Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 14
-THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS-WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1974
Cherokees Head West
By ROY E. BOTTOMS
Prior to the Revoluntionary
war but very little com
munication was held between
the Indians of the Cherokee
nation and the white
inhabitants of Georgia. At the
commencement of that war
the Cherokee country ex
tended from the
eastern slopes of the
Blue Ridge to the Mississippi
river, and from the Ohio river
on the north almost to central
Georgia.
During the Revolution a
portion of the nation formed
an alliance with the British,
their eastern villages were
successfully attacked by the
militia of Georgia and the
Carolinas, and this resulted in
the cession of part of their
territory to the whites.
In the hostalities with the
tribe in 1793 Georgia did not
suffer, as the Creek country
intervened to prevent the
Cherokees from making any
attacks upon the settlements
to the south of their domain,
but the difficulty led to the
treaty of Philadelphia, by
which a large tract of land in
Tennessee and North
Carolina passed into the
possession of the whites.
After this treaty there was
never any considerable
portion of the tribe inclined to
war. Those who preferred the
roving life of the hunters went
west, while the rest settled
down to farming. The State of
Georgia made no effort to
acquire any of the Cherokee
lands within her border until
the Creek lands had all been
opened to settlement.
MOVED WEST
As early as 1803 President
Jefferson suggested the ex
pendiency of removing all the
Southern Indians to lands
west of the Mississippi, but
nothing definite was ac
complished along this line
until after the treaty of July
1817. Provision was made that
all of those whose homes were
upon the lands ceded at that
time should have the privilege
of taking up new homes in the
West if they so desired.
Within the next two years
about one-third of the
Cherokees removed to lands
in the Louisiana Purchase.
About this time Georgia
became somewhat eager to
obtain possession of the
Cherokee lands and in 1820
President Monroe requested
Congress to make an ap
propriation for the ex
tinguishment of the Indian
title to all lands in the state.
An effort in this direction
was made three years later,
but the proposition to remove
the nation was met with the
declaration. “It is the fixed
and unalterable deter
mination of this nation never
again to cede one foot more of
our land.” At this period the
average, full-blooded
Cherokee was without am
bition, and wholly under the
control of his chief. Prac
tically all the chiefs were
either half-breeds, or white
men who had married into the
nation, and they were
responsible for the refusal to
remove from their lands.
A delegation of the chiefs
went to Washington early in
1824, and they were received
with diplomatic courtesy,
against which course the
Georgia representatives in
Congress protested. They
insisted that too much time
had already been wasted, and
that, if a peaceable cession
could not be obtained, the
Indians should be peremp
torily removed and af
terwards indemnifed. The
discovery of gold in the
Cherokee country in 1829
JERRY R. BAGLEY
USED CARS & TRUCKS
We buy and sell used
cars, trucks & motorcycles.
If you have a nice clean motorcycle,
see us before you sell.
See us for all your
automotive repairs-
Engine overhaul, brakes,
tuneups, mufflers, shocks.
Also Acetylene Electric
Welding.
887-3220
caused an influx of
prospectors and increased the
desire on the part of the
whites for the removal of the
Indians.
TROOPS ARRIVE
The situation grew more
complicated in 1830, as
governments claimed
jurisdiction over the
territory. The legislature of
Georgia had passed acts,
intended to apply to Indians
as well as white men after
June 1, 1830, and had ex
tended criminal jurisdiction
over that part of the nation
lying within the state.
The laws of the United
States prohibited anyone
from settling on Indian land
without proper license from
the Federal Authorities. The
Cherokee nation had enacted
that none should settle or
trade on their lands without
first obtaining a permit from
their officials.
To enforce the Federal laws
the government stationed
troops in the gold region. In
October, 1830, Governor
Gilmer wrote to the president,
informing him that Georgia
had assumed jurisdiction, and
requesting the withdrawal of
the military. The request was
complied with, and the
Cherokees soon learned that
President Jackson was in
clined to reverse the policy of
his predecessor by thus
recognizing the right of the
state to survey the Indian
lands and to extend its law
over the territory.
About this time a Cherokee
named George Tassel was
tried and convicted of murder
by the superior court of Hall
County, and Governor Gilmer
was cited to appear before the
supreme court of the United
States to show cause why a
writ of error should not be
decided against the state.
The governor referred the
matter to the general
assembly, then in session, and
that body passed resolutions
sustaining the governor and
ordering the immediate
execution of Tassel. This
caused considerable ex
citement in various parts of
the country, but especially
among the Cherokees.
On January 1, 1831, John
Ross, the principal Cherokee
chief, served notice upon the
governor and the at
torney-general, that on March
sth. the supreme court would
near a motion to enjoin the
State of Georgia from
executing her laws with the
Cherokee country.
