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£rema», fraetdred his leg. He was carried ,
off on a board by a number o t citizens. We
need scarcely add, that the condition of the
residents in the immediate neighborhood and
especially at the commencement ot the oc-|
currence, was alarming and painful in the ex-;
treme.
TWENTY-FIFTH C'O’NORJES-S,
SECOND SESSION.
'TN SENATE.
Tuesday, May 15, 1838.
TH EGU E ROK EE TREAT i
Mr. Davis presented several memorials in
‘relation to the Cherokee treaty, praying for
its revision and repeal: laid on the table.
Mr. McKean presented several memorials
on the same subject; which were disposed ot;
in the same manner.
Mr. Lumpkin arose, and addressed the ben- •
ate to the following effect:
Mr. President: I hold in my hand a letter
addressed to me by Mr. John Ridge, a Cheio
kec man of the country West. I his letter
contains much interesting and detailed infer
'-mation in regard to the present state and con
dition of the Cherokee people, and affords a
‘ fair view of the piospects which await these i
people, ! if they could be permitted to enter into
the possession of the advantages secured to
them by the treaty of 1835. Itis my wish,sir,
to read this letter for the information of the .
Senate and of the country. I will add, that ■
I have numerous letters from highly respecta
ble Cherokees who have settled in the W est,,
‘■which go to sustain fully all the views and ■
statements of Mr. Ridge. The propriety of;
introducing and reading this letter I trust will
•not be controverted, when we take into consid-
- — 1 yrttrivu nw 'pTC'BCTrr*twruaT'H'tffte~* vtrr—ot'r'ew*-
kee affairs.
It is known that the Government, in Decem
ber, 1835, entered into an arrangement or
treaty with a numerous and intelligent delega
tion of the Cherokee people. Under which
arrangement it was stipulated and agreed that
the whole people should emigrate from the East
to the West, under the care and superintend
-ance of the Government of the United States,
on or before the 23d of the present month, May, ;
1838; and several thousand of them, including
the most intelligent, have already emigrated,
and taken up their abodes in their new coun
try, where they are quiet, happy and content
ed, arid are anxious to see the balance of their
tribe join them in the West, and participate in
their rich inheritance. Among the emigrants
orc Mr. Ridge, the writer ol the letter to
which I have referred, who is a man of strong
native mind, improved by cultivation and edu
cation. He is a man of great integrity off
character; whose lofty spirit became restlessj
under the conflicts and controversies of his i
•people with the State Governments, which ter
uninnted in the annihilation of the Cherokee
Government. Under thesocircumstanccs Mr..
Ridge and his friends yielded to the force of
circumstances, choosing to abandon their coun
try rather than be deprived ot their native;
ri<»ht to self government; and Mr. Ridge be-:
came the independent advocate of emigration,!
as the best hope’of securing ig his people the |
boon of liberty and independence. And now, i
with a prudent and intelligent forecast, he looks;
to a more honorable and endeared relation c
the Government of the United States, as , tle i
only rational hope of perpetuating tiii’ ex', st-!
once of the native American race.
Rut, sir, by the indulgence of the Senate 1
will read tho letter of Mr. Ridge referred to, 1
and to sustain tho truth of which 1 have in my
possession ample testimony.
[Leave being granted, Mr. L. read as fol
lows:]
South Lee, Berkshire Co. Mass. )
May 7, 1833. $
My friend: While I was in New York, 1 re-1
ceived your kind letter of the 25th ult., in an-1
swer to mine, for which I am greatly indebted
to you. It was my desire to have the pleas
urc of a personal interview with you, and also
to see the result of the great Indian bill, now
in a course of discussion in the Senate, but the
period 1 have set apart to return to my coun-1
•try is the first of June, and I have but a short
time to spend among my wife’s relations.
I did not write as fully as the interesting
subject of tho Cherokee removal, and the na-1
-lure of the country, demanded, as 1 then be
lieved 1 should see you. Now you will allow
?ne to relate my opinion of our country in the;
West, and the situation of our people.
