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Ill the year 1785, three years af
ter the independence of the Stales,
which compose this Union, had been
acknowledged by Great Britain, a
treaty, at ti ipevvell, was concluded
with your nation by the United States.
The emphatic language it contains
caiinol he mistaken, commencing as
follows—‘The commissioners pleni
potentiaries of the United States in
Congress assembled, give peace to all
the Cbero.sees and receive them into
favor and protection of the United
States of America.” It proceeds
then to allot and to define your limits
and your hunting grounds. You were
secured, in the privilege of pursuing
the game; and from encroachments
by the whites. No right however,
sovq a mere possessory one, is by the
provisions of (Jie treaty of Hopewell,
conceded to your nation. The soil,
and the use of it, were suffered to
remain with you, while the sovereign
ty abided, precisely where it did be
fore, in those States, within whose
limits you were situated.
Subsequent to this, your.'people were
at enmity with the United States, and
waged a war upon our frontier settle
ments; a durable peace was not en
tered into with you, until 1791. At
that period a good understanding ob
tained, hostilities ceased, and by the
treaty made and concluded, your na
tion was placed under the protection
of our Government, and a guarantee
given, favorable to the occupancy and
possession of your country. But the
United States, always mindful of the
authorities of the States, when treat
ing for what was so much desired,
peace w'ith their red brothers, for
bore to offer a guarantee adverse to
t is sovereignty of Georgia. They
c >uld not do so; they had not the pow
er.
At a more recent period, to wit:
1S02, the Slate of Georgia, defining
her own proper limits, ceded to the U-
nited Strtes, all her western territo
ry upon a condition which was ac
cepted, ti that the United Slates shall,
at their own expense, extinguish for
the use of Georgia as early as the
same can he peaceably obtained on
reasonable terms the Indian title, to
all the lands within the State of
Georgia.” She did not ask the milit
ary arm of the Government to be em
ployed, but in her mildness and for
bearance, only, that the soil might he
yielded to her, so soon as it could
peaceably be obtained,& on reasonable
terms. In relation to sovereignty
nothing is said; or hinted at in the
compact; nor was it necessary or even
proper, os both the parties to the a-
greement tvell knew that it w r as a
right which already existed in the
State in virtue of the Declaration of
our Independence, and of the treaty
of 1783 afterwards concluded.
These things have been made known
to you frankly, and after the most
friendly manner; and particularly at
the making of the treaty with your
nation in 1817, when a portion of your
people stipulated to remove to the
west uf the Mississippi; and yet it is
alleged in your communication to this
Department, that you have ‘‘been un
shackled with the laws of individual
States, because independent of them.”
The course you have pursued of
establishing an independent, substan
tive, government, within the territo
rial limits of the Slate ofGeorgia, ad
verse to her will, and contrary to her
consent, has been the immediate
cause, which has induced her, to de
part from the forbearance, she has so
long practiced; and in virtue of her
authority, as a sovereign, independent
Stale to extend over your country,
her Legislative enactments, which
she. and every State embraced in the
confederacy, from 1783 to the pres
ent time, wht'n their independence
was acknowledged and admitted, pos-
esssed tho power to do, apart from
any authority, or opposing interference
by the General Government.
But suppose, and it is suggested,
merely for the purpose of awakening
your better judgment, that Georgia,
cannot, and ought not, to claim the
exercise of such power. What altern
ative is then presented? In reply al
low me to call your attention for a
moment to the grave character of the
course, which under a mistaken view
of your own rights, you desire this
Government to adopt. It is no less,
than an invitation*, that she shall step
forward to arrest the constitutional
a^ts of an independent State, exer
cised within her own limits, Should
this be done, and Geoigia persist in
the maintainance of her rights, and
her authority, the conseqieuccs might
be, that the act would prove injurious
to us, and in all probability ruinous to.
you. The sword might he looked to
as the arbiter in such an interference.
—But this can never he done. The
President cannot, and will not, be
guile you with such an expectation.
I’lie arms of this country can never he
employed, to stay any State of this
Union, from the exercis,e of those
legitimate j owers which attich, and
belong to their sovereign character.
An interference to tiie exteit of af
fording you protection, and he occu
pancy of your soil is what isdemand-
ed of the justice of this comtry and
will not be withheld; yet n doing
this, the right of permitting toy on the
enjoyment of a separate government,
within the limits of a State; and of
denying the exercise of sovereigity to
that State within her own limits, can
not be admitted;—It is not within the
range of powers granted by the States
to the General Government,and there
fore not within its competency to be
exercised.
