Newspaper Page Text
remind you of facts within your recol
lection. Early in july last one of the
undersigned, (to wit,) Gen. Cocke,
reached New Town, otherwise New
Echota, and was introduced, together
with his Secretary, to the Committee
and Council then in session, by Major
Ridge, the Speaker of the Nation.—
In addressing them he informed that
General Cocke and two others were
appointed by the President of the Uni
ted States to hold Councils with the
Nation, and recommended to them the
extension of the hand of friendship as
a token of their respect for the Gen
eral’s character, and attachment to
and confidence in the government of
the United States. This occurred on
the 4th of July, as you both must well
recollect. How then can it be “sudden
and unexpected?” On this visit to the
Nation Gen. Cocke applied to Mr.
M’Coy, the principal Secretary of the
nation, for the names of the Commit
tee and Council, which was promised;
but was afterwards informed by the
Secretary, that Mr. John Ross had
directed him not to impart that infor
mation. Thus it became impossible
to “consult the convenience of the
members of the Committee and Coun
cil” by the act of Mr. Ross, who the
undersigned suppose to be the same
person, whose signature is fixed to
your joint letter. You then mention
the great expence .that would attend
the nation in consequence of the pro
posed meeting. The undersigned with
pleasure assure you that ample means
have been afforded them by the Presi
dent of the United States to defray
every expence, and the necessary sup
plies are now provided. Should the
invitation be disregarded, it cannot be
considered by the government of
which we are the representatives in
any other character than as disre
spectful and contemptuous.
Since the arrival of the undersigned
at the Cherokee Agency they have
been furnished with the written Con
stitution of your nation, establishing a
Separate Independent Government,
not amenable nor subject to that of the
United States. We take leave to en
quire, is the present refusal to meet
us in Council intended to shew that in
dependence? or should the states,
within whose limits the Cherokee Na
tion is located, extend their laws and
jurisdiction to those limits, can the
Cherokees expect the interference
And aid of the government of the Uni
ted States.
The undersigned address you as
two Chiefs of the Cherokkee Nation.
They are uninformed of the fact, nor
l&aveyou, in your letter, stated wheth
er you act in a public or private ca
pacity not even by your signatures.
We again remark that the Agency
U the place designated & established as
the place to transact all business be
tween the United States and the Che
rokee Nation, and located by the spe
cial request of the Cherokees; and
where all treaties records and docu
ments, in which the United States and
the Nation are interested, are depos
ited. It is also the duty of the Agent
to guard the interest of the Cherokees.
Near his residence must be selected
to enable him faithfully to discharge
that trust. The undersigned will re
main, and attend daily at the Rattle
Snake springs near the Agency; or at
the Agency, which ever is most agree
able to the Nation, until all may have
a sufficient time to attend, that think
proper. They must then retire and
report all the facts to their govern
ment. They remew their invitation to
the Chiefs, Head men and Warriors
of the Cherokee Nation to meet them
for the purposes mentioned in their
better of the 23d of August last.
ALEXANDER GRAY,
JOHN COCKE,
GEO. L. DAVIDSON.
council a visit. We regret to find
that the Commissioners peisist in urg
ing the General Council to be conven
ed at a place, where it would be im
practicable to get the assent of the
members of Committee and Council to
meet them, as has before been stat
ed. You will please to deliver them
♦he accompanying Communication in
reply to their letter.
JNO ROSS,
his
MAJOR* RIDGE,
mark
To
Head or Coosa, Cherokf.e Nation,
September 26, 1827.
Col. Hugh Montgomery, Sir:
We have received your letter by
Mr. Cowan enclosing a letter from
Gens. John Cocke, Alexr. Gray and
Geo. L. Davidson, and requesting our
prompt attention to their call, and. to
treat it with that respect and atten
tion due to it. We assure you that it
is sincerely desired on our part to
treat all the Public Agents of the Gen
eral Government with proper respect
and attention. As a manifestation of
that disposition those Gentlemen were
Invited to attend the General Council
of the Nation at New Echota on the
8th day of Oct: next; at which, time
and place it would afford us pleasure
to see you also, and we hope that you
Will make it convenient to pay our
Ridge’s Perry, Cherokee
Nation, Sept. 27, 1827.
Generals, Gray, Cocke and
Davidson.
Gentlemen:—Your letter of tfe?
23d. in reply to ours of the 15th inst.
was received by your special messen
ger on last evening, and we avail our
selves of the opportunity presented by
his return in replying to your remarks.
