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• . .* • * * * * / CHEROKEE PHOG3T1X AND INDIANS’ ADVOCATE. F.om the New York Observer. EW MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Messrs, Editors—1 have perused ithiu a lew days a pamphlet entitled Document* and Proceedings relating 0 the Formation and Progress of a oard in the city of New York, for be emigration, preservation, and im* 1 ovement of ths Aborigines of Amer- •n ” There s.cfriB to be something singular both in the origin and rharac- ter or this Board, if one may judge from this pamphlet in connexion with certain reports; and I hope you will allow me to present the following in* aj dries respecting it; 1. Is there an understanding with the National Executive, that this Board is to be supplied with its funds by the Goivirnmciit? 2. Is there also an understanding, that, when this Board shall have gone into operation, no missionaries or preiohers or any Society employing them, can share in the appropriation heretofore made by the Government for the moral improvement of the In- di ms, until such teachers or Society *!>n|| have obtained in some form, the approbation of this Board? 3. Is it in conformity with these views, that we are to understand the declaration of the Government A- gent, when he says in his letter to the present Secretary of the hoard, l I h v> no doubt hut such an Associa tion would receive all the Govern ment assistance, that it might be in the power ofthe Executive to afford? ’ Or. indeed, could any thing short of aich nn understanding justify the Board in declaring, ns they do in iheir Constitution. “This board en rages to afford to all the emigrant. Indim*, all the necessary instruction in the arts of life and duties of reli gion?’’ 4 Docs it consist with the impar- t tali tv an! good poll v of the Govern ment, to in ke any^Board the sole al moner of tneir bounty, in the np- f i..Intent of whi« h. by it Constitu te... the (Jove, mnent lias no control? 5. By the Constitution, “the niting members of this Assoiialion shall nil fXiccd thirty in number.” Hie n met of twenty-nine arc published as belonging Iq it. But of these twenty Hi io. twenty-two belone 1o one dent* mm tiou, tl<e reformed Dutch Church 0 the remainder, four are Presby- t ■ inns, one is a Covenanter, another |s a Moravian, and the oilier is an Episcopalian. Besides these, no oth er denomination in our country, how ever numerous, as lie Methodists. Baptists, &c. are represented in the Bon’1. Is it according to the liberal prim iples of our Government, that Pres >yteriaus and Episcopalians. It tptists and Methodists, and i ll otlie denominations, should be compelled to abtain the sanction of a board so constituted, before they can share in the bounty of Government, t.o aid iheir benevolent labors among the Indians? I anj persuaded, that the great body of the highly respectable Ih rumination, a few of whose mem bers have taken this business so en tirely into (heir own hands would be giuong the tint to discard such a prin ciple 6 The title of the Association is. **The Indian Board for the Emigra tion &C.” The emigration of the Pidiaus then, is their first declared object. Indeed it would appear from lh- letter of the Government Agent, that the “ontie cneigies” p( tin- Board are to be “applied towards changing the location of the Indians jjo.v within our Stales; andalso their gelation to political and civil and reli- gii i> rights” But how are they to effect or promote this emigration? Noi by compulsion, for that it dis claimed on all hands; not by contrib uting funds, for ways and means, it w ould seem are coining from another quarter. We presume the Board in tend to act by moral suasion in the ef fort* n»i>dc to i<iduce the Indians to •migrate. This leads to another in quiry: D'H*. this claim to be a Missionary Board? They so describe them selves, when they engage to furnish ‘•all necestary instruction in the arts 01 life and the duties of religion.”— Hero then is a Missionary Board, the fiitf b isiofeis of whose missionaries is not to preach “Christ and him cruci fied.” but to preach emigration. Is Jf •*common thing to put such a mes sage into the mouth of n m’ssio iary. When he is sent to the perishing pa gans? ?8. What are we fo make of this article in the ro®s!ituti<*i: “The i* pledged' to oe-aperale with ih* Federal Government of the Uni ted States, in its operations on Indian affairs; and at no time to contravene its laws?” A Christian Board volun teering a formal pledge, to the Feder al Government, “at no time to con travene its laws,” is something new, and with such an assurance from this Indian Board, it is hoped the Govern ment will feel itself safe. But an Unconditional pledge to “co-operate with the Federal Government of tin United States in its operations ou In dian affairs,” without reserving the right to judge whether such opera tions may be right or wrong, wise or unwise, is very like a surrender of conscience; and an admission of in fallibility scarcely becoming Protest ant Christians. We have heard much said of late, about alliances between Church and State, when, as 1 believe neither Church nor State had ever thought of such a measure. But is not somethingjof this sort here distinct ly avowed by an organized Bonrd? and, at the same time, wc are given to understand from these “documents and pioccedings,” that all is in ac cordance with the wishes of the Uni ted States Government, and has uow received an official sanction through the Secretary of War! Should these interrogatories be answered. I may perhaps trouble you with some other on the Subject. An Enquirer. Vie Indians.