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CHEROKEE
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PHOENIX.
VOL. I.
NEW ECHOTA, WEDNESDAY AUGUST *27, 1828.
NO. 26.
EDITED BY ELIAS BOUDINOTT.
PRINTED WEEKLY BY
ISAAC H. HARRIS,
FOR THE CHEROKEE NATION.
At $2 50 if paid in advance, $3 in six
months, or #3 50 if paid at the end of the
year.
To subscribers who can read only the
•Cherokee language the price will be $2,00
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year.
Every subscription will be considered as
©ontinued unless subscribers give notice to
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new year.
Any person procuring six subscribers,
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shall receive a seventh gratis.
Advertisements will be inserted at seven
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tion, and thirty-seven and a half cents Car
each continuancej longer ones in propor
tion.
ICJ^All letters addressed to the Editor,
post paid, will receive due attention.
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AGENTS FOR THE CHEROKEE
PHCENIX.
The following persons ai*e authorized to
receive subscriptions and payments for the
Cherokee Phoenix.
Henry Him., Esq. Treasurer of the A.
B. C. F. M. Boston, Mass.
George M. Tracy, Agent of the A. B.
C. F. M. New York.
Rev. A. D, Eddy, Canandaigua, N. Y.
Thomas Hastings, Utica, N. Y.
Pollard &, Converse, Richmond, Va.
Rev. James Campbell, Beaufort, S. C.
William Moultrie Reid, Charleston,
S. C.
Col. George Smith, Statesville, W. T.
William M. Combs, Nashville Ten.
Rev. Bennet Roberts—Powal Me.
Mr. Thos. R. Gold, (an itinerant Gen
tleman.)
Jeremiah Austil, Mobile Ala.
[CONTINUED.]
WASHINGTON AND THE CHERO-
KEES.
Saturday, 7th January.
Bloody fellow: On Thursday last I
was not prepared to enter upon busi
ness, as one of the Chiefs was then
sick—I am now desirous of entering
upon business.
About two years ago Nontuaka was
chosen by his Nation to go to New
York, to the great beloved man, at
the great white house; when he was
there, he had not a good interpreter,
and not well understanding the english
language, he could not well receive so
much advantage from his journey as
his Nation expected. When he re
turned the whole Nation were assem
bled, and were disposed to enter upon
the business of peace between them
and the United States.
I shall now enter upon the business
in behalf of my own and other Nations.
[The Bloody fellow then produced
a string of white Wampum, which he
held in his hand until the. business of
the day was finished.]
I wish you to be, if you are not alrea
dy made, acquainted with the use and
value of these beads, which among the
Cherokees answer the same purpose
as letters with you, and arc held in the
highest estimation.
George Miller, one of our people,
has been brought to attend this treaty,
both as a witness and that, he might
assist the interpreter in explaining our
talks, as he understands the english
language.
It was early in the summer, soon af
ter the treaty with Governor Blount,
that the whole Cherokee Nation was
assembled, and we delegated on this
treaty. The wholq Nation were as
sembled at the great beloved town,
Astanolay (on the waters of the Mo
bile,) when it was agreed on to send
an embassy to Philadelphia, to see the
President of the United States, and
yourself.
The talks to Nontuaka, delivered
by the President and you, are now in
the beloved town Astanolay, and these
talks have induced us to come to this
place. In these talks you informed
us, that as North Carolina had not
joined the Union, our business could
not be attended to; but as that State
has since joined, we hope our business
may be now accomplished.
Before I left my nation it was deter
mined that a stop should be put to the
further effusion ofblood, and that they
should take the United States by the
arm with a warm heart.
The talk which I am now deliver
ing to you, is the talk of the beloved
men of my Nation, wilh a desire that
their children might grow up on the
land in peace: And this is the talk of
our beloved men.
