Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

CHEHOKEK PHOENIX AND INDIANS’ ADVOCATE. her citizens have already been sufk eieutly excited. Me still howcvei 'cherishes a hope, that the public func tionaries of Georgia will adhere to their wonted magnanimity; that sensi ble of the delicate questions and fear ful responsibilities which seldom fail to arise out of a conflict ol rival sove reignty, and power, in relation to such a subject, they will, under the gui- dencc of an enlightened patriotism, do all in their power to prevent them, and at all times in cheerfulness unite with the Federal government in a- voidiug even an appearance of prac ticed injustice towards the uncultivat ed and unhappy children of the for est. To ascertain and determine all matters in difference, General Cofieo of Alabama, has been requested to proceed to the Cherokee nation, to arrange the testimony, and to present for the considerat ion and decision 01 Ihe President every thing in reference to the boundary. Such evidences as can be produced, will lie examined and it is desirable that any informa tion, in possession, or reach of the Executive of Georgia may be submit ted to the commissioner on the part of the government, to be reported here. In the mean time, with a view to tranquility, ,and in justice to the *‘Iudlans who have been, and are in possession, the Agent has been in structed to give notice for all intru ders on Indian lands to retire by the l5lh of December, after which time those who remain will be forcibly re moved agreeably to the provisions ol the act of 1802. I have the honour to be with great res,sect your ob’t Serv't JNO IL EATON. His Excellency John Fousytii Gov. of Georgia. 'CfHOCTAW COUNCIL OF CHIEFS. The following papers, relating to a Council held by the principal Chiefs and head men of the Choctaw nation, about the 17th to the 19th of Septem ber have just been received by the Editors of the New York Observer, ifie™iiltYifgJ^ancI as they cannot ap pear in that paper until Saturday, they are in the mean time obligingly furnished us for publication. If our countrymen can resist the eloquent appeals of these Indians in behalf of themselves and their children, and can still, by force, or a series of vex ations which amount to the same thing, persist in driving them from the soil which God and natuie gave tliem, \ve have yet to learn the true character of the American peo ple. Would to heaven that the same Spirit of forbearance and kindness which breathes through the addresses of Col. Folsom, might actuate the counsels of the national Government and the individual States. Y. Jour, of Com. The Choctaws and Chickasaws pos sess lands in the States of Mississippi and Alabama, to .a large extent. 1 here in my hands a pamphlet, entitled “A Message from the President of the United States, transmitting sundry documents in relation to the various tribes of Indians within the United Slat es ; and recommending a plan for their future location and Government, printed at Washington, Jan. 27, 1825.” By this pamphlet I learn, that the Choctaws and Chtckasaws claim lands in the State of Mississippi to the amount, of— 17,705,0* acres. The Choctaws claim in Alabama 781,440 do. The Chickasaws claim in do. 495,536 do. The Choctaws in Ark ansas Territory,. 8,958,560 do. Total amount in acres 27,840,636 do. Here is the amount of land in acres, to which two tribes have what is caII- «d an “Indian Title.” Here is the amount of interest at stake, so far as acres of land are concerned. The population of these two tribes, ac cording to the same pamphlet, within the limits of the two States, is 24,- 635. 1 have in my possession the 6- riginal census of the District' in the Choctaw Nation over which Col. Da vid Folsom presides. It was taken about a year since, There were then 30 captains, 5627 inhabitants. 3974 horses, 11,661 cattle, 22047 hogs, 530 spuming wheels, 124 looms, 360 ploughs, 22 white men with Choctaw families, 1J2 oxen, 7 blacksmith’s &Qp*i 32 wagons 2f coopers’ shops, ,97 negroes, 136 sheep, 1 cotton gin. aud 5 schools. Here you see other interests put at stake by the questions which are now agitated respecting the Indians. The census above given, relates only to one District in a sin gle tribe* Last week this District, met to at tend an annual Council. The Chief of another District, Col. Garland am, his head men, being invited, attended the same Council. 1 made it an ob ject to attend this Council night ami day. The Agent of the United States Government, Col. Ward, was presern part of the time, with his interpreter. After they had taken seats, at a suito ble time, Col. David Folsom address ed the Agent in the following manner, as nearly as I can recollect:— ‘’Sir,—It has pleased the Great Spirit, that the “beloved men” of two Council Fires should meet and sit to gether under this white house. We salute Col. Ward, as the Messenger of our Great Father. Our first Fa ther, General Washington, loved all his white children, and all his red children. He always gave us good counsel. We loved his words. Our Great Fathers who succeeded him, have given us good counsel. We have loved their counsel and followed it.. We have begun to increase a lit tle in knowledge arid in industry. We were always friends to the American people. We have lived in peace with them. Our chain of friendship has never been broken, nor has it grown rusty. When they told us that they had an enemy, and wished, our help, poor and week as we were, we assembled our warriors and went forth to the battle. When the Americans shed the blood of their enemy, we shed their blood too. And when the Americans’ blood was shed, our blood was shed also. We were true friends to them. We have lived under the wing of our Great Father. We still wish to live there. We salute you in a few words. We have not a long talk to give you. If Col. Ward lias a'ny thing which he wishes to say to us, we will hear him. If he has not, we will attend to our own business.