Newspaper Page Text
*V*
be Case of the Cherokee Nation *-
gainst the State of Georgians it was
introduced, argued, and determined,
In that Court, at the last January
term. The contents of the volume
are—ths Bill tiled on behalf of the
Cherokee Nation; the Supplemental
till: the arguments of Mr. Sergeant
and Mr. Wirt; the Opinion of the
Court, as delivered by Chief Justice
Marshall; the several Opinions of Mr.
Justice Johnson and Mr. Justice Bold
win. and the Dissenting Opinion of
Mr. Justice Thompson, concurred, in
by Mr. Justice Story. Mr. Peters
lias given a very useful Appendix, ol
documents, including the Treaties,
Acts of Congress, Acts of the Legis
lature of Georgia, and a Judicial Op
inion, to which reference has been
made in the Cherokee question.
, JVal Int.
From the Mis-ionary Herald.
CHOCTAWS. #
.illstract from a teltar of Mr. Cushman,
dated at Hebron, Tiiarcb 16th, 1831.
Feelings of the People respecting their
Removal.
It was mentioned at p. 335 of the
last volume, that a, treaty was made
in September last, between the Choc
taws and Commissioners Iroin the
government of the United States, by
which the former agreed to sell the
coyntrv now occupied by them, and
remove across the Mississippi—-Only
a small part of the Clio, taws are in
favor of the treaty, or of selling, their
country at any rate; and most of thos
who did approve oi the treaty, did so
because they supposed 'hat they
should ultimately be compelled to re
move, and therefore, thought it ad
visable to make the best terms thpy
could. Many of them, ho vever, have
since hoped that this treaty would not
be ratified, and that *hey should again
have opportunity to action the subject .
Yesterday »ve received intelligence
that the treaty with the Choctaws is
raiifi-ul by the Senate of the .United
Slates. It has given a great, shock
to the minds of the people in' this
neighborhood. By information from
various sources, it was supposed to
be almost certain, that the treaty
would not be ratified; and if it had not
been the people were determined to
hazard all consequences, and hold on
upon their country to the extent of
their power. They had hoped that
they might yet retain the land of their
fathers.
' The spirit manifested by the peo
ple has been very interesting. As
tho spring approached, they were
much oojbigcd in preparing their fields,
and numbers have already commenced
pi .uting corn. Theiehas also been
an increased interest upon the subject
of religion. We have had for some
time past, two weekly conference
meetings, the one in the south, the
other in the north villages, contigu
ous to this place. Thirty and forty
are often-present at these meetings.
Two of those whom we formerly hop
ed wore pious, but who afterwards
went astray, have come before the
congregation on the Sabbath, of their
own accord. and # with apparent hu
mility and re pant a nee, have acknowl
edged their trnns<r' , essinns and asked
forgiveness, with the expression of a
hope, that through grace they may
henceforth be kept from falling into
sin. There appears to be a relenting
also in the breast ol some of the others
that had gone astray. I have had
hope for some time past that the
Lord Jesus was about to. revive his
work among this people. But 1 trem
ble with anxious solicitude lest their
midsi should again become whollv
engrossed with their temporal situa
tion and prospects. In view ol alt
circumstances relative to this church
and people, my mind is sometimes ex
eriesed with anxiety and snliotpcR*
almost to an ngojpy. I fear that some
of my sorrow is that which worketh
death. Oh that l could always say,
“Father, glorify thy name;” “Sav*
thy people and give not thy heritage
to reproach;” “tyo it- for thy name
sake.”
T/ials to which the Christian party are
subjected.
The hostility and even severe per-
sfcution, to wfeich the pious Choc
taws are exposed from those oftheii
country-men who oppose the Gospel
have been repeatedly noticed. Thes.
trials have been increased since Un
laws of the State«of Mississippi have
been extended over the Indians? and
jhe laws of the latter, excluding in
toxication liquor, have beeu abolished
Thdse feeble and exposed members I responding benefit. Wo.have no no
of the Church,are entitled to the sym-- tibn of approving such Humbugs.
paOiy and the prayers of all the friends P. Si Since the above was writ
of Christ.
That you may have a clear view
ten,' 1 we have learned that the disaf
fected Indians are composed pf small
of the trials and temptations to which bands of the Sac, Fox, and Winneba
gO tilbes; that a large portion of the
several nations have 'removed, ac
cording to the treaty; and thht those
remaining express very hostile feel
ings towards tlio United States.
. Republican.
