Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-02-12
From the National hi,uk,nee,.


generally 60 in.sress cur readers, or to
afford peculiar qualification to the phi.
lan,hropist. = It confirms the most san.
guiue expectations has have been enter.
eaiaed Of ameliora,ing the lot ofshs A.
bo,isinss Of eur country, and must O.
psrate a. sufficient -ao&ivs to streau.
ous perseverance, in the enlightened pc.
Icy that ha. hitherto characterized our
conduct towards them. ..
Letter JIom Return 7. Me;ss, Esq. to the
Secretary at Var.
H1cHwAssEr GARRISON, Dee.1.
Ssa, ..'. .
:I>now transmit a general Statistical
table Tor the Cherokee nation. This was
attempted in 1906, having at HAT time the
consent of the late secretary at war ;'ha,
hr'Chrrskees having some unfounded jea-
lousy, that there was something in the
measure intended to take advantage OF
them, and expressing some reluctance to
the measure, it was postponed until the last
year. 1t has now been done with as much
accuracy as. possible, by the interpreter. If
there is any error, thas probably arisen
from disposition in some to report less
number Of persons, and OF live stock than
they actually have. The Cherokees on the
Arkansa- and White rivers, are not includ-
ed in the table new transmitted: ii is es,l-,
mated that there is about 1000 including
men women and children On the west side
of the Mississippi; they have also many
cattle and horses, some of them being very
wealthy.
The table now forwarded does not exhi-
bit all their wealth they have no inconsi-
derabls quantity of cash in circulation,
which they receive annually for the sale of
cattle and swine. In 1908 they had rot
single perch of Wagon road in the whole
country. Inthatyear they consented at
tse request of the government to have a
road opened for the communication be.
TWEEN The state of &orgia and Tennessee.
This road with its branches wa, opened BY
those states and 10 about 22o miles on
which theyhavsa turnpike by aSrecnssns
with the government, for which they are I
bound te~keep the road in good condition
for carriages. Since finding the aJYan,a.
ges arising from rosds, they have at their
own expence opened upwards Of 500 miles
Of Wagon road for communication be. "
tween East and West Tennessee. These
roads intsrsecs the arss mentioned great
read at different points, except On one road
100 miles- in length, opened Ivy Double.
head, at Franklin county, Tennessee, and
runs to the Muscle Shoals, and it 10 con.
.smplatsd to be continued to the navigable
waters Of Mobile. Butte effect this the
in.sspositiou of the government will b. ne.
eessary :; because from the Shoals to the
navigable waters Of Mobile, the road mus. 1
cross lands claimed by the .Cherokees and !
the Chickasa~s. o..
Thus far asexhibitet by the statistical 4
table have the Cterokees prospercd by the
pastoral life and BY domestic manufactures S;
but it must be understood that spiri, Of
industry does by no means pervsde the &c.
neral population the greatest number; are
extremely poor for want of industry. The
hunting life is here a. an end; but prsdi-
lection for The hunters life pervades a great
part of the Cherokees, and many are wait
ing to hear whether the government will
give them the necessary aid and encourage
ment to migrate to the west side Of the
Mississippi. Notwithstanding this they
have strong local attachment. to the place Of
their birth, and to the sepulchres Of tttir
fathers. This being the case. to indaee
great numbers to migrate, they msss,be
axei:xd by advances of such kind d dizzy
need 70 establish themsrlves on the rivers
zig. arms, ammunition, bes-
yer traps, blankets, and some provision Of
the bread kind -four or corn, corn will suit
them best. After the 6rst year they will
want nsshing of the government, except .
factory far,Indian trade. and a,promi.e IF
protection by the government. These things
once a,,ainea, end theis atsaehment and
friendