The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-30
WAsHIHoroN. Dec. os


WAsHINoToN, Dec. %.
The following view of the condition Of the
Cherokees cannot fail generally to interest our
readers, to afford peculiar qualification to the
philanthropist. 1t confirms t.e most sanp.iinr
expectations that have been entertained of amclie-
rating the lot of the Aborgnes ct o,ir country,
snd must operate as sufficient motive to a siren
ous perseverance in the enlightened policy that
has hitherto characterized our conduct towards
them.
Letter from, Pe'urn ,. Meiss, Esq TO tie src,eta-
~ Tar
HICHwAssEE GARRIsoE, Dec. I, 1900.
SIR,
now transmit General Statistical Table
tor the Cherokee nation. This was attempted ~
1870, having at that time The consent %! tn,. iai.
Secretary of War but the Cherokees having
some infonndsd jealousy, that there was some
th'ng IN TIC measure intended TO take advantage
OF Them, and expressing some relucl ance 10 the
measure, 1t was postponed until the last year
1t has now been done with as much accuracy as
possible, by the Interpreters. II there is any err.
ror, 1t has probably arisen from a di,pusi,iu m
some to report less number of persons, and OF
live stock than they actually have The Chero-
KEGS on the ArS,IIsa and White rivers, ave not
included in the table now transmitted; II is esti-
mated that there is about 1000, Including n,rn,
women and children ON the west side of the Mis-
sissiPpi (; they have also many cattle and horscs
some of them being very wealthy.
The table NOW forwarded, does not exhibit all
their wealth they have no inconsiderable GUAM
tity OF cash in circulation, which they receive an
nually for the sale of cattle and swine In 1903
they had not single perch of Wagon road in
whole country. In that year they consented at
the request of the government to have a road o.
pened tors communication between the states of
Georgia and Tennessee This road with it's
branches was opened by those states and is about
m nm xyhi hay
greement with the government, for which thew
are bound to keep the road III good condition Tor
carriages. Since finding the advantages arising
from roads, they have at their own expcAce omen,
ed upwards OF three hundred miles of Wagon
road for communication between East and West
tennessee These reads intersect the first-men
toned great road at different points, except one
road OF 100 miles in length, opened by Double
head, commencing in Franklin county, Tennes.
see, and runs to the Muscle Shoals and il is con
tempisted to be continued to the naVigable waters
OF the Mobile. But to effect this the interposi,-
on OF the government will be necessary bscause.
from the Shoals to the navgable waters of the
Mobile, the road must cross lands Claimed by the
Cherokees and the Ghickasaws.
Thus tar, as exhibited by the Statistical Table
have the Cherokees prospered by the pastoral
life and by domestic manufactures but IL must
be understood that spirit of industry does bv
no means pervade the general population the
N
industry. The hunting life is here at an end ::
but production for the hunters life pervades a
great part OF the Cherokees, and many are wait
lnB 10 hear whether the government will rive
them the necessary aid and encourage ,nent to
migrate to the west side Of the Mississippi Not
wthstandng ths, they have strong local att c,,-
rnent to the place of their birth, and to the Sc
puichres Of their fathers This being the cas-,
to induce great numbers TO migrate they must
he excited by advances of such kind as thew need
to establish themselves on The rivers mentioned
VIZ. arms, ammunition, beaver traps blankets
and seine provision OF the bread KIND, -four or
corn, corn will suit them best After the srst
year they will want nothing Of the government,
except factory for Indian trade, anil a promise
OF protection by the government These. things
once attained, and their attachment and f.ieud
snip Is secured forever-they will be proud Of
being closely connected with thc United States.
by whom they have been raised by Improvement
Tar above the western Indians
am, sir, very respectfully,
Your ooedent servant,
,,.,,, RETURN J. MEIGS.
William Easfis, Esquire,
Secretary " War.
The document referred to in this letter pur.
ports to be " general Statistical Table for ia.
Cherokee nation, exhibiting a view of their mo-.
Pu,ation and OF improvements in the useful ar,s.
ana OF Their property acquired under the foster.
,nS hand of government, which mas principally
been done since the year 1896"
1t exllblts in detail the number of Cherokee
males aud females, oil horses black cattle, sheen.
SWINE spinning wheels, ioo,ss, Wagons, ploughs,
erst 'nll's' saw mills, salt petre works, powder
mills, silver'miths, schools, white people and ne
gro slaves III each town, village and plsutation.
amounting to oHs hundred and thirty.fve.
1t Is scarcely practicable in a sewspaprr IN
pr sent IN ITS details such comprehensive able
aud almost every useful purpose will be attained
! by the following CONDENSED view Of ia c,.,s,nl.