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Office of the Wilmington Advertiser „ >
JuDe 18.183 b. $
HEART-RENDING CATASTROPHE!!!
LOSS OF THE STEAM PACKET PULASKI
JFtrit a crew of 37, and 150 or LOO Passengers.
On Thursday the 14th inst. the steamer Pulas
hi, Capt. Dubois, left Charleston for Baltimore,
a*ith about 150 passengers, of w hom about 50
were ladies.
At about 11 o’clock of the same night, while
off the North Carolina coast, say 30 miles from
land, weather moderate and night dark—the star
board boiler exploded and the vessel was lost, with
*ll the passengers and crew, except those whose
names are enumerated atnong the saved in the list
to found below.
We have gathered the following facts from the
Ist mate, Mr. Ilibberd, who had charge of the boat
at the time. Mr. Hibberd states that at 10 o’clock
at night, he was called to the command of the
boat, and that he was pacing the promenade deck,
in front of the Steerage house. That he found
himself shortly after upon the main deck, lying
between the unist and side of the boat. That up
on the return of consciousness, lie had a confused,
idea of having heard an explosion, something like
that ot gunpowder, immediately before he discov
ered himself in his then situation. He was indu
ced, therefore, to rise and walk aft, w here he dis
covered that the boat amidships was blown en
tirely to pieces; that the head of the starboard,
boiler was blown out, and the top torn open—that
the timbers and plank on the starboard sine were
forced asunder, and that the boat took in water
whenever she rolled in that direction. lie be
came immediately aware of the horrors of their
situation, and the dauger of letting the passengers
know that the boat was sinking, before lowering
tos small lioats. Upon dropping the boat, he was
asked his object, and he replied that it was to pass
around the steamer to ascertain her condition.—
Before doing this, however, lie took in a couple
et men. He ordered the other boats to be lowered,
•and two were shortly put into the water, but they
leaked so much in consequence of their long ex
posure to the sun, that one of them suuk after a
fruitless attempt to bail her.
He had in the interim taken several from the wa
ter until the number made ten. In the other boat
afloat there were eleven. While they were ma
king a fruitless attempt to bail the small boat the
I’ulaski went down with a dreadful crash—in a
bout 44 minutes after the explosion. Both boats
~ow insisted upon Mr. Ilibberd’s directing their
'course to the shore, but he resisted their remon
strances, replying that he would not abandofi the
spot until daylight. At about 8 o’clock in the
morning, they started in the midst of the wailings
«<t the hopeless beings, who ■were floating around
m every direction, upon pieces of the wreck, tu
seek land which was about thirty miles distant.—
Alter pulling about 13 hours, the persons in both
noats became tired and iusisted that Mr. Hildierd
should land; this he opposed, thinking it safest to
proceed along the coast, and to enter someone of
its numerous inlets, but he was at length forced to
.yield to the general desire, and to attempt a land
ing upon the bench, a Tittle east of Stnrrm Inlet.—
I cu.ioeu i*lt. e ooper of Ga. whonad command
<>f the other boat, and a couple of ladies, with two
children under his charge, to wait until his boat
had first landed, as he apprehended much danger
in the attempt, and should they succeed, they
might assist him and the ladies and children.
There were eleven persons in the mate’s boat,
{having taken two black women from Mr. Coop
er’s.) Ot these, two passengers, one of the crew,
and the two negro women drowned, and six gained
the shore. Alter waiting for a signal, which lie
received from the mate, Mr. Cooper and his com
panions landed in about three hours after the first
boat in safety. They then proceeded a short dis
tance across Stump Sound, to Mr. Redd’s of Ons
low county, where they remained from Friday eve
ning until Saturday morning, and then started for
Wilmington. The mate and tivo passengers
reached here this uumiiug, (18th June,) about 9
o’clock.
Thus have we hurriedly sketched the most
painful catastrophe that has ever occurred upon
the American coast. Youth, age, and infancy
have here been cutoff in a single night, and found
a common death under the same 'billow.