— We shall remain here under this v/uuii*..it rroiise IWO 0” Ull’CC,flays.— At any time when he wishes to talk to us, we will listen to him. This is all. Col. Ward then rose up and address ed the Chiefs and beloved men in a kind manner. He then read a letter addressed to himself, from the Secre tary of War, which was interpreted by the U. S. Interpreter: a copy of which I send you; Department of War, ) July 31st, 1829. $ ‘•To Col. Wm. Ward, Agent, Sac. “Sir,—1 have received your letter, and approve the talk made by you to the Indians. The President is fully satisfied that the opposition produced amongst the Indians, against emigra tion, is ascribable mainly to the inter ference and bad counsel of vicious white men who gain a place in the Nation. These have no business there. None are to be permitted to remain in the Nation, hut under a written permit from the Agent; which permit is to be revoked, when good behavior is lost sight of, and not to be given ex cept where the party is known to be of good character. White men mar ried to Indians, and who consequent ly by their regulations arc entitled to residence, a^e not to lie considered as requiring permits froth you. But even these, when found to he disor ganizes and seeking to thwart the policy and views of the Government, must be reported to this Department, With the circumstances of their con duct, and an order will be forthwith given to remove them from the Na tion. How can the Indians expect to re main where they arc? They are surrounded by the whites. They are within the limifo.and jurisdiction of a State, whose laws may at any time be extended over them, nor can the General Government here prevent it, because they have not the Constitu tional power to prevent it. But be yond the Mississippi this Government will possess the power, and can exor cise it. It will be disposed, when there settled, to molest or disturb tlieth no more, hut leave them and their children at peace, and irt repose forever. They will be interrupted by no one. The tribes that shall go there and enter into peace and fellow ship with us, truly and in sincerity, will have none to disturb or make them afraid) because their enemies ' would be our enemies. The U. States would not look with indifference up on any tribe making war upon anoth- but viewing the quiet and happi ness of the whole, would with pater nal care consult and maintain the in terest of the whole. It is desired and directed that you constantly, in all your intercourse with the Indians urge upon them the utter inability of their Great Father to prevent the State of Mississippi from extending their laws over their country, and ot his earnest desire, as well for the in terest and happiness of his red as white children, that they shall make up their minds to remove and become settled in the west. You are re quested to be vigilant and active in enlightening the minds of the Choctaw Indians upon this subject, that they may understand the opinions of their Great Father. lie wishes them at some convenient and early time to meet in Council, and he will, on learning their wishes, send some confidential friend amongst th6m, to agree upon a treaty by which the whole nation shall go off together, except those who shall prefer to re main and come under the laws of the States. The Seal of the Wav Department is attached, that it may he known that those remarks emanate from their Great Father. Very respectfully, Jno. H. Eaton.” After Col. Word sat down, Col. Folsom requested him to leave the paper with the Council, saying, that red men never understand in a short time.” The request was granted. He then made two inquiries. 1. Did this letter come from our Great Father himself?—Answer by Col. Ward, It came from our Great Father. 2. Some persons have said some times, that the Chiefs who are 6ons of white men. wish to sell their conn-' try, and some have said that the Christian people ill the Nation wish for the same thing. Have they had any thing to do in obtaining this let ter?