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The followin'; is a pait of (lie cor
respondence relative to (lie cession of
Indian lands to this state. ‘A e regret
that we arc unable to publish if en
tire, but what we have quoted will be
sufficient touive a full view ol the sub
ject.
The first letter is from <lie four Che
rokee (’biffs, now in Washington, da
ted the 19th January 1H24, addressed
so the President. In it they notice
the efforts made for the improvement
of their tribe, and assure him that they
“will not fail to encourage their chil
dren to adopt the prevailing habits of
industry and civilization."’. That
“ The Cherokee nation labours under
.1 peculiar inconvenience, from the re
peated appropriations which are made
for the purpose of holding treaties
with them for lands ; this circumstance
lias been productive of much evil to
the improvement of the nation in the
arts of civilized life, as it cannot be
denied that it has retarded its pro
gress, by unsettling the prospects of
individuals. That “ the Cherokee na
tion have now come to a decisive and
unalterable conclusion, not to cede
away any more lands, &c. They then
proceed “ with deep regret*’ to com
plain of their want of “confidence in
the impartial disposition of the present
Agent to administer justice between
the red and white man, as is necessn
rv for a public officer to maintain ;”
and request the appointment of anew
one. They then call his attention to
a treaty entered into between their
nation, and Daniel Smith and Return
J. Meigs, in 1804, for a tract of land,
for which they were to receive 81000
annually, and for “reasons not fairly
known to them, the treaty was not ra
tified, but the IJ. S. kept possession of
the land.” This letter is replied to
by the Secretary at War, —and the
answer by the Chiefs in the following
letter-will show the grounds urged bv
him, for the accomplishment of the
cession.
’City of ’ Washington Ftl. 11, 1524.
Hon.. John C.Calhoun,
Secretary of \\ nr.
Sjh—We have received your
letter of the 30th tilt, containing
the answer which the President di
rected you to communicate to us,
in reply to a particular subject em
braced in the letter which we had
the honor of laying before him on
the 19th ult. In this answer,we dis
cover new propositions for the ex
tinguishment of Cherokees title to
lands for the benefit of Georgia.—
We beg leave to say to the Presi
dent, through you, the Cherokee
nation arc sensible that the United
States are hound by its compact
with Georgia to extinguish for the
use ot that state the Indian title to
lands within the limits claimed bv
the state as soon as it can he done
peaceably , and on reasonable condi
tions ; and are also sensible that
this compact is no more than a con
ditional one, and without the free
and voluntary consent of the Cher
okee nation, can never he com
plied with on the part of the United
States—and having been duly au
thorised to make known to the go
vernment of the U. States the true
sentiments and disposition of the
nation on this subject, the Presi
dent has been informed, that “the
Cherokees have come to a positive
and unalterable, conclusion never to
cede au'ay anymore lands” And
as the extinguishment of Cherokee
title to lands can never be obtained
on conditions which will accord
with the import of the compact
between the United States and
Georgia it is desirable that the go
vernment should adopt some other
means to satisfy Georgia, than to
remain any longer under anticipa
tion of being enabled to accom
plish the object of purchasing the
Cherokee title. The United States
now possess an extensive territory
in the Floridas—why not extend
the limits ol Georgia in that section
of country, ifher present bounds
< e considered too small ? The
Cherokee nation have never pro
mised to surrender, at any future
period, to the United States for
Georgia., their title to lands ; hut
io the contrary, the U. States have
by treaties eolemnly guaranteed to
secure to the Cherokees forever
.their title to lands which have been
reserved by them. Therefore, the
State of Georgia can have no rea
t< liable plea ogainsttlie Cherokees
lor :efusing to yield thtir little all
to the United States, so that her
<‘vvn aggrandizement may lie rais
ed upon their ruins. You express
a wish to have a free communica
tion with us on this subject, and to
appeal to the good sense, and to
the interest ct tiie nation, us point
ed out by their own experience,!