On that appointed day the
motion was argued for the
Cherokees by William Wirt
and John Sergeant, two of the
ablest lawyers in the country,
but no counsel appeared for
Georgia. Although the case
was decided against granting
the injunction, it was nowhere
stated in the opinion that the
extension of jurisdiction by
the state was valid and
constitutional.
But that question was soon
to be settled. When the
Federal troops were with
drawn, the state placed a
body of men called Georgia
Guard in the Indian country to
enforce the laws and to
protect citizens of Georgia
and friendly Cherokees. One
of the state laws required all
persons residing in the
Cherokee country to take oath
of allegiance to the state and
to obtain a license.
FORBIDDEN SOIL
It was directed primarily
against the gold seekers, but
was made so sweeping in its
application as to include all
white persons, regardless of
the length of time they had
lived in the territory. All who
had not complied with the
provisions of the law were
warned to depart.
After a reasonable time had
been granted the intruders, in
which to either take the oath
of allegiance or leave the
territory, the Georgia Guard
proceeded to arrest all white
persons who had not accepted
one of these alternatives.
Among the white residents
were about a dozen
missionaries and teachers,
one of whom, a minister
named Samuel Worcester,
was postmaster at New
Echota. On December 29,
1830, these missionaries held
a meeting at New Echota and
passed resolutions protesting
the enforcement of the state
laws and deprecating the
attempt to secure and the
removal of the Indians.
Worcester and two other
missionaries were arrested,
but Worcester and Thompson
were released on a writ of
habeas corpus by Judge
Clayton of the Gwinnett
superior court, on the grounds
they were agents of the
United States. Governor
Gilmer then made inquiries at
Washington and was in
formed that the government
did not regard missionaries
as agents.
President Jackson removed
Worcester from the post of
fice to permit his arrest by the
state authorities. Colonel
Sandford, commanding the
Georgia Guard, notified the
missionaries that at the end of
10 days he would arrest all
found on forbidden soil. The
missionaries remained,
however, and at the end of the
prescribed time were placed
under arrest.
They were tried in the
superior court of Gwinnett
County and Sept. 15 were
sentenced to four years in the
penitentiary, but were offered
a pardon and their liberty on
condition that they either take
the oath of allegiance or leave
the territory. Nine of them
accepted the conditions, but
Worcester and Elizur Butler
accepted the penitentiary
sentence, with a view of
testing their case in the
supreme court of the United
States.
The case was accordingly
appealed to that tribunal and
a writ of error issued Oct. 27,
upon which a hearing was had
the following year, the state
again declining to appear.
The chief justice delivered a
lengthy opinion, the con
clusion of which was that the
statute of Georgia under
which the men had been tried
and imprisioned was un
constitutional and void, and
the judgment therefore a
nullity.
The decision, although it
sustained the contentions of
the Cherokees was a barren
victory, as President Jackson
refused to enforce it. The
missionaries remained at
r«*fi
I y '
<? r* it, |K|
***>—■ ■ I
FIRST CATCH!
Eight year old Christina Allen, of Atlanta, had never
caught a fish until her recent visit with her grand
parents, Mr. & Mrs. J.L. Stewart of Buford. But she
wanted to catch a fish very badly and had told her
grandmother that she would fish all day if she could
just catch one little bitty fish. To her delight and sur
prise, her grandparents took her to Rainbow Ranch
where there are no little bitty fish just great big
Rainbow Trout like Christina is holding in the picture
above. Christina was a very happy little girl!
There is no daily fee or minimum charge for fishing at
Rainbow Ranch. Instead, you pay only for what you
catch and "no catch—no pay!" Bait and tackle are
furnished free, or, you may use your own. No license or
trout stamp is needed. Cleaning and ice are available.
Hours are 9:00 A.M. till dark, 365 days a year. Visitors
are welcome.
juT* hM /
dZJ RANCH W * #
dSBISSb |GsV
Wipe. >sr' jgggg
hard labor in the penitentiary
until pardoned by Governor
Lumpkin in January 1833. At
this point the Cherokee chiefs
began to lose hope. Their
hopelessness was increased
by the reelection of Jackson
in 1832.
CHEROKEES LEAVE
Experience had taught
them that nothing was to be
expected from him and many
of the Cherokees began to talk
in favor of emigration. This
faction, led by the chief, John
Ridge, was strenously op
posed by John Ross and his
followers.
Early in 1834 a delegation of
the Ridge contingent went to
Washington and entered into
a treaty, but Ross succeeded
in defeating its ratification by
the United States senate. In
February, 1835, Two
Cherokee delegations, headed
by Ridge and Ross, respec
tively, visited Washington. On
March 14 another treaty was
made by the Ridge party with
the provision that it should be
approved by the whole
Cherokee nation before
becoming effective.