Among us, we have two Kings to
look up to, but you have only one,
who we hope will extend his eye over
all, both red and white. We have
put ourselves under the protection of
the United States, and from them on
ly do we expect justice, and we wish
to become as one people. We wish
our talks may be attended to, and we
have that justice, which is the portion
of all.
We remember the talks of our fore
fathers, who told us of the first com
ing of the white people, over the great
waters, that they were few in num
ber and settled on the lands of the red
people—they have now become 60
numerous as to be able to overpower
them, but we still expect we shall
have justice done us.
Last summer we received talks
from Governor Blount, informing us
that he was authorized to hold a trea
ty with us; we accordingly repaired
to the place appointed.
When we left our country we all
rejoiced in the expectation of having
something done for us in regard to our
lands, but when we arrived at the
treaty ground, we were sorry to find
it was not the case.
Very soon after we opened our bu
siness, Governor Blount informed us,
that he was authorized by Congress,
to purchase our lands of us, which be
ing so contrary to our expectations af
flicted us exceedingly.
When I found Governor Blount
wanted to purchase our lands, I told
him, that I loved my lands, and would
not part with them, that, 1 came there
not to treat of selling land, but on pub
lic business of friendship between the
white and red people. I tell you tru
ly what I said to Governor Blount,
and l am come to ask of you whether
he was authorized to purchase our
lands?
We remained seven days, at the
place of treaty, on this business, and
Governor Blount still urging us to sell
our lands—the thoughts of which made
tears come into my eyes daily.
On the seventh day, finding Govern
or Blount still urging the sale of lands,
l told him, I was desirous of going to
General Washington and-Congress, to
see whether I could not obtain better
satisfaction; to which, Gov. Blount
replied, that he was fully authorized
for the purpose, therefore it would be
unnecessary for any Indians to go.
I however persevered in my wishes
to go to Philadelphia, when Governor
Blount asked me whether I had money
to defray the expenses of my journey,
this struck me forcibly, and reflecting
that our people young and old were in
his power, I then told him that if he
would not demand so much land of us,
we would give him a small piece,
without any consideration whatever,
if he would let us and our children re
turn to our own country in peace and
safety.
In answer to this Governor Blount
told me that he had goods in his house
to pay for the iands, besides which,
one thousand dollars should be paid
yearly. I told him that I could not-
think qf taking it, that it would not buy
a breech-clout for each of mj nation.
When the treaty was first fully o-
pened, Governor Blount asked ot us
lands at the Muscle-Shoals, I told him
thst we could not give then up, as
they were not clearly our property,
but belonged to the four natiens, and
were the common hunting gromds for
them.
Governor Blount told me, hat he
had already purchased of these lands
of the State of Georgia, but vas de
sirous of making a fuller purciase of
our Nation. That he intended to e-
rect store houses on these lanls from
which we could be supplied with
goods, and smith’s shops where our
guns could be repaired.
After which Governor Blount p»-
posed a line upon the upper paits >f
the Tennessee, to go from that rivr
upon a ridge which divides the wates
of nine mile Creek from Little rive.
This line, I also refused.
Governor Blount then proposed a>-
other line, at the Fork below ChoV,
to run to the aforesaid ridge, which (e
said he wanted to settle on himsdf
for the purpose of being near our nj-
tion, and that he might more readiy
confer with us on public business, aid
he said none others, than himsdf
should settle there. The Fork I e-
jected.
Governor Blount said he would
quit the Fork, but wished that tlie
line might be on the aforesaid ridge,
which divides the waters of the Ten
nessee from those of Little river, and
that this line should be a lasting line,
in order to divide the white from the
red people. On which I complained
to him, that the white people had set
tled on our lands there, without our
permission.
After a good deal of dispute with
Governor Blount, I proposed, that
from the fork down of the long island
of Holstein, should be the boundary
(he having before mentioned a water
course.) But he still insisted upon
the ridge before mentioned, observing
that the game on that ground was all
destroyed, the land settled and there
fore could be of no use to us.
