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Vol VI.
iarien <©a3ette
‘,/) XV/) PUULISIIEI)
F. GIIANDISON.
(ON THE BAY)
rrnum , payable in advance.
:nt, notexceedin % fourteen lines,
nls for the first insertion —
m and a half, each succeeding
:rs on business to the edit or,
IE Georgia Journal
DIAN AFFAIRS.
tRTMKNT OF WAR. £
fill Febuary, 1824.
n directed by the President
and Slates to enclose for your
copies of a communication
herokee delegation now at
he answer of this depart
r communication, and their
licit you will perceive that
t very adverse to making
il sessions of lands to the
rselfof the opportunity to
that it will afford the Presi
deasnre to adopt any meas
nver, which may lend to
nt of the convention with
Georgia, with the least
[ay. With this view he
atified to receive the aid
ion on a subject so interes
ateover which you preside,
e honor to be, your most
anl J. C. CALHOUN.
rEOKGE M TROUP,
illedgeville, Geo.
snson’s Hotel, ?
hington, Jan. 1 9th 1824 y
’ his Excellency James Monroe, President
United States of America:
‘father —The delegation of the Cher-
Ijion, havg taken their brother
etaiy of War by the hand, and
1 the honor and satisfaction of
troducedby him to you; and
graspefi your right hand, as
t Father of all the red, as well
[SHljte children, within the limits of
Nfflßnited Stales. We now take
to communicate a part of the
on which we are instructed,
Jftg the subjects embtaced, re
wSovu immediate attention, there-
JHLve thought proper to present
.JBfgiiectly before you—A commu
comprising the other objects
is made through the de-
Hfrit of War.
er —The ignorant and wretched
of your ted cltildren, makes
some degree inferior to their
BHgrethren, but as a parent, you
fmKt despised them on account of
lioKifortunale situation; but you
IMHfrnpaUiized in their misfortunes,
Hfte endeavored to relieve them in
of their unhappy condi-
Blfuur magnanimus and benevo
lons have not been in vain, as
le Cherokee —education, ag
and the mechanic arts, have
duced among them, and are
esing as rapidly as can rea
: expected. The liberal en
ent given by the nation for
mprovement cannot fiil to
It their complete ci\iliza
ie, there are many who have
:d under the native habits of
jtora, vyhocannoi be expected
it wholy the lavorite customs
ve been imbibed in their
partiality and prejudices in
leir fathers, are naturally
t under the present aspect of
tent, they will not fail to en
lieD’ children to adopt the
habits of industry and civili
jrefore as the old stubbles
, the new sprouts will flour
cultivation.
—As the prosperity and fu
lness of the Cherokee peo
on the magnanimity and fos
e ot the government over
i preside, it is the only source
can present our grievances
: and redress— therefore we
. with candor and truth. The
nation labor under a pecu
'enience, from the repeated
lions which are made for the
f holding treaties with them
this circumstance has been
i of much evil to theimprove
ie nation in the arts of civili
s it cannot be denied that it
cd its pi ogress, by unsettling
DARIEN GAZETTE.
Ihe prospects of individuals.
The Cherokee nation have now come
to a dicisiveand unalterable conclusion,
not to cede away any more lands. The
limits reserved by them under the trea
ty of 1819, is not more than sufficient
for their comfort and convenience, ta
king into consideration the great body
of mountains and poor lands which can
never be settled. It is a gratifying
truth that the Cherokees are rapidly
increasing in population; therefore it is
an incumbent duty on the nation, to
preserve unimpaired the rights of pos
terity to the lands of their ancestors. We
have told you of the decisive and unal
terable disposition of the nation in re
gard to their lands.
Father —We would now beg your
interposition with Congress, in behalf
of your red children, the Cherokees.
so that provision may be made by la-.v,
to authorise an adjustment between the
U. States and the slate of Georgia,
so that the former may be released
from the existing compact, so far as
respects the extinguishment of Chero
kee title to lands within the chattered
limits of Georgia.
Father —We now approach a sub
ject; which we are constrained to com
municate under the authorhy of our in
structions. It is with deep regret we
have to state that the nation have not
that full confidence in the impartial
disposition of the present Agent, to ad
minister justice between the ted man
and white man, as is necessary for a
public officer to maintain. This want
ot confidence has arisen from peculi
arly imposing circumstances which
cannot be reconciled as having inad
vertently transpired. Therefore, un
der these painful circumstances, the
aulhorites of the nation have been con
strained to tell the truth of their senti
ments to their Father the President.
