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never henrtf the Cherokees contplrfm-
cd of the laws of Georgia. Referring
to the essays of VViliiam Penn, he
said, “There appeared daring Irtet
summer, wrick lij week, in a central
pgper widely circulated, a series of
numbers, which have since been laid
upon our tables in a pamphlet ingen
iously written, (ea- parte, to be sur?,}
plausibly written, (giving one view of
it Was reasonable and proper. He
£-***- raumtp flfKWtv *r
JNO. IF. WHEELER,
At #3 BO tf paid in advance, $8 m six
'xpontlis, or t-S 56 if paid at the,end o the
T%o subscribers who can read only the
(Cherokee language the price will be SR.ffi.00
;in advance, or $3,60 to be paid within thr
year. _ • .
Every subscription will be considered as
continued unless subscribers give notice to
the contracy before the commencement of a
.rjeiv year far rl all arrearages paid.
• I Anv nersoa procuring six subscribers
. 1 • ill ~ t' ..
first asserted, that the contemplated
measure would bo advantageous to
the United States? To prove this,
be went into some detail. The land
lobe obtained from the Indians would
sell for more money than the removal,
and all the subsequent charges, would
demand, lie declared that ihe whole
Choctaw nation is willing to remove;
that the Creeks are willing to follow;
mid that he bclievc-da majority of the
Cherokees will oho remove volunta
rily'. He added, that the only effect
oi exertions in behalf of the Indians in
the House, and especially out of ft.
will be to make it necessary to pay a
large sum for their lands. After
reading a passage from Mr. M'Coy’s
pamphlet on the removal of the In
dians, be pronounced a strong encomi
um on that grpileman’s knowledge,
piety x *»nd success as a missionary.
Mr. Hell had spoken an hour and a
aitjuion ’\o representation in
re, *#birh frpmes- the-bw»<
i they lire to be governed,
hot ask the 'co’m-
uiittce to rise on his account: but
would avail himself of some future
opportunity to finish what lie had to
78* i>*-a
opo.tb.c"fviiei v’su’jr, tc;-:; TEiio-fue -
JAwWw.l. K*thz T>$1? '"©#®y*V7 , O’SvIB.
•>
Mr. Lumpkin, of Georgia, cose and
in all the papers into which these
numbers were copied, scarcely a sin
gle paragraph appeared by way of
correction of explanation.” In this
way, as Mr. Cell 'supposed^-the ques
tion had been misrepresented, and
the public mind perverted.','
Now. as to these ’jfoeftmded facts,
it is sufficient to soy, that not one of
them, which has any material bearing
on the question, has a particle of evi
denced 0. so.
eonumimt
should first be deprived of their char
acter by the grossest slander, as a rea
son why they should next be depriv
ed of their country by the grossest in
justice.
Some cf the principles, which were
because owe of his shipmasters discov- 1 native, but that by no means removes'
erfj a certain shore from the deck of
liisjsiiip, (for this is (lie claim oi dis
covery defended by Georgia ) is sen
sible and rational; but whether it is
right or wrong thus to dispossess the
original inhabitants, we need not
trouble ourselves to inquire.
Mr. Beil quoted from the opinion of
the Supreme Court, as delivered by
the subject',) and written with grcaUMiidge Marshall, the following word*:
ability, (though all on cno side;) and' “The original inhabitants of this con-
“ ' " ti'nent were admitted to bp the rightful
ifocu prints of llie soil, with a legal as
the imputation of cruelty. We are
compelled to differ widely with the
Secretary os to the character of the
alternative. Me maintain that the
measures of the government have im
posed on the Cherokeee, a necessity
of choosing one of two evils. The
Secretary admits that (he government
olfGeorgia is net suited in its applica
tion to the manners; habits ar.d ’dispo*.
sitions, the wants and necessities of
the Cherokees; becansc they are so
different from those cf the formei, and;
11 adjust claim tb retain possession consequently, the Cherokees cannot
if, and to use it According to their be happy tinder such-a government,
oi*:n discretion.” On this sentence | But there is another still stro- ger
Jjh\ Bell remarked, that, “according! reason which the Secretary seems to
tp its broad meaning, the Indians had Lave overlookedthe unequal terms
which ore imposed on the CheroWdjj.
AGENTS FOR TIIE CHEROKEE
PH CEN1X.
g .persons are authorized to
subscriptions and payments for the
Phoenix. '
Peirce Et Williams, No. 20
St. Boston, Mass.
rgl M. Tracy, Ageat of the A. B.