"Pays, mouths, years and ages will circle away,
And still the vast waters will over them roll.’’
We have never seen a deejier sensation pervade
■our ■cotnnranky than the reception of this intelli
gence has produced. The profoundest sympa
thy is engraved on every countenance, and all wear
the aspect of those sorrowing for their own dead.
We feel assured that all feel an anxious solicitude
to alleviate the distress of these unfortunate sur
vivors who may come among us, and vehicles
have already been sent out to bring them into our
town, and provision mad© for their reception.
PASSENGERS WHO iBTT CHARLESTON.
Mrs. Nightengale aud servant, Mrs. Fraser and
child, Mrs. Wilkins and child, Mrs. Mack ay, child
and servant. Miss A . Parkman, Miss -C. Parknian,
sli-s T. Parkman, Mrs. Hutchinson, two children
and sorvant, Mrs. Lamar, Miss K. Lamar, Miss M
Lamar, Miss R. S. Lamar, Miss E. Lamar, Mrs.
Dunham, Mrs. Cummins and servant, Mrs. Stew
art and servant, Mrs. Wort, Mrs Taylor, Mrs.
Wagner, child and servant. Miss Drayton, Mrs.
Pringle and child, Miss Pringle and nurse, Mrs
Murray, Miss Murray, Mrs Britt, Miss Heald, Mrs
Rutledge, Miss Rutledge, Miss Rutledge, Mrs H
•S Ball, nurse, child and servant, MissTrapier, Mrs
Longworth, Mrs F.ddings and child, Miss Mikeil,
Mrs Coy and child, Miss Clarke, Mrs B F Smith.
Mrs N Smith, Mrs Gregory, Mrs Davis, Mrs
Hubbard, Mrs Merriit, Miss Greenwood, Gem
Heath, Col Dunham, Maj Twiggs, Judge Roches
ter, Judge Cameron, Rev E Crots, Rev Mr Mur
ray, Dr. Stewart, Dr. Gumming, Dr. Williams,
Messrs S B Parkman, G B Lamar, C Lamar,
W Lamar, T. Lamar, R. Hutchinson, R Bower,
I- Livermore, B W Fosdick, II Eldridge, C.
Ward, G Huntington, 1 II Couper, H B Nichols,
li Bird, A Lovejoy, W W Foster, 3 L Wort, C
HudsoD, W A Stewart, D Ash, A Hamilton, S
Miller, R W Pooler, It W Pooler, jr. W C N
Swift, A Burns, H N Carter, Pringle, Rutledge,
H S Ball, Longworth, F Mcßea, T. C Rowand,
Editigs, R Seabrook, -S Keith, G W Coy, T
Whaley, W Whaley, G Gregory, N Smith, B
F Smith, G Y Davis, R D Walker, E W James,
Hubbard, J Auze, Bennett, Clifton, Merritt,
Greenwood, Evans and Freeman.
Passengers saved in the tun? yawls.
Mrs P M Nightengale, servant aud ehild of
‘Cumberland Island.
Mrs W Fraser and child, St. .Simons, Ga.
J H Coopei, Glynn, Ga.
■K W Pooler, Savannah Ga. ,
tCapi Pooler, ,sen. I
Win Robertson, Savhnnali, Ga.
Elias L Burney, North Carolina.
Solomon.
S Ilibbert, Ist mate Pulaski.
WC N Swift, New Bedford.
Z B Zuciitemberg, Munich.
Charles B Tappan, New York.
Gideon B West, New Bedford, Boatswain.
B Brown, Norfolk, Steward.
Persons drowned in landing .
Mr. Bird, of Bryan county, Ga.
An old gentleman from Buffalo, N Y. -and re
cently from Pensacola.
A young man, name unknown.
Jenny, a colored woman.
Priscilla, a colored woman, Stewardess.
ADDITION A L PAR TICU LA RS.