And desiring a permanent and everlas
ting friendship and protection from the
exalted government, under which we
have been preserved and fostered; and
the office of Indian Agent, being the or
acle through which the government re
ceives its official information relative to
the conduct and disposition of the red
people, how important it is to have an
impaitial Agent, unbiassed from sel
fish or inimical motives, to represent
them? Therefore, we earnestly solicit
and entreat you as a grateful and sym
pathizing Father, to look on your red
children, the Cherokees—see their si
tuation—pity them, and give them a
new Agent, whom they may rejoice in
holding fast by the hand as a brother;
in so doing, your red children, who
have appealed to your magnanimity as
in duty bound, will ever pray.
Father —Permit us to add, and call
your attention to a treaty which was en
tered into between the Cherokee nation
and Daniel Smith and Return J.
Meigs, commissioners duly authorised
by the then President^ Mr. Jefferson.)
of the United States, on the 24-th Oct
1804. for a t.iact of land in the state of
Georgia, known hy the name of Waf
ford’s Settlement; for which cession the
nation was to receive one thousand
dollars annually; for reasons not fairly
known to us, this treaty was not ratified,
but the United States kept possession
of the land; thereby deprived the na
tion from receiving the equivalent for
which it was sold. As this treaty was
duly anlhorised and solemnly entered
into and the United States received the
land which they had treated for, we
conceive it but just that the Cherokees
should now receive the equivalent for
which they sold the land; therefore we
hope our present father, the President
and the Senate of the United States,
will reconsider the subject, and ratify
the aforesaid treaty. May the bles
sings of a kind Providence rest upn
you and all who dwell under your admin
istration, is the sincere prayer of your
Cherokee chid ten.
JOHN ROSS.
GEO. LOVVREY,
MAJOR RIDGE,
ELIJAH HICKS.
A true copy—Jan. 23, 1824.
(COPY.)
Department of War , }
January 30th, 1824. 5
Gentlemen —The President lias re
ceived your letter of the 19th inst. and
after giving to it that mature consider
ation which the importance ot the sub
ject, to which it refers, demands, he
has directed me to communicate to you
the following answer.
By the compact with Georgia, the
DARIEN, (GEORGIA,) <£ljua!ant! Cjract TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1824.
U. States are bound to extinguish for
the use of the State, the Indian title to
lands within the state, so soon as it can
be done peaceably , and on reasonable
conditions, and the Legislature and Ex
ecutive of Georgia, now press the fulfil
ment of that stipulation, with the ut
most possible earnestness. This gov
ernment is anxious to fulfil the agiee
ment, provided it can be done, on con
ditions which accord with the import
ofthe compact, and which will also
die satisfactory- to the Indians. With a
view to this object, we wish to have a
free communication with you the Chiefs
of the Cherokees, and •to appeal to
the good sense, and the interests ofthe
nation as pointed out by their own ex
perience and by that ol their ancestors
for two centuries back.
You must be sensible that it will be
impossible for you to remain, for any
length of time, in your present situa
tion, as a distinct society, or nation
within the limits of Georgia, or of any
other state.—Such a community is in
compatible with our system, and must
yield to it. This truth is too striking
and obvious, not to be seen by all of
you. Surrounded as you are by the
people ofthe several slates, you must
either cease to be a distinct community,
and become at no distant period, a
part of the stale within whose limits!
you are, or remove beyond the limits of j
any state. For the United States to
fulfil the compact with Georgia, the ti
tle which you hold to lauds, as a dis
tinct community, must be extinguish
ed, and the state, objects to the extin
guishment of it, by vesting in you, or
in any of you, in lieu thereof, the
right of individual ownership. If any
ol you accqttire that t ight to land, and
remain there, after the bond, which
holds you together, as a distinel com
munity, is dissolved, and your present
title is extinguished, it must be by pur
chasing the property and acquiring
the title from the state, within which it
lies.
