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2
TH E COU KIER,
By J. G. M’Whorter.
T E R M 8.
TM» Pap*r it miblwhad every MONDAY, WEDNES
DAY end FRIDAY afternoon, at 86 per annum, payable
in advance.
COUNTRY PAPER—Published every FRIDAY after
noon at $3 per annum, in advance, or $4 at the expiration
of the year.
No Subeeriptioni received for Ines time than six months.
ADVERTISEMENTS, not exceeding! sqnare will be
inserted the first time at 75cts.per square and 37J lor
each continuance.
Advertisements of one square, published Weekly, at 75
ceata fbr every insertion.
Persons advertising by the year will bo cha r ged 30 dol
lars ineluding subscription and will be entitled to oue
OMUare in each paper. , ,
When parsons hav standing advertisements of several
squares, special contracts may be made.
Nodeduction will be made is future from these charges.
Ail advertisements must have the number of inserrions
marked on them, otherwise they will be inserted till for
bid, and chirred accordingly.
SHERIFFS, CLERKS, and other public officers, will
have 25 per ren> deducted in their favor.
Maj. J. W. BRBAtEALE.
blB,
At tbe pressing solicitation of
sundry citizens of Tennessee, who have
manifested a deep interest on the subject
ot our Cherokee relations, I have applied
to the Rev. Mr. Schermerhorn for a copy
of all the material notes made by him of
the proceedings at the Council convened
by me, in July last, and his address to the
Cherokees there assembled as well as oth
er proceedings,touching their present situ
ation and future prospects: and that gentle
man has been so kind as to yield to these
•oliciations, in order that the true state of
the question may be presented to the pub
lie, through tbe medium of the publicjour
nals. As yours is the nearest Journal to
the theatre, where the deepest interest is
felt on this subject, it is deemed proper and
respectful to present the same to you, with
a request that it be published for the sat
isfaction of your readers and the public
generally.
Very Respsctfully
your most obt. Servant,
BENJ. F. CURREY,
Special Agent.
September 14, 1335.
Sir,
According to your request I fur
nish you the following information, ex
tracted from my Journal of proceedings
with the Cherokees:
The council at Running Waters was
convened by Maj. Benj. F. Currey, the
Agent, in order to ascertain in what man
ner the people desired to have their annui
ty paid.
After Maj. Currey’ had explained the
object of the meeting fully, and introduced
me to the council, as one of the commis
sioners appointed by the President of the
United States to negociate a Treaty with
the Cherokees East, 1 immediately arose
and read to them the commission given
to his Excellency Wm. Carroll and my
self; and then observed. “Il is not my
intention to submit the proposed Treaty
for your final action upon it at this time;
because the council has not been conven
ed for that purpose, and therefore Gover
nor Carrol lis not present. lam extreme
ly gratified, however, that I have an op
portunity to meet so many of you; and,
with your permission, I will address you
to-morrow morning, and state to you the
views of the Government, and the advan
tages offered to you by the proposed Trea
ty, in order that you may think of it until
we meet again, to finally act upon the sub
ject.
If any article of the Treaty, in its de
tails, can be altered for the better in your
opinion, the commissioners have power to
make such alterations, and I assure you,
it will afford them much pleasure to make
such as you can convince them will be
for your best interest as a people. I regret
to find however one great difficulty in the
way of a friendly and united action on this
subject, and this arises from the petty di
visions and dissentions among yourselves.
For your own interest, and prosperity, and
happiness, I desire to see a reconciliation
between your leading men. I belive Mr.
Ross and Mr. Ridge and the leading men
on both sides are the friends of their coun
try and people; and if ever men ought to
make sacrifices for the public good you
ought all to do so now. Ever since 1 have
been among you I have laboured to effect
this object, and I hope it will be met by
both parties in the same spirit in which it
will be proposed—Mr. Ross arose and re
plied as follows:
I assure you, sir, and this council, that
I an; not a party man—that in what I have
done I have been actuated by a desire to
promote the best interests of my people.
I have no enmity to iMr. Ridge, nor un
friendly feelings towards any of his friends.