The treaty is so liberal in its provisions for
the comfortable removal of the Clierokees,that |
J have heard no complaints on that head, but
the highest satisfaction. Those who went by !
■water in steamboats in the spring ot the year, 1
passed with so much despatch, that most of
them planted corn, and raised considerable!
crops. You know that good and exemplar)
Christian, Mr. Charles Moore. He said that
he planted in the month of June, and raised a
greater crop of beans, pumpkins, and corn,
than he ever did in Georgia under the most fa-.
vorablo circumstances. Ile said that ‘the land ;
in the West was so rich, that he could com-!
pare it to nothing else than a fattened hog,
which was so fat that he could not get up.’’
I have travelled extensively in that country—
once, from inv residence, near the corner of
Missouri and Arkansas, to Fori Smith,
through Flint district, where I had the pleas
ure of beholding fine springs of water, excel
lent farms, and comfortable houses, and mills
nnd mission schools, belonging to the Chert*-
kves, and every evidence of prosperity and
happiness was to be seen among the Chero
kees ns a people. { saw a numb r who had
previously arrived, an 1 who arrived since 1
had, and I heard but one sentiment—that they
were happy and contented in thrir now coun.
try. Indeed, the soil is so exceedingly rich.
and well timbered, and ths navigation ot the
Arkansas affords them superior commercial
advantages.to what they enjoyed in the East*
I joked with the people; and asked them if they
i would return to Georgia, even it they could be
■ re-established in their ancient rights and loca
tion in that country? They invariably said,
■ No, no bv means’ Nothing would induce them
I to return'. But they sincerely wished that the
i eyes of their countrymen might be opened,and
. break from the delusions of John Ross and his
i political tools, and escape to this good land.
■ 1 think in this direction, I travelled over eigh
| ty-eight miles of the n ition in. a straight line.
•.After ibis.-1 visited the. newly acquired land,
I called neutral, which was added to our country
1 west, by the treaty of New Echota. I rode o
j ver it about two days, and I there found Mr.
1 Joseph Rogers, our Cherokee friend from the
; Chattahoochy, pleasantly situated in the finest
i region of country I ever beheld on any land in
; the United States. The streams here, of all
i sizes from the river 1o the brooks, run swiftly
| over clear stones and pebbles, and the water is .
| clear as christal, in Which excellent fish a- '
bound in vast numbers. The soil is diversifi- I
ed, from the best prairie lands to the best bot
tom IpndsJn vast tracts. Never did I see a
better location for settlements, and better
i springs in the world. God has thrown favors
1 here with a broad cast. In this region are
I numerous mills, and it isof itself capable of
supporting a larger population than the whole
, Cherokee nation. On ny return, I travelled <
! towards Fort Gibson, seventy-five miles, in a
i nother direction, and I found the richness of,
1 the soil, and natural advantages, far superior
Ito any other country in my travels. In this!
trip, I visited Parkhill mission, where the Rev. :
1 Mr. Worcester and Mr. Boudinot are located. |
and are engaged in the translation and pubfi
, cation of usftfnl hanks in the Chero
kee language, and also Choctaw books prepa
red by the Choctaw missionaries. But what
pleased me more, and which was a new thing
here, in this country, those gentleman had
published a Christian Almanac, in Cherokee
and English, calculated for the meridian of
Fort Gibson! I found this extensively in cir
culation among the Cherokees; and in fact, I
was pleased to find, that religious tracts in the
Indian language, on the shelves of full-blooded
Cherokees, and every one knew and seemed
to love, the ‘messenger,’ as they call Mr. Wor
cester. 1 very often met with new emigrants
from the eastern nation, either arriving, or
settling the country, or in their way to Fort
Gibson, to draw the balance of their dues for
their lands and improvements. These new co
mers were formerly of opposite parties in the
old nation; there was no disposition to quarrel,
but every disposition manifested to cultivate
friendship, and rejoice together in the posses
sion of this country.
