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Imoui Iht bond i f u iinbutti. Messrs. Fi'l/ors,- Relieving that the peo ple ,i,v a r pi ; > investigate the conduct of In pil> iu Hi, id matter wlui the mi piuuJc ot the appointment may b v- elder moils dd able or great ; 1 beg t- .-.ve (■• it heard by the petp.u of Georgia, ti ough the medium of y. m paper, in re |j i t/, (us malicious . ilbiis which have been m * ,o slander my rep-ikatioa as au oil). it I be t.J,)vemmc i it«jJt p ~ii iir it the peculiar ; situation IQ which I was place*!, by the acts of oil vs, and circumstances not under uijr control, either to resign my late appoint-! ment a* enrolling agent, and thereby pre-| serve the confidence reposed in me by the Government, or continue to hold it, at the sacrifice of every principle of honor, nndi even ol cunm »u h >ne»ty. I. hesi ated not a moment in pursuing a course, which would relieve tnc Government from the contiaua turn of a h'-avy expense, n< cessarily incur red through my age cy, wnliout any possi-i b!o chance of beoetit, under the peculiar cucuinstances I ha I to act. L iheiefnre thought p> oper to return my appointment to the War Department, accompanied by my reasons for doing so. Ueuig lully cunvui-’ ced at Ihe lime, that I was particularly n, thu way of others, and laelmg no ii:s|iosi tion to become Hie cause ol operating j r , the slightest degree against the actoinplish-j mcnt of the object, which it was our duty to endeavour to elfect, I thought it prod«„' t to remain perfectly silent on the subject, until the Government should liave an „p.| purtunity of taking into consideration (U y reasons for resigning my appointment ; ad vantage was taken ol my tti.ence, umj the' people told that I had been reques u j by 1 the Government to withdraw hum itsser-! Tice. fins interest of my countiy n H long er requiring silence on the subject, I bope I may be indulged by an intelligent people,' so far us to obtain th.nr particular attention to the annexed correspondence between Gov. (_'« s, (lie present distinguished head of the War Department, and iiiyse'.f, by which they w d have a lair opportunity of understanding ihe whole matter. S > all absorbing is the subject of the re moval of ilu* Indians to the people ol Gt or gia, that I am persuaded nothing counseled with it, can meet with an indifferent recep tion from them, (hat can in the slightest de gree throw any light upon the subject ; I will therefore tax your patience a little fur (her, by laying before you the grounds upon whmh my opinions <d what I conceived to bo (h«* true interest of the State were pre dicated. It will be seen by the annexed correspondence, that the agents of the Go vernment though) proper to sutler the enu grants, both belore us well ns utter enroll- Kig, to purchase of other Indians as many improvements as they th -ught proper, ami receive their assessed value fr ni the Go vernment. I’ins practice necessarilv re quired Vv’iy large sum* of mem v lo raeei Ihe demands ol every family or n dividual who was disposed to enter into this s rung Speculation upon tho Government ; conse quently, it will be seen that the present ap propi laiimi made by Congress lor the re moval of the Indians, was m danger of be ing very speedily exhausted—particularly when it is borne in mind, that two boys, who it i-. b iteved are under age, were about to w iik nil w ith sen thousand dollars ol the public m mey, leaving ihe residue of the In dian family ot which they were members behind, lint the justifying argument offer ed in support id ihis shameful speculation, is, “ that me Government had sooner or la ter to piy for the improvements, and tha' the; had as well be. paid for now us at any other lime.” Hence every encouragktnent was held out to promote this speculation, and the money of the citizens of Georgia, as well os ihe Indians was employed in it. I deny the position, however, that it is to the interest o( the fs'atc to obtain the coun try, and have an Indian population forevei lined up in if. How did the Indian ques tioi stand before the Nation last win er r Wli.t give rise to ’he strong and spirited nay solemn and awlul admonitions of Judge Clayton to Congress this spring on the sub ject ot the N w-Vork Indian memorial i Are we yet to learn that the Indian q it s lion has long since been identified with that system of oppression, which has been ma taring in the North and blast for years, aiH is now so tearfully extending its baleful in licence to the West, by which the sou'hern and middle States are to be mule tributary to then - . ? A moment’s consideration upon these questions, is suflicient to satisfy u» that d the Indians peisist in remaining where they are, and will not remove er mass, that it behoves us to he very curetu how the present appropriation is disposer of, lest when it is gone we may not be ablt to get another, ii appeared to me there tore to bo (he (rue interest of Georgia, tha’ the’funds now under the control of our Pa irintic Chief Magistrate (or the removal ol the southern Indians, should be most care full; and frugally disposed of, with a view to effect the removal of the greatest possi ble number ot those unhappily situated peo ple. iim view ot the subject was fortified m my mind by the reflection, that if iht Indians persisted in their refusal to removr by treily, and Georgia thought proper ti uka possession of the countiy, and allow her citizens to ex;inguish the Indian titli to th- ir improvement—-or (hat the title ti the-i. improvements should be extiuguishei by (he plan now under investigation, wiih out a removal of the Indians, and Congroai should hfeieafter refuse to the State, ade q iate appropriations lor their removal, that ttie-e causes combined, would inevitably fix upon the State « large population of such a genius and character as to render it al most a certain (act, I fiat a very large por tion of them would dwindle into so many paupers ami miserable beings, roving aboui (he countiy, en'irely dependant upon the mercy and charity ot tiie while man. What could relieve the State from such a deplo r ble condition ? Humanity would still re quire the removal of these unfortunate peo ple; but if the Congress of the U. States should say to the State—you have taken the country and given it to your citizens ! You jhave your rightful jurisdiction over the Whole extent of your chartered limits ! You have acquired, and are in possession ,of all we were bound lo aid you in the ac qnisition ol ! therefore we are absolved from all obligations to you on the subject. What alternative would toe State liave, but to witness the iuntul and disgraceful spectacle of thousands of out fellow crea ■tores starving and dragiug out a miserable jexistence in me heart of a Christian com munity, or carry the humane duty ot theii | removal into effect, out ot the funds of the Sluts, raised by tuxes upon Hie people / And it we take as a criterion for tnc ex penses of their removal, those recently in curred by the General Government thio* ! the plans adopted by the superiiiteridant, (rom which I thougnt proprr lu dissent, it iwould require m re money to be paid out ol the pockets of the people, than two such countries will ever be worth to those who may occupy it. Surely the grounds of this jiettecnoi) cmnot be called frivolous, or i s anticipated lesuhs be considered too highly .colored—all who ale intimately acquainted wi hthe political history of our country, and are minute observers of passing events, must admit the tact, that there i. too much ' truth in every position lakeu. Such were tho opinions and views by which I was influenced as an officer of the Government, and which I chee fully suh nut to ihe rational judgment of my fellow citizens, wi ll this conviction, that if there b«; any among them who may condemn mv judgment in the matter, yet, I flatter my- I sell under the evidence submitted, none can doubt the honesty of my intentions, or the complete refutation of the slander at [l’empted to bu fixed upon me. I will take . occasion to remaik belore 1 close this com j munication, that Doctor Reese with whom pi acted as enrolling agent, coincided with , me in all (he most prominent view* herein I expressed, and feel myself bound to make this declaration in justice to tho 1) ctor, be cairvr tot, Biatiiici ol winch I complain, was , unjus'ly aimed at him as well us at myself. Very respectfully Gentlemen, Vour obedient servant, REUBEN THORNTON. M i ssrs. Chase & Nesbit, CORRESPONDENCE. ; VaniCs Ferry, F/bruary It), IhdS. Sir. — In compliance with an appointment conferred upon me by the Secretary of War, through 'he late Governor of Georgia, to en roll the Cheioket Indians for emigration, I I have for the last three or four months zeal . ously devoted my undivided exertions to a I faithful discharge of its duties ; under the - hope h*t it might be in my p wer to »t! - vance the views of Ihe. Government in that s much desired object. Having accepted 'hat appointment however, »t the particular soli , citation id Governor Gilmer, and under no • other consideration than that of rendering ’ some important service to the