Cherokee phoenix, and Indians' advocate. (New Echota [Ga.]) 1829-1834, May 27, 1829, Image 1

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ewy PISfENfiX, ftTjTOCKd. AND INDIANS’ ADVOCATE# PRINTED UNDER TltK PATRONAGE, AND FOR THE UENEFIT OF THE CHEROKEE NATION, AND DEVOTED TO THE CATJfcE OF INDIANS. E. BOUDINOTT, Editor. NEW ECHOTA, WEDNESDAY MAY -27, 1829. VOiL. 8/ PRINTED WEEKLY BY JNO. P. WHSTILBIl, At $2 50 if paid in advance, #3 in si?, month", 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 in advance, or $2,50 to be paid within the year, # Every subscription will be considered as Continued un iless subscribers give unticeto the contrary before the commencement of a new year,and all arearages paid. Any person procuring six subscribers, &nd becoming responsible for the payment, shall receive a seventh gratis. Advertisements will be inserted at seven ty-five cents per square for the first inser tion, and thirty-seven and a half cents for cadi continuance; longer ones in propor. tion. ICP.Yll letters addressed to the Editor, post paid, will receive due attention. Gtvy JtfAUOA AD IiSIJF. reAVXSe.i TAA r» JIufBAA B8.1E aiiUIiUofy KT.l D^P O>0JB.I TGTZ TEWO-T* DOJ^DmIA. ?Cr~Z ^TiP To&O-A TB D0.I^)5?Iva®.l, KT m-U CPe I B-l Iv4m).I. D?a.Sc«EZ TB yW DOJ.SaHvo?).!, oyAT D?P 0=eJB.I P-4o?a. Givyz o?.a,u ahcniuio*y, \vf>v d?^ 0*011’.! H.?.! Vtai'J 5 , TG~Z TE-WO-*’ D®" W.SX'vD.I. KTA55 D^P OnY'Y* Q^.-IB - . 1UH DOJAtfKw).*. AOENTS FOR '1 HE CHEROKEE PHCEN1X. The following persons are authorized to receive subscriptions and payments for the Cherokee Phoenix. Messrs. Peirce fie Williams, No. 20 Market St. Boston, Mass. •0s?RU5 M. Tracy, Agent of the A. B. t\ V, M. N-^York. Rev, f). EmiY, Cananda’gua, N. Y. Thomas Hastings, Utica, N. Y. .. Pollard fit Converse, Richmond, Va. Rev. Jame$ Campbell, Beaufort, S. C William Moultrie Reid; Charleston, 15 0 Col. George Smith, S f atesville, W. T. Willfam M. Combs, Nashville Ten. Rev. B snnet Roberts—Powal Me. Mr. Titos. R. Gold, (an itinerant Gen- tlcrnikn.) Jeremiah Avstil, Mobile Ala. Rev. Cyp.us Kinosbury, Mayhew, Choc taw Nat'en. Capt. William Robertson, Augusta, Georgia. 3ElEIiI^ZOU8* F/oni the Western Luminary. DEATH BED SCENE OF A MOR AL MAN. Mr. Sldllmm.—On the—day of this inst. I witnessed the death-bed scene of Mr. , my neighbor for near 3 0 years. He svas wliat is usu ally termed a Moral Man. lie lived respected in bis neighborhood; was liuuiuno, affectionate and honest.— His word was as good as his bond to all who knew him. Ho was indus trious and economical, and his circum stances, comfortable; his family c red itable. He was temperate? and char itable; he was friendly to religion; his wife and daughter were professors, And he frequently had preaching at his house, lie was naturally a man 6f benevolent feelings, and Jus conduct itvaS in union with his feelings, no fiian more yi'illing than he was, either With his personal attention or his j>urse. (And the writer of this essay is free to acknowledge himself his debtor, in both these respects.) lie loaned his money at legdl interest, When 10, 12 or 23 per cent, was giv en in hie neighborhood. He was in friendship with all who Une\v him; he discharged the duties t>f father, brother, husband and nejgh- •bor, with uniformity; and his conduct Was of such a character as to put ma ny professors of religion in the back ground. He never made a profession of religion; but gave his assent and consent to all the leading truths of Christianity, He was, in fact, “Al most a Christian.” I was with him during his last days; and although I have witnessed many death-bed scenes, this was of a different 1 charac ter from any I ever witnessed before. I have thrown the prominent occur rences of that day intt) a narrative — , On the—day of , Mr. de parted this life. On the morning of .hat day I visited him. He was in the possession of his senses, hut evid ently near eternity. Ho knew in", and when I asked him ‘hmv he did this morning,’ he answered, ‘S , I shall die, and I am not prepared to die.’ This declaration excited my feelings, and a pause ensued. 'In a few moments the subject was a- gain mentioned by him in the saint words, ‘1 am not prepared to die.’— Believing, from Ins manner, that ho wished to converse with me on the subject of religion. I endeavored to comfort him, by presenting some of , the gracious promises and doctrines of the gospel to him in my feeble and plain manner, lie appeared to ob tain no comfort. His wife (a pious woman) requested prayer. He lis tened with profound attention, after the conclusion of prayer he remark ed, ‘I cannot pray: my Saviour has left me, and I cannot pray.’ After a solemn pause, his affectionate wife, leaning on the side of bis bed—com menced a conversation with him on the subject of religion. Her language and manner was impressive. She dwelt on the gracious promistsand doctrines of salvation by Jesus Christ and feelingly and affectionately urged the necessity of bis immediately em bracing the proffered mercy. lie listened to her with the most solemn attention. To myself, and I believe to all the company, it was loud preaching. After a short pause, be threw bis arm around her neck, in the most affectionate manner, and in a clear voice utterred the following sentence: “Ah! my dear, for nearly thirty years have you thus affection ately urged me to attend to this mat ter, but I have put it off, and still put it off; and now I have sinned a- way my day of grace, and I am given, up.” Turning his face to the wall, he added, “my Saviour has given me up.” Mule with astonishment, the company gazed on each other, until a g' oan of anguish burst from the heart of his wife, and.was re-echoed by all present. 1 remained with him; and after some time renewed my endeav ors to comfort him. I told him that Sa tan, the grand enemy, would endeav or to persuade us that our Saviour had left us. But the Saviour was al ways present, and that the sly sug gestions of Satan ought not to be be lieved. His reply was, .“ray Saviour has left me.” His Physicians came, and all that friendship and medical skill could ad vise, was tried to save him. lie grew worse. About 1 i o’clock the physicians left him. Between 2 and 3 o’clock he had an interval of com posure, when bis wife urged him to pray. He calmly replied, “I can- I not pray.” She asked him if singing j would discompose him. lie replied, u not’at all,” & twice repeated “Fare well vain world,” “Farewell vain world,” without concluding the line. His wife added, “I am going home:” (the hymn beginning with that line was sung.) Ilis wife then asked him if he could not pray now. He said he would. Every breath was sus pended, and in his usual tone of voice (when in health) he uttered the fol lowing words: “Hod Almighty, have mercy on a poor sinner, just about to plunge headlong into Hell.’’ He paused.. His wife, kneeling by his bed-side, asked him if be coqld pray no more. He answered “I cannot say another word.” Another hymn was sung, in which the words occur red, “I hope to praise him after death.” His wife then asked him if be did not hope to praise his gracious Saviour after death? He shook bis head, and looking his wife affection ately in the face, answered, “I cannot say I do.” In a little time, a violent spasm seized him, which evinced the rapid approach of his dissolution.~- After perhaps an hour’s struggle with the grim monster, he revived a little mil bid his family and neighbors fare well. A weeping relative begged me to converse once more with him a- bout bis eternal prospects. I did so, but still got answers all agreeing to one point; he bad no hope & was unwilling to die. A pious neighbor came in a few moments after I had ceased to converse with him, and asked him some questions on the same subject, and lie gave similar answers. Alter sun-set I left him, and about 12 o’ clock at night be died. Some months ago, the Rev. Janies Armstrong preached at Harmony, near the Wabash. When a Doctor, at that place, a professed de;st or in fidel, called on his associates to ac company him, while he attacked the Methodist, as he said.—At first he asked Mr Armstrong if he followed preaching to save souls? He answered in the affirmative. He then asked Mr Armstrong if he ever saw a soul? No. If he ever heard a soul? No. If he ever tasted a soul? No. If lie ever smelt a soul? No. If he ever felt a soul? Yes, thank God, said Mr Armstrong. Well said the doe- (or, there are four of the five senses against one to evidence that there is no soul. Mr Armstrong then asked the gentleman if he was a doctor of medicine? and he also answerd in the affirmative. He then asked the doctor if lie ever saw a pain? No. If lie ever heard a pain? No. If he ever tasted a pain? No. If he ever smelt a pain?