I had the pleasure of being introduced to
Gen. Arbuckle, commanding at Fort Gibson,
and 1 found him to bo an excellent man, of
fines pcsrseunil ufApaarasieni, and
Ho informed me that the country next to the
Osages, on the Verdigris, was the best in the
country, and was yet unsettled; so you per
ceive that 1 am greatly pleased with our new
country. Most all the intelligent men of our
nation, our supreme judges, our sheriffs, our
marshals, our legislators, and our national
treasurer, are, you are aware, already remov
ed; and all are engaged in the building of
houses and the opening of farms. Many of
the Cherokees have turned their attention to
merchandizing, and some have supplied them- 1
Selves with goods from New Orleans and New '
York, besides pther places more convenient to
the nation.
Many of the Christian Cherokees are enga-{
ged in the organization of schools and temper-1
ance societies; and there is no danger, as some |
supposed, that the Cherokees would indulge so ,
much in the chase as to retrogade from c»vJH-t
zation. And I have also the pleasure of in
forming vou, that the utmost friendship and
tranquility prevails between the Indians and |
the citizens of the United States, not only those
who live at the military stations, but those of I
your citizens who reside in Missouri and Ark- ;
ansas, near the Cherokee nation. In the best
state of friendship they visit and trade togeth- ;
er on both sides of the line, to their mutual ;
advantage. In addition to this, we have ex
cel lent saline springs, where salt is made by
the Cherokees. 1 was told Judge Martin was
about to commence to work at one of these
salines. In regard to the health of the coun
try, 1 find that it is good on the small water
courses, nnd it is only on the larger water cour
ses that the lever nnd ague prevails among
new settlers. But it is somewhat singular,
that whenever a Cherokee arrives in the coun
try, wherever that might be, he cannot be in
duced to change his location for a better. He
will any that there is either no better, or that
his place is as good as he wants it to be.
If the people of the United States could only
see our condition in the West, they would no
longer assist John Ross to delude the poor, ig
norant portion of our people to remain in the
East, while he can speculate on their mise
ries.
The Cherokee Government in the West is
verv much like it was in the old nation before
it Tt-->« <»>ipprt»«snd by the States.
They have an Executive, Legislature, and
a Judiciary, and trial by jury.
I feel happy to ascertain that a majority of
tho Senate entertain such magnanimous views
towards the well-being of the Indians in future.
Removed as they are from State jurisdiction
and conflict, with the rich advantages of chris
< tianity and civilization, the Choctaws, Chero.
I kees, Chickasaws, Creeks, and other nations,
j are destined to becom» a mighty and a happy
j people in the West. lam truly pleased to find
! that our neighbor Senator Sevier s ands by
! our side in this great undertaking. Tint was
' a happy thong! t iff his, in en’’’oj the In han
Territory “Neosho.” It means, in the Osage
j language, the “Clear Waters.”
I should be glad to receive the documents
connected with that bill, and all the important
'speeches upon that subject.
While I was in New York, I found that the
, rdigious community were entirely bewildered
. bj John Ross, c’ind the party slang of their pa
pers. Instead ot’viewing the late treaty as a
■ blissing to the Cherokees, and as a mode of re
' lic'to the suffering Cherokees, they considered
'it he source of all their afi?ictions. I attemp
ted to explain John Ross’s position in the pa
! pel’s; and many of them ar<e convinced that the
i treaty and its friends are in the righU but a
! great many are still bewildered. 1 hey be
lieve that John Ross is the nation; und could he
succeed to break the treaty, the whole of the
Southern States wou’d retire from thoir juris
dictional charters.
I sometimes feel afrad that all is not right
in these editors of newspapers. It would seem
that they would be willing to have the Indians
resist and shed blood, and jroduce a Florida
scene, in order to render thtjr Government o
dious. They seem to be pleased to have nwo
riey expended to suppress Indim hostilities, and
then blame the government for the expenses.
They well know that the Indian? cannot exist
in the States; and all they can possibly ac
complish by their memorials, is b assist John
Ross to effect a treaty, the character of which
is buried deep in his breast. They all know
that in the East the Cherokees hare no Gov
ernment, and have had no elections for nine
years past; and yet John Ross is, in their esti
mation, a Constitutional chief over all the
Cherokees; and if the President refuses to re
cognise this preposterous claim, and determ
ines to see that all the Cherokees shall share
alike from the avails of their land, then they
prOcbum him a monster, and John Ross the
Chenkee Christian.