I would be happy to have him act with us
to promote the good ofour Nation. lam
not disposed to encourage party views
•nd feelings and names; neither am I dis
posed to quarrel with any man, for an
honest expression of his opinion with re
gard to what is best for the interest of the
people; And if gentlemen are honest, in
their expression of benevolence, 1 will
cordially co-operate with them for the
public good. I must, however, observe
to the commissioners, that, however much
we should desire to hear him, it will be,
I fear, impossible, because the people have
not come prepared to stay more than one
day and many are now without provis
ions.”
Here Mr. Ridge arose and said, in sub
stance:—l arise, sir, to express my grati
tude to hear such words drop from the
lips of one of our chiefs. It is long since
I have been accustomed to hear such
language from him, and if they are the
words of sincerity and truth, my heart
cheerfully responds to such feelings. I
acknowledge I have acted different from
Mr. Ross and his friends. I have been
driven,from a sense oflove for our nation,
and an honest conviction of duty, to take
the course I have adopted, as the only
means for the preservation ofour afflicted
and distressed people; and if Mr. Ross
will only go forward, now, and act at once,
to bring our difficulties to an end, and
have them settled in any better manner
than the government now proposes, and I
and my friends have agreed to accept, 1
am ready to acknowledge him as my prin
cipal Chief. lam at all times open to
conviction, I shall willingly unite with my
Nation in any measure to promote their
peace and prosperity, —
On this I again rose ai.d said; it af
fords me the highest satisfaction, to hear
and seethe disposition manifested by the
leading men of both parties among you ;
and they have done themselves great hon
or, and I earnestly hope that this disposi
tion may be cherished by all on both sides;
and 1 trust the plan I shall propose to
morrow, to settle your diffi ulties and to
bring you to an act of unison and harmo
ny will be cordially acceded to by both
parlies; andifso.it will be the happiest
and best day you have long seen as a peo
ple.
If you conclude to h -ar me to-morrow
morning I will, immediately, issue a re
quisition for twenty-five hundred rations
to supply the people another day.
This proposition I was informed, by
Mr. Ross was agreed to, and that the peo
ple had concluded to hear me.
On the next morning, when I was a
bout to address the Cherokee people, Mr.
Ross and some of his leading men endeav
ored to prevent it, pretending that their
understanding was that I was not to ad
dress them until they had finished the
business for which they were assembled
for the disposing of the annuity, I stated
to them that their principal chief had told
me that the people had agreed to hear me,
according to my request, and that I was
resolved they should not make their chief
lie to me; but that he should stand by his
word ; and if the officers of Government,
who presided at this meeting, would per
mit me to proceed, I would now address
them. And I have the satisfaction to say,
that Major Currey and Lieut. Bateman,
who presided, afforded me every facility
and support, I could ask. The people
now drew near and I addressed them as
follows:
My Friends;
I informed you yesterday of my
having been sent here as commissioner,
with Governor Carroll, of Tennessee, to
settle the differences which exist between
the Cherokees, and the United States.
This is a subject of the deepest interest to
you.andofthe heaviest responsibility upon
us, for it involves your future destiny and
happiness, if not your very existence as a
distinct people. This, then is a business
which we ought to enter upon, without
the unholy feelings of passion or preju
dice, or misrepresentation, which is only
calculated to blind and mislead us. For
my part, I desire to enter upon it with
calm and cool deliberation—to look at the
state of things as they really are, and to
help you to devise the best means,for your
future peace and prosperity; and I hope,
I shall find a correspondent feeling on
your part. J must however say, I regret
to hear that some evil birds have been
flying about among you to prejudice you
against me, before tvt-n you saw me and
knew what I would say to you. I was
told, by a man whose word I cannot doubt,
that it is reported among you, that I am
the person who after the battleofthe Horse
Shoe with a company of Tennesseans fell
upon the party of friendly Creeks and
massacred them and their women and
children. I would ask Warriors who
signalized themselves by deed.* of noble
daring, whether they ever saw me, or
knew mein those days of blood and car
nage. Ask Going Snake, Major Ridge,
White Path and Reese? Did you ever
know me in those days? No! did you
ever see me there? it so speak, out. Did
you see me there, Mr. Reese? (Reese
being at hand answered no!) You see
then it is false, I care not for these things
on my own account, but on yours. I
mention it for fear such lies will shut your
ears and harden your hearts against me.
This is the design of circulating such sto
ries among you, I will however tell you
what I have done for you in former days.