Opice of the Fayetteville Observer, )
June 21, 1838.
By the Wilmington mail, just arrived, we have
the great gratification of learning, from our atten
tive correspondent, and by a slip from the Wil
mington Advertiseroffice, that fortv-three more
of the passengers and crew of the unfortunate Pu
laski have been saved, making 59 in all.
A part of the wreck to which 23 persons clung
aft-or the boat went to pieces, was fallen in with on
Tuesday morning, at 8 o’clock, by the schr. Hen
ry Camerdou, and the exhausted sufferers taken
off, after having been in that situation four days
aud five nights, without food or water, and expos
ed to the broiling sun, with no other covering than
their night clothes. These persons having in
formed the captain ot tin- 11. C. that they had
seen another part of the wreck eariy tint morning,
he bore down in the direction designated, and in
about an hour fell in w ith and rescued seven per
sons, among them two ladies. The H. C. then
bore away for Wilmington, where she arrived the
same afternoon. The unfortunate beings, thus
rescued from the jaws of death were so reduced
that they had to be carried ashore in the arms of
the citizens, whose dwellings, with noble and char
acteristic hospitality, were thrown open for their
reception. The following are their names:
A Lovejoy, Camden, Ga. Maj Heath, Balti
more, Maj Twiggs and son, Richmond co. Ga.
Greenwood, Augusta, Ga. O Gregory, Macon, Ga.
Noali Smith, Augusta, Ga. Miss Rebecca Lamar,
Augusta, Ga. Charles Lamar, Savannah, Ga.
Robert Smith, Edisto Island, S. C. Masters T.
aud W Haley, Edisto Island, S. C. R Hutchin
son, Savannah, Ga. A Hamilton, Augusta, Ga.
Mr C Ward, Savannah, Mr Eddings, Edisto, S.
C. Capt Pearson, Baltimore, Chicken Ist Engi
neer, Savannah, Ga. E Joseph, N Y. C W Clif
ton, Canton, Miss. D Walker and nephew Thos
Downing, Charleston, S C. Warren Freeman,
Macon, Burne, N Y. John Cape, Fireman, Balti
more, Patrick and Bill, deck bauds, Khyua, a ne
gro woman,-and a negro woman belonging to Dr.
Stewart.
In addition to these, 13 others, among them
Lnraar of Savannah, have floated ashore n< - r
New Inlet, of these the names have not been as
certained, except Mr. Lamar and the following:—
Samuel Boyley, Talbot co Md. Gwen Gallihcr, all
are said to be likely to live.
\W votrvuf »*/»t til fm/l V-Urs "
eron in the above list, though he may be among
those not arrived in Wilmington from the New In
let, for whom carriages w ere yesterday despatch
ed from Wilmington.
Seven persons died on one of the pieces of the
wreck the day they were fallen in with, among
them the Rev. Mr. Woart, of the Episcopal
pal Chureh, and lady. To such extremities hail
the sufferers been reduced, that the day of their
deliverance had been fixed on as the fatal day to
SELECT BY LOTA VICTIM TO APPEASE
THE CRAVINGS OF HUNGER.
The hinder part of the stern, after the boat part
ed, contained 50 or GO persons, mostly women aud
children. The persons saved saw this go down.
Os course all were lost.
Some of the persons rescued charge the acci
dent ns the result of gross negligence—the blow
cock had been left open, and the boilers emptied
and hot. the frightened Engineer suddenly tilled
them with water, and the explosion was the re
sult.
From, the liorchc&tcr Democrat , of Jane 3.
ANOTHER STEAMBOAT OUTRAGE!