CliKRtTkEE IX.
the Christian Indians are exposed* I
will relate one circumstance. A
than in this neighborhood, Who is vipry
deal, gave evidence of piety, and was
received into tire church. Flis ex
ample as to industry and Christian de
portment was worthy of imitation; and
itis unblemished' character no doubt
renderccNnm a more desirable prey
for the enemy. At length he was be
sieged by them, and every art and
stratagem ivaa made use of, till he
lin.d/y parleyed with the tempter and
darnk a little. Their prey was tak
en. He finally drank till he became
completely intoxicated.. After he
became saber (tis wile, who appears
to be truly pious, told him that they
had professedly set out together in the
ro.iil to heaven; that they had walked
td^ethrr for a while; but'that he had
now turned out iti the road to hell
She told him further, that if lie would
continue (o go on in that way, It*
must go alone, and they could walk
togetheie no tho e;lqr she could mu. er
leave the bright path’ thin sin* li.u-i
fodud. "She then foil upon her knees,
and prayed in*lhe inusi mulling, tV*
vent rummer for the soul ol In r* poftd
husband. ”1 bis iouehed his heart.
He melted also, confessed his sin, ami
resolved never more.to taste the ac
cursed thing. After (his he was at
tacked again by the enemy. He was
requested to drink, but refused, It
was urged that he had iBank once,
and he might as well drink again. He
still refused. Finally every thing
was said that - could he, to iflueuce
him to drink, but m stood firm. Hm-
ing fail' d in all this* they seized him,'
and held him fast, mid turned whisky
mlo his mouth; hut as ofteu as this
was repeated, lie eras enabled to eject
it without swallowing a drop. Find
ing all their efforts fail, one says,
‘ This man lias done nothin., amiss, and
he now takes all this ill treatment
patiently, ami we do wrong to use him
so. If he has a mind to be a Christian,
let him be a Christian.” Many cir
cumstances of a similar character
might be mentioned.
compensation for the trouble and loss-1 infcon uearhimjlc. as his lelflr Isa private
es they will suslain v it is but a small ! ono, not written lor the purpose of pub-
_ .it • „ A „... _ 1’ < l«. li/>atinn Iim non I rl havo tin At Iioct IA d utinrr
NEW ECHOTA JUJ.Y 0, 1S31.,
Sot#eticne since We published an cst-viict
of a letter from a con-e--.pnnilcnt giving
an account of the "con (buy of three of the
Georgia Guard at a certain Baptist meet
ing. We hesitated ior dome time, as we
stated tlr^n, to make that'act ount public,
hot as »ve had’tve y reason to believe that
the writer was a man of veracity, and as
we understood him to lie ‘a<< eyewitness
of the transactions, he related, ave finally
concluded to insert a pan of his commu ii.
cation, fhe statement, wl- understand
has since been denied In some, it we
h ive-be.en guilty of publ sh>ng an account
which tias no foundStiOn in truth, or
%■ ally -ex igg-'rated, we would like to
knew it, that we may make sifliable correc.
lain, a-> we sa 1 on a to her\>ccasion, we
wi-h to do what is rifjhG It is far from
our w eh to injure any set of inen, among- 1
wh-un we tak tire liberty to include the
G .oigia Guard*, !i w have rn the above
j -. s auce done then) haim. when we are
! convinced pf it we shall he glad to make
| all cessary,concessions. If ary tfespecla-
| hi*' person who was present at the meeting
alluded ib will send us a communication,
disproving i he slaO-on-nt of our convi-
ponuent, we will readily publish it. Our
co fid'nee,.however, in the veiacity Of
i Oi friend is by no means impaired nor
will it be until his account is proved to
he false or intentionally exaggeiaied.
Sr. Louis. Mat 31.
Movement against the Indians.— On
;i requisition from the Governor ol
Illinois, n detachment of six compa
nies of United ’States’ troops from
the 3d and 6th regiments, left Jeffer
son Barracks yesterday, in the s'e tn-
hoat Ki-terp-ise, for Rock Island, 1o
quiet some difficultirs at present
existing between our citizens and
the Sac and Fox Indians in that
neighborhood. -The detachment, n *
understand, is accompanied by Gen
eral Gains*-. We Dave no very
definite account of the origin of the
listurbanues; the Indians are said to
be tiie aggressors; to have tres
passed upon the property of the
whites, hurtling tludr ;enies, &c.—
The land U|ion which these Indians
reside vvas sold by them to the Uni
ted States, but by some arrangement
they »were allowed to • emahi o it
for a longer time than stipulated in
the treaty.. They are now unwilling
to remove, being much attached to
it as the burial place of their forefa
thers; and it is thought necessary to
apply force to effect the object..
