you deny the acknowledgement of that claim?” The chief said he did. “Now said, M’Kenney, I will prove before this council and these white men, that you did acknowledge it and what you say is false. Ridge, was not this claim acknowledged?” “No: but was positively refqsed,” was my answer. I now felt indignant at the insolence and assurance of this gentle man, attempting to prove a falsehood by me. He turned to Vann and said, he would tell the truth, and asked him the same question. Mr. Vann said, he knew that they had refused to pay the claim, and that ho did not know any thing about the acknowledgement of it. Col. M’Kenney was now awk wardly situated; in the attempt to disgrace an Indian chief, the reaction fell upon himself. lie said that he had it in black and white at Washing- Ion, and could prove that he was right. The President had not sent a boy to be contradicted in council, but had sent a man-—-he would expose Mr* Vann and myself in this matter, and that his proofs were at home—these Chero kees could not on the bible support their statements on oath. “As rny veracity was questioned, I told the Creeks, I was willing to be qualified on a stack of bibles sky high in sup port of my statement. The chiefs laughed and said they knew I was a man of truth. Col. M’Kenney then made a disconnected speech, destitute j of any reason, apparently the effect of i anger and disappointment. Opolhle- ! holo told him that he talked too much, | and if he talked this way for ten days it would not alter the determina tion of the council. Col. M Kenney said he was the judge of the length ot his own speeches and would talk as much as he pleased; and told the Council, to respect John Ridge as much as they pleased, but no atten tion would be paid to their letters, if he had any agency in it.-He was a bad Bird—had written charges against the Creek agent which were all black &c.” then departed without taking leave or waiting for a reply, abrupt ly, more in the humor of a Terma gant than in the dignity of a Commis sioner of the United States. “My doubts, says Col. M’Kcnney, as to the success of my mission be came strong, for I knew by one of their laws, to succeed, the answer to the proposition must be unanimous; a single negative given, in what they call their deliberate Councils, would bring out by the mouth of their speak er in the public square a refusal, al though there should be four hundred and ninety and nine of the five hundred in favor, of the proposition.” The ab surdity of this doctrine is too obvious to require refutation. One vote in five hundred cont rolling the will of a Nation, in a free Government?— Where is the law, and who knows any thing about it excepting Col. McKen ney? The treaty of the Indian Springs, well known to all for its baseness, was made by a minority in opposition to the protest of the majority, who warn ed their countrymen of the terrible consequences of their error, and who notwithstanding concluded the treaty, which destroyed their leaders, and cost the United States so much.— Could any one at Washington believe this story when the scenes that had disgusted their feelings in conse quence of that treaty were still fresh in his recollection? I have therefore first stated the proceedings of the Council, &c. JOHN RIDGE. [to be concluded.] the Chiefs to make good that obliga- j tion. All that he could do, he has done. The price that was required for the cession was accepted, and the whole of it was included in the appro priation, and remitted. If this par ticular sum you claim were added, and formed part of it, the time of pay ing out the consideration money as pro vided for in the Treaty, was the time for the Delegation to have come for ward, and made known that ten thou sand Dollars had been included on their demand, for you, and for you to have received it. Your good sense will satisfy you that your claim is on the Creek Na tion, on a contract entered into be tween you and its Delegation, and not on the Government of the United Stales. If the Secretary could serve you in any way he would be happy to do so; but he does not see how it is possible for him to interfere in the matter which you have submitted through Col. Johnson, it being one which re- lafes wholly to yourselves and the Creek Nation. I am, Respectfully, your friend and Brother. THOS. L. McKENNEY. [B.] Department of War, Officf. Indian Af fairs, Dec. 19th 1825. To Opothle-Yoholo, &c. 8lc. k.c. Delegates from tiie Creek Nation. Friends & Brotiif.rs—A letter has been addressed to the Secretary of War, calling his attention to a claim against your nation in favor of Houston &. Blackburn. I am directed by the Secretary to call your attention to it, and to request such in formation in regard to it as you may he able to furnish. It is stated that Mad Wolf has some knowledge of the transac tion in which the claim originated. 