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jfwcaxiewijm 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.