In this view of the circumstances
connected with your application, it be
comes proper to remark that no re
medy can he perceived, except that
which frequently, heretofore has been
submitted for your consideration, a
removal beyond the Mississippi,
where, alone, can be assured to you
protection and peace. It must be ob
vious to you, and the President has
instructed me to bring it to your can
did and serious consideration, that to
continue where you are, within the
territorial limits of an independent
State can promise you nothing hut in
terruption and disquietude. Beyond
the Mississippi your prospects will be
different. There you will find no con
flicting interests. The United States’
power, and soverignty, uncontrolled
by the high authority of Slate juris
diction, and resting on its own ener
gies, will he able to say to you, in the
language of your own nation, the soil
shall be yours while the trees grow,
or the streams run. But situated
where you now aie, lie cannot hold to
you such language, or consent to be
guile you, by inspiring in your bosoms
hopes and expectations, which can
not be realized—Justice and friendly
feelings cherished towards oc.r red
brothers of the forest, demand that in
all our intercourse, frankness should
be maintained.
The President desires me to say,
that tlie feelings entertained by him
towards your people, are jf the most
friendly kind; and that in the inter
course heretofore, in past times, so
frequently had with the Cliiels of
your nation, he failed not to warn tli^in
of the consequences, which would re
sult to them from residing within the
limits of sovereign States. He holds
to them, now, no other language, than
that which lie has heretofore employ
ed; and in doing so, feels convinced
that he is pointing out that course
which humanity and a just regard for
the interest of the Indian will be found
to sanction.' In the view entertained
by him of this important matter,
there is but a single alternative, to
yield to the operation of those laws,
which Georgia claims, and has a right
to extend throughout her own limits,
or to remove, and by associating with
your brothers beyond the Mississippi,
to become again united as one nation,
carrying along with you that protec
tion, which, there situated, it will be
in the power of the government to
extend.—The Indians being thus
brought together at a distance from
their white brothers, will be relieved
from very many of those interruptions
which, situated as they are at pre
sent, are without remedy. The gov
ernment of the United Stales will
then be able to exercise over them a
paternal, and superintending care to
happier advantage; to stay encroach
ments, and preserve them in peace
and amity with each other: while
with the aid of schools a hope may be
indulged, that ere long industry and
refinement will take the place of
those wandering habits now so peculiar
to the Indian character, the tendency
of which is to impede them in their
march to civilization.
Respecting the intrusions on your
lands, submitted also for considera
tion, it is sufficient to remark, that of
these the Department had already
been advised, and instructions have
been forwarded to the Agent of the
Cherokees, directing him to cause
their removal; and it is earnestly
hoped, that on this matter, all cause
for future cCmplaifit Will cease, and
the order prove effectual.
With great respect, your friend,
Signed, JOHN H. EATON.
The Cherokees and Choctaws were
as really Indiana, thirty years ago, as
any on our borders. They ware ot
the same materials with other Indians,
had the same dispositions—the same
habits—the same superstitions;—were
exposed to the same corrupting influ
ences, frauds and impositions from the
whites.- A mighty change has been
effected aifltmg them by some means.
They now present the grand spectacle
of a people rising up from ruin and
intellectual degradation, throwing
aside the rude manners and the dis
tinctive traits of their original char
acter, and embracing those of enlight
ened anJ Christian society—There
has never been a time since the first
efforts were made for introducing
civilization among the Aborigines,
when complete success was thus hope
ful..
Wc rejoice at what is doing.—In
telligence of Success at the stations
among the Indians, will be hailed by
all Christians with peculiar joy. It is
believed that they have been 6adly
overlooked,, and that they never have
received that share in the distribu
tion of missionary labor which ought
to have been bestowed on them. If
to any nation the American Christian
or the American churches owe a debt
of gratitute, and are under peculiar
obligations, it is to the dying remnant
of our Indian tribes. To almost eve
ry one, there is a deep, perhaps it
may be a romantic interest attaching
to them. A century hence, much
more than now, it is believed, they
will be regarded as a deeply injured
and a deeply interesting people.
Most countries of the Eastern
world abound with many relics of an-
tiquity—with many visible ruins com
memorative of human thought and
humrtn action. With us the case is
different. We have among us one,
and but one monument of antiquity;
and this is emphatically a living ruin.
The few lemains of the Indian tribes
are to this country, what the broken
column and 1 lie falling cloisters are
to Europe; and the hand of time has
not been more destructive to these
remains of human art, than have been
the relentless cruelty and avarice of
the United States to these simple
children of nature. They have been
driven back from the home of their
fathers, and repeatedly forced from
all that was dear to them in life; they
are now scattered upon the borders of
our continent like the splinters of a
wreck upon the billowy ocean.