I am the man that first suggested and urg
ed upon the American Board the estab
lishment of their first Missions among
you, and recommended Kingsberry to en
gage in the work, and which with other
Missions that have since been established
here, have been the means to make your
principal men what they are, and give
them all the importance and distinction
they now possess,and to which your whole
nation are principally indebted for the ad
vancement you have made in civilization,
in morals and religion; and lam happy
to find among you many who would not
disgrace any civil society. 1 shall never
forget the first interest excited in my bos
om in your behalfby the Rev’d. Gideon
Blackburn,and I still remember among
the children in his Schools in your Na
tion, the names of Walker, Lowry, Ross,
Fields, M’Kay, Adair, Taylor and others.
The love I bear to my fellowmen, and to
the Indians in particular, have caused me
to devote the last three years of my life to
Indian affairs West aud East of the Missis
sippi.
The subject of the removal of the Indi
ans west of the Mississippi, to me, is not
new, and of recent date, for 1 have been
of opinion for more than twenty years,
when I first examined into the state and
condition of the Tribes in the Valley of
the Mississippi, with a view to establish
Missions among them, that it was highly
desirable to remove them beyond the
white population, by which they were or
soon would be surrounded; if any thing
was to be done to save them from utter
extinction or the lowest degrees of degra
dation, and to improve their condition, by
the artsef civilized life, and learning and
religion among them. I came to this con
clusion from what I had learnt of the con
dition of the thousands and tens of thous
ands of your red brethren who onceinhab
ited the Atlantic coast,and the result of the
attempts that good people there had made
to civilize and instruct them. Where are
the powerful Tribes some of which histo- 1
ry informs us once numbered 5000 war
riors—2o,ooo souls?—the names of the
Rivers and Mountains where they once
dwelt, or hunted, is all that is now left to
remind usthey once existed there. Where
are those among whom the Elliotts,May
hews and Brainards once laboured with so
much success? "They ha ve become really
extinct. And what has produced this re
sult. but the baleful and destructive influ
ence upon them of the white population,
by which they were surrounded, and who
mingled with them? S milar causes
will pioduce similar effects; and because
1 did not believe the people of the west
had more morality, religion, and benevo
lence than the people of the East had, I
came to the conclusion that, in process of
time, the Indians, if they continued here
within the territorial limits of the States,
they would ere long, be in the same con
dition they were in the East, I could
not see then, how they could ever be
be removed: 1 knew the Indians would
never undertake it themselves; benevolent
societies I knew could not do it and
the Government 1 supposed would never
undertake it. But on the contrary, I sup
posed they would let whiskey,—the con
taminating and destructive influence of
bad while men, wars among yourselves
and with our own citizens, waste you a
way ; so that at last they might get your
lands for little or nothing—But when 1
saw the benign policy of the governmen*
towards the Indians manifest itself by un
dertaking to place them beyond the Ter
ritorial limits of the States, and then se
cure to them a permanent home with pro
visicnsfor the year,and protection,and ne
cessary support and a liberal and gener
ous price for their lands, here my heart
rejoiced ; for 1 believed now there was
yet a hope that the condition of the Indi
ans might be improvedjand that they might
be saved from extermination and ruin. I
have felt myself constrained to lend my
aid and use my best efforts to effect and
promote so desirable an object. For this
reason I applied to my friend, the Presi
dent of the United States, whom I know
is one of the best friends thejndians e
ver had, to beemploytdin this.work; for
I deemed it important that whosoever
might be engaged in this matterjie should
b A a decided friend of the Indians.and stu
dy to promote their best interests for time
and eternity. When the President hand
ed me my commission, he charged me in
the following words "go and do justice to
the Indians, justice to yourself, and justice
to your country.” This I have endeav
ored to do, and, rely upon it, I shall per
form it io tbe utmost of my ability. I have
lived too long to establish an honest rep
utation and character to destroy it by an
act of injustice to the poor and oppressed
Indian. No !my sympathies are all in
your favor.