Government, i’ I should hold myself culpable, were I to t hold it a day longer than my personal ser , vices would be productive of brneli to the , cause. Various circumstances incline m • to the belief, that it will for the future p. 0 out <>f my power to render such beneficial s r - vice to the Government in the civmacter ol 1 enrolling agent, as my wishes would promp - me to do ; this consideration added to tin ? great sacrifice I am making, by (lie neglect 1 of my private concerns, induces me to retun e to the Department my appointment, tha i it it should be thought necessary for tin i same number of agents to be continued ii i the seivice of the Government, that sunn d other (i i son may be app< in toil in my stead As I am not ac'uated by private consul d ei ions alone in declining this service, it ma; (be proper for me briefly to notice one or tw it j of the leading considerations that has urgei j, ne to do so’: A faithful and conscicatiou njdischarge ol the duties of a public appoint *,|ment, must be the aim of every high mind g ed honotable mm, ami where the views am njopinions of the person acting, is at varianc 1 1 1 with those of the person or persons unde d;. whom he has to act, there is no alternativ e (left without a violation us correct priociji'e i-i but to withdraw from a set vice where its do it, tie* cannot be conscientiously discharged. 1 ‘ My views of the Treaty ol 1833, «nd o the general tenor of the instructions of th j M ai Department to the superiutendant was * i that it was the indention of the Govern -'ineiit to exchange !aod« West of the Mis "Uissippi wiih the emigrants, for the land '' they aband ned on the East side of tha e river, and that the emigrant should sustan •’| no i'jury whatever by me remoya ;it wa "jalso the intention of the Government, tha * |he should receive a tair iquivalen’ to e all (he improvements which added r<*a °;valoe to tiie land, that was his bona fil djproperty at the time he enrolled. I ti.uj i I however, that the emigrants after enrollin: i» t anj signing a reduquisbrneut of the«r im • have been allowed to purchase i I other#, in any part of the couu'ry, of white* 1 , t, well as Indians, and have their value t» ijaesssd in like manner as 'h ise relinquished | •at the time of their eorollmeot. liming re ! •jceived no such instiuc ions myself, I could* ? inot promise or grant privileges, which I was; ''not authorised to do, consequently those! iwho were disposed to enroll naturally pre- ! i jierreil going where they could make the lies ' ■ bargain. In one instance, a white man with| - > la'go Indian family wa- suffered to put; - his improvements into the hands of two oil s his sons, who are minors, and which has] i.been appraised for them, to the amount oil i several thousand dollars, leaving the Father) s. Mother, and the residue of the family, as uj -part cl the Indian population of this coun • ifiy, who will doob less in their present sit u ition, u'limaUly be availed of this large I sum id money from the Government. Believing as before staled, that thu ob , ject of tiie Govenurient was to do justice to 1 these pmr unfortunate people, by paying; (them fairly f r what they abandoned, but that ; it never could have intended to counten ance, much less encourage a shameful specu lation upon its justice and liberality towaids ; them. I have telt it my duty to d-cline, and 1 ' to give my reasons hu declining a service, I | that can only be advantageously conducted II hy a lull and hearty co-operation «l ac iunli I and opinion of those engaged in it. If I p , have misconceived the views and interests 1 ! t ot the Government, therefore the appoint- I t uient of some oilier person will only add i efficiency to the couise now adopted. )| I have the honor to remain dear i sir, very respectfully your ob’t. I I faArvn nl ’ REUBEN THORNTON, l The II om. Lewis Cass, , Secretary of War. » i[ Department of War, March 5, 1832, j Sir —l have received your letter of the ult. resigning your appointment as an j enrolling agent, 1 agree with you fully in your view of the inexpediency of peiiiiitting the Indians, who have enrolled for emigia ,ti on, to remain in the country. The great object of the Government will be lost by such a practice , and this was one of the .rea ons which induced the President to de r jclirie acceediog to the proposition to pay the emigrant# the value of their improvements ( . brloie their removal; well knowing, that af ter the money was paid, there would be lit (1 tie security foe. their compliance with their I engagements. The opinion of the Depart 'nienthas • I ready been given upon this sub e jecl, and I was not aware till I received your letter, that it had been violated in a single instance. 