Vis. Tel.
Cherokee Indians.—The lost Ma
con Messenger says, a report is in
circulation in this place, founded on a
letter from a resident in the Chero
kee Nation, that they have come to
the conclusion to sell their lands and
emigrate; and that they will remain
no longer than the present Summer.
We do not understand what steps
they have taken, if any, further than
the resolution; but think there is rea
son to give some credit to the inform
ation.— Sav. Geor. [7’/ie above is not
true.]
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17,1829.
From the documents which we this day
lay before our readers, there is not a doubt
of the kind of policy, which the present ad-
ministratiqlPof the General Government
intends to pursue relative to the Indians.
President Jackson has, as a neighboring
editor remarks, “recognized the doctrine
contended for by Georgia in its full extent.”
It is to be regretted that we were not unde
ceived long ago, while we were hunters and
in our savage state. It appears now, from
the communication of the Secretary of War
to the Cherokee Delegation, that the illus
trious Washington, Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe were only tantalizing us, when
they encouraged us in the pursuit of agri
culture and Government, and when they
afforded us the protection of the United
States, by which we have been preserved
to this present time as a nation. Why
were we not told long ago, that we could
not be permitted to establish a gevernment
within the limits of any state? then we
could have borne disappointment much
easier than now. The pretext for Geor
gia to extend her jurisdiction over the
Cherokees has always existed. The Cher-
okccs have always had a government of
their own. Nothing, however, wa9 said
when wc were governed by savage laws,
when the abominable law of retaliation
carried death in our midst, when it was a
lawful act to shed the blood of a person
charged with witchcraft, when a brother
could kill a brother with impunity, or an in
nocent man tufferfor an offending relative.
At that time it might have been a matter of
charity to have extended over us the mantle
of Christian laws &. regulations. But how
happens it now', after being fostered by the
U. States, 4* advised by great and good men
to establish a government of regular law;
when the aid and protection of the. Gener
al Government have been pledged to us;
whenwc, as dutiful “children” of the Pres
ident, have followed his instructions and
advice, and have established for ourselvrs a
government of regular law; when every
thing looks so promising around us, that a
storm is raised by the extension of tyranni
cal and unchristian laws, which threat
ens to blast all our rising hopes and expect
ations?
There is, as would naturally he suppos
ed, a great rejoicing in Georg a. It is a
time of “important news”—“gratifying in
telligence ”— 1 “The Cherokee lands are to be
obtained speedily.” It is even reported
that the Cherokees have come to the con
clusion to sell, and move off to the west «f
thfe Mississippi—not so fast. We are yet
at our homes, at our peaceful firesides, (ex
cept those contiguous to Sandtown, Carroll,
&.c.) attending to our farms and useful oc
cupations.
We had concluded to give our readers
fully our thoughts on the subject, which
we, in the above remarks, have merely in
troduced,but upon reflection St remember
ing our promise, that we will be moderate,
we have suppressed ourselves, and have
withheld, what w r e had intended should oc
cupy our editorial column. We do not
wish,by any means,unnecessarily to excite
the minds of the Cherokees. To our home
readers we submit the subject without any
special comment. They will judge for
themselves. To our distant readers, who
may wish to know how we feel under pres
ent circumstances, we recommend tke(me-
morial, the leading article in our present
number. We believe it justly contains the
views of the nation.
GREAT EARTHQUAKE IN SPAIN.
An Earthquake was felt on the
21st March at Madrid, and many
other parts of Spain. In the pro
vince of Murcia it occasioned the
most afflictive disasters. The fol
lowing is an abstract of Letters to the
27th of March.
Murcia, capital of the province—
Not a single church or edifice that has
not been considerably damaged. The
bridge of Segura which unites the
two parts' of,the city, has suffered
materially. Several houses have
been ruined, and a great number of
persons perished.
Carthagena—The quarter of Ser-
rath has been ruined.
Saint Fulgeneia disappeared.
Rojales, La Granga, Cox, San
Miguel, Colosa, and several other
cities and villages, have suffered a
great deal of injury.
La Mata is a heap of ruins; the
earthquake has dried up two salt
lakes.
Torre-Vejo—Not a single house is
standing—the town a heap of ruins—
the number of killed and wounded is
very great—200 bodies have already
been dug cut.
Orihuela—Some edifices have fal
len; the number of deaths here is but
seven, the whole population is in the
fields.
Giardamar is no longer in exist
ence; two wind mills only are stand
ing, the village having entirely disap
peared.