and by that of their ancestors sot
two centuries back. In accordance
with your wish, w’c will speak
franklv, and w ith all the good sense
we may possess, and keeping strict
ly in view the interest of our na
tion, looking back to circumstances
which have transpired, and endea
vor to trace the causes which pro
duced them, and also to observe
the present state of things, and
look forward to such objects as
may be practically attainable for
the best interest of the Cherokee
people, Ry tracing the situation
of our ancestors for 200 years back
we see nothing desirable, hut much]
to deplore. The happiness which
the Indians once enjoyed, by a
quiet and undisturbed ease,in their
primitive situation, before the face
of the whiteman was seen on this
continent was now poisoned by the
had fruits of the Civilized Tree,
which was planted around them —
tumultuous wars arose and the
mountains and the plains were co
vered with carnage, and the elystan
rallies drenched with blood and
many noble tribes whose unfor
tunate doom it was to have been
overshadowed by the expanded
branches of this tree, drooped,with
ered and are no more. Such are
the scenes brought to our view by
looking back to the situations of our
ancestors, at the period to which
you have called our attention.
I.et us now lor a moment, seriously re
flect on the true causes, which have
universally produced the extinction
of Indian ti ibes, when they became
merged into the white population and
we doubt not, that it will be admitted
at otice, that by ambition, pride, and
nvariciousncss of the civilized man,
the untutored sons of nature became
a prey; ‘defrauded out of theii lands
—treated as inferior beings on account
of their poverty and ignorance, they
became associated with the lowest
grade of society, from w hom Hie habits
of intemperance, debauchery and all
the vices of degradation peculiar to
that class, were by them soon imbibed
—Their lands having been swept from
under their leet by the ingenuity ol
whitemeu, and being left destitute of
a home, ignorant ot the arts and sci
ences, and possessing im experience
in the employment of a laborious and
industrious life to obtain a living they ,
betome straggling wanderers a
mongststrangers, and by oppressions:
t ieir spirits were depressed and con-1
sidering themselves degraded they!
were induced to hurry away their
troublesome existence, by inhaling
the noxious vapours of intemperance,
a fatal remedy to settle their doom of
extinction. Such have been the cir
cumstances and causes, which have j
swept into oblivion, the names ot ma
ny tribes of Indians that once possess
ed and inhabited the soil of these l .
States ; and such must be the fate of
those tribes now in existence, should
they be merged into the white popula-1
tion, before they become completely
civilized, and shall have learned the
arts and sciences; and such would be
the fate of a large portion of the Chero
kee nation, were they to cede away all
their lands, and now become incorpo
rated with the whites. You say that
we must be sensible that it will be im
possible for us to remain, for any
length of time, in our present situation
as a distinct society or nation, within
the limits of Georgia, or of any other
state; and that such a community is
’ incompatible with your system, and
must yield to it, and” that we must ei
ther cease to he a distinct community,
and become at no distant period, a
part of the state within w hose limits
we are, or remove without the limits
of any state. And that “it remains
for the Cherokee nation to decide for
itself, whether it will contribute most
to their own welfare and happiness,
for them to retain their present title
to their lands, and remain where they
are, exposed to the discontent of Geor
gia, and the pressure of her citizens, or
to cede it to the United States for
Georgia, at a lair price, to he paid ei
ther in other lands beyond the J/issi
sippi, or in money.” Sir, to these re
marks, we beg leave to observe, and to
remind vou, that the Cherokees are
not foreigners, but original inhabitant*
of America, and tliat they now inhabit
and stand on the soil of their own ter
ritory, and that the limits of their ter
ritory are defined by the treaties which
they have made with tiie government
of the United States, and that the
states bv which they are now surroun
ded, have been created out of lands
which were once theirs, and that they
cannot recognize the sovereignty ot
any states within the limits oJ their
territory.