'l'he Steamboat Tele graph fired into by a body of
armed men at Jiockville.—W c (car that a crisis is
approaching which will throw our frontier into
the whirlpool of strife ; for it is impossible that
outrages so glaring as are continually being per
petrated on the lakes, can long be tamely borne by
either nation, 'rive destruction of the Caroline,
alone, was sufficient to have endangered the tiaa
quility of the two countries ; and nothing but mu
tual forbearance could have subdued the fearful
storm w hich gathered beneath the smoke of Sir
Roberet Peel; .but »ve know not whether any
ttliiug but the interposition of Divine Providence,
can keep .the sword sheathed, now that another
outrage has been perpetrated by indiscreet—if not
malicious men. 1
IRedacts of this last act, as we gather them
from the Captain of the Telegraph, ate substan
tially as follows:
'1 lie Telegraph left Oswego at C o’clock on Sat
urday evening—touched at Prescot as usual—and
reached Rockville at 9. Here she landed at the
lower dock—took on board and left a number of
passengers—received the visits anti insults of an
unarmed mob, who ransacked the cabins,and oth
erwise evinced a turbulent disposition—and was
moving past the upper wharf, when she was bail
ed, and commanded to “come to.” The captain
supposing they were passengers in waiting, stop
ped the engine, and dropped down to within twen
ty feet ©1 the dock, but, apprehensive that all was
not right, he told the passengers to come on board
iutlie small boat. But this would not satisfy the
crowd, who insisted upon 'the boat’s coming
up to the dock.
After a few words had passed, the captain pre
emptorily refused to land, set the engine in motion,
and moved off. Immediately upon this, and while
the boat was within a few feet of Hie wharf, about
twenty muskets were fired, and FOUR OF THE
BALLS ENTERED THE LADIES’ CAB
IN ! One passed within a few inches of the
chambermaid, and two struck very uear the cap
tain.
It is said that the men who fired the guns were
the guard called out bv the public authorities ?
Il so, the outrage is tenfold more aggravated, and
may lead to tenlold more serious consequences ?
Ii the perpetrators are demanded by our govern
ment, they will not, of course, be delivered up.
In that case, our government cannot, consistently
with its dignity give up the wretches who destroy
ed the Sir Robert Peel, and thus a collision may
be made inevitable.
; But we hope that they were not in the service
THE GEORGIA MIRROR.
of the Government, or if they were, they did not
act in accordance with the command ol any offi
cer. Indeed, we will not, for a moment, harbor
the thought, that it was aught else than an unau
thorised act, while the Colonial Government will
be as prompt to repudiate, as our Government vvil
he that ot the destruction of the Sir Robert Peel.
Those cm board of the Telegraph suppose that
the object in commanding her to land was to des
troy her; and attribute liw escape from such a
catastrophe only to her landing at the lower wharf,
where the body of men were not assembled. But
we believe such an opinion to be erroneous.
The fact, however, that she was tired into, the
lives of those on board endangered, and an insult
offered to the American flag, enough to alarm
every one for the consequences. Something ef
ficient must be done to prevent a repetition ot these
outrages, or (it is folly to disguise tt) war will en
sue.
rwo companies of militia have been sent to
Brockville, am! a schooer is fitted out, to carry
six guns, (together with a tender and gun boats)
io order to cruise on the river, and ferret the pi-
out of their hiding places. This is essential,
as among the I housaud Islands the ruffians might
lodge, and find shelter all summer. Bill Johnson,
it not one ol Ins sons also, was one of the r >arty
tliat robbed the Peel, but neither he nor his boats
have been seen at French Cieek since. They
aie doubtless concealed somewdiere among tire
island, and it will be no easy task to find them, as
the places of concealment are so numerous and
complete. About one-third of the Sir Rob
ert 1 eel eyas owned in Ogdenburg, the remainder
in Brockville. She is valued at 11,000/.
Governor Marcy came yesterday to Cape Vin
cent, and aldressed a letter to the mayor, reques
ting an interview, and lie is expected here in the
course of to-day. Scanian lias been bailed on liis
on n recogazance. Bill Johnson, it is ascertained,
n 0,1 D'kcks Islands at tlie foot of the lake.—
lie is lying ru wait for some lake steamboat.
fhi .Sunday morning, tbe Commodore Barrie
brought down from Toronto 32 of the state pri
soners, among them Theller, Sutherland, John
G- Parker, Montgomery, the brothers, Shepherd.