The following officers Uccrimpanf
the 'expedition, viz: Capt. J Brown.
6th Inf. Commanding; Ld, ,T. F.
Drayton, do. Adjutant ;*Lt. Cplcock,
3d Inf. A Qr. Mast.hr; Lt. Brooks,
6th Inf. Oidnance Olfiepr; Capt. No
el, 6th Inf.; Lt Wheeler, 3d Inf. J
Lt. Vanderveer, 6tb Inf.; Lt. Le
gate, 3d Inf; Capt. Rogers, 6th Inf.;
Lt. Vanswearengen 6th Inf; 'Ll.
Linden. 6th Inf; Lt Alexander,
6th Inf; Lt. Rovster, 6^h Inf
We understand that Gov. Reynolds,
of Illinois, has put in requisition a
part of the militia of that State.-r-
The same conduct in Gov. Milier, of
this State, met the disapprobation
of the people, and Gov. Reynolds
also deserves censure. There can
be no necessity for these frequent
drafts upon the services of the mili
tia, when United Slates’ troops are
stationed at a point so favorable for
being pul in immediate requisition
Such movements are very prop-
perly regarded as popularity hunting
scliemesmn the part of their authors,
’>y which lasge sums ol Uucle Sam’s
money are made to circulate bribe
disturbed districts, without any cor-
malter to deprive them of the privi
lege of choosing their own chiefs.
I cannot.-.doubjjiybut Sficll?pf6ceediiigs
will one day bu^lllowed oy -merited
reprobation frodSi man as well ai by
the jusF judgments of heaven.
SUFFERING^ OF 1 Hfc CREEKS.
Copy ot a letter to Mr. John Rnig*, from
a gentleman in Troup County, Geor
gia', dated May &5lh, 1831.
Sir,—I received yours dated Wash
ington Uily IS march. I called a
meeting of the Creeks and had it in
terpreted to them, find .then gave
them mjr opinion in relation to (lie dt-
eision.
At the meetipg of all the Nation,
m (Iia return i)fTkF : V9&t>‘tleput atiuns,
they addn-siiedia IfctTflV.to the Pi'-esi*
id'eut,, giyittjg sprung reasons why llicy
did not wimi-" lo'ifreinovp, also "begging
lor sii answer ’to fhcif several enqui
ries in relation to - the Whites mov
ing into tlicir country, and the pay-
fitent of the annuity. They also rep
resented the several murders that
havo taken place on the frontier of
the red people by the Georgians.—
In the course of thiwthree I st months
there have been Evenly Indians Kill-
jh! on the frontier of Georgia by the
whites! They hunt tin ax and shoot
them 1 as if ..they were so many wild
lisgs!!
'Five (^reek Chief-who was sued
in Shelba County for stopping the
toad cotters was fitted in a Judge ent
of one fhotveand dollars, as I have
just understood. They promised to
give.me notice of the Court, but fail-
cd -therefore I Was not present at
the trial,
The other day I received a letter
from Opotli-yo-ho-lo, Tuckabatchee
Micco and James Boy, stating the
fact of the Judgment and inquiring if
I could do any thing for theiil. I
shall employ some Attorney ond
make an attempt to •remove the
cage, v
General Coffee litw^Iid live Creeks
nntother visit, bnt ^ds yct, I have not
particularly nndcrslood his business.
h*t it is believed bis object is, to as
certain how many wish to emigrate.'
fie is now among the upper towns
Running Wstf.rs, i
14ib June, 1631. ^
Mr. Boudjnot,
Sin,— Hie state of Georgia as a
Government | 'presume, would not
issue orders to murder these Indians,
but the cruel policy ol Gen. Jackson
„ t >i] of that state, has a pfiivcilu!
inHuenfe oil the wicked ntrtl profli
gate, to cxeivise Jheir inliumnn fero-
on the now deft,'3ue*ejs Cltero-
and ( recks. Who are the
klitne saVi, S e people? Who heathen? no.'
GEORGIA AND THE MtSSIONA-
RiE6.
It has again become our duty to record
lui-rlier arrests of missionaries by ibe
Georgia Guam], On la.-t t hursUay , Rev.
James t. * IVott, Mfiiiodrst Itnurani
preacii r, ivliose arret! and unpiisonment
we latc.y liad occasion to notice, w a.-, a-
gaio tHKi-n. In toe e> emr.g ol the saine
day a detactnrient *ot tnc Guaid, comman
ded by B.ouks, aj ived ai tins place and
arrestcu the Rev. Samuel A. 'v aicester;
ami we understand ■’iiother (.arty .vent to
Turnip Aiounw*'* to take Dock Butin.