Confiding in the good faith of the
U. States to respect their treaty stipu
lations, with the Cherokee nation, w’o
we have no hesitation in saying, that
the true interest, prosperity, aud i>;'P
pincss of our nat ion, demands their
permanency where they are, and to
retain their presenttitle to their lands;
in doing so, we cannot see in the spi
rit of liberality, honor, magnanimity*
equity and justice, how they can be
exposed to the discontent of Georgia,
or pressure of her citizens. An es
te nt of territory twice as large, west
of the .l/issisippi, as the one now oc
cupied by the Cherokees east of that
river, or all the money now in the cof
fers of your Treasury, would be no in
ducement tor the nation to exchange
or to sell their country. It rests with
the interest, the disposition, and tree
consent of the nation, to remain as a
separate community, or to enter
into a treaty with the United States,
for admission as citizens, under the
form of a Territorial or State govern
ment, rnd we can only say that the si
tuation of the nation is not sufficient
ly improved in the arts of civilized
life, to warrant any change at present.
Therefore, the subject must be left to
our posterity to determine for them
selves, whenever the whole nation
shall have been completely anil fully
civilized, ami shall have possessed the
arts and sciences.
With considerations of high respect
and esteem, we have the honour to be
.Sir, vour very obedient servants,
(Signed) JOHN lU)SS,
GKO. LOW KEY,
MAJOR RIDGE,
ELIJAH HICKS.
Executive Department, Georgia. )
Milledgeville,2Bth February, 1824. (
Sir —l have received this day
your letter of the 17th instant.
Re pleased to present to the
President mv acknowledgements
for the attention which he has giv
en to the requisition of Georgia,
and especially for the manifestation
of his sincere desire, to adopt any
measure in his power, which mav
tend to the fulfilment of the con
vention with the state of Georgia,
with the least possible delay.
In compliance with his wishes,
I hasten to lay before him mv views
and expectations as connected with
this fulfilment. In your effort to
open a negotiation with the Cher
okee Delegation for Extinguish
ment of claims, you are met by a
flat negative to two fair and liberal
propositions. The Ist to purchase
for valuable consideration in rnon
ev. The 2d to accommodate them
with equivalent Territory in
vourable situation bevond
Mississipi. Unreasonable as l ‘ lc
answer has been, my mind w as
fully prepared for such an one.
bad been made known to me some
time before that a Council had been
formed in the Nation for the spe
cial purrose of coming to the reso
lution, that the state of Georgia
should never acquire, on anv con
sideration, another acre of Chero
kee land ; either through the agen
cy of the S. or otherwise ; and
in conformity with this resolution,
all the measures were preconcer
ted to enable the Chiefs to presen
themselves before the President
with a boldness bordering on ef
frontery, and to receive his first ad
vance to negotiation with the em
phatic No !—A. word easily pro
nounced, hut in this instance most
unadvisediv—not the spontaneous
offspring of Indian feeling and
sentiment, but a word nut into his
mouth by whitemen, who are nour
ished and protected bv the power
of the U. S.—who had no common
interests or sympathies with those
whom they instigate to use it, and
who fixed upon the soil, almost
without mete or bounds, regard it
as a goodly heritage for their des
cendants, which no power can limit
or take away.
From the day of the signature
of the articles of agreement and
cession, this word ceased to be
available to the Indians for anv
permanent interests of their own.
From that dav the power of Pro
testation, which tliev have so recently
interposed, departed from them, and
could never be used but for a little
delay, or for a bet ter bargain—On that
day the fee simple passed from the
rightful proprietors to Georgia, and
Georgia after a lapse of twenty years
demands nothing of the competent au
thority, but the amotion of the tenants
in possession. The answer is not on
ly No/ but never; and is tiiis a fit
and proper one to be given to Ihc de
mand of the People of Georgia who
have endured so long and so patiently
—who have parted with an Empire for
a song—who have waited to see the U.