M. New York.
. A. D. Eddy, Canandaigua, N. Y.
Hastings, Utica, N. Y.
. James Campbell, Beaufort, S. C.
ii.liam Moultrie liaiD, Charleston,
C.
Col. George Smith, Statesville, W. T.
Jsrewau Acsti:,, Mobile, Ala.
Itev, Cyrus Kingsbury, JVlayhcw, Choc
taw (ffalion.
Ca;»t. William Robertson, Augusta
Geo. *
CoS’ James Turk Bellefonts, Ala.
was commencing a speech, when it ap-1 laid down by Mr. Bell, are the roi-
I will mark them ns queta-
aj,perfect title; but,” said he, “we
must give the passage a common seqse
interpretation,.” What that, inter pre-
ion was,ip. ■> .bg djjl
Vriiyrn-
mnfridv -tfiift ^U'fge Marshall anti
wncelW'K£ut had entered into
speculative reasoning, and that their
arguments were dicta, and not decis
ions. it happens, however, that the
American people know very well hon
to estup.ate the deliberate opinions of
these eminent jurists, and#of the Su
preme Court as\u(>vhide.
f ND1A.TS.
peared that many members wished j lowing. I will mark them ns qucta-\ Once mere: Mr Bed said “be was
the committee to fisc, so that blr.jiions, for they will be'given in nearly inol requi ed to j b into '.be drive
Bell might go«through with his stute-^MU-exact words of the speaker, and —by whi-h he is '.supposed to |
meats and reasonings. The cries of will represent his meaning fairly jffove meant, that i: Cl
•‘■gOon, go on,” seemed about equal j “As to the difference between a!
to those of “rise, rise,” and Mr. law*a-nd a treaty dictated, 1 leave it
Lumpkin knew not whether tp stop • to the modern philanthropist to do
or to proceed. lie was so much in-! cide:” which, iy plain English, is os
terrupted, however, that he soon ! follows: I nnyane it ns n fact that we
gave way to a motion for rising, and eompelled^^Inrlians, by our superi
or-power fflj|si-.ill, to make such trea
ties os weTfli-ased; and therefore we
the committee rose accordingly, y
On Friday, *May 14th, there was4n
effort to devote the day to private ; gave the law to the Indians, and as we
bills. The friends of the Indians were ! gave the law wc may repeal ii: that
not united cm the point., whether it u. wc may abrogate treaties with In
dians at’ pleasure. Or thuv. Me
made just such a bargain w ith the In-
wae wisest and best, to continue the
(liscnssio.rof the Indian question, or
to occupy the time with other sub
jects. “Had t bey beetf pefIectry ufnt-
iiO <1 given ' .ie
c.diiins a perfect right* ?® their cour.-
ry, it would not change our desire to
obtain more Indian lauds? nod theie-
IVre it tvas not worth w’.iie to ascer
tain, whether God had given the 1 w-
ditus any rights, or not. “Wc sit
hole.” he added, “by a commission
from the white societies around us,
that is, the states: we can go no fur
ther,” In other.words, we are sent
hither to take cure of tlie interest ol
the whites If tke In<3foes have any
and an inability to give ovulenc-win
a court ol justice, where a white mar.
is a parly, (u the language cf Boss
(the chief magistrate of the notion)
‘ by the laws of Georgia, the lives,
liberty and property of the Cheri-hrrs
ore left exposed to the mercy ol ihe
assns-in, the tyrant and the robber,
piovided the foul deed can bet ,-s-
oape the eye of on honest while
man.” A compulsion to sv.hn-it In
luv.s of Georgia, would be to the
Ui’.erokees ar. evil almost insupporta
ble, yet the Secretary of War ecu?
tends that there is no inhumanly m
requiring the Indians to submit to this
evil, or to remove from the Imd r f
llieir birth—the scenes of, their infan
cy and the homes cf their riper years
—lhoii improved possessions, and the
forests rendered familiar ly iho chase’;-
to seek a strange land among barbari
ans, whose language and character
are to them unknown. Ar.d is tVi’fo
freedom? It is an election lobe sure.
iiians ao tii? a*id tlwtrefore,ave?taWrs
arc rot bound to foHH the very tetris
Froiwtlic New Yok Odserver. .
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN
BILL.—NO. VI.