You, as well as myself, have doubtless
heard various and contradictory reports
with regard to the country destined for
the Indians West of the Mississippi. 1
have examined that country myself, and
the Cherokeecouhtry particulary.and been
there nearly two years: and 1 now de
clare to you, as an honest man, I consider
it an excellent country, well calculated
for the Indians in every respect. A great
portion ofthe lands are timbered and pra
rieand first rate bottom and upland. You
will find a sufficient quantity of wood and
good water; and you need only to exam
ine it and see the comforts your friends
there enjoy to be convin-ed ol it. Ask
your friends that have been there and ex
amined the country, some of whom have
just returned, Archilla Smith, Sam Bell,
Leslie and Andrew Ross. 1 have travell
ed over your country here, from this
place to the Agency on the Hiwassee
and from thereto Brainard; and I hesi
tate not to say the land I have here trav
elled over, as a whole, does not begin to
be compared with the Cherokee country
west of Mississippi; and the Seelines there
alone are worth more than all the Gold
mines in your country.
You have been told the country is very
sickly and that nobody can live there. 1
have lived there near two years and en
joyed excellent health; but it is true you
are liable to sickness there and death too ;
but have you ever heard of a country
where people never get sick and die? It is
not more sickly there, than it is in Ark
ansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, west
Tennessee, or any new couptry. You
probably would enjoy as much health
there as any new settlement you could go
to, if you once left your native bills. It is
however more sickly at Dwight Mis
sion on the Arkansas, than at Brainard
in this country. Most of the emigrants
that have died there have been taken a
way by the Cholera. But we are no
where free from the Cholera, Small Pox
and other virulent and pesilential dis
eases, The Cholera is now in Tennes
see in places it has never been before,
and before the summer is passed it may
reach you here in your native bills and
valleys, and sweep you from the face of
the earth. For my part, I consider my
self safe in no place but in the hands of the
Lord.
I would recommend you to remove to
this country at once; and if once there, :
you will never regret it. If I was an In
dian I would never live where 1 could not
er.joy the same privileges as my neigh
bors, and where I had no rights in com
mon with my fellow men. My proud spi
rit would not permit me to continue a
mong the whites, to be treated as they
pleased; and liable to be scourged and im
prisoned, sent to the Penitentiary or hung
by the neck, like a dog, till I was dead, for
violating laws which I never heard of and
could not understand; and which my own
people had no hand in making. You
cannot live and prosper under them, and
so fully am I persuaded of this, that were
I an Indian, and just ready to die here, I
would leave it as my dying injunction up
on my children to remove; and as an evi
dence of my faith, that sooner or later
they would do so, I would charge them
as Joseph did hie brethren, saying when
ye remove, “ye shall carry my bones with
you hence.
I do not advise you to remove merely to
get rid of your difficulties, and the deadly
influence by which you are surrounded
here, but look forward with confidence to
tbe day when you and your kindred tribes
shall there be organized into a Territorial
Government, with the rights and privil
eges of American citizens ; and that the
time will yet come, when an Indian state
will be added to our Federal Union, and
which though the last will be the bright
est star and fairest stripe on the banner of
our country, and fill up the measure of
. our nation’s glory. Let others sneer if
they phase at this idea, but I am not a
fraid or ashamed to say, I believe in the
practicability of Indian improvement and
civilization, and that among them are to
be found unpolished diamonds of the first
water. What age or country has produ
ced a genius superior to George Guess,
the untutored Indian who never had a
day’s instruction,and by the force of native
intellect invented the Cherokee syllable
alphabet, by which his countrymen have
. been enabled by one day’s application to
read the Scriptuies and other books in
their own language? The invention of
the Greek alphabet will bear no compar
ison with this. Guess is one of the great
est geniuses ofthe age, and has immortal
ized himself among his countrymen —It
is time however that we look at your
present situation and consider what can
be done for your relief. It is now several
yyars that you have felt your rights viola
ted, and have considered the Government
ofthe United States had not fulfiltd their
treaty obligations to you. This is a del
icate subject- and on which many good
men have differed in opinion; and I do
not know that any good would result from
agitating those questions. When men
get into difficulty it is not so important to
consider how it was brought upon them,
as how they can best get out of it. You
have now tried various ways to relieve
yourselves aud been flattered to believe
you would succeed. You have appealed
to the laws and tribunals of the country,
but they have brought you no relief.—
Your people have been imprisoned and
hung for transgressing the law of the
State of Georgia—You have appealed to
Congress for relief, but you have got
none. The party politicians of the day so
long is they thought by espousing your
cause,they might pull down General Jack
sonand embarrass his administration,have
flattered you, from time to time, with
hopes for a change in your favor, but now
when they see you cannot profit them, in
their political schemes, they have given
you up, and for the first time told you, to
make the best arrangement with the Gov
ernment you can. It is the only hope
that is left you. You see this is the fact,
your leading men know it is so. The sev
eral Slates have the right to make laws
for the government and regulation of all
the persons and property within their
chartered limits; and it matters not how
hard and oppressive these may be, the
United States cannot interfere with them.