I shall remain here to the first of June; and
I wil be obliged to you for another letter be
fore I start for the West. lam your friend.
JOHN RIDGE.
(}ov. Wilson Limpkin.
Thus, sir, you have the views of a man,
than whom none is better qualified tojudge, or
more entitled to full credit. Now, sir, what a
contrast does this letter of facts present, when
compared with the idle, silly, and false sympa
thy set forth in the memorials and petitions
with which we are daily inundated—coming
from a distant people, who are obviously ig
norant of the merits of the subject with which
they arc impertinently intermeddling. Yes,
sir, these memorialists are made to complain
upon a subject upon which, from the nature of
things, they care and know but little. Sir.
these good, religious memorialists are brought
in as auxiliaries to a political cause. The ob
vious object is to bring odium and censure on
the administration of your Government. I as
pire not to the honor of those who are the or
oians of such petitioners. Sir, lam the friend
of liberty and individual rights. To petition,
speak, icrilc, nnd publish, is guarantied to the
American citizen by tho Constitution of our
country. I would abridge none of these
rights. But lam the avowed opponent of the
impertinent intermeddling of one section of our
country with tho local concerns of another
section. And, sir, when in my closet, I some
times tremble for the ultimate destiny of my
country, when I trace the progress and move
ments of the present times.
We are justly nnd properly considered a
Christian people. The Constitutions of our
country all recognize the Bible as a book of
divine origin and revelation, and none can have
a higher regard and veneration for that stand
ard of religion than myself. But in the for
mation of our Constitution, great care was ta
ken not to blend Church and State; a religious
party in politics, such as these petition
ers on the Cherokee subject, was nev
er contemplated by the framers of our
Constitution. But with all our guaranties of
liberty of conscience, what is the present state
of facts? Look at the journals and proceed
ings of both hoases of Congress during the
present session. All other business dwindles
into mere items, when compared with the mass
of matter, forced on the attention of Congress
by a concert of professed Christian spirits.who
arc countenanced, encouraged anil sustained
bv highly talented men of the political party,
who are opposed to the present Administration
of the Federal Government. And these pious
people take the liberty, upon all occasions, of
dealing out denunciation and condemnation
upon the Government of their country. And
yet when conclusive testimony is introduced
to expose their error, the Senator from Massa
chusetts [Mr. Davis] complains of the want of
respect to these petitioners. The letter of Mr.
Ridge rend by me, has nothing in it unkind or
uncourteous to these people,unless the expos
ure of their errors, and ike ignorance upon
this Indian subject may be so considered.
Compare the severity and sentiments of these
memorials, levelled aga/nst the Government to
help out a political party, with this letter; and
I may safely appeal to any tribunal for an a
ward in favor of Mr. Ridge, upon the score of
moderation, when compared with this Christian
party in politics. Mr. Ridge's letter certain-
Iv gives him much th'* strongest claim to n
Christian spirit of moderation and truth.
But the gentleman from Massachusetts un
dertakes to justify his complaining constituents
and memorialists upon the ground that their
complaints are confined to the validity of the
' treaty. Moreover, the Senator informs us
that he has never considered the treaty a val
id one; that it was made with a small number
of unauthorized individuals of the Cherokee
people, and that fifteen or sixteen thousand
Cherokees have remonstrated against the trea
ty during the present session of Congress.—
Upon this subject I wiil give the Senator and
the Senate correct information. I wish the
whole truth to be known to the country.—
The numerical majority of the whole Cherokee
people has for many years been under the in
fluence of Mr. Ross and his party; and, there
fore, I have no doubt but a majority Cl the
whole Cherokee people, if they had been con
sulted, would have joined Ross in dissenting
to the treaty. But it is equally true that a
majority of the Cherokees who possessed a suf
ficient share of intelligence to comprehend the
subject, were decidedly in favor of the treaty;
and are now happy and satisfied in the enjoy
inent of the benefits and advantages secured to
them and their people under the provisions of
the treaty.