The la«t number of this series
brought down the history of the Indian
bill, till it passed the Senate, on the
iTith of April. '
The inquiry has often been made,
why Mr. Webster did not put forth his
groat powers, while this question was
pending in the Senate. It is proper,
therefore, that it should be staled, that
be was confined by ill health to his
chamber, during the earliest and mosi
important part of the discussion; fcml
that, after he had resumed iiis seat,
bis strength was not adequate to any
effort, which he would have deemed
worthy of the subject. His views
were perfectly well known, and wore
as firmly and decidedly ut favor of the
‘claims of the Indians, as wjere the
views of any member of (he Senate.
His name, among the yeas on Mr.
Frelinghuysen’s amendments, and a-
jpoitg the nays on thq^p issnge of (be
Will, is a sufficient indication of wlw.t
be thought on the merits of the ques-
ti°»-* v ' ,-m'"
When the bill came into the House
.of Representatives; the subject of the
tariff was under discussion, and wps
mot finally disposed of till more than n
i'ort nighVha d elapsed.
At last, Thursday, May lStb, on
'SriQtion offMr. Bell, Chairman of the
Coipinitlce on Indian Affairs, the bill
was taken up. There was an effort
to.take op each of several other sub-
jeots; but this prevailed.
Mr. Bell . proceeded to state the
grounds of the bill, and to show that
* Mr. W. lias recently delivered bis sen
timents on this subject to thousands of his
fellow citizens assembled in Boston. He
asserted the claims of the Indians in
the most dc?_cided manner, and closed by
declaring, that he had read Mr. Wirt’s
.’Nspinion iatelj- published, and approved of
it entirely, ana without exception-.
he tin election who has a eboiefe'
rights, or in' c reels, it <s uot s ,c®r busi- [ between death nr cl (lie penitentiary.
p*>*6 tc take care of them; even though . Suppose the Cherokees slicuhi prefer
Our nation has engaged to do so a thou- j returned to slavery, their < migrr'.ioh
sand times over. j would be none the less constraiird
Tb( : p f> are the priuripal points of|&, compulsory. They look upon i c;i-
Mr. Bell's speech. I do not know, gralion as an evil, notwithstanding the
seductive inducements held out
them by government to remove,
they, as an inde,endent
i he allowed
ed in preferring oilier subjects of le- j-which we proposed, and they accept-
irislalion, they probably would iiavcjed. If a general should overpower
defeated the bill. It was exceeding- j hiVenomy, and thus compel a capita-.
ly difficult, liowcver, to know which | lalion, he i3 not boupd by the terms wbctlier it was published, in any form,
was the wisest course. T.lie Indian j which he himself proposed. As'he The v ords nvirkcd as quotations.; are
hill was lotion up, and Mr. Biiil pro- j obliged the adverse forces to surren- his own words; and the comment up
cceiled, and occupied the fioor fl^otn a der, he may now, since he has gpttep on them is fair and natural, assigning
quarter before one to a quarter after j the arms oot of their hands, turn qjpon them the true meaning, which the
live. During this-period, lie uttjtfcd , tffem and cut off their heads For.* speaker intended they should convey
many things which had no relation to 1 ag he had power to enforce lohdt terms - The voice and manner of Mr. Bell,
the subject; stated many things as he pleased, who can deny that he may ahd the expression of his countenance. Indians, because they are unsuscepti-
facts, of wliiclt lie could have had no ; violate (hose tennis as toon as he pleas-1 are'SgrceaUe. It would not be fait j hie of civilization. Wnivingouneb-
proofs, and some of which are ^piori- i e s. Whoever doubts the morality ■ to judge of his powers of reason eg by 'jections to the fallacy of Iiis conc-lu-
rifslyx false: and laid down varjpus j and fairness of this course, is, without this experiment. He was most ev’p jsion, though his premises were admis-
p|inciples of national conduct, which : question, “a modern philanthropist.” clentIy conscious that be bad a bad
are totally indefensible in a moral j Again: “The time for speculative cause, and that all attempts to sup-
point of view. reasoning has lon^ since passed; we i pbii it by argument must he hopeless
Homo of his pretended facts are the must be guided by experience:” that ! indeed, there was no speech made in
icuui-m nation must
to decide on this OjECstion
for themselves.