It remains for the Cherokee nation
to decide for itself, whether it wjU con
tribute most to their own vei<Wo jmul
happiness, for them to retain there pre
sent title to their lands, and remain
where they are exposed to the discon
tent of Georgia and the pressure of her
citizens, or to cede it to the United
Slates for Georgia, at a fair price to be
paid, either in other lands beyond the
Mississippi, or in money to be vested
in lands, to be purchased for them as,
individuals, within that or any other
state. Should the nation decide to re
linquish its present title, and to adopt
either of the alternatives suggested,
this government is disposed to act gen
erously with them. If they prefer to
move in a body wesi ward of the Missis
sippi, measures will be taken to acquire
lands for them there, in sufficient a
mount, and in the quarter most agree
able to them. Facilities will also be
afforded for their removal. Should
they prefer to receive the value of
their title, in money, with a view to
purchase lands, in any of the states,
and become citizens thereof, in that
case a fair price will be given, and pro
per aid afforded them, for the accom
plishment- of their object. Should the
nation divide, and a portion of it pass
the Mississippi, and the residue remain
on this side, measures will be taken to
give effect to their wishes, by the com
pact to be entered into, in both respects.
I have the honor &c. &c.
(Signed) J. C. CALHOUN.
Messrs, john Ross. ~)
Geo lowrey, \ Cherokee de-
Major Ridge, j legation.
Eiijah Hick.s.J
(COPY.)
City of Washington, Feb. 11, 1824.
Hon. John C. Calhoun,
Secretary at War,
Sir—We have received your letter
of the 30th ult. containing the answer,
which the President directed you to
communicate to us, in reply to a parti
cular subject embraced in the letter
which we had the honor of laying be
fore him on the 19 th ult. Iu this an
swer we discover new propositions for
the extinguishment of Cherokee title
to lands, for the benint of Georgia.
We beg leave to say to the President
thro’ you* the Cherokee nation are sen
sible, that the United States are bound
by its compact with Georgia, to ex
tinguish for the use of that state, the In
dian title to lands within the limits
claimed by the state, as soon as it can be
done peaceably and on reasonable con
ditions; and are also sensible that this
compact, is no more than a conditional
one, and without the free and voluntary
consent of the Cherokee nation, can
never be complied with on the part
of the United States; and having
been duly authorised, to make
known to the government of the U.
States, the true sentiments and dis
position of the nation on this sub
ject. the President has been infor
med, that “th e Cherokees have
come to a desire and unalterable
conclusion never to cede away any
more lands” And as the extin
guishment 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 government should adopt
some other means to satisly Geoi -
gia, than to remain any longer un
der anticipation of being enabled
to accomplish the object of purchasing
the Cherokee title. The U States
now possess an. extensive territory
in the Floridas; why not extend the
limits to Georgia in that section of
country, if her present bounds be
considered too small? The Chero
kee nation have never promised to
surrender at any future period, to
the United Stales for Georgia, their
title to lands, but the contrary, the
United Stales have by treaties, so
lemnly 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 reasonable plea against the
Cherokees, for refusing to yield
their little all to the United
Stales, so that her own aggrandise
ment may be raised upon their ru
in. You express a wish to have
a free communication with us on
the subject, and to appeal to the good
sense, and to the interest of the
nation, as pointed out by their own
experience, and by that of their an
cestors for two centuries back. In
accordance with your wish, we will
speak frankly, and with all the good
sense we may possess, and keeping
strictly in view the interest of our
nation, looking bark to citcumsta
ces which have transpired, and en
deavour to trace the causes which
produced 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 ot the Cherokee,
people. By tracing the situation
of our ancestors for two hundred
years back, we see nothing desira
ble, but much to deplore.—Tne happi
ness which the Indians once enjoyed,
by a quiet and undisturbed ease, in
their primitive situation, before the
face of the white men was seen on this
continent, was now poisoned by the bad
fruits of the civilized Tree, which was
planted around them; Tumultuous
wars arose, Sc the mountains Sc the
plains were covered with carnage, and
the Elysian vallies drenched with blood
—Sc many noble tribes, whose unfortu
nate doom it was to have been overshad
owed, withered, and are no more-.