—Answer by Col. Ward. “No thing that I know of. It expresses the thoughts of the President him self.” Col. Folsom then said, “I asked these questions, not because I thought so, but to satisfy the minds of all the people under this Council House.” Col. Ward (hen mentioned that he should be glad to receive an answer in writing from the Council before they should disperse. On Saturday the 17th,Col.Folsom delivered to Col Ward the following speech, in answer to his comrauuication:- ‘•Two or three days since, a talk which came from the white house, was delivered to us. Wc sat and heard it- It came from our Great Father. He says that he has heal’d that there arc had white men among us, who prevent our moving to (he West of the Mississippi, by their bad counsel. We do not know that it is so. There ore old men residing a- mong us. who have married Choctaw women. They take no part In our Councils. They have no concern in them. There are sofne white men who sit near the edges of our country, who steal our horses, cattle and hogs, who lay whiskey therfe. These rob us anti impoverish u». It may be that they have said something to pre vent our removing to the West, which has been reported to our Great Fa ther. We do not know. Some of these men of ruin, sometimes come into our country. Here sits Col. W ard, the white man king. If he discover them he will drive thorn out. If he do not discover them, we. will tell him; If lie need help, we the chiefs, captains and warriors, will help him to remove them. Concern ing the good white men among us, for whorti Col. Ward will make a letter, we have nothing to soy. We feay nothing from them. This Is under stood by all the headmen and war riors present, in this white house. To thoso who are not here we will give information. So that all shall understand this Talk. This is all I have to sayupon this subject. We do not wish to sell our lands and remove. This land our Great Father above gave us. We stand on it. We stood on it before the white man came to the edge of the Ameri can land. We sit on it still It be longs to no one in any place but to ourselves. Our land is not borrowed land. White men came and sat down here and there, aud are all around us. When they have wished to buy land ol us, we have had good councils to gether. The white man always said, “The land is yours; it is yours, it is yours.” We have always been true friends to the American people. We, have lived in friendship. We have not spoiled the least thing belonging to an American. Although it lias been thus, now a very different talk is sent to ub. We arc told that the king of Mississippi is about toextend his laws over us. We are distressed. Wc the chiefs and the beloved men of this nation are distressed. Our hands are not strong; we are a smallpeople, wc do not know much; The king of Mississippi has strong arms, many warriors and much knowledge. He is about to lay iiis laws upon us. We are distressed. Col. Ward knows that we have just begun to build new bouses ahd make new fields, and to purchase iron and set up blacksmith shops with our annuity. We have begun to make axes, and ploughs. We h?ve some schools. We have begun to learn, and we have also begun to embrace the Gospel. Wc are like an infant so high, who has just begun to walk. (Here the chief bowed and extended his right hand down as low as his knee.) So it is with us. We have just be gun to rise and go. And our Great Father who sits in the white house looking this way, says to us: Unless you go yonder (pointing to the west) the white man will extend his laws over you. We do not say that his words are lies. We think they are true; and we respect them as sacred. But we are distressed. O that our Great Father would love us!' 0 that Col..Ward would love us! 0 that the king of Mississippi would love us! The American people say that they love liberty. They talk much about it. They boast of their liberty. Why will (hey take it from the red man? They say they will make none slaves. We think our Great Father is true and good; and will not himself lay laws upon us. We think that the king of Mississippi is true, and that his war riors are true aud good. It may bo they will not lay their laws upon us. Here we have lived.&here we wish to live. But whatever the white man wishes to do us, ho will do. If he shall will us to stay here, wc shall stay. If he will us to go, we shall go. Tins is all I can say now. We cannot make a long talk. Our nation are not all assembled in Council. The chief of one district is not here. If Col. Ward wishes to receive a talk on paper, we can give him one in a- bout a month. We wish to consult together, and with Col. Leflore, the other <liief. After this, we will give CoL Ward a talk on paper. It will be a short one. In talking to Col. Ward, we consider him the messen ger of our Great Father. W T e be lieve his words. When we speak to him, it is as though we spake to our Great Father himself. This is all I have to say.” [This speech was delivered in Choc* taw.] From the Ne-tvYork Advertiser, It will be recollected, that a socie ty was formed in this city, some time since, under the title of “t/ie Indian Hoard, for Hit emigration, Preservation and Improvement cf the Aborigines of America.” Subsequent to its forma tion, Col. ThomasTi. McKenney, of the city of Washington, was here, and by invitation, made an address to the members, on the subject. Since that time, we have seen a letter from Col. McKenhey to a gefitleman in Boston, on the general subject of re moving the Indians, frarri which the following passage is extracted. “I notice much writing, and labor ed essays to prove, from treaties, and