I hey were all taken to Fort llenry, to be kept
there until Lord Durham has considered their ca
ses.
A militia order published in the Official Gaz
zette, prohibits.militia officers from wearing their
uniform when passing to the United States ou
leave. ( omniandar.ts of corps and stations are to
see that the. order is punctually complied with—
Kingston llcrald, oth inst.
FROM THE NOTIIERN FRONTIER.
Correspondence of the Albany Evening Journal.
Watertown, June 4, 16 38
Dear Sir—There is a rumor this afternoon that
the William IV. was burnt last night, but it is not
fully credited. There was an express brought to
the District Attorney this afternoon that Bill John
son was on an island fortified with about thirty
men, bid defiance to the Queen and all the Queen’s
friends and to every body. This is not fully be
lieved. tbe aiitboriM? J»ubmd. Th*»y *>r«» calling
out the militia by regiments to go and take the
island and arrest him.
Watertown, June 5, 1838.
Dear Sir: The Governor is still here. He
lias offered a reward of •'8,500 for Bill Johnson,
•8250 for M’Leod, 8250 for Sand Fry. Bill John
son was on Sunday, on a small island near by,
well fortified. lie has left ere this, and is now, f
presume, on his way to Albany—so I am told by
those who say they have it from him. The offi
cers are quite active. Scanian is stall safe, and I
think beyond reach. The Governor did not meet
the Kingston authorities. Bona Johnson has
not yet returned. Commodore Johnson, his
brother, came to town last night. He says that
his bail will not suffer.
Charleston, dune 19, 1838.
ROBBERY OF TIIE EXPRESS MAIL.
On Saturday night last, between 10 and II o’-
clock, the boy having the charge of the express
mail, was stopjied about 40 miles from the city, by
two men on horseback, ordered to dismount, and
being taken a short distance from the road, was
bound to a tree with the reins of his bridle and
strips of his own clothing.. The mail bag was then
cut open by the robbers, and the letters w ere taken
out and rifled of their contents. The boy, after
remaining bound about an hour, succeeded in re
leasing himself by his own exertions, and alarmed
some of the inhabitants in the vicinity, who, after
a search, found the bag and the letters in n rnntu
lated condition, and the same were returned to the
Post OlTice yesterday.
We obtained these particulars from the rider,
who came down yesterday afternoon, and the ac
count is confirmed by a letter received from one of
our citizens. We understand that the post mas
ter has received more letters giving more com
plete details, which he declines making public.
We are surprised that any person or persons
should be entirely ignorant of the regulations a
dopted by the department in the transportation es
the erfo-ess mail, <»■* to suppose that available funds
would be transmitted iu that way, when it lias
been repeatedly published that money cannot be
sent by that conveyance. Drafts, or bills of ex
change, payable to order, and therefore unavaila
ble to any but rite rightful owners, are ail that
could be at any time-obtained bv the robbers—and
for them to risk the possibility of being compelled
to take life, and the almost certainty of detection,
(in which case their own lives must pay the forfeit,)
when there is no possible chance of gam, argues
the height of ignorant folly.
Caution. —People, especially ladies, are apt,
when about to send Newspapers abroad, to write
upon their margins. They overlook the fact
that the oflence is heavy, and they rob the ad
ministration ol some loose change, much needed
about these days. Not long since a Post-master
in Ohio, returned us a stray Courier, which had
been sent away by some subscriber here, with
its margin filled with short snatches of poetry
and sundry tender epistles. Why he returned
it to us, we shall probably never know ; but suffice
it to say, we never send to the West such Mani
festos. Again, another was returned not long
since, containing n delicate piece of poetry, tied
up with a spotless blue ribbon, with a ringlet of
bomiie brown hair.*" The priceless little lov-tok
en would have gene on its way, we doubt not, to
cheer the heart of so us disconsolate lone one.
had it net been for the vigilance of an unsenti
mental married Post-master. Wc merely state
these things, as a well meant admonition to young
men and women, who send abroad the Courier,
like the Messenger Bird, as bearer of honied love
epistles.— Northampton Courier.