My opinion of Indian treaties is known to the
Senate. But I would ask, when was the vali
dity of an Indian treaty, before this, tested by :
being submitted to tho whole mass of an Indian i
people, men, women and children? A new I
test has been introduced to try the validity of
this treaty.- it is to be tested upon the broadest
principles ofDemocracy. It ought to be suf
ficient to satisfy the wise and the good, every
where, that this treaty was negotiated, on be
i half of the Cherokees, by the most intelligent
and patriotic men that ever negociated an In
dian treaty, and that it secures to the whole
people more signal advantages than were ever
before secured to an Indian people, by any
treaty heretofore entered into by this Govern,
meet This treaty dispenses equal justice to
the rich and poor.
One vxord, sir, upon the subject of the re
monstrance of the fifteen thousand Cherokees,
against -the execution of the treaty. Including
every soul, now in the Cherokee country East,
their number cannot amount to fifteen thous
an(] t | ie whol eof the men, women and chil-
dren, including the infants at the bieast, and
they do not amount to that number. Here
then, Mr. President, we have a forcible illus
tration of the imposition practised upon honor
able Senators, who become the organs of the
fashionable petitioners of the present day.—
Sir, the facts which 1 state are susceptible ol
proof, before any tribunal vxhatover. I there
fore, hope wc shall hear no jnore about the
fifteen thousand Cherokee complainants.
But, sir, I could bear with patience and
composure all this delusion and ignorance, and
impertinent .intermeddling, but Tor the appro
headed mischief and evil which tee opponents
of the Government are likely to bring upon
the poor Cherokees themselves, and for whom
they profess to feel such strong sympathy.
The opponents of the Government arul flmir
pious friends, will not let the Indians go. Ev
ery expedient has been resorted to for the p ur-1
pose of preventing these people from entering
into their goodly inheritance. I fear nothing .
will satisfy the tender mercies of those who
are intermeddling with this subject, but another
Indian War. It requires an extrourdinarv
share of philosophy to exercise composure un
der such provocations ns are directly addressed
to the Southern people from day to day in tlfs
chamber, under the humble garb of petition.
But, sir, I will not indulge in further remaiks
on this subject at present; for I can jot do so
without feelings which I do not wish to cher.
ish.
W I'JSTE i?.\ GEO KG IAN-
BConic* .lime 5, 1838.
The following named gentlemen will act us
Agents for the Western Georgian:
Howell Cobb, Esq., of Athens, Georgia.
E. M. Johnson, Esq., ®f Gainesville, do.
S. Ripley, Esq., of Jefferson, do.
A. Erwin, Esq., of Cumming, do.
John S. Bell, Esq., of Spring Place, do.
R. M. Aycock, Esq., of La Fayotto, do.
Turman Walthall, Esq., of Cedar Town,
Paulding County, do.
Leroy Pattillo, P. M. Monroe, do.
Charles Murphey, of Decatur, do.
Dr. Hugh Quin, Chattooga, Floyd coun
ty, Georgia.
John Woods, Esq. Woods Station, Walket
County, Georgia.
Union Congressional Ticket.
ROBERT W. POOLER, of Chatham.
Gen. B. GRAVES, of Newton.
Col. J. S. PAT'I’ERSON, of Early.
D. C. CAMPBELL, Esq. of Bibb.
JUNIUS HILLYER, Esq. of Clark.
Hon. IIIRAM WARNER, of Meriwether.
Hon. ALFRED IVERSON, of Muscogee.
Dr. J. G. McWHORTER, of Richmond.
Gen. CH ARLES H. NELSON, of Cherokee. '
Cherokee Fmigration.