It is said also ti.-y !#v a Cherokee' along,
arrested tui cigg.ng W*-- a.-e not
yet ceitan lvlic-ihn- Air. WofCCMCi,on
account oi the uate of his iai.uljr vv ‘ i *
be la n min Georgia. It is wail m.-.wiI
to ib» . >tiic< . of (he Guard, we presuake^
ui liai a i'eelii - state oi health Mrs.
Worcestm is. We tlnnlc they will be
soniewhat to bearing otf that account
(a tney un am filed iy ought{one.) i'lims- city
day my;hr Mi. Worcester "was t >ei«itUcd ] Icmis
to I'CinaHi in li.s own imuse, and car:y on I
Friday he was taken to O ilogee where , . . _ _ ,
ihe Aomn,aimer-war qua. t.who tnc the pagans? Can the .world.
1 hi se aiUitra.y nicasui es begin to wear I mean the honest portion of il.de-
inr ai .clio.y n-.-m.j i b- y show how j nominate these nations by such epi
thets, nlulc our people are unresist
iai j-.-isecuta.ii..
ru'd in a r ;>u:>i .
iv di ojie:) ilC ey r
’l hey u inili n bf
in ty , &. -it Ini ;• v
nil
.sm can b' car
go. i l mu'ui't. But tliey
i i'll* people ere .-bug—
en in then- naked ileior-
ii> the i tin obaiion of
ingly suffering in their trials'?
I have often wondered at the iron
1 nerves of those states who attempt
th’.- nhide cn/i ieeti wort'Hit honest nor-i , . „
turn of tin* c.iiunun.ly ar.'already awauirifi, , ® ■ iidlOllS by force of Ctr-
aiiu are bcginniiigdo inquire why this sy»- eiljnstanccs. .fro«i the lauds of their
No pi-tv or shamo coom.in,
t«ni ol pciaccution is i-ari ind
in siich 1 lathers.
Iicqtion, he could hav« no object is stating
things which had no foundation. Besides,
the fact of the Chiefs complaining on the
subject to the President af the United
States shows that there have been mur
ders, or at least the Creeks believed and
ivpre confident that ihere were murders
committed on some of their coualrymen
by the whites. This is not all, however,
which has convinced us. About a month
sine* wc were informed af these .'-finic Rav
age acts,but as our informatien was not ruf
.ficiently aii'h.emicated we have heretofore,
said nothing about it. But we can no Ion
ger refrain—we must do our duty aad ex
pose the blackest feature in the oppression
of the Indians.
The. r' a ler will naturally inquire.,
“what can be the object of the whites in
thust'-eating the Indians?” We will state
what wp suppose to be the object. From?
all accounts that we can hear, the Creeks
are in a wretched condition owing to the
scarcity of provisions among them. In f.d-
dition to the drought which ruined thair
craps tha last summer, the Government by
its faithless conduct towarda them, cut
short their means of subsistence. Every
person who has paid any attention to the
progress of Indian affairs is well acquaints
e»l with the circumstances. Under the
inducements held out by the United States
to those wh wdtiiiWhnigrale to the West
oi the Mississi i(>i, a large portion of the"
Creeks agreed t6 rentov • and made pre
parations accordingly. Expecting to ba
supported ag(peahly to the provisions of
the Indian Bill, th *y neglected to plant
their corn. After the time of planting
lia.l passed away, and when these poor
Creeks were*p, epared to go to the west of
the Mississippi, a cemmuntcal'on from their
great father arrived, informing them that*
no (icrtian of the Creek nation couiu t.e
removed at the expense of the Govern
ment, unlevs tlie whole trihe agreed to gel
i'liis is wli.it we call faithless iond\i' l of
the Government, and tins is the orig.n of
the piesent distresses oi the Creeks, it >a
to be traced to the fountain head.