otherwise, the rights of the Indians, and arguments strc.ously enforced showing that our relations to these people, as to their particular locations ought not to he violated. So far as these writings imply any intention in the Executive to drive the Indians off, by force; or even refuse (within legal and constitutional limits) to protect them, they are wholly without application. This, I humbly con ceive is not the question. It is one of another sort—and embraces the simple proposition, what is best to be done, all things considered, for saving and bet tering the condition of the Indians'I As well might labored essays he writ ten to prove llte right of a family of children to a family mansion, which had been secured to (Bern by inheii- ♦tfnoe, and by every other soft of bind ing title, and such right brought to hear upon the guardian of these chil-. I ilrcn, as applicable, and conclusive against his efforts to persuade such of these children as might survive the action upon their lives of some deadly elements, originating in the very mans- sion itself to leave it and go where they would be free, in all the future, froox their desolating effects. If the in heritors of this mansion were not idi ots, as well as children, they woul<> go—especially when it should be de monstrated to their very senses, that nothing awaited therti in the mansion/ but extinction; and every thing pre serving and beneficial awaited then* 1 on their removal from it. For my own part, I look upon the Indians— (with some few exceptions of course) —to be nothing hut children, and an# convinced that nothing would be scr good for them as to treat them a». such—provided the object of the treat* ment was to iihprove their condition* and those who undertook their guar*/* dianship were qualified, hot' as ifc . regards the power, and the will, to" advance their happiness. Nobody questions the kind designs of the goW* eminent of this country towards these . people; and it were time thrown a- way to prove that it has, when the Indians are upon lands belonging to* the Federal Government, the power.” Wc presume Col. McKenney, in* writing this part of his letter, had im mediate reference to the very ahlo and unanswerable essays that wer» orginally published in the National Intelligencer at Washington, and have since been do extensively republished throughout a large portion of the Uni ted States, under the signature of “ William Penn.” The ■author of those essays deserves the thanks of all the friends of right, truth, and justice —of the character of the government and the reputation of this country. He has espoused the cause of the In dians with so much industry, zeal, force, and ability, that the support ers of the sentiments and policy of those who would improve their condi tion by removing them from their property, possessions, and homes, in to the wilderness, must resort to the question of expediency! to vindicate a single step iti the prosecution of their objecti Col. McKenney says, that so far a9' the writings in the newspapers “im ply any intention in the Executive to drive the Indians off by force, or even refuse (within legal or constitutional limits) to protect them, they are whol ly without foundation.” But with air due deference to the superior under standing and intelligence of this gen tleman on this subject, we would re mind him, that there are many ways of accomplishing such an object as the Executive, and Col. McKenney, and the New York “Indian Board,” and other “friends” of the Aborigines have, in view, viz. “clearing them out” from Georgia and Alabama and send ing tlicin to the woods, besides driving them at the point of the bayonet. A treaty like multitudes of others that have been made with different tribes, under circumstances equally coercive as if actual force had been used, would answer the purpose. It is an easy thing to bring Indians to tcifas,, when they know before hand that' they must in the end come to terms. ‘ They have discernment enough to see through our plans and policy, though they have not strength enough to re-' sist them. “Nobody,” says &ol. Me- Kenney, “questions the kind designs, of the government towards these peo ple.” We are sorry to be under the necessity of contradicting this gentle-’ man, but we must say that we. be lieve multitudes of people question the fact and we know of a good irrtmy that entertain a directly opposite opiiH ion. When we hear it openly said, and repeated, in public newspapers, and elsewhere, by (hose who would at least lay claim to respectability of character, that Indian titles to lands which they have possessed for un , known ages, are of no value;-that treaties solemnly entered into with them by our national government are not constitutional, and of course not obligatory even upon us; and when we see the administration of the na tional government putting forth ex travagant, and prepqstcrous senti ments on the general subject of In dian lights, and ludian security; all the professions of friendship they may severally make of kindness, and friend ship, to these feeble and defenceless objects of personal speculation, ami political hostility, will receive but\ little attention, or gain but little ere.-