As Governor Blount still insisted
upon the before mentioned line, I ask
ed him whether the handful of goods
was all he meant to give us for the
lands, and if so, it was nothing equal
to the value of them. To which Go
vernor Blount replied that the few
goods he had, were not intended to pay
for the lands, but as presents. The
yearly payment of one thousand dollars
was to pay for the lands.
It is my desire that you should un
derstand, that John Watts and myself
were the principal speakers at the
treaty, being appointed for that pur
pose, by our Nation. That we re
peatedly told Governor Blount that
we considered the sum of one thousand
dollars per year, as too small a price
for our lands; and not near as much as
Mr. McGillvray had obtained for a
worse tract. He replied that he was
not authorized to offer more, but that
he would write to Congress upon the
subject, and let us know whether
more would be granted.
John Watts told Governor Blount
that he knew the North Carolina peo-
le to be headstrong, and that they
ad under the sanction of a flag of
truce laid his uncle, Tlie old corn las-
sell, low, it was therefore vain to con
tend about a line at this time, as he
knew that they would have their own
way. And that they would not observe
the orders of Congress or any body
else.
Watts further told Governor Blount,
that /he wondered that he should be
appointed for this business, being a
North Carolinian but that he would
notwithstanding make him an offer of
a line. Whenever you North Caroli
nians make a line, you tell us it shall
be a standing one; but you are always
encroaching upon it, and therefore we
cannot depend upon what you say.
Governor Blount replied to Watts,
that these lands on the line now con
tested, were taken from the Cherokees
in time cf war, and that he did not
therefore consider the settlements
made on them as encroachments.—
This is ali which Watts said upon the
subject. He told me privately that
the death of his uncle so affected him,
that he could not speak any more, and
desired im to finish the business.
After Watts retired, Governor
Blount repeated to me the observation
about the country’s having been con
quered, he told me, that I knew the
Americans had driven the English out
ol the country and that the land had
been purchased with American blood.
On this I observed, that although it
was true the English were driven from
the country, they had come a great
way to fight the Americans, and that
the Americans had been assisted in
this war by the French. That no
good purpose could be answered by
bringing these up now, and therefore
such things ought to be buried forev
er.
[The Bloody fellow and the other
Chiefs then agreed to meet again at
the Secretary’s house on Monday, the
9th instant at noon.]
RULES FOR GOOD MANNERS.
1. If you are at work near the road,
be sure to stop and look at every one
who passes by, from the time he first
makes his appearance, until he is out
of sight. No one, who has not had
the experience of it, can tell how much
pleasure there is in seeing half a doz
en men abandon their employment and
gaze at him, as though they had never
before seen a mortal, or were desirous
to see every button on his garments.
2. When you are passing by neigh
bors at work, never fail to stop and
talk with them, especially if they are
engaged in doing something of conside
rable importance. Every one must
perceive how agreeable it is to a man
to be obliged by the rules of good man
ners to suspend his labor an hour, es
pecially if he has several hired men in
company with him, to listen to a tri
fling story, or to hear the history of his
neighbor's affairs.
3. When a person passes by your
house, never fail to deck the windows
with as many faces as the house can
supply, and if the windows will not
accommodate all, let one or two stand
in the door.
4. If you arc passing by a house be
careful to look into the windows; by
this you may generally know whether
its occupants are industrious. You
will likewise occasionally get a glance
at a young lady as she sits in the parlor,
reading novels, braiding straw, or
working lace; which, to say the least,
is worth a shilling.
5. On the Sabbath take your stand
before the meeting house, at least fif
teen or twenty minutes before the sea
son of worship commences, and let no
one escape your notice, who may come
to the house of worship. The pleas
ure which a young lady experiences,
passing twenty or thirty young gentle
men gazing intensely at her, may be
easily imagined; and if per chance
she drop her glove or handkerchief,
let the blush on her face (ell how de
lightful the task to pick it up.