1 shall nut fail to correct th<- error, ana to direct that all such per sons he removed liereaher. What has been done is of sufficient importance to require investigation, and I shah therefore cause to be transmit ed to Mr. Curry a copy of your letler, and to request of him the reasons, why a course prohibited by thu Department has been pursued. No such appraisement of several thou sand dollars for a single improvement has i been received here. 1 am air, respectfully your 1 obedient servant, LEWIS CASS. 1 Rkubtn Thornton, Eq. Vann’s Ferry. Had county, Geo. Vann’s Ferry, April 2, 183&. I had ‘he honor of receiving your letter ot the stii ult. by the last mail, in reply to u mine of February 10th, resigning my ap ’ pniniment as enrolling agent. ’ I most sincerely regret that my commu nication lias been the means of enquiring e |into the conductof any other person, smy I sole object in making it, was self justified- , j tion in the coarse which it appealed to me ..right and proper to pursue under the cir-| ,1 cumstances.— However, as you have iho’t )( proper to inves iga e the mat er, justice to* e myself requires that 1 should bo more ex t plicit than I was in my las' letter, both l tl with a view of preventing a misconception 1 (I ot the lac s connected with the whole bu ie sinesg, as we 1 us attnbaiing improper nt••-* „ lives to myself from any quarter tor muk u. ing a communication of them. Uphn fur- I thcr and maturer reflection also, as a ci'i l‘ /. n of Georgia (unconnected with the Go v vernment as an agent,) I consider it an in enmbent duty I owe to my State, to submit ■d *5 vemment for iis consideration, J;> all the circumstances which in my opinion i will injuriously operate against a cause, in j the success of which he State is so vitally |t j interested. Those reasons added to the , e importance of the subject, 1 hope will be Br deemed a sufficient «■ p.»l >gy tor my troub ling you a second time unsolicited. t rc » c , . C) Inn mi the ci nclu.dou of your letter this u .-reiuark ;*• Ni such pp>aismeut of sevoiid ,t o ‘and dollars has bee i receive i here.” / * " two persons al.uded to in my letter, connected with those, improvements, arebv the name ol W Ilium and Gcoige H ima" ■ minor sons of Ambrose Ha.nsge, Fhe el tier ol those boys may possibly be of age, «r I nearly so, (n ugu from hebef i inform tion | 1 have he i» not, — he other i« quite a small lad— The pro| erty originally belonging to lll jlhe F ‘flier, was transfer! ert to jlhrir Fa her and Mother, and w„* apprais • ed to a «um amounting in the whole to " jabmt four thousand do'larg. Improvements ‘ purchased iu toe nara sot 'hose hoys in "j various parts of the counUy, and paid fur jjhy the Father, for the express pu pose ot *-j receiving payment from the G vernment 'Mor them, have also bean appraised to the amount of six thousand dollars ar upwards. As I received my information from one of he appraisers, lespectmg the amount ol obese appraisments, 1 expect the returns ol jalj of them have been received at the Deport ■inent before this. To facilitate the enroll jing cause, at the suggestion of the enrolling [agents, the legislate of Georgia passed a [law authorizing the emigrant to turn his tin Iprovement over to any ci.iaen of Georgia for jone year J under this law, An.brose Damage j the Father, is now enjoying the benefits aris ing from the possession of this property the Iprisent year, and with the residue ot his I Indian family, firmly located in the country |without any inducement hereafter to re |move, -having already received from (he Government through this finesse all that he can receive, unices a similar game is played by the enrollment of another child, which will doubtless be the case if permitted. Another instance that came under my own knowledge, occurred between an emi grant by the name of George Paris, a young unmarried man, and & man by the name ol Langley, who is uncle to the youth ; alter Pans enrolled he received a transfer Irom Langley lot a part of ins improvements, which ho was to have Valued for Langley’s (benefit having all ovsr n stipulated sum tor lumself, which I wan informed by the young (man, amounted only to‘thirty dollars. Un- an order fiotn the Department authoriz ing the assumption of the debts < {emigrants by the superiutendanl, the purchase aioney lor this improvement was secured to Lang ley, thus making it absolutely obvious that through inis