You map now ask, will it not be the same
if we go west of the Mississippi? I answer,
no! because there yon will be beyond
the States’jurisdiction orGovernment; and
the United States there can and will pro
tect you, in all your, rights and privileges
of self government, so far as they are
consistent with the duties she owes to all
the individuals composing our great re
public, which stretches from the Atlantic
to the Pacific or Western Sea. And
should you obtain a Delegate in Con
gress you will have the. greatest possible
security for the preservation of your
rights and privileges.
Let us now turn our attention to the
propositions of the Government, which I
have been directed to lay before your peo
ple, and explain to them.—But here it will
be necessary to refer to some preceding
transactions at Washington last winter.—
I was there when Mr Ross and his party
arrived, and he will do me the justice to
allow that I proffered my services, and
influence with the Government, to bring
all tl ese matters to an amicable adjust
ment. He, however, took a course which
he thought besi calculated to accomplish
his ends. When Mr. Ridge and his par
ty caraeon, I also saw them, and I was
soon appointed by the President, to see
what arrangements could be made, to u
nite them in a negotiation, fora Treaty.
It was impossible to bring them together.
I was then instructed to see what arrange
ments could be made with Mr. Ridge’s
delegation. And on the very day I re
ceived my authority to act, Mr. Ross re
quested it might be suspended; and prom
ised to submit propositions, but which
were of so exorbitanta nature they could
not be listened to, as you may easily imag
ine, when I tell you, they were four times,
at least, and probably five times, as much
as the Senate have awarded to you. I
then entered into propositions with the
other delegation. I offered 53,000,000
and 800,000 acres of land. Ridge asked
$5,000,000. We entered into details,
i which were submitted to the Secretary of
War, who said the Senate would never a
greetothem. Thepriceagreed upon, was
$3,250,000, and the 800,000 acres of land;
$150,000 for claims, and this should set
tle all difficulties of every kind. Mr. Ross
was informed of all that passed at this
meeting by Mr. Alexander M’Coy, who
was present at that meeting, and profess
ed to be pleased with the arrangement,
and agreed to sign the propositions now
to be laid before you. Mr. Ross then wrote
to the Secretary of War this letter,(which
see) by which he and his delegation a
greed to sell the Cherokee country, and
settle their difficulties with the United
States, for such a sum as the Senate
would agree to give them. Tbe language
is, “we are prepared, as far as we are
concerned, to abide the award of the sense ,
ofthe American Senate: and to recom- 1
mend tha same for the final determination
of the Nation.”
After this, I myself, went to work, and
saw several members of the Senate: and
among others the Honorable Mr. King of
Alabama; and did what I could, to have
the matter taken up, and obtain the price
for you, now offered, $5,000,000. This
price was fixed upon, as I understood,
with difficulty; and several other sums,
above and below this amount, were re
jected.
The understanding of the Secretary of
War was after the Senate had fixed the
price, that Mr. Ross and Mr. Ridge, would
both submit propositions for a treaty; and
if they could not be brought to unite, that
they both should be submitted to the
Cherokee Nation for their final decision ;
Mr. Ross refused to comply with this a
greement, and to submit propositions for
the basis of a Treaty; Mr. Ridge and his
friends did do it; and the President has
instructed me to lay it before the Nation,
and explain to them the following propos
ed Treaty for their consideration.
The preamble of the Treaty declares,
that Mr. Ridge and tbe delegation from
the council, at Running Waters, did not
claim to have power to make a Treaty for
the whole Cherokee Nation; but that
they had agreed, for themselves and their
friends, to the several articles of this Trea
ty, but which are only to be viewed as
propositions to be submitted to the consid
eration and approbation ofthe Nation, in
full council assembled.