Since our last the efforts of the troops in col
lecting the Indians, have been signally success
ful in other sections of the country. We have
heard that the Cherokees in the counties of
Walker, Paulding, Cobb, Cass, Cherokee and
Murray, have all been collected without the
least resistance whatever. Indeed, this will
be a bloodless war, if proper discretion shall
be exercised by the troops in their conduct to
wards the Indians. Before this time, all or
nearly all the Cherokees in the limits of Geor
gia have been snugly housed for removal by
the active movements of the Army. Very
few, if&ny, of the Indians have eiueact the
search of the soldiers. —Indeed, we believe,
that all they have done has been in further
ance of the policy of their principal chief.—
They were advised to remain at home and cul
tivate their farms, until they should be remo
ved by the troops, and then offer no resistance.
And so strictly have they obeyed this counsel,
that their farming interest has been farmer ad
vanced this year than at any previous year
since the settlement of the country, by the cit
izens of Georgia.
The oiders for the collection of the Indians
in the limits of Alabama, have already been
issued by (Jen. Scott, and the troops will com*
mence their execution on to-morrow. What
has been done iu Tennessee and North Caroli
na, wc have not yet learned; but we presume
that the troops will act promptly and efficient
ly in that quarter, whenever orders shall be
received by them to collect and remove the
Indians. Indeed there is no cause now for any
well grounded fear, of even mischief from tho
Indians. Agents appointed to sell and dispose
of Indian property, are now a- tively engaged
in lulfiling the duties of their appointment; and
the removal of the Indians cannot be retarded
for a week in realizing the proceeds arising
from tho sale of their stock and other proper
ty. Part of the Indians in this county have
already settled their business, and are now on
the Road to Ross’ Landing, where provision
has been made for their immediate transporta,
tion to their new homes in the West. The sa
vage Indian no longer roams untrammelled
over our forest, and wo believe that in one
month irom ths time, not a single Cherokee
will remain in our soil to harrnss our citizens,
and retard the growth of the country.
We have published in to day’s paper, the re
marks of our able and efficient Senator, tho
lion. Wilson Lumpkin, in relation to several
memorials presented by Mr. Davis of Massa
chusetts, concerning the late Cherokee treaty.
The interest of Georgia and of the whole
South, wo were confident was safe when in
the keeping of our faithful Senator; and his
bold denunciation and bitter sarcasm, hurled
at Northern fanatics, for intermeddling in pol
itics, and in every matter that will barra.-s tho
-South, has but assured the people of Georgia
that their confidence was not misplaced. Who
has not been excited that lives in this commu
nity, nt the efforts of Northern politicians to
arouse the Indians to nets of violence and hos
tility? Who has not felt indignant nt the com
parison instituted by Mr. Everett, of the equal
intelligence of the savage Indians with tho
white citizens of this country? The efforts of
the fanatics, seconded as they have been by in
fluential members of Congress, high in tho
confidence of tho Whig party, have been uni.
form))' directed against the peace and happi
ness of the whole South; and yet we find some
amongst us that are singing hosannas to every
indication of success to them. Our Senator
has characterized their designs and object,with
becoming boldness and severity. And so long
as he occupies the position he now does, tho
people of Georgia at least, wil. have one man
that will never quail before religious fanaticism
nor moneyed monopoly, when directed against
the rights and interest of his constituents.—
The views of John Ridge, as given in his let
ter, read before the Senate, will do honor and
credit to his head and heart. The description
he gives of the Indian’s new home, has been
confirmed by official reports of the country,,
and will do much, we think, towards steming
the tide of opposition to tho late treaty. We
know Mr. Ridge personally, and know his
greatest ambition is the well being and happi
ness of the Cherokee people, one of whom ho
is, and will bo under any circums'ances.—
That he is ambitious we admit, hut we believe
he would be unwilling to sacrifice the interest
of the Cherokees, to the shrine of an unholy
ambition.
By reference to our advertising columns, it
will bo seen that Gen. Nat. Smith, Superin
tendent of Cherokee Removal, will, after the
■ 20th inst. give employment to three Hundred
Wagons, at the rates of five dollars ‘per day
while in service in the Cherokee country, and
four dollars and fifty cents pcr day and found
by the Government, on their leaving the Cher,
okee Nation for Arkansas. Five horse teams