You express astonishment and regret
at the Contents of our letters. We
assure you that it was not intended to
produce those feelings; but when facts
are fairly and impartially scrutinized,
we hope that no just cause will be
found for youf astonishment and re
gret. And in reply to a certain pa
ragraph of our letter in which we re
marked that your general invitation
for a General Council of the Cherokee
Nation wna “sudden and unexpect
ed,” as “the convenience of the mem
bers of the committee and Council
had not been consulted,” in fixing the
time and place appointed b/ you
you observe that you will remind us
of facts within our recollection, and
then proceed to state that, “early in
july last, General Cocke reached
New Echota, and was introduced,
together with his Secretary, to the
Committee and Council then in session,
by Major Ridge Speaker of the Nation;
and in Addressing them [the Com
mittee and Council] he [Major Ridge]
informed that General Cocke and two
others were appointed by the Presi
dent of the United States to hold
Councils with the nation, and recom
mended to them the extension of the
hand of friendship, as a token of their
respect for the General’s character,
and attachment to, and confidence in
the Government of the United States;’
and that “this occurred on the 4th of
July as [we] both must well recol
lect.” And you ask “how then can it
be sudden and unexpected?” Here
you will please permit us to reply,
and to state facts attending General
Cock’s visit at New Echota in July
last. The General arrived at New
Echota on the 3d. of July, in compa
ny with a Gentleman whom he intro
duced as Major Hyne, together with
Messrs- Lewis Ross and Joseph Coo-
dy. The General Council was then
in session, and was expected to adjourn
on the evening of that day; but, in
consequence of its having been rumor
ed from newspaper reports, that Gen.
Cocke and two other gentlemen from
North Carolina were appointed by the
President of the United States to hold
a conference with the Cherokee Na
tion, for a certain object, and as Gen
eral Cocke had arrived, it was deem
ed proper that the Council should be
prolonged, with a view of giving Gen
eral Cocke an opportunity of commu
nicating to the General Council the
object of his visit, and to assertain if
lie had come in the capacity of a Com
missioner from the United States.—-
Accordingly a resolution vva9 passed to
postpone the meeting of the Conven
tion to the 5th of the month provided
the business of the General Council
should not be disposed of on the 4th.
And when the Council was convened on
the 4th, Gen. Cocke and Major Hyne
appeared in front of the Council house,
where Major Ridge, (one of the un
dersigned;) speaker of the Council,
an old acquaintance of the General’s,
went forward, and took the General
by the hand, and the General then in
troduced Major Ridge to Major Hyne,
Major Ridge then Conducted them in
to the Council room, and introduced
the Gen. to the members ns an old
acquaintance, who had commanded
the East Tennessee Troops at Fort
Armstrong in the first Campaign of
the Creek War. He then conducted
the General and Major Hyne up into
the Committee room; and on entering
the room Mqjor Ridge observed to
the members of that body, “This is
Gen. Cocke, a friend and an old ac
quaintance, who had served in the
Creek War, and no doubt he is known
to some of you; give him the hand of
friendship.” At this introductionJMr.
John Ross, (one of the undersigned,)
President of the Committee, and also
an old acquaintance of the General’s,
rose and took him by the hand, and was
then introduced by the General to Ma
jor Hyne; and the members of the
house, each in succession, rose and
shook the hands of the General and
Major Hyne, an* their names were
respectively imparted to General
Cocke. After being seated a while,
they retired, and the Council continu
ed in session'until towards the latter
part of the day; and General Cocke
having made no intimation of his ap
pointment, nor Communicated the ob
ject of his visit, the General Council
was then adjourned, and the members
of the convention then met and organ
ised them<clves for business Thus
ended theCouneil in July last. And as
General Cocke did not make himself
known js a commissioner, nor suggest
ed any thing on the subject ofhis visit,
or of jour intention to appoint a place
and time for the purpose of inviting
a General Council of the Cherokee
nation, previous to the session which
is to take place at New Echota on the
8th day of next month, therefore we
could not but have said that your in
vitation was “sudden and unexpect
ed.”
Further, you state that “ General
Cocke applied to Mr. McCoy, the
Principal Secretary of the Nation, for
the names of the Committee and Coun
cil, which was promised, but was af
terwards informed by the Secretary,
that Mr. John Ross had directed him
nut to impart that information, and
thus it became impossible to “consult
the convenience of the members of the
Committee »nd Council” by the act
of Mr. Ross, who you suppose to be
the same person whose signature is
fixed to our joint letter. Here again
we bfeg leave to remark, that General
Cocke remained several days after
the rise of the General Council, and
during the sitting of the Convention,
in the course of which time it was un
derstood, that the General had enquir
ed of a private individual, if he could
furnish him with a list of the names
of the members of the Committee and
Council. Being answered in the ne
gative. the General then on the eve
of leaving New Echota asked Mr.