States reimbursed all their expenees
and a nett revenue flowing into their
coffers from the land which was their
birth right—A people who having
made a little reservation for them
selves by compact are now told in
answer to their just and reasonable
demand, that this compact is only
conditional, depending for its fulfil
ment on the will and pleasure of the
Indians —that the primitive aboriginal
rights are such now as they were be
fore the discovery o! the Country,
and that if Georgia wants land, the
IT. 8. have enough in Florida or else
where to give her. How is this insult
and Mockery to be repelled, proceed
ing as it dues from the pointed lips of
outcasts and vagabonds, who make the
Chiefs the instruments of reiterating
it at Washington ?—No Sir, this trick
of vulgar cunning, is only to be met
by the firmness and dignity which be
come the IT. S. Government, which it
has never failed to manifest on every
occasion calling for it, and which lie
who is the special depository of these
sacred qualities has always displayed
to so much advantage to his high office
and to the country. The Indians
must be made to understand that no
talks will be listened to but such as
proceed from Councils strictly Indian
in character and composition —that
the compact with Georgia is a very
different instrument from that which
has been represented to them—that
by it, the word of thelJ. S. is passed,
and that nothing can redeem it but the
cession ol all theii lands within her
limits—that the time has come when,
to postpone this redemption would be
essentially a breach of faith, of which
the U. S. will never permit herself to
be suspected—that consulting the
comfort and happiness of the Indians
alone, the U. S. have omitted to press
this measure upon them until the very
last hour—that the U. S. have made
sacrifices for Indian interest and will
expect some small ones from the In
dians in return —That it they desire
civilization, nothing is more consis
tent with it than concentration, and
that without regard to the acquisitions
of Territory, the U. S.have acted up
on this principle from the beginning
asa fundamental one in their system
of improvement —that beyond the
limits of Georgia and within the Ter
ritory proper of the U. States, there
are la nils enough for the Cherokees
and all their generations to come, of
which the U. States possess the full
and absolute dominion, where they
may sit down in quiet and peaceful
enjoyment and where none can come
to make them afiaid—that on the oth
er hand, if tired of the arts ot civili
zation, they will betake themselves to
their old pursuits—you have made a
fair and liberal offer of wilderness
enough abounding in game, where the
whiteman wiH not speedily come to
trespass or to annoy—that in presen
ting these honorable overtuies, you
are actuated by a sincere regard to
Indian interest —that in the rejection
of both, you can perceive nothing but
an unfriendly spirit—and that finally,
if they persevere in this rejection, the
consequences are inevitable ; Ist. that
you must assist the Georgians in oc
cupying the country which is their
own, and which is unjustly withheld
from them ; oi 2dly, in resisting the
occupation,to make war upon, and
shed the blood of your brothers and
friends.
Having said so much, it remains on
ly to advert to the other topics con
tained in your letter to the Indian
Delegation, and for these a word will
suffice—lst. The Reservation ot part
of our territory, for the settlement of
Indians. 2dly Their incorporation
into and amalgamation w ith our socie
ty.
As to the first, the answer is, the
articles of agreement having made no
provision for such reservation, none
can be made without the consent of
Georgia, and that Georgia will never
give her assent to any without an
equivalent, (if she would with one,) is
absolutely certain. With regard to
the second proposition, the answer is,
that if such a scheme were practica
ble at all, the utmost of the rights and
privileges which public opinion would
concede to Indians, would fix taem in
a middle station between the negro
and the white man, and that as long
as they survived this degradation
without the posibility of attaining the
elevation of the latter, they would
gradually sink to the condition of the
former, a point cf degeneracy below
which they could not fall. It is likely
that before they reached this their
wretchedness would find relief in
broken hearts. Most assuredly noth
ing will contribute so essentially to
that scanty share of human happiness
which is left them, as their concentra
tion and insulation, when having
enough for the wants of agriculture
they will in their seclusion, afford no
pretexts for the intrusions or annoy
ances of the white man.
Thus frankly, in compliance with
the request of the President, 1 submit
to him my general views on this in
teresting subject—Thus frankly 1 will
deem it my duty to submit them to
the Legislature of the State. They
arc such m doubt as have already
suggested themselves—they seem to
me the only ones which the attitude
assumed hv the Indians will au a
to entertain. I am sorry |
support them by matter oiTact^'r H
mation of official character-!,”
this is impossible—l can oril
generally,that among men b L*’
formed oil Cherokee affairs,it ; s y-" 1 ”
ed the minds of a majority oftj| tv ”
tion are well prepared to re* 11 ’
vour proposition for removal.