Maajda, and several other villages
in the vicinity, have sustained great
injury.
Rafal—This village has been de
stroyed; the number killed and
wounded is immense.
Aix-Garres—Several houses have
tumbled; and a mountain near the
town has rolled away, and several in
dividuals have perished.
Benejuzar—The greater part of
the houses have fallen; the number of
wounded is considerable, and the
killed amount to 250.
Almoravi—Not a single house or
edifice remaining on this foundation.
Already 400 persons have been taken
dead from the ruins, besides a large
number of wounded.
The earthquake of the- 21?t was
accompanied by a tremendous noise.
Travellers observed at the moment of
the shock a column of lire proceeding
from the eastern coast of Murcia.
Nor have the shocks ceased over
since the 21st in that province,.
and further evils were expe<S
ed.
The number of dead is incalcula
ble. After four hundred bodies had
been dug out of the ruins of Almoravi,
seventy more were found. Mineral
springs have been removed to the dis-
tanoe of six miles from the place
where their sources originally were.
The river Segura, which flowed
through the city of Murcia, half
changed its course and its mouth.
Four great craters are opened aft
Benjuzar, and emit lava and infect
tious exalalions. Two other craters
open at the place where Torrevjahj.
was built, & pour forth torrents of
foetid water. The King has taken
measures to succour the victims of
this disaster. He has ordered all tft©'
revenues of the province of Murcia*
to be employed in relieving the per-*"
sons whom this misfortune has re
duced to misery. It is said also that"
80,000 francs, the produce of the sale
of oil, have been destined for the same
purpose.
.Military.—The two Companies of
the 4th Regiment of U. S. Artillery
under command of Col. M’Rea, which
have been heretofore stationed at
this post, in compliance with orders
from the Department of War, will
proceed to Augusta in the Steamboat
Carolina on Monday. This move-’
ment is not only intended probably as
a healthful change, for the summer;
but Augusta may be considered a more
convenient station, in case of any ne
cessity which may possibly exist for
the assistance of the troops in carying
into 'effect the laws of the State of
Georgia with reference to the Chero*
kees.—Savannah Georgian.
A detachment of thirty Recruits of
the United States army, enlisted at
Greenville, S. C. and the adjoining
district of Spartanburgh, by Captain
Butler, left the former on the 13th
for Fort Mitchel, Alabama, to com
plete a company of the 4th Regiment
of Infantry stationed at that place, and
it is presumed, with a view of facil
itating the movements of the emigra
ting Creek Indians West of the Mis*
sissippi. — Sav. Georgian,
Steum boat Casualties.—'The number of
steam-boat accidents, during the pres
ent season, has been almost unparal
leled—from what causes we aro
unable to determine. The following
is the most complete list of losses and
damages, that v. e have been able to
procure:
The Columbus—near the mouth of
the Ohio: boat and cargo enlirely lost.
The Illinois—between the mouth of
the Ghio and St. Louis: boat and car
go entirely.lost. The Pilot—in the
Mississippi, above the mouth of the
Ohio. The Montezuma—a few mile6
below Helena: boat and a greater
part of the cargo, entirely lost.—
'Pile Decatur—entirely lost. The
Muskingum—lost on Red River.—
The Natchez—at the mouth of False
River. The Belle Creole—entirely
lost. The Hercules—run down by a
brig below New-Orleans, and entirely
lost. The General Carrol—recently
run in contact with the Diana, and
sunk in fifteen minutes;— : —hundred
miles below Louisville: boat and car
go entirely lost. The catalogue of
partial losses, is too extensive for
detailed account. Some* of the most
serious are, the Talma, Hilerna, Pat
riot, Brandywine, Florida. The Tal
ma was discovered to be on fire, with
one hundred and fifty kegs of powder
on board of her. *She was scuttled
and sunk before the flames reached it*
Since raised.—Matches Ariel.
Imagination.—The following case
'lately occurred, under the care of
M. Maury, at the hospital of St. Lou
is:—A young man from the country,
a labourer, imagined that he had swal
lowed a young snake in a glass of
water. “It is five years (said lie)
since the accident occurred, since
which time the animal has not ceased
to grow. It has now attained an enor
mous size, and produces great incon
venience, constantly in motion, it tra
verses the belly, mounts into the chest,
& somtimes rises up to the left eye,
when I have a distinct perception of
its size and color. Sometimes its
movements are so violent and painful,
that I am obliged to constrain them,
by seizing and squeezing it through
the parietes of the abdomen.” The
patient described a variety of cir
cumstances connected with his inter
nal enemy, and appealed to the by
standers whether they did not hear