M Coy, clerk of the Committee, and
who was then acting as secretary to
the Convention for a list. Upon re
ceiving this information the members
of the Convention expressed a curiosi
ty to know the object of the General
for applying for the list in such a pri
vate manner, and he not having com
municated to any person the object of
his visit, they in order to draw from
the General an idea of bis visit, as
well as his design for soliciting the list
of names, requested Mr. Ross, then
President of the Convention, to ask
Mr. McCoy if Gen. Gocke bad given
him any reasons for requesting a list
of the names, and if not, to request
Mr. McCoy to defer furnishing the
list, until the General should give
some reasons for making the request
this request of the members, as stat
ed, was communicated to Mr. McCoy
who said that the General had assign
ed no reasons for making the request
soon after this the General and Major
Hyne left the place, without hearing
any thing further respecting the list
of names. You are not mistaken ii
supposing that Mr. Jno. Ross, refer
red to is the identical person who sign
ed the joint letter you received from
us.
Gentlemen', these statements are
indisputable facts, and can be estab
lislied by the members of the Com
mitt.ee and Council, and of the Con
vention, so far as come within their
respective knowledge; and it is pain
ful to us to be compelled to make
statements in contradiction to your
own understanding; altho’ we cannot
for a moment suppose, that the Hon
orable Gentleman, who coramunicat
ed what you have staled, could have
designedly misrepresented them,there
fore we must belierve that he has been
misinformed in these particulars, thro
the medium of misinterpretations.—-
General Cocke being introduced
the members of the Committee and
Council in session, we cannot see bow
it became “impossible to consult
their convenience” on the subject of
appointing a place and time for a Gen
era! Council. We believe it would
have been uncourteous and imperti
nent for the members of the Commit
tee and Council to have called upon
General Cocke, or any other gentle
man, for information respecting the
object of his visit, and to have asked
more properly the province of General
Cocke to have introduced the subject
ofhis visit; and his failing to uo so
ought not unjustly to cast blame on
any other person.
You say that ample means have
been afforded you by the President of
the United States to defray aery ex
pense, and that the necessary supplies
are now provided. There are various
incidental expenses attending the
meeting of the General Council ol
the nation, independent of supplies of
aliment, such as the employment of
cooks, members’ pay for services &c.
$lc. which we cannot suppose are con
templated to be embraced in the ample
means afforded you by the President.
You further remark, “should our
invitation be disregarded, it cannot be
considered by the General Govern
ment in any other character than dis
respectful and contemptuous. *’ We
would here assure you with profound
sincerity, that nothing is more remote
from the intention or wish of the re
presentatives of this Nation, than to
treat the Public Agents of tne Gene
ral Government with disrespect or
contempt.
You have also thought proper to
speak of the Constitution of the Na
tion, as establishing a seperate Inde
pendent Government, not amenable or
ubject to that of the United States;
and you enquire if the present refusal
to meet you in Council is intended to
shew that independence; or should
the States within whose limits the
Cherokee Nation is located extend
their law3 and jurisdiction to those
limits can the Cherokees expect the
interference and aid of the Govern
ment of the United States? We
would remark that the Constitution is
not considered in any respect to
change the relationship which the
Nation sustains with the Government
of the United States. It was adopt
ed with no view to set up an indepen
dence unwarranted by the Treaties
with the United States, therefore we
have every just reason and confidence
to expect the protection of the Unit
ed States in good faith, in supporting
such rights as are secured to the Che
rokee Nation by our Treaties. And
we hope, Gentlemen, after all the so
licitudes which have been so laudably
manifested by the greatest and best
of men, General Washington, for the
civilization of the Cherokee Nation
and for an improvement in their civil
Government, and which objects have
been patronized by the succeeding
Presidents, and now, when the Chero
keeS are beginning to embrace the
comforts of civilization, that you are
not disposed, as Commissioners of the
present administration, to find fault
with our improvement in Government
al as well as in domestic affairs; by
endeavoring to disorganize our system
and complaining of our Constitutiorf.
even after one of you, General Cocke
having expressed his opinion voluntari
ly to Mr. John Ross, one of the under
signed, in Calhoun, that the constitu
tion which the Conventioners made
is a good one.