From the Southern Recorder.
Mr. Lumpkin in the speech which he delivered
in the Senate on the 7th inst., having affirmed ia
substance, that the Presiuent, Secretary of War,
andlmnself. in makthe proposals to John Ross
now the sublet* °* su, h ,c < ,nt, -‘ rcs, ’ ‘
,ii i -ed will of i '* v ernor Gilmer,
to the plainly express. tt!| i oi c»* v •
it is due to the people anu r * ,e Governo.,
the assurance, as we ate author. to do, ...
there is no frundettion in truth for tilts allegation
<f Senator LvmpHn. Governor Gilmer u. V o>
know of the proposals made to Ross by the >tS~
ret ary of War, until they were communicated to
Congress: neither has he said nor done any thin g
expressly or impliedly, before or after, that would
justify the mulcing of those proposals. After the
President had informed Ross that all nsgotiation
for altering or re-modeling the treaty of 1835, was
at an end, and Congress had rejected his memo
rial, by a decided majority, Governor Gilmer
adressed the Secretary of War and John Ross, for
the purpose if possible, of hastening the removal
of the Indians before the expiration of the treaty,
through the instrumentality of Ross, who could
have accomplished it, if he would. We have
procured these letters with some others m connec
tion with the same subject w hich we place bes ore
the people of Georgia. So far from conveying
any false hopes in relation to the execution of
the treaty, the very first sentence of the letter to
Ross, is an absolute assurance, that it would
most certainly be executed at the appointed peri
od.
The efforts ofGovernor Gilmer to put our citi
zens in possession of their lands, in time to make
crops during the year, by anticipating the time
limited in the treaty for the removal of the Indians,
will not be unappreciated by those who know the
importance of the object; nor will the humanity
which urged the removal of these deluded bein gs,
before the time arrived w hen they would be hun
ted up and driven out at the point of the bayonet,
be unappreciated by a civilized, enlightened and
generous people.
The following letters of Governor Gilmer will
place the matter fully before the country:
Executive department, }
Mdledgeville, sth March, 1838. $
To the Hon. Joel 11. Poinsett :
Sir: —1 learn, from information received from
every part of the Cherokee country in this State,
that the Indians are still building and preparing
for another crop; and that they are not yet con
vinced that the treaty will not bo modified, or that
the Government will enforce it.
If force is applied to remove them, w ith their
present feelings and opinions, much difficulty
and bloodshed may be apprehended.
iXow that Ross and the Cherokee Delegation
must have lost all hope, of preventing the. execution of
the treaty, is it not possible to induce them to
return home, convince their people that Iheir
interest and safety require them to join
their frends in the West, and themselves under
take to effect their voluntaiy removal in their own
"■7? Tl»e <CliexoKces, express the opinion, that
Ross cxn, if he will, remove his people at once.
To avoid the great expense te the Government,
and preserve the lives and property of our citizens
and the Indians, which may be sacrificed if the
treaty is executed by force, the Government can
well afford to pay a very liberal price for the vol
untary and immediate removal of the Indians. To
enable Ross and the chiefs to effect this object., 1
believe it to be necessary forthem to return home,
see their people, and let them be satisfied that
their efforts to change the treaty have been hon
est, though unavailing: the Chero! ees are so
suspicious of their Chiefs, that even Ross, as en
tirely as lie has their confidence, might loose all
power to serve them if he attempted to make a
contract with the Government for their emigration
before they were consulted, and their approval of
the measure obtained. If the Government should
ascertain upon Ross’ return home, that lie has
the power, aud will undertake the removal of his
people, the terms of the contract could be agreed
upon without difficulty or delay. If the pertin
acity of Ross should create any difficulty, if might
be obviated by making no reference in his con
tract to the treaty.