1 am your friend and brother, THOS. I.. McKF.NNEY. © TCSfnttWL TT .ISSJ K.I O'Gf’Art DIi- oiSce <f>h sot^ila. db tgt.gt. F.li*r TG-OW XL lpSIitf BWO- TGUGT O’Cvjwo-.* jy jvmua it-a wtrAJt. wpji (PCJJUWCK/) G-4W-IP SScTBU. O’PfPwA- •V’otyii DhSBPIv D^p 0 J P/lC= GUcASI-ctAT, e,*y£Z tsoayw hsaer- tgl- GT fvU 0-TPA.G D<f I)£P <PP/IC=- t. O’VivstMr’oiyh h<iaa iratr.sjwo- AJ3. One hundred and sixty acres of un improved land, adjoining the town of Tallahassee, in Florida, recently sold at public sale, for nineteen thousand six hundred and ninety-one dollars. The Murderer Taken,—The perpe trator of the daring and brutal mui der of Miss B. George, of Lancaster coun ty, in April last, has been discovered in the person of a runaway negro, who, on being apprehended, made a full confession of the shocking transaction. He is to he executed on the 23d inst. Steam Boat Explosion.—The Whee ling Gazette of the 24th ult. says: “At the Canadian Reach, about 600 miles below Louisville, sometime last week, the boiler of the steam boat Car of Commerce, bursted, and ffty-seicn persons were killed and wounded 1825. [A.] Department of War, Office In dian Affairs, 25th Jan. 1827. To John Ridge, & David Vann, Friends 4’ Brothers—Y our letter of the 14th ult. to Col. R. M. Johnson, on the subject of your claim for the sum of five thousand dollars, each, in lieu of reservations &c. has been sub mitted by him to the Secretary of War. The Secretary directs me to state that he well remembers the proposi tion that was made for a reservation of land for each of you; and that he answered, it could not be complied with, but to a commutation in money there could, he presumed, be no ob jection. lie also remembers that fi\ s thousand dollars to each was nam ed in lieu of the reservations referred to; and he has no doubt hut the con sideration money in the Treaty was in creased by this much, and he had no reason to doubt but the Delegation who arranged this with you, having lull powers from their Nation, would see to the application of the money thus provided. You will at once perceive that the only point which connected the propo sition with the Secretary, and on which lie acted, was that of rejecting the proposition for reservations; and that his agency in what happened af terwards, was only an agency of acqui escence, (as he had no control over it, any way,) in what you, and the Dele gation agreed upon—which was, as the Secretary understood it, that ten thousand Dollars more were to be added to the consideration money, as the terms of the purchase, and which the Delegation, it was understood, in tended for you. It appears from your letter that the distribution was made without regard to this obligation on the part of the Chiefs.. Whilst the Secretary would be gratified that your views should be answered all round in regard to that transaction, he nevertheless has no power to interfere and require it of [CO \\ ASHINGTON, 19lh Dec Thos. L. McKenney, Esq. Sir—Your note of this day’s date, call ing our attention to a certain claim in fa vor of Houston &. Blackburn, has been re ceived. This claim has been presented to our Nation and has been rejected. We believe that it has met the same fate from the Cherokee Nation. It is more than the Delegation believes, 14 years ago, a boat loaded with spirituous or intoxicating li quor descended the Coosa river. The Chiefs of the Cherokees objected to its pas sage without effect, and the Creek Nation made similar objections, & informed their Agent Col. Hawkins, who ordered that it should he confiscated, as lie was certain it was in violation of the Intercourse law of the United States. When our citizens at tempted to confiscate the whiskey agreea ble to their laws, the owners of if opposed them by exhibiting a license, which they said had been given by our Agent, Col. Hawkins. This having been produced was submitted