—No. If he ever felt a pain? Yes. Mr Armstrong then said there are also four senses against one to evidence that there is no pain, and yet, Sir, you know there is pain, and I know there i9 a soul; The Dr. appeared confounded, and walked off. INDIANS. To the Editors of the Georgia Journal. Gentlemen—The Literary Cadet and Statesman, published in Pi evi dence, Rhode Island, has the following article: “The Georgians, not content with the grip which they have put upon the land of the exiled Creeks, are now a- bout seizing the possessions of^the Cherokees. Georgia now claims all lands south of a line drawn from Su- awana Old Town to Six s, on the High-tower, and down that River to the chartered line of Georgia and Ala bama, under the pretence that it was once the boundary between the Chero kees and Creeks, and that the new boundary has never been acknowledg ed by the United Slates. On the oth er hand, the Cherokees allege that the line claimed by Georgia, vyas never agreed upon or acknowledged by the two nations of Indians. The Creeks at one time claimed to that line, but the Cherokees also claimed to a line far south of it; and the only boundary ever agreed upon between them, ivas fixed, in a Spirit of compromise, half way between the two claims.” “It would be policy in the Georgi ans to rest contented with what they have. Justice may not be further out-, raged with impunity, even in the case' of the poor Indian, and they who have trampled upon Indians rights and Indi an hospitality, may at last find an cud to their encroachments.” Now all the material allegations in the above extract, are nothiug more or less than downright misrepresentations and false assertions. The line never has been in dispute between the Creeks and Cherokees within the memory of the oldest inhabitants of the country, white or red, nor has there ever been a compromise. But the line has always boen known to run as Georgia now contends, from the Su- awana Old Town, on the Chattahoo chee, by the Hightower trail, to Six’s, until the Creek Chief McIntosh, hav ing married a Cherokee wife, influenc ed bis tribe to permit the Cherokees to run a line fuither south. And such is the notoriety of these facts, that even the Cherokees do not pretend to deny them; and so sensible are they of the right of Geoigia, that they have not the faintest hope of holding the land in question, ami are quietly mov ing off them. Indeed I do not believe even the officious intermeddliug of our eastern step brothers can inspire them to a contention. But such is the spir it of jealousy with which the mass oi the New England people look on any prospect of our acquiring strength, anJ such (lie unblushing effrontery with wlii h they disseminate misrepresenta tions, that they never lose an opportu nity of reviling us, and detracting from on- just claims, without regarding whether they effect (heir object th ough the medium of fact or fiction One word for their warning. We know our rights, and we will protect thern; and should Rhode Island be so foolishly quixotic as to volunteer her self in resisting them, we will make her feel her own intrusion in matters which concern her not. She may kn>iv we give as little heed to her tlueat as we know she should receive credence for her slanders. HENRY. “Now all the material allegations” of Hinry, “are nothing more ov less than downright misrepresentations and false as* sertions.” The line has heen ir, dispute lie. tween the Cherokees and Creeks, within the memory ofhun'reds ofthe inhabitants of th is country. This fact is knewn not only by the Cherokees, hut by many whites.- The arrangement, was made j>reet«*ly n 0 we stated in a former number. Is it not surprising that no and liberal man can speak in favour of oppressed Indians, w.ihout arousing the warlike spirit of Georgia? withoutb"ingcharged with mi*, representations and falsehood? If an edi tor of a newspauer undertakes to defend the rights of the Indians, “lie is ignorant of the nature of Indians,” is the erv, a? though i< was their nature to be scandalized, misre. presented, and abused. Is it agreeable to their nature to have their rights trampled upon by a horde of robbers and vagabond 1 '! (we mean our intruders}*and. to have every avenue, of justice closed arraimt them? V* r e can give HenrV a very satisfactory answer why some ofthe Cherokees have £wed from the frontier into the Interior ofthe na. tion—it is because they wish to avoid per sonal collisions with their neighbours, and to save what litDe property they possess.— It is a notorious fact, that many, who, pre. vious to the settlement of Carrol county, were in dpeent circumstances, have lately moved in with shattered possessions, fine of these, we will mention his name, Rich ard Scott, declares, that he has lost not less than 150 head of cattle, which were forci bly taken away by some ofthe citizens of the aforesaid county. He was unable to recot er them on personal application. This is not a solitary instance; Queries.