A MOROSE MAN
Is like a piece of knotted wood, ev
ery thing goes against the grain with
him. He is impatient of every thing
but his own humour, and exdures that
no longer than it is in opposition to
something else. He approves of no
thing but in contradiction to other
men’s opinions, and like a buzzard de
lights in nothing more than to flutter
against the wind, let it be which way
it will. He is made up of cross-cross-
lets, and always counterchanged; for
when he is joined with white he is
sure to he black, and black with white.
He esteems all men extravagant and
intolerable but himself, as those that
have the jaundice think all objects
yellow, because their own eyes are so.
He is a strict observer of his own hu
mour, and would have every man else
so too, otherwise he retires to solace
himself with Ins own complacence,
and as great men keep natural fools to
please themselves in seeing somebody
have less wit than themselves (which
they would never do unless they kept
such on purpose) be delights in his
ow r n folly, and the more ridiculous it is
the better he is pleased with it. He
is very nice and thrifty of his conversa
tion, and will not willingly afford it,
but where he thinks to enjoy the great
est share of it himself, in which he is
often mistaken; for none endure him
better than those that make him their
sport, and laugh at his folly, when he
thinks they do at his wit. He abhors
a stranger, because, having no hu
manity, he takes him for a thing of an
other kind, and believes it too difficult
a task ever to bring him to his humour.
He hates much company though it be
ever so good, for the more there are,
the less share he has of bis own hu
mour, which is all he values or looks
for. He rolls himself up in his own
humour, and pleases himself with that
which offends all others. The choice
of his humour supposes his ignorance,
as empty boats sail best against the
stream. He is like a windmill tuat
never moves but when it is planted
directly against the wind.
EFFECTS OF MUSIC.
Sultan Amurath, that cruel prince,
having laid siege to Bagdad, and taken
it, gave orders for putting thirty thou
sand Persians to death, notwithstand
ing they had submitted, and laid down
their arms. Among the number of
these unfortunate victims was a mu
sician. He besought the officer who
had the command to see the Sultan’s
orders executed, to spare him but for
a moment, while he might be permit
ted to speak to the emperor. The
officer indulged him in his entreaty;
and, being brought before the empe
ror, he was permitted to exhibit a spe
cimen of his art. Like the musician
in Homer he took op a kind of psaltry,
resembling a lyre, v\rji six strings on
each side, and accompanied it with
his voice. He sung the taking of Bag
dad, and the triumph of Amurath.—
The pathetic tones and exulting sounds
which he drew from the instrument,
joined to the alternate plaintiveness
and boldness of his strains, rendered
the prince unable to restrain the softer
emotions of his soul. lie even suffer
ed him to proceed, until, overpower
ed with harmony, lie melted into/te'ars
of pity, and relented his cruel inten
tion. He spared the prisoners who
yet remained alive, and gave them in
stant liberty.
EYES OF BIRDS.
Birds flying in the air, and meeting
with many obstacles, as branches and
leaves of trees, require to have their
eyes sometimes as round as possible,
that they may see the small objects,
flies, and other insects, which they
pursue with the most unerring cer
tainty. This could only be accom
plished by giving them a power of
suddenly changing the form of their
eyes. Accordingly, there is a set of
hard scales placed on the outer coat
of their eye, round the place where the
light enters; and over these scales are
drawn the muscles or fibres by which
motion is communicated; so that, by
acting with these muscles, the bird
can press the scales, and squeeze the
natural magnifier of the eye into a
round shape when it wishes to follow
an insect through the air, and can re
lax the scales, in order to flatten the
eye again when it would see a distant
object, or move safely through leaves
and twigs. This power of altering
the shape of the eye is possessed by
birds of prey in a very remarkable de
gree. They can see the smallest ob
jects close to them, and can yet dis
cern larger bodies at vast distances,
as a carcass stretched upon the plain,
or a dying fish afloat on the water.
A singular provision is made for
keeping the surface of the bird’s eye
clean, for wiping the glass of the in
strument, as it were, and also for pro-