practice, the Government is absolutely affording the means which are employed against the accomplishment of the great object it his in view-—the removal of the Indians by enrollment. These two cases are particular’y mention ed because I am familiar with them, and because they present a fair comment upon the gen-jral management of the removal of ihe Indiana by enrollment, from which I thought proper to dissent by resigning my appointment as enrolling agent. The effect of this practice was very apparent to me, and 1 think must be so to every person who exercises a moment’s reflection upon-'the subject. The great inducement to the In dians to enroll, was the certainty of receiv ing lull value for their property, which they . might by an obstinate resistance against the liberal overtures of the Government ulti mately lose. Such was the leading effective argument used by myself to them on the subject as enrolling agent ;but as soon as the door was opened, through which they could leceive payment for the whole or any part of thin improvements by transferring them to others, this argument was destroyed, and many have, and will (if the practice is continued) avail themselves of this mode of aeceiving payment for their improvements, and quiet ly wait the issue of the struggle between the Indians and the State. The only ohji ct gained by the toleration of this pracuce, was the strong inducement held out hy it to such as wero disposed to specuh 'c on the Government, to enroll immediately ; but when it is taken into consideration, that by the enrollment ofene person or family, un der this privilege, the inducement to ten, twenty, or thirty other families to enroll maybe totally destroyed,—-i contend that the good effects of the former, is more than counterbalanced by the evils produced in the case—particularly when this obvious fact is taken into view—that companies may form to any extent; appoint an agent among themselves, and they, through him, receive payment fur all their improvements, remain ing themselves in the country to make others, and thus continue their unwarran ted speculations on the Government. B< liev ing then, as Ido now, that the gieat object {of the Government, (as well as the true in Merest of the State) was to effect the removal [of the Indians, and not to obtain possession of the country, with an Indian population forever fixed upon the State, a result ot all others connected with their situation the mos to be deplored, both as regards 'He Indians and (he State, and by no means lessened in its ill consequences, because brought about by the purchase of their improvements, it appears tome under every view that I can take of this important subject, that para ■ mount obligations as a citizen of Georgia, as well as the firm conviction that the true happiness of the Indians depends mainly 1 upon g separation from the States, pointed > out to me the propriety of adopting the 1 course I did, in tendei mg to the Department 'lmy appointment as enrolling agent, and b ulging then, as wall as now, my views upon subject, that settled principles of action 1 may be adopted, and persons appointed, among whom there will be no disagreeraenl jof pinion in Ihe manner of discharging s then duties. I ha\e the honor to remain sit 1 very respectfully, your obedient servant. REUBEN THORNTON, •> The Hon, Lewis Cass, y Secretary of War, FROM THE NATION A I. INTELLIGENCER. r —he Mecklenburg (iV. C.) Resolution oi " May 19, 1775. 1 ,0a the 30fh of April, 1818. the Raleig! " Register published the Resolutions (whicl ' jtavc since been called a Declaration of In dependence) mad? by a Committee consist ing of two Delegates from each Militia * Company in Mecklenburg County, Nortl 0 Carolina, which assembled in L'hario'te r May J 9. 1775, “ to devise ways and mean 1 “ to aid and assist their suffering brethrei I" in Bos on ; and also generally to adi p e " measures to extricate themselves from tin I, • “impending storm, and to secure, f " paired, their inalienable tights, privileges, f “ acd liberties, from the dominant grasp of f “ Bn’.ish imjiodtioo ami 'yranny.” The publication of the Proceedings and Resolutions of ibis inepti g, in the Ra'eigh g ft', g’ster of April SO, 1818 p-oduced ill® a fnllowing rema'ks in the K-s«x R gis'er 3 " The Mecklenburg Resolutions. as copied r “ from be Raleigh Register, have not had r “ universal credit. It is *u.prising that »he - “ have been so long unknown. Though the t 1 “ publisher says they res’, upon high author » “ rOy, (he, public would be pleaded to kn< vj ) “ more about them. If they