--Why have the politicians and writers in Georg'a, of late become (we will not say “foolishly”) “Quixotic?” Have they ever evinced themselves a brave peo ple? How did Georgia distinguish herself in the late war, particularly in the Creek war? Is it becoming for a great, magnani mous, and brave state to evince such a war like spirit as is manifested by Georgia? From the Missionary Herald. CHOCTAWS. Extracts from a letter of Mr. Kingsbury, dated January 28, 1820. In the last number of tins work, p. 121, some paragraphs from a com munication of Mr. Kingsbury were in serted, showing that the attention of the Choctaws bail been arrested by the preaching of the Gospel, and giv ing ground to hope that many had ex perienced its converting influences.— Additional extracts from the same communication will be insereted here, showing what advances the Choctaws have made in morals, and in acquiring the comforts and conforming to the practices of civilized society. A few brief stat^nents on this subject were given in the number tor February^ p. li 1. Tiio introductory remarks, u; cut the manner in which both the fikrxs ind opposers of missions arc ini iir. J to regard what is said concerning in* dtan improvement, are deserving special 'attention. Improvement in morals. 1 here is a propensity both among .he friends and the tippoceis of nis Bions, to judge the elici ts of the Gos pel and of the progicst of improve* mcni among the Indians ly a Lise' standard. Instead of comparing these who have been instructed and whc.se condition has been meliorated, wiilt what they formerly were, they aid compared with what is found in civil* ized and Christian lands. Hence it is. that the nulent friends cl’ missions; while reading missionary journals written with perfect accuracy, ,o:in ideas ol an enlightened and imp rot tij* statu of society far bey end what is re* alizcd by the missionaries. Hence it isy also, that opposers of missions, judging altogether from external appearancetf* are quite disgusted with the Uncouth* manners and i nsec ully costume of these natives ofthe forest, whose* pie* ty ol heart, and whose propriety of deportment, under all the circi m% stances of their situation, would coin*' inand the respect of every discrimin* atingand unprejudiced mind. To form a correct estimate of whnii the Gospel with its meliorating end’ civili/ing alie (fonts, has acccmplishr oil for the Indians, we must comparer the present slate of those who have iff some degicu been brought under it2 influence with their former condition.- Judging by this standard, it buy b<f fairly doubted whether the first eight years hove witnessed, in any pcilioi) of the civilized w orld, a greater im provement than hr.s been realized in the civil, moral, and religious state ofthe Choctaws. I would not intim* ate that all the happy changes that have taken place in this, nation have ' been the dirret result of rnissiomw ly labors. Edtightened elm fs have* taken the lead in (he work of iefciill ation, and it is through the ir influence* that some of the most important changes have heen made. But we believe those chiefs esteem i* no Vss a privilege than a duty, to i. y theif honors at the foot ofthe cross, r<ni to ascribe whatever of good they h.ve clone for their people, to the enlighN ening and sanctifying influence of the Gospel. I will now give a few particulars* in proof of what is stated td ove, rer spouting the progress of improvement among the Choctaws. Eight years ago habitual intemperance prevailed* from one end of the land to the oilier* In the space of two months, ten In* dians in this district alone, lost their 1 lives by whiskey. At this time in* temperance within the nnlion is hard* ly known. In July last I attended tl-e distribution ofthe annuity to two dis- (nets, on which occasion there were from 4,000 to 5,000 Indians—men* women, and children. They weie to gether four days, and not an intoxica.t* ed one was seen, until after the bu siness was closed. Some w hiskey had been secreted at a distance from tie place, and as the law prohibiting the introduction of it into that part of the? nation was not to go into effect until 15 clpys from that time, some after leaving the place, obtained it, and became intoxicated. The Choctaws have not all lost their appetite for whiskey, nor is it to be supposed that a majority of them are restrained from intemperance by the forre of moral principle: hut so sensij||e had thev be come of (lie destructive effects of this vice, that a low, prohlbing entirely the introduction of whiskey into thd nation as an article of traffic, wt-4 proposed by the chiefs, nnd obtained an almost universal support in a gen* eral councillor the warriors. In this part of the nation, this law bps beet| sustained for more than two year?,