Art. Ist. Declares, it shall be submitted
at New Echota at such time, as 1 shall
fix upon; and if a majority of the Nation,
so assembled, shall approve of the same,
then it shall be a Treaty and not before.
The articles in former Treaties not an
nulled or suspended by this are to stand
good and continue in full force.
Art. 2nd and 3rd Declares; that you
are to have $4,500,000, in money, to be
paid as stipulated in the following articles;
and 800,000 acres of land, in addition to
the lands already secured to the Cherokee
Nation, in the Treaties with the Chero
kees West: and this is to be in full tor all
your lands East of the Mississippi, and
your claims upon the United States The
whole quantity of land that you will have
West secured by this and other Treaties,
will be 13,800,000 acres ; which is more
than all the lands the whole Cherokee
Nation owned before their Treaty, with
General Andrew Jackson in 1817, by
which they were to have acre for acre of
their lands East, on the West of the Mis
sissippi. I say you will have morethan
you had then, for by that Treaty you sold
to tbe United States, about 4,ooo,oooacres,
and you still own here about 7,000,000
acres, making in all 11,000,000 acres, so
that without the 800,000 acres which you
buy by this Treaty, you will have 2,000,-
000 acres more West of the Mi.-sissippi,
than you had before the Treaty of 1817.
Art. 4th Declares, that all your lands
West shall be secured to you by a Patent
Deed from the President of the United
States; and you will hold it, by the same
title the white man holds his lands, ss
long as you exist as a people, and reside
upon it. It also declares, if the Govern
ment abandon Fort Gibson, the United
States reservation shall belong to the
Cherokees, but that the United States may
build another Fort, in any part of the
country, by paying for private property if
used for public purposes. The Union
Missionary Station shall also belong to
the Cherokees if abandoned by the Mis
sionary Board.
By Art. sth The United States agree to
purchase the Osage Reservation in the
Cherokee country, for the benefit of the
Cherokees, these are valuable and will
cost the United States $15,000.
Art. 6th Secures your political rights;
and declares that your country, without
your consent, cannot be included within
the limits of any State or Territory of the
United States. That you shall, in your
National councils, make your own laws
and regulations to govern all the persons
and property in your country belonging
to your Nation in any way; provided,
they shall not be inconsistent with the Con
stitution of the United States, and such
acts of Congress, as relates to trade and
intercourse with the Indians. These
privileges you can never again enjoy here,
and without them you must cease to exist
as a Nation.
Art. 7th Declares, perpetual peace and
friendship shall exist between you and
the citizens of the United States. The
United States will protect you against all
enemies and intrusions and strife, foreign
and domestic, and that you shall assist the
U. S. when called upon in your Nation
al council to preserve the peace of the In
dian country; and if you engage in actual
service, you are to have the pay and ra
tions of the Army of the United States.
If you don’t like this article you can
throw it away; the United Statescan main
tain the peace ofthe country without you,
I consider this article as being altogether
in your favor.
Art. Bth Provides for a Delegation in
the Congress of the United States, and
this, if granted, I consider one of the best
features in the Treaty to stimulate you to
improvement and civilization, and to se
cure you your rights and privileges.
Art. 9th Provides for the removal and |
subsistence of the Cherokees one year as- 1
ter their arrival in their new country.
People who have emigrated have com
plained, that the boats were crowded, that
they had not wagons enough; and that
the sick had no attention; and in conse
quence of it many died. This article pro
vides a remedy, by securing to you a suf
ficient number of boats and wagons to re
move you comfortably, and a Physician
to attend your journey. It secures also a
Rifle to every warrior, a blanket to every
person, and a kettle to every family. The
rich among you may laugh at this provis
ion, but poor Indians want these things,
and must have them. The blankets will
be delivered here, the rifles and kettle
after you get to your new homes, where
you want them most.
Those who are rich, and able to take
care of themselves will be allowed to, re
move as they please, and be paid $25 per
head, for their families, except their slaves,
for which they will receive $lB, and their
year’s rations they may commute for $33,-
33- h e P ocr People the Government
will take care to see removed in a man
ner satisfactory to themselves. The Uni
ted States will al 3o pay §l5O, per head, to
V --'herokce who enrolls and removes
the first year, and SIOO to those who re
move the Second year after the ratification
ot the 1 reaty ; but no pay of this kind will
be made to those who remove after two
years.