are forgeries, ‘they are highly criminal, and we sgie® • “ that fictions of this kind, five-and-fitrtjr ’ “ years after the pretended f»c.t, ought to bn? I “discountenanced by every man of honorj i “and this in particular ougt .»o be hunted " from 'he dark cavern in which it origii ated, ! “ The more ingenious the invention, the • “ more detestable.” ’ *^ e e^’*or E-sex Regis- I t|r, aht| the public, that the papers wer« ' yWmM, the < ditor of the Rale gh Register i published a Letter from Wm, It. Alt lander, . dated February 7, 18)9, to Mr. Macon thee • a Senator in Congress, and a ( ertifn atr of J McKnitf, on the subject, the publication 1 of which drew from Mr. Jefferson a letter • to Ex President John Adams, discrediting ■ and ridiculing the whole affair. There th» 1 matter appears to have rested. 1 As it is possible that all doubts may not have been removed by the proofs submitted in support of the authenticity cf the papers, 1 any additional and confirmatory evidence, ' of a character to settle the question, must - be desirable. The following extracts (which f has been furnished to us by Mr. Force, of this city, who has been for several yearu collecting, and now possesses, a large and I valuable stock of ante-revolutionary papers, i illustrating the causes which led to that f event) is offered for that purpose. It is ! from a Proclamation of the Royal Governor f of the then colony of North Carolina, who 1 had tied from his government, and taken . refuge on board one of he King’s ships, in 0 which he denounces in very indignant terms, e all the proceedings of the Continental Con • gress, and of the People, tending to promote ■ the liberties of America. y It may not be improper to add here, thaft e North Carolina was the fust colony that in • slrucled their delegates in the Congress to vote for a Declaration of Independence. t The instruction bears da'e, April 12, 1776, 8 and was laid before Congress, May 27 th<3 » same day. but before the Viiginiu Hcaolu t linns of May 16, were presented. 1 Extract from a Proclamation of Josiais M artin, Hoynl Governor of North■ Caro i Una, dated “on board of his Alt jtsty's ) •• ship Cruiser , in Cape Fear riv r, ibis' i “8 71 day of Jiua. anno domini, 1775 ” “ And whereas, I have also seen a most e infamous publication in the Cape Fear Mer» l cury, ini porting to be a get of Resolves of a . set of People, styling themselves a Commit- J tee fur ihe County of Mecklenbargh, most f traitorously declaring the entire dissolution t of the Laws, Government, and Constitu r tion of this country, and setting up a system ■ ( of rule and regulation, repugnant to the laws, , and subversive of his Mejesty’s Govern -1 meat ”~ltenumbrancer vol. 2. p. 166, pui t lishedby J. Jllmon, London, 1776, : The ci izens cf Montgomery, Albania » have held a public meeting, and sd >. t number of resolutions, expressive oft ... . ; r ; advantages to be derived by that tor ■ other sections of their State, from a .net • tion of communication between Mo l .-.me t ry ami the Chattahoochee, at. Co ! •• : n'-. -It appears that the Messrs. Nichol tlemen said to be eminently qualif u t their scientific attainments, are s' j„ make a survey under the instruction I pantes formed in Alabama and Te i for the route of a Rail Road, to cm J communication between the Alab. 1 Tennessee rivers, it is proposed i-.-it route be located on the East aid s Coosa river, and that some twen i thiily miles from Montgomery, f i then diverge off to the Chattahoo ' company is proposentobe formed j gomery, in connexion with the r already formed, to construct this s steps have already been taken e survey made by the Messrs. N that purpose. :1 T'hus we see, while the trade o -t i eis likely, in a few months, on o • t be diverted by the Charleston Rf il Augusta, from its natural chanc nprincipal sea port, on another o n atively infant sister State, Alaba I, ing an effort to take the lead of >t 1 it side, and will, should not the e g citizens be awakened to their tr r soon destroy our principal mar commercial prosperity., -•«>«- * A fair fashionable, lately uni the most dashing dandies of th causa to complain of negleclf the bride groom replied, “ H /liny dear, lam like'he prodt iwill reform by-snd by.” And h the spirited Initle, “ wi;l als ■h prodigal son” “ In what mam “ I will arise and go unromy r-,left the house the s-nie inorni a j —(#Oca—• h( A sailor was la'ely at a ci J. m Button, the paison tbse is looked rather serious a?ked I n any “ change P” The sailor >t iu his pocket, and said, he w . ‘8 but he had uol one cent.