In conclusion, I must state not,
my hope but my conviction, that
President will perceive i„ ey e
movement on our part in relating
this business, a sincere desire to , !
nionize with the union— to main,
peace and tranquility w ith the India 1
until longer forbearance will ceay *
be a virtue—in fact to lead ouiv.'°
us we have always done, heart i
hand, to the support of every when
virtuous admini'(ration of the
ral Government—Rut the Presided
will at the same time
Georgia has a deep stake in the prom!
decision- of the present question
Os all the old states, Georgia ii t;,.
only one whose political organimjJJ
is incomplete—her civil polity iS ,]
ranged—her military force cannot I>J
reduced to systematic order and sub
ordination—the extent of her act |
resources cannot he cou nted— th e
great work of Internal improvement
is suspended, and all because
is not in the possession of her vacant
territory—a territory waste and pro.
fitless to the Indians—profitless to
the U. S.—but in possession of t|i e
rightful owner, a source of stren-thof
revenue and of union.
Whilst you present to the President
my respects, be pleased to accept fur
yourself the offer of my higli consider
ation for the part you have taken in
this transaction.
(Signed) G. M. TROUP.
llou. John C. Calhoun.
Secretarn °f ar.
These letters are followed byasp;,
rited communication to the President,
by our delegation in Congress, and
one to the Governor, which we hare
before noticed. The only conclusion
to be drawn is, that it will be long lie
fore the State can, by ordinary mea
sures come in possession of her jut
rights.
From the At w Bedford Mercury.
Captain Clark, who arrived hereon
Tuesday from the Coast of Japan,
states, that Captain Fredric Coffin,
(formerly of Nantucket) of the Knglk
ship Syren,while off the Pelew Islands
about the last of March, 1823, gettiii’
refreshments, suffered about twenty
of the natives to be on board his ship
just as lie bad filled away to leave tit
coast—the natives rose upon him, kil
led two men, wounded tire captain,
mate, and boatsteerer, and several ol
his people. The crew being so sud
denly attacked flew to the shrouds;
they then rallied and succeeded in
clearing the deck, lie finally got of
after having had his mizen shrouds
cut away and other damage done to his
rigging. The natives seized tire while
spades, broke off the handles, which
gave them a very powerful missile
weapon. Capt. Coffin stated tliatthe
cook defended his castle alone, and
drove off every attack with boiling
water.
It appears that a Lieut. FyW.
who is at present in command 1
one of the British cruizers* vr
imprudently and improperly f- r: “
into vessels which he was desir®*
to bring too. On a late occa-®
he fired into and considerably ia ’
jured the schooner Allen,
more recently has committed 3! -
act which is considered still mc-" r
unwarrantable.
Capt. Alkin of the brig Caro -
arrived at Philadelphia from b J ”
vanna, states that on Friday : “ c
19th of March, when on his p JS ”
sage from Savannah to Havana;
was fired on off Stirrup Key, >
his Britannic Majesty’s schoon-
Renegat, formerly the Sarngorau 3
Lieut. Com. Fyatt, a calm at (
time and the vessel within inusico
shot. The brig had her
sail on deck repairing ;^ 1C stl
from the schooner, apparently
six pounder, passed about
feet from the taffrial, and about j- 1
foot under the main boom,
officer who boarded the brigi lo ‘
Capt. Alkin, that his captain
much displeased at their not -> ea ’
ing too—when from the dead ca
which prevailed, it was imp osSl
to obey such a command.
; Sai'M
It is stated in some of e
pen that Mr. Wirt intends rc*
ing the office ofattorncy genet- 1 ■
the United States, in which e’
it is said Mr. Monroe intent 3
feting it to Mr. Clay. T w JO
Kentucky papers, corobpratf
rumor.