to the Agent who pronouuc- ed it spurious and issued an order to con fiscate the property. The Big Warrior was supposed to be in possession of the or der and search was made, but could not be found after the said claim was presented. Not expecting a claim would be made, the order of course was not much attended to. To explain the cause of the transfer of the claim from the Cherokees to our Nation we slate, this property was confiscated by the Creeks on the land now in the Chero kee Nation. At that time g boundary was not established between the two Nations, but the Cherokees and Creeks permitted promiscuous settlements to he made, in that quarter where the-whiskey was taken. It or part of it was retailed to Creek Indians, and when it was taken, Mad Wolf being in company, the amount of the property was this, viz: 54 barrels whiskey—2 kegs of powder and the boat, nothing more. You will be better able to determine whether it ought to be admitted, having in view the restrictions of the Intercourse laws of the United States imposed on the Introduction of property without license a- mong the Indians, particularly whiskey, the loss of which is complained of; and if the claim is just, a legal claim authorised from the Agent, ought to be submitted with the account by the claimants, which we believe will be hard for them to do. I am your friend and brother, in behalf of the Delegation, OPOTHLEYOHOLO. By order of the Creek Delegation, John Ridge, Secy. TGLOT O'CMrtVChJJ. © W* AJS4S DGoiErt 'IKAhJl TS 1828. Dhojyh DyyiC=T ih-ACVlrt AiSJP t,G TILT D- yA^iGLS, t.Xvi A,yp icsbyh e- ricy >s>q®e.J. p.jg 0’hTSvrt4 M Tp.4«?a. Eh«v* cfpacs d^f fk; ificsyri T>a^p DyFI«3I.0-.4 >sy. EIi'Y* TGOW EhP-R DyC5IiI>ASlT. © ^D<^yi» «yc«r».i>tiT. n«v*- 4»w/t-aj3‘V , M'yii -ees. ^Dotyu oyitruy. •ADojyii Dirso, o 3 ii^(iia*\“ dglo- TjoCE, 0»Ik4-MCv*F..V«, O’GTPA.flA*. G<*y- otyu C-GC^FotATiOy. DhZ DI^SO- OVi- c= xy Tysa^a t,<*y Eh*v* <y>p.4c= D$P Cto-PA^I OBOLrtcSJrt.S O’ciSOCs FK 0 J P^TP5'3^Myii F.Ii P-R, O'd'hwa PO-S- F<»L yWotyii O’PPFc*.! rtCl.O-VLS'A, c,x- iroy. pa d.ig Gc»y *)<».*, ga <6g.r*v’ 8GtD DZGIiT.jf.1 >&y. Go?y Ii-tyiTVl R.I- wstyii irqdSir ^deiicvrtA, Grt«'sr*v‘’ Ar- Grvi.irt ^gsfof, p*xroy. A Horse In Easton, Pa. with har ness on, runaway, entered the dwel ling house of Mrs. Brown, and went up stairs into the second story. Con tinuing a little farther, he tumbled down a staircase, broke the banisters, and with a terrible crash came rolling into the kitchen, causing no small dis may and scattering of the family, and a great derangement of the supper ta ble. — The following are Candidates for the General Council of the Cherokee Nation to represent the District of Coosewatee. For the Committee. WALTER ADAIR, JOHN RIDGE. For the Council. MAJOR RIDGE, TE-SA-DASKJ, JAMES FOSTER, JOHN FIELDS, Jr. WAT IE. The following are Candidates for the en suing Legislature of the Cherokee Nation, to represent the District of Chattooga. Fon the Committee, RICHARD F.F.LDS, THOMAS WILSON, DANIEL GRAFFIN, Jr. LITTLE TURTLE, EDWARD GUNTER, ANDREW ROSS. For the Council. B\RK, AHCHILI.A SMITH, HEAD THROWF.lt, JOHN RATCLIFF, LAUGH AT MUSH, ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, SAH-KF.-AH, SCRAPER. The following are Candidates for the en suing General Council of the Cherokee Natior, to represent the District of Chick- ainauga. For the Committee. DANIEL McCOY. RICHARD TAYLOR, JOHN F. BALDRIDGE. For the Council. NATHAN HICKS, CHARLES REECE, CTJN-NF.-QUOH-YO-GE, SLEEPING RABBIT, THOMAS MANON, TSU-NU-GE. The following are Candidates forthe Ge neral Council ol the Cherokee Nation to re present the District of Alnnoc. THOMAS FOREMAN, GEO. FIELDS, JOHN MILLER, YOUNG WOLF, JOHN WATTS, CRAWLING SNAKE, DE-S QUA JUNE, DEER IN THE WATER. JY\iS.!TA> SSiL DGW8jAlciy .91) ol-OhrtP ?- AJiSW SO.VJT. SPK5 GIi <H:SPF(f?y <X„IZ E- tlv <yF(»Tra. -iMVsyz.—so-ilv, ,ret«y, r,Grt- I,h, jzny, (yjtf.IZ. Gsyz noLAGradty. SFKS DIiB^. O’SFT’, 0>U'KI, U- Jl.l JVO-ZJ1 B^, Vottrz. .iMvsyz.—moFMy, dipW, o’ofcA sty, Dcixiivx, DGcir D^G«Uc»y, uyo, av*A- <«y, DrdMz. irs-rsz Do&AO^rtdty. «PK9 DIiB.a^.—AGFIiB, Ctyj, <syz. jhwsyz.—Joy, irricsspo*, ©hxhy, Cvo6hlr>, 0SW9O, O’FBwlXZA'rZ. D-5.9Z DOT.A0<r\lcSy. Dc5«»SGMy«y, tn?w je-r, &ushj®, tg- liGT, vlo£Xh, oFOEG, DIi4Z i£ iSXC-W. CHEROKEE ALPHABET, Neatly printed and for sale at this Office. cwy J5GXot.I Dh SZ.l.