But the Secretary of War maintains
that it is right we should remove (he
following: In all altenjpts to civilize I is; we are not toinquirewvhat is right,
the Indians, for 209 years, it has been 1 what is fair, what is honorable; but
j found that the Indirn will always ro- ! what lias been the practice hitherto,
j lapse. All attempts to prevent the i If we find, that it has been the custom
j introduction of ardent spirits have i to cheat Indians, it is very idle tu talk
proved rnejfcctu.nl. With the Chero-1 of relinquishing so venerable a custom,
keqs, there has iieeii a systematic ar-1 To this doctrine of Mr. Bell, we may
rangement for years, to .deceive (lie j add, that if we cannot prove (bat our
public. The press was established ; ancestors ever violated a solemn trea-
for this purpose. It has been con- ty with the Indians, we can assert
ducted with considerable ability, and that they would have done so, if it
the paper has been exchanged. It is had been lor their interest; and, in
not conducted by Cherokees, excepj many bases, assertion against all evi-
iq part, but “fcy some of our own spt-1 deuce answers just as well, as if the
cies.” [Mr. Bell doubtless meant by j proof were Unquestionable. No max-
whites.] In 1817, the missionaries 1 im has been more frequently in the
became settled among the Cherokees.
The next year, the Indians decided,
m council, that they were not under
the government of the United Steles.
The determination to remain, and to
claim entire sovereignly, originjfiirl
wifb' niSwfrujaries and their cnTpioy-
ers. Ho ditfJM suppose that the re
moulds of the and-Indians, Ilian this
same declaration, that the time for
inquiry into abstract right is pnst.-*-
This is said with as much gravity^ as
|f nobody could doubt it; whcrca&jt
is totally without support from rea
son, or even ffom expediency iUeif.
The right of discovery, as
favor of the bill, in either bouse,
which was not utterly contemptible as
an argument ,
At tka close of this opening speech,
Mr. Storr? obtained the floor, and the
committee -rose. A high expectation
was excited in regard to the morrow.
, Veritatis Amans.
From the Virginia Patriot.
THE CHEROKEES.
John Ross (principal Chief of the
Cherokee nation) submitted a letter to
the late convention of the General
Council, from the Secretary of War,
which, is said to contain the sentiments
of the President concejuupg the re
moval of <lift. Cherokees, and tjic
tJPfif in future, in case they do uot re
mave. i
For want of room, vjMUmiiot pub
list) the letter in f^irtlH,H‘ill on!)
Again: “The right of discovery, as riiakc a few extracts
ligious public knew this. The mo- claimed by Europeans, is sensible, it! ofj lt as strike tis most forcl
lives of the maBs of religious people | is rational—whether it is right or j comment as wc go along,
might be good- It was the leaders, > wrong, is another question.” Those! The . Secretary assi
who urged forward tho Indians to! are the exact words of the orator; by | is no cruelty or inhy/nat
make these claims. The -common which wo are to understand, that the j ing, Uxe Cherokees
Indian is in a stste of degradation in! claim of a-European King to gwuit j suil^po the laws^oipiWrgia.
the view of the chiefs. The common | to bis subjects a belt of land across onkW*v son vvhb'h #ke cj
Indian was the prey, and claimed to be ; the continent of North America, and j.tUat they hove a choice. »ti
the lawful prey, cf the chiefs. lie had to dispossess the original inhabitant*,. | fully admit that they’ haf&tfn altcr-
sible, let ushoar ins reasoning m sup
port .of the opinion, that the Indians r.iq
incapable of civilization. Ileie it
“it is at least but a Utopian thought
to think of civilizing Indians. Na
ture must be first changed. One or
two generations at least must pass a-
uay under a rigid culture, before
these people can be much bencfilled
by science and education. The wild
turkey, though you shall take the er g
and batch it in your barn yard, r ill
hot forget his nature, hut at maturity
will seek the tallest forest tree, at
night fall, for his roosting place. Of
this there are abundant evidence?.
And what does it prove, but that the
“Leopard cannot change bis spots,
nor the Ethiopian Ids skin.” An Al
mighty hand lias stamped .upon every
creature a particular genius, propen-
siiy and leading traits of charpoteF.
,e intendedTo he pursued (pwo/ds jf£he polish ef education may improve,
cannot change, for the imperisha-
I ie there; bars-and dungeons,
iaries and death Itself have
und insufficient, even in rivfo
ociety, to restrain man from
and constrain him to the neres-
f moral and virtuous action.—
lien are we to look for. or ex^
In a community made up of
e and illiterate people. Theory
fancy may prate of such a result I
but, before reality gives impress to it,
ychrs must roll by and a new and im
proved orciu* of things arifle. ThenJ-
sea
ii ir
an
i