The very great interest which a portion of the
people of this State have in this subject, must be
my justification to you tor these sugges
tions.
Very respectfully, yours &c.,
G£ORGE R.GILMER.
Executive Department, )
Millcdgeville, oth March, 1838. v
To Mr. John Ross?
Sir :—The President having declined receiving
any further propositions of the Cherekee Dele
gation tor setting aside or altering the treaty, and
your memorial to Congress having been rejected
by the House of Representatives, all hope of suc
cess in your efforts to effect that object must be
at an end. The poliey which you may adopt un
der these circumstances, is of great importance,
not only to your own people, but the numerous
white population residing among them.
The law of necessity, or if you please, the
harsh and unyielding will of superior power, has
determined that the portion of .the Cfrerokees
remaining in the State, must remove to the coun
try provided for them iu the West. How will
yon meet this necessity, against which you can
no longer contend ? Will you bend to the blast
to rise with renewed energies when it passes away,
or by resisting it sink beneath its force? If these
were questions which concerned yourself alone,
the dictates of pride, or determined self-will, might
disregard consequences. But the peace aud hap
piness of thousands may be involved in your course.
Your unwearied and unwavering exertions in be
half of your people, have been unavailing, except
to secure to you their highest confidence. The
time has arrived when that confidence enables you
to render them the most important service. You
must he aware that the Cheokces are not prepar
ing to emigrate ; that they are yet hoping that you
and their other chiefs will obtain a modification
of the treaty, so as to permit them to remain where
they are; that when the time arrives for removal«
them force, must be applied —and that great suffer
ing, the loss of many lives, and the destruction of
much property, will probably be the consequence,
unless in the meantime they can be convinced, that
all expectations of retaining their present possess
ions are delusory, and do voluntarily what must
otherwise be effected by compulsion'
It requires no strong invention to imagine the
suffering and distress which must be iutlicted upon
your people, if hunted up by an undisipliued
soldiery, and forced from their homes. You, at
least, stand in no need of the description. Your
pcoplo are looking to you to direct them in this
their greatest'*!:faculty. You can save them from
this m the evils mat threaten them, by oersuading
them, to unite with their friends in the West,
before the,time arrives when, by the terms of the
treaty, force car* be used.
[ know iiow easily the best actions may be mis
represented. The Clierokees have been rendered
so suspicious of all contracts with the Govern
ment, that 1 believe it to be important even to your
success in removing them, to return home and
convince them that all hopes of retaining their
•'‘•eseut possessions are vain ; that your efforts for
that pui " l0&e I,ave P roveJ fruitless, and that a pro
per regard for interest and safety require
that they should no longer resist the views of
, Government. If, tJoin = so > a '»
t,ie . «mfce(tw I ant satisfied you will) trpoi*
acquiesi v peo ple, the Government will uu
the part of Vo m me a»s to remove them,
questionably fur,.. .A! - n -fflitiun, if they go
and a liberal compeiw ‘ t 1
without the aid of contrac. ° l! ’ and agents.
Sir, I could not write to yOu "Pou this subject,
but with the fullest consciousness «M at ' v hat I say
is in good faith, and- my motives such aW vour own
people would approve. It is my anxious desire
that the Chcrokeesshould be treated with human
ity. I am using every exertion to prevent all
violations of their rights of possession and proper
ty. It is true that I have long been thoroughly
convinced that their present situation is not the
best suited for their continued improvement and
preserva on as -a. distinct people, but I believe,
I have at all times adopted the kindest policy
towards them which my official station would
permit. 1 once saved the fives of two of our
Indian people. It has ever remained a green
sunny spot on the field of my life, What aheap
and abiding source of happiness it will be to you,
if you shall save many lives, by leading your people
peacefully to their homes in the West!
Very respectfully. Yours, Pc.,
GEORGE U. GILMER.