We deny having refused to meet
you in General Council, and contend
that a respect is due to the cohVen
ietice of the Nation in fixing a time
and place for holding a General Coun
cil. And as it is well known that the
Cherokee Nation for eight years past
have permanently established their
seat of Government at New Echota
where every convenience for the ac
eommodation of strangers, as well as
for the members of the Com. & Coun
cil, are provided, it is the only place
where you can in reason have a right
to expect to be met in General Coun
cil of the Nation; and at which place
we have invited your attendance
the day appointed for the meeting of
the approaching session. We can
see no reason for your persistance
renewing your invitation at the Rattle
Snake springs or Agency, where no
preparation, for the accommodation of
the members of the Committee and
Council have been made, and where
they would be exposed to the weather
as a congregated assemblage of rude
People on a hunting expedition. If
you will examine the public docu
ments at the agency, you will no doubt
find letters from the Chiefs to Col.
Meigs, former Agent, by which yop
will discover that you are mistaken
as to the Agency being located at a
place designated by the special re
quest of the Cherokee Nation. And
we are also convinced, that you are
not correct in supposing, that all bu
siness between the United States and
the Cherokee Nation was intended to
We admit that there are Various busi
ness between the United States and
liie Nation, as well as between the
individuals of the States and of the
Nation, which are necessary to be
transacted at the Agency, with and
thro’ the Agent; but we cannot admit
that Commissioners of the United
States are justifiable in demanding a
Convention of the Generel Council of
the Nation at the Agency without con
sulting the convenience of the Chiefs,
on the occasion, especially when it is
their object to communicate in Gene
ral Council the views of the Genera]
Government on subjects calculat
ed to promote the interest and happi
ness of the Cherokees, as well as the
welfare of the citizens of the United
States.
You appear to be at a loss to know
whether we are acting in a private or
public capacity. If you bre not a-
ware yourselves that we act under
authority, and if you do not choOse to
be informed through the Agent of our
official characters, and it should be
forgotten by you that General Cocke
was introduced by Major Ridge*
Speaker of the Council, to the mem
bers of the General Council, and
that Mr. John Ross presided over the
Committe as President of that branch
of the Legislature, we will inform
you, that the undersigned are the pre
siding officers of the Committee and
Council; and since the death of the
two Principal Chiefs of the Nation;
the corresponding department of the
Nation has been entrusted to the Pre
sident of the Committee, and the bu
siness of convening the General Coun?
cil, devolves on both of us, and having
consulted some of the most influential
members of the Committee and Coun
cil on the subject df your circulars of
the 23d of August last, we Were ad
vised to address you the letter which
you acknowledge to have received.
We can only add, should ydu decline
attending the General Council at New
Echota, and think proper to transmit
to the General Council communica
tions on the subjects of your instrucr
tions from the President of the United!
States, they will be received with a
proper respect by the Committee am!
Council, and a considerate reply wifi
be made to them.
We are, Gentlemen, very respeefr
fully, your db’t serv’ts.
JNO. ROSS,
his
MAJOR* RIDGEi
mark.
NEW ECHOTA:
WEDNESDAY, MAY Si, 18S8-
TO PATRONS.
As applications are continually made fo/
the first numbers of the Phoenix we would;
state for the information of our readers 1 ,
that we are not in a situation to meet with
such applications. The first three numbers
are disposed of, and the present force coru
nected with the printing establishment
renders us unable to have a second addition
struck off.
At the last Circuit Court held in High
Tower, three persons were convicted for
stealing horses out of Carrol Co. & were sent
tenced to receive fifty lashes each. These
persons, we are told, stole upon the prim-
ciple of rendering evil for evil. How back
ward some of our neighboring whites may
be to do justice to the Indians, we confess
we feel a pleasure in noticing this instance
of the impartiality of our courts. It would
be well if the authorities of Carrol County
(Gov. Forsythe’s Ministers) will look ft?
bout and punish their offending citizens*
It would be a sweeping work if they were
to begin. So much u for the success of tbb
new Constitution.”
him bis business. Therefor© it was I be transacted at the Ageucy, solely
It is the prevailing opinion here, that
Col. Thomas L. McKenney will be one of
the Commissioners who will be sent by the
General Government to extinguish the
Cherokee title to lands within the Charter
ed limits of Georgia. A few years ago this
Gentleman would have been Welcomed into
this Country on any business, as a friend of
the Indians, but now, we take the liberty
to say, a more unpopular Commissions?
could not well be sent. What is the rea*
son? We hope when he comes to have i
talk with us, his illiberal recommendation
will not be verified—“ the presence of a
few troops.”
FOR THE CHEROltEE PHOENIX.
THE WEDDING.
Yesterday, being the last day of A-
pril, was a delightful day. Nature in
a smile seemed to invite to a banquet
of pleasing recreation; the birds min
gled their charming melody with the*