Such are the scenes brought to our
view, by looking back to the situation
of our ancestors, at the period to which
you have called our attention. Let us
now for a moment, seriously reflect
on the true causes, which have univer
sally produced the extinction of In
dian tribes, when they became emer
ged into the while population; and we
doubt not, that it will be admitted at
once, that by ambition, pride, and ava
riciousness of the civilived man, the
untutoied sons of nature became a prey;
defrauded out of their lands—treated
as inferior beings, on account of their
poverty and ignorance, they became as
sociated with the lowest grade of soci
ety, from whom the habits of intemper
ance, debauchery, and all the vices of
degradation peculiar to that class,
where by them soon imbibed—Their
lands having been swept under their feet
by the ingenuity of whiteinen, and be
ing left destitute of a home, ignorant
of the arts and sciences, and possessing
no experience in the employment of a
laborious and industrious life, to obtain
a living, they became sttagling wan
derers amongst strangers, & by oppres
sions their spirits were dt-pressed, and
considering themselves degraded,
they were induced to hurry away their
troublesome existence, by inhailing
the noxious vapours of intemperance,
a fatal remedy to settle their doom of
extinction. Such have been the cir
cumstanoes end causes, which have
swept into oblivion, the names of many
tribes of Indians that once possessed
and inhabited the soil of the U. States;
and such must be the fate of those tribes
now in existence should they be met ged
into the white population, before they
become complely civilized, and shall
have learned the arts and sciences, and
such would be the fate of a large por
tion of the Cheiokee nation, where
they to cede away all their lands, and
now become incorporated with the
whites.—You say that we must be sen
sible, that it will be impossible for us
to remain, for any length of time, in our
present situation, as a distinct society
or nation, within the limits ot 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 either cease to be a distinct
community, and become at no distant
period a part of the state within whose
limits we are, or remove without the
limits ot any state. And that “it remains
for the Chrokee nation to decide for
itself, wether 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 ot her citizens,
or to cede it to the United States for
Georgia at a fair price to be paid ei
the in other lands beyond the Missis
sippi, or in money.” Sir, to these re
marks we beg leave to observe, and to
remind you, that the Cherokees are not
foreigners, but original inhabitants of
America, and that they now inhabit
and stand on the soil of their own ter
ritory,- and that the limits oftheir tetris
tory are defined by the treaties which
they have made with the government
of the United states, and that the states
bywnich they are now surrounded,
have been created out of lands which
was once theirs, and that they cannot
recognize the sovereignty of any states
within the limits oftheir territory.
Confiding in the good faith of the
United Slates to respect their trea
ty stipulations, with the Cherokee
nation, we have no hesitation in say
ing that the true interest, prospe
rity and happiness of our nation, de
mands their permanency where they
are, to retain their present title to their
lands; in doing so, we cannot see in the
spi it of libet ality, honor, magnanimity,
equity and justice, how they can be ex
posed to the discontent of Georgia, or
pressure of her citizens. An extent
of territory twice as large, west ofthe
Mississippi, as the one now occupied
by the Cherokees east of that river, or
all the money in the coffers of your
Treasury, would be no inducement for
the nation to exchange ot to sell their
country. It rests with the interests,
the disposition, and free consent of the
nation, to remain as a seperate com
munity, or to enter into a treaty with
the United States, for admission as citi
zens, under the foim of a Teritorial
or State government, and we can only
say that the situation of the nation is not
sufficiently imptoved in the arts of civil,
iz and life, to warrant any change at pre
sent. Therefore, the subject must be
left for our posterity to determine for
themselves, whenever, the whole nation
shall have been completely and fully
civilized 4 and shall have possessed the
arts and sciences.
With consideration of high respect
and esteem, we have the honor to be,
sir, your very obedient servants.
(Signed)
JOHN ROSS,
GEO LOWREY,
MAJOR RIDGE,
ELIJAH HICKS.
Executive Department, Georgia , >’
Milledgeville, 28th Feb 1824. £
Sir: —I have received this day your
letter of the 17th instant.
Be pleased to present to the Presi
dent nty acknowledgments for the at
tention which he has given to the re
qusition of Georgia, and especially for
the manifestation of his sincere desire,
to adopt any measure ift~ his power,
which may tend to the fulfilment of
the convention with the state of Geort
gia, with the least possible delay.
In compliance with his wishes, I has
ten to lay before you my views and ex
pectations as connected with this fulfil
ment. In your effort to open a negoci
ation with the Cherokee Delegation
for extinguishment of claims, you are
met by aflat negative to two fair and li
beral propositions. The Ist to pur-
Xo. 18.