—The situation of the Indians of this country, is melancholy in the extreme. Wo know the ne cessity for strict laws in their govern ment, and we are well aware of their inevitable fate. But who can read the letter of the Creeks to the peo ple of Georgia and Alabama, unmoved? Who con help thinking we are doing hardly and cruelly by them? The poor, despised remnant of a noble race on^e the owners of the soil, address their white brethren in the language of remonstrance; they appeal td our justice and magnanimity. “Friends a.id brothers," say they, “we appeal to your feelings of justice and magna nimity, for a co-operation in our cause’ Can we he deaf to such a call? “Poor Indians! where are they now? ’ exclaimed the eloquent author of the British Spy, when surveying t'iie scene ol the heroic condurt of Pocahontas. Ilis question comes with tenfold force at this time. “We have extinguished,” says an other tine writer, “their council tires, and ploughed up the hones of their fathers. Their population has dim inished with lamentable rapidity Those tribes that remain, like the lone column of a falling temple, exhi bit hut the tad relics of their former strength; and many others live only in the names which have reached us through the earlier accounts of trav ellers and historians ”—And yet, with this picture of desolation before us, we are pressing them heavier & hea vier—sinking them deeper and deep er into misery and degradation! W hen we look at the subject, although we see some.grounds for the course pur sued towards them, we arc tempted to exclaim—Perish the policy, which makes the Indian an outcast, a vaga bond, and a stranger, in his own land! Alexandria Gazelle. AMERICAN INDIANS. We would recommend to the care ful |>erusai of our readers the num bers, which are appearing on the last page of the Luminary, over the sig nature William Penn. An important crisis is at hand with the Aborigines of this country now pent up between Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. The tenure of their land is becoming precarious not from defect of title, but from the encroachments and su perior force of their civilized and Christian neighbors. A question on this point is soon to be settled, which will affect the dearest rights and in terests if not the existence of those nat ions as well as (lie character and honor of our own country. The sub ject should be examined and under stood- The writer in the National Intelligencer, whose pieces we are inserting in our pages, evinces a de termination to go to the hoftom of the matter, and ability and candour to treat it as it should be treated. Eve ry one, who lakes an interest in the legislative proceedings of his country, and in the just and honourable treat ment of the original proprietors o r this whole continent, should read these pieces of William Perm) WmUm Luminary From the Georgian. Extract aj a letter from Arkansas, nigh- borhood of Cantonement Gibson, ■d«- gust 10. “It may be pleasiug to lefirn the passing events of (bis remote section of the Country, and there is none so much affecting the views of our gov-’ eminent, and the interests of the Un ion, as the marching of a Cherokee force, 76 men strong, against the Pawnees of the Red River or Texas. “The Chiefs opposed every possi ble obstacle to tne organization and marching the force; but as there is no power vested in them by their laws, to prevent such occurrences, all their efforts were of none effect. Col. Arbuckle, the commanding officer at Cautonement Gibson, used all his personal influence in die character of remonstrance, equally in effectual. His orders were not of such character, as to authorise the ap- plication of effectual means; though the crisis would m«st certainly have justified it beyond all question of po- Her and justice. The vigilance and ability of Col. Arbuckle, prevented a Single Creek from joining the Par ty, though they had heeu most pres- singly solicited, by the leaders of the Cberokees and had attended some dances on the occasion. “The Clermont band of Osages, reside about 75 milt s from here, u- bout 50 N. W. by W. of Fort or Cautonement Gibson. About the 4th inst. a war partv from that band marched against the Pawnees of a- bout 100 warriors; and some gentle men directly from the Village on the 7lh inst., say that a war party of 150. was to leave there to support the advance on the 8th, but. owing to an incursion of the TawDees to the Village, ami their success lit stealing about 80 Osage Hoiti-s it has be come a chace, and, in all probability, they will be enabled td reclaim the Horses, (an Osage can run on foot 100 miles in 14 hours ) Improbable •s this may seem. I assure You it is true —Some danger is apprenended. if the Chcrokers and Osages should meet a distance from home, that they will make war. The Chero- kees greatly dislike the Osages; and say. that “Cherokee blood, yet smokes on the ground” A degree of turbu lence of feeling exists here, that I had not anticipated and it w ill he no disadvantage 1o strengthen Fort Gib son. and give pretty full powers to the commanding Colonel, and I will war rant, that he will keep peace. But if the comm; nrling officer has no pow er fo arrest the evils, and this should become the seat of war, you may rest ossured. that