Copy of a letter from the Hon. Joel R. Poinsett
to Governor Gilmer.
Department of War, (
December IG, 1837. y
Sir:—ln my letter of the 6tli instant, I had the
honor to inform your Excellency, that you should
be timely advised of the termination of the corres.
pondence with.lolm Ross. That rori'ospondence
1 now consider at an end, and transmit you copies
of it for your information.
Very respectfully,
y our most ob’t. serv’t,
J. 11. POINSETT.
His Excellency George R. Gilmer,
Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville, Ga.
Extract of a letter fiom John Ross to the Governor.
Washington Citv, April 6tli, 1838.
To his Excellency George R. Gilmer :
Sir:—Your Excellency, I hope will long ere now
have been aware of the reasons why I have not
sooner, personally acknowledged the receipt of
your letter of the 6th of March. To the Honorable
Mr. Dawson, Nvho called upon me to say that he
had received a copy by the same post, I explained
myself fully. 1 presume lie has mentioned my
conversation. I need therefore only repeat in
general terms, that 1 can see no necessity whatev
er for any collision between your citizens and the
Clierokees, as lam making every effort in my
power to accomplish such arrangements as may
relieve-Georgia, in obtaining the utmost extent of
her desire among us, from the remotest pretext
for employing force. It is my wish to settle all
difficulties by amicable treaty, and on perfectly
reasonable terms. I sincerely hope that my ear
nest efforts for that end may ultimately prosper,
as one word of the Executive ia now enough to
save the expense and inevitable danger which must
result from the employment of an uncalled-for
army. Should blood be spilt, therefore, which
I trust can never be the case, the blame can nev
er rest on us. With regard to my immediate
return into the Cherokee nation, 1 differ with
your Excellency, and am sustained in my dissent
by many who have better opportunities than
either of us, to understand any thing which bears
upon the case. If I were to desert a post assigned
in'* by the Cherokee", an 1 a line of duty prescri
bed by their understood expectations, they would
be lost in wonder and distrust. They expect me
to superintend their interests here at the seat of
the United States Government, as the source
from which their weal or woe must emanate, and
as the only source to which they can look for
protection, in case of need. They would be sorry
to see me among them white our affairs remain
thus unsettled. Indeed my appearance among
them, on the mission you suggest at this moment
produce inextricable confusion, of which the
consequences might be awful.
Executive Department, )
Millcdgeville, 14th April, 1838. $
To the TTon. Joel R. Poinsett:
Sir:— l hope that your severe illness, about
which every one having business to transact
with the War Department, must like myself feel
great concern, will have passed away before this
time.
I send you an extract «>f a letter just received
fr om Ross, in answer to a communication which
T addressed him at the same time I wrote to you.
lam convinced that I was mistaken in my endea
vor to make him an instrument for doing good. ■
The loss of all hope of attaining the co-opera
tion of Ross, in removig the Cherokees. has ad
ded to my anxiety that the most ample means
should be used to secure our citizens from the
effects of his machinations. The troops which
are ordered into the Cherokees country, from this
and the adjoining States, being raw and undis
ciplined, and scattered over the country in small
detachments, will stand very much in need of a
regular force, to give confidence and success to
their movements.
Permit me to urge the importance of concen
trating in the Cherokee country, in as short a
time as possible, the whole of the United States
army, which can with propriety be drawn from
other service.
The Indians are as yet entirely quiet, but they
are not enrolling for emigration. Those who
have enrolled are refusing to leave the country,
and they are generally continuing their prepar
ations for another crop. Ross’ refusal to return
home after the conclusive action ofboth Houses
of Congress upon his memorial, renders it certain
that force must be used in removing his people.
The more controlling that force may be, the loss
will be the miechievous effects of the opposition
of Ross and his friends.
Very respectfully. Yours, tVc.
GEORGE R. GILMER.
Gen. Walter Smith, iatc of the United State#
Army .has become the editor and proprietor of
the Mobile Chronicle.