This is truly a provision for the poor
families of the Nation. The wealth of
the rich men consist in their bouses, im
provements, and Negroes; but the poor
man’s riches are his women and children.
A poor man who has ten souls in his
family, if he moves the first year, will get
when he arrives at the West of the Mis
sissippi $1500; and the same in propor
tion, as his family are larger or smaller.
These advantages are to be extended al
so, to those who removed last year; and
such of your people as now live in any of
these States, out of your country, and will
move with you within two years.
Art. 10th Provides for a fair and just
valuation of all improvements belonging
to each individual of your Nation and his
ferries; those which they are now in pos
session of, or from which they have been
expelled and cast out, by violence or the
laws of any of the States where they have
resided. This is intended to do justice to
all. In order to enable you to pay your
debts before you remove, the Government
will advance to you, out of the valuation
of your possessionsand claims, a sum suf
ficient forthat purpose; and what may
be deemed necessary to remove your
selves comfortably to your new homes j
the rest of your money for your improve
ments, claims, per capita allowance &C.
shall be paid to you West of the Missis
sippi. Ihe reason of this provision is
this—to enable you to save your ii'oney
until you get settled in your new country,
where you will want it”most to purchase
your cattle, horses, &c. and to enable you
to build houses and make improvements.
If you were to get all your money here,the
white people and speculators among your
selves, would get all away from you, be
fore you left here, and then you would be
here like poor Muscogees without a home
and without money. You need not be a
(raid the government will not pay. These
are lies told you by those who want to
steal your money from you or defraud you
of it. This article likewise provides pay
for the Missionary establishments and the
erection of others West of the Mississip
py for your benefit.
Art. 11 and 13, Provides for your an
nuities and school and orphan funds:s4oo
- is set apirt for an annuity to be
disposed of as your National council shall
direct; and this with your present annu
ity will bring your nation $34,000 a year.
Your whole school fund will amount to
upwards of $200,000 and produce an in
come of $12480 a year: This is to be ex
pended entirely for Schools in the Nation.
There is also a provision for an orphan
fund of $50,000 which will produce an
income of $3,000 a year, this is to be ap
plied towards the support of poor mother
less children, in such a manner as the
council of your Nation shall direct.
There is also a provision of sixty thou
sand dollars to pay your National Debt.
You owe money to your own people,
from whom your have borrowed, and here
is provision to pay them. There is also
thirty thousand dollars provided to build
Council and School houses, in yodr netv
country West: and ten thousand dollars
to introduce improved breeds of animals.
7’he rich we know can buy these things
for themselves, the poor cannot, it is in
deed for their benefit. There is also five
thousand dollars provided for a printing
establishment and to print the scripture.
Hymn, and School books for gratuitous
distribution ameng the poor people; so
that all may have the benefit of these
things. Your present annuity is commu
ted for a gross sum, the interest of which
is equal in value to its annual amount of
ten thousand dollars. This had been
done to allow you to withdraw all your'
funds, whenever you deem it best for you?
Nation; and the President and Senate ar
gree with you in this opinion.
If in any of the details of these money
matters you think they can be better dis
posed of, for the benefit of the whole Na
tion, so long as you do not destroy the
principal of your funds for National purpos
es, the school and orphans fund—Vati
can do so; and the commissioners will!
cheerfully unite with you in any altera
tion which you can show them will be for
the better.
Art. 12, provides two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars for the payment of just
claims, of every kind, which your people
have against the United States; and also
ofthe citizens ofthe United States against
the Cherokees under the intercourse Jaw
of 1802 We do not know positively that
any such claims exist; but if there do,
| they ought to be paid. Here you per
ceive is relief for all of you—who have
just claims to be adjusted against the Uni
ted States.
Art. 14, Makes provision for such Che
rokees as do not want to remove West of
the Mississippi but wish to become citi
zens ofthe United States where they live,
and are qualified, in the opinion ofthe a
gent, to take care of themselves. There
will be paid to them here, all that is due
them fortheir claims, improvements, fer
ries, pereapita allowance, removal and
subsistence; but they must buy their own
lands like other citizens, and settle whnre
they please, subjects of the laws es the
country where they live.