the Cherokee*. Creeks. Choctaws and Chit lasers would just as soon he exterminated by thpir white F: tber. as to lie barbar ously murdered by their ted brothers the Pawnees or any olher ofthe red f mily. “These considerations in duced every exertion to stop the Chernhees. and keep extingnished even the sound of war.” saw ffigiacoffAt WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14,18»7 W<* have reen published a letter of the Secretary of War to the Secretary of the Indian Board in New York, in which Mr. Eaton says, that nothing of a compulsory course to remove the Indians, has ever been thought of by the President. It may be So, though we very well remember, that Col. McKcnnev, speaking the language of an agent of the Government, did once re commend, and the State of Georgia ha> threatened force. For oUr own part, w. never thought that the United States in her Federal capacity would come out a- gainst the Indians in military array & sav, you must remove. She dare not do suqh a thing in the face of an enlightened world. But let the candid reader consider the pol icy, and the effects of this policy on the poor Indians, and then say that the United States are guiltlem. It is her unjust meas ures that we complain of, and which; te our minds, partake of the nature of force. We presume our readers have not forgot ten the late Creek controversy. Two Commissionere ofthe United States, Col. D. G. Campbell, and Maj. J. Merewrthrr succeeded, after a previous failure, to make a fraudulent treaty with a small par ty of disaffected Creeks, which treaty was afterwards ratified. The Creek nation hereupon made a protest, and was'made fully apparent by them, and by the Gov ernment's agents that the treaty was ob tained in a fraudulent manner, entered into Iw persons unaui bonded on the part of th kCreek nation ..The illegality of the treaty was put beyond a question by its subse quent abrogation. But mark the conduct of (no Government. What was her lan guage to the poor Creeks who had gone to the house of their father to ask that common justice may be done towards them by restoring the lands tiken away from them, by undeifanded measures?— “We know that the treaty is illegal} it has b'cei obtained by unfair meahsj la our own agents hsVe told us, ind thit it ought to be annulled, but rememberth- Georgians Itave already surveyed the land and they will soon be settled upon hy and we cannot re move them. We Ictto* you have justice on your side, but the del cate situation of the Government renders her unable to an nul the treaty, unless you cede and relin quish that part of your country claimed by the State of Georgia. To su h language as this what could the Creeps, a poor, weak » ,u., WU.U W r. v.a |«u t) u.u ur B ie„ irscK. tie attempts to ess and defenceless people answer? They ^ab^sh the position j "the perishing center'j I forrdtd tn vifelH. anri rnnaannentlv mienrrm te% iAm Yft *- ... ■* f rim. Art. v. This Board is (»•'** ige<l t» co-sperale with the Federfl Govern#’ ment of the United States, io its ope* rations on Indian affairs; and at o* time to oontravene its lawt. What the operation,of the Government are oa Indian affairs, may be partly learutf** ed from the foregoing remarks. Among the twenty nin#gentlemen wh4 • signed the constitution, we notice the fok low ing clergymen of high standing, most of whom, if not all we Relieve are minister* of the Dutch Reformed Church t Alex amt der McLeod, Philip Millidoler, Jacob Brodhead, Cornelius D. Westbrook, Cor*, nelius C. Cuyler and Thomas De Witt.T»l Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer is the Pre#g / ident of the Board. We have merely glanced over the a* or^M of Col. McKenhey, We find him i* his old beaten track. He attempts to ea*. . were forced to yield, and consequently their ancient territory has fallen into the hands of strangers. From among many similar instances we will select one other. The Slate of Geor gia, despairing of erer obtaining the Cher okee country, by fair and peaceable means, and being encouraged by a successful in trigue towards the Creeks, hm laid claim to a portion of our territory. Soon after the claim originated, which wat in the le gislature of the State, a surveyor was ap pointed by the Governor, who, disregard ing the protest of the United Stale** A gent, run the line. How sincere the Govern ment was in making the protest^ia not for us to say. When it was known that the line was run by order oi'tbe State, and that the United States hid not used effi cient measures to prevent it, aa ii duty bound she ought to have done, our neigh bors on the frontier began to flock in and take the country. Hereupon our citizens complained to the Agent, and demauled, agreeably to a treaty stipulation and the intercourse law, the immediate removal of the intruders! The Agent at first retim ed a favorable answer—-but that was all. The Cherokeea, finding tfiat nothing was done, and that the tardiness ofthe Governs njent encouraged the intruders, and after suffering repeated insults and oppression, urged the complaint over and over again. What has been the late answer, our read ers are referred to the letter ofthe Secreta ry of War to Col. H. Montgomery , late’n published in the Phoenix. The Agent is expressly ordered to use no harsh and rigid measures against the intruders—Wliv? Because the State of Georgia claims the land. In what l'ght shall «ve view such conduct as this? Is it not apparent that the design of the Government is to create difficulties for us on everv side? Are we not likely to be treated as the Creeks were in 1826? Since the order, above referred to, has been received by the Agent, we un derstand more intruders have been remov ing into the country than were before.