This treaty was also
defeated through the in
fluence of Ross at a council
held at Running Waters in
June. President Jackson was
persistent in his efforts to
persuade the Indians to
relinquish their lands and
remove in a body. Under the
constant pressure the treaty
party continued to increase in
numbers until the treaty of
New Echota was finally
concluded and ratified.
Early in May General Scott
arrived upon the scene and on
the 10th issued a
proclamation that every
Cherokee must be on the way
west within a month. He
called upon the government
for two regiments to assist in
the removal. The call was
promptly answered and on
the 24th there was a force
large enough at New Echota
to begin the work.
This was pushed forward as
rapidly as possible, but it was
not until Dec. 4 that the last of
the Cherokees turned their
faces to the setting sun,
leaving white men in un
disputed possession.
So implacable were the
animosities between the
treaty and the anti-treaty
parties in the Cherokee nation
that when the anti-treaty, or
Ross party, was forced to
yield and the last of the
Cherokees had been removed
in the Winter of 1838 to
Arkansas, a tragedy took
place.
Major Ridge, his son, John
Ridge, and Elias Boudinot,
the principal leaders of the
treaty party, were all
assassinated on the same day.
This occurred in the early
part of 1839, undoubtly by
members of the Ross party.
¥* •><
jf ’
V /
jmk\ m
DR. JAMES T. ROGERS
K r Ml
wvmk
A
DR. RAY FARLEY
Brenau College
Head Named
The President of Brenau
College in Gainesville, Dr.
James T. Rogers, has been
named the new president of
the Association of Private
Colleges and Universities in
Georgia. He heads a new slate
of officers which includes as
Vice President Dr. Judson C.
Ward, Jr., Executive Vice
President of Emory
University, and as
Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Ray
Farley, President of Young
Harris College, and
continuing as Executive
Director, Dr. DuPree Jordan,
Jr. of Atlanta.
APCUG was established in
1968 to promote higher
education throughout the
state of Georgia, and to
provide an Association of all
the independent colleges and
TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR ALL FUNDS
FORSYTH COUNTY BOARDOF EDUCATION
July 1, 1974 thru June 30, 1975
ANTICIPATED RECEIPTS
Local Taxes $ 1,932,520.23
Other Local 3,215.18
State 2,400,220.10
Non-Revenue Receipts (Loans) 500,000.00
Transfers from Other Funds 357,618.76
July 1, 1975 Balances
Committed $ 9,294.65
Uncommitted 322,797.33
TOTAL RECEIPTS $5,525,666.25
ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES
Administration s 97 ..
Attendance Service « , 7 , nn
Transportation 316 309 29
Maintenance and Operation Plant 401 039 44
Fixed Charges 266;97 8 ;07
Food Service 195 934 „
Capital Outlay
Debt Service 595 # 362 00
Transfers to Other Funds ?Jt S
June 30, 1975 Balances
Committed $ 188,279.17
Uncommitted 190,200.00
TOTAL JUNE 30, 1975 BALANCES „ n . 70 ,7
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $5,52^25
DR. JUDSON C. WARD
'?il!
jP Jm
T
DR. DUBREE JORDAN JR.
universities of the state to
assist one another in a variety
of ways. Every fully
accredited independent
liberal arts college in Georgia
is a member of the
Association.
The retiring president of
APCUG is Dr. Hugh M.
Gloster, President of
Morehouse College, who will
serve on the organization’s
Board of Directors for the
next two years, as immediate
past president. Prior
presidents of the Association
of Colleges have been: Dr.
John R. Bertrand, President
of Berry College, Dr. Paul
Kenneth Vonk, President of
Oglethorpe University, and
Dr. Waights G. Henry, Jr.,
President of LaGrange
College.
Even Trade?
A man swapped a stolen car
for a new one, then ran off
with it, according to the
Sheriff’s Department.
Reports show that last week
Hi .BA m I
iif-jigM i ■ jRk
JOHNNY W. STONE
BOARD OF EDUCATION-POST NO. 1
Let me tell you something about myself.
EDUCATION
Bom Hogansville, Ga. 1940
Educated in Hogansville Public Schools
Attended University of Georgia
1958-1962
Major studies Business Administration,
Agriculture.
Resident Cumming & Forsyth County
8 years
Reside in Greenwood Acres.
3 children attending Forsyth County
Schools.
Employed Sales Representative for
Fertilizer Manufacturing Co.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Member Cumming First Baptist Church
Church Treasurer
Past President, Forsyth Co. Jaycees
Commissioner, Forsyth Co. Youth
Football Assn.
Director, Forsyth Co. Farm Bureau
HELP ELECT JOHNNY STONE
BOARD OF EDUCATION-POST NO. 1
paid for by friends and supporters
a car stolen from Gainesville
was left at Highway 19 Motors
here while the driver took a
new car for a test drive. He
never came back.