Such being the wretched condition of
ihese people, their means of subsistence!
cut aft’, partly hy the Executive of the U-
*Ued States, ursned by famine, it is pre
sumable that some individuals among tueno
as among ail olio r people, have been guil
ty ot taking property belonging to iho
while people. For this they tire pursued
with vengeance by liaise wh* have extend
ed their civilized ami chnstian laws over
them—laws which do not allow .punish*
mem, as Mr. Eat u says, [dee below] un
til the criminal1 is^dnvicted in a court of
justice. We suppose then, the abject of
the whites in killing the Indians, jn tj.ift
manner stated, mutt he to lake sattsiacRoii
for property stolen. That t his is the cate
we have reasen to believe from the iollow-
iii^ information communicated to us some
time siilcP nj' an inteUig-eut gentleman;
A wmte man r^'A:^ n a the frontier of
the Creek nation, while fiuAVg tfiiouglj.
the woods, found a small company Oi iV
if la ns barbecuing one of his cattle, lie
returned t« bis hou&e and csllecteu a lew
of his neig hors, who, with their guns,
vve^pt anu charg u upon the Indians, i ney
shot two or three and dispersed the rcs«!
an uorRieuting niitnn«i ? As a specimen | dwell in their minds, but go on tvifiv y^ow what will the civilized world say
lowing extract°of tt ietter'recefvSi by the j !* U ' acc0n, l^!!) 1 * ,cnt of W'™ (,es 'g 08 #*|'ta^hesc acis? W hat will the honest and
• 1 if we were Wolves or
last 'mailt T , , ,
Wu.'liave read with deep interesl F/on%tiictbr
Tigers or t he
know (Ire Chiefs
the proceedings of Georgia and of the ! *^ 1S notion, their feelings and the
General Government iifregard to the j feelings of the people. Xhey look, il
missionaries in your nation. * * *
Oppression will no doubt reach its u(-
must limit ere long. There is ^
point where-endtirattjpe on the part of
the people ol the United Slat.es will
cease; already some of the best friends
of the Presidegt and of the admini$-
tratiqn are astonished at the extrem
ities, to which they in concert with
Georgia are driving their system of
persecution and oppression. Slill
6fttf interesl hlinds the minds qnd hard
ens the hearts of multitude^.
Extract of a' fetter to the Editor, dated,
Choctaw Nation, 21st June 1881.
Information has been rec *ived* in
this nation that provision will be made*
for the removal of one*half of the
Choctaws this autumn, and the re
maining half in a year from that time.
The Choctaws, at least the greater
part of them had chosen chiefs
Is lead them to their new-Country
rtian those who made the treaty, but
Government will not recognize Jhern.
The old chiefs are to be sustained at
least for the present. Havirtg tHien
away their country not only against the
will of the common people, bgt
without giving them a reasonable
they do look iu vain, to the poeple of
the Unile'd States to see their suf
ferings, and heal, their wrunds, by
enforcing the laws and treaties in
their behalf. If they read the opin
ion of the Supreme Ceurt and re
spect it,.they will 6ompel their ser
vants, the President and Congress
to grant us Justice. If not the act
of-robbery must transpire, for* Gen.
Jackson shall never say he has effect
ed a treaty from the Cherokee Na
tion by his policy.
, • Yours &c.
JOHN RIDGE.
O^r^adi^^perhaps, will be startled
atJficHrfoi-niattdh ' of murders contained
in (tie foregoing letter. Can it be pessi.
ble that the poor Creeks are reduced to
such sufferings, and .can civilized people
be guilty of such barbarous acts? VVe
wish ferthe honor of humanity we coaid
say, no. But we are compelled'to ad
mit «vhat otherwise we are loath tq -be
lieve. The author of the letter, whose
name is'in our possession, we understand
is a highly respectable & intelligent gen
tleman, residing in the neighborhqod of
where these transactions have taken place.
He must be supposed to know what is go-
humane part of Georgia-s&y to the acts of
their citizens? Where a. v the ben. to
-be derived from the extension of civilized
laws over the Indians? and where is mat
justice which is to be meted out eqfiuily
to tha white and red man? Every goad
man, and indeed every man who has any
rd for the honor of his country must tso
onished and weep, in view *1 these e-
jvents. It cannot be .disguised—they are
all the effects of the policy pursuit to raids
the Indians. The Governmsnt lias with
drawn the protection promised in treaties,
which has heretofore been the stay and
support of .the Indians, and the slat’s nave
passed laws which indirectly sanction all
the evils which are now taking place.—
By these laws Indian testimony is not al>
lowed, and therefore, as Has already bee’ll,
the case, the red .roan may be shot down,
with impunity.
It would appear from the foregsing let-
tor that the President ii about to take a«h«
vantage of the condition of the Creeks.
After refusing to remov e a portion oft hem
who had made preparation for that pur
pose, he llfis sent an agent to ascertain how-
many will now agree to go. It is hoped,
perhaps, that about this time the entire
people have become $o wretched that they
can easily be induced to emigvate.
For all the sufferings the Creeks are not*
enduring, the only consolation which they*