— When the question isonee decided and set tled, shall we he forced to cede and relin quish the land because these intruders can not be removed, and because of the deli- icate situation of the Government? Such i“ undoubtedly the policy. But, gentle reader, we beseech you to reflect a moment on the effects of such a policy. As the state of Georgia has done, with equal propriety may she, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama severally do, in regard to the re maining portion of our territory; and by opening a door for their citizens to intrude upon and insult us, (and withal the United States countenancing such proceedings) we shall soon be ousted out of land and home. But all will he well, because it will be done peaceably, without the shedding of blood I We now appeal to an enlightened, gen erous and Christian public to say, whether uch prevaricating conduct is worthy of a great and magnanimous nation, and wheth er such proceedings as are now emplm to remove the poor Indians can be ca led peaceable measures 7^ Be J( known, such measures are as destructive to the Indians, aa they are disgraceful to the Govern ment. Since writing the above we have re vived a pamphlet containing the “Pro ceedings of the Indian Board with Col. M’Kennev’s address,** Among the docu- monts published are the Indian Talk of Pit. "ident lackson to the Creek Indians—.Let ter of the Secretary of War to the Chero kee Delegation—Col. M’Kenney’* letter to Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. and the letter of Mr. Eaton to the Rev. Eli Baldwin, Sec retary of the Indian Board. From the Constitution of the Board, we select the ourth and fifth articles. Art. it. This Board engages to afford to the emigrant Indians, all the nerrstfart inilruction in the aita of J life, and in the 4ulfe*tf reljgioo- quences to the tfidiont of a near connefitft^-l with a white population.** “Nhis JxMitio* will remain futile, as long as the improving condition ofthe Cberokees and the Choe taws triumphantly prove its weaknesd| Besides, where Woiild Col. McKenne? have th» Ind an* go to be out of the wav of the whites? West .f the Mississippi?.* There they would come in contact not onl/y with whites, seven fold more wicked tha* those bv whom they are now surrounde<% but with roving savages, with whom pam ticularly they would be in perpetual cofe Lsion. We believe the members of the India# Board are actuated by pose motives, io s taking this step to preserve the Iadiaof from extinction. In our opinion, however^ they have mistaken their object—we can sec no way whereiii^y cati\id the gov# eminent, withoujgwpljr interfering wiik ita concerns—let* it be remembered the Government is venr sensitive in such interference. I generalTol two bodies of ™-OUNCIL. The two hoti&as of the General Couuoil were organized on Monday., They adjourned to Tuesday after the Committee appointed Edward Gouter and Thomas Foreman, and the Conn* oil, Archibald Campbell and Chari*# Reece to wait on the principal Chief*, to inform thenl that both house* wer# organized, and were ready to re ceive any communication they had to . • Tuesday. Both house* met and formed a joint committee of the ^ l,e Me,,a R® ofthe Princi pal Chiefs wo* read and interpreted into the Cherokee language. [The message will appear in ear next.] S# The case of the Indians is stiracting genrf eral attention throughout the country. The great question is not confined to a parties lar section of (he Union, but is made a sub* iect of serious investigation in th« Eastern. Middle and Western State*. The able pieces of WUliam Penn,are copied into a Urge number of papeR, the readers of which probably amount}aecorcfi*g to- the lowest supposition, to twt hundred thouuJ and. We receive many mcouraging let* ters from different parts kthe country.— We present to our readeh the following extracts from two, the fir* written by S gentleman in Connecticut, and the other by a gentleman in Ohio. Ed. Ph. There is some appear&uee of I brighter day approaching. The na tion is beginning to awale and to loo1 to the wrongs of the Cherokeea. long time appear* to be neresaary i engage the feeling* of the great hot 1 of the people but when oice they a made to underat&nd the merits your eauae. they will say in tb majesty, your rights shall bo reipf ed. I have not yet so poor an o* ion pfour countrymen S| to belt' hat *hey will aq forget the resp they owe to Ihemaelvea & to the we aa to be wantonly guilty of dri you from your lands into an inhost ble wilderness, to he again dr from that as soon as it shall pJ your avaricious and unprior neighbors to say, they need your sessions, 4 _ * I hope yeu will boldly, and fn ly declare the truth respertiq oppression, and injustice whicl of the Indian Tribes may e'xpe from any of the unprincipled f eveo though it may be the phii f iltrate of our nation and his c Whatever may b* the feelings people of Georgia and the »< States; there are doubtless hi of thousands, fn the Eastern. / and Western States, who artn wi(h you, and would much r< have you driven from your post or deprived of your rights, si as citizens. We have reason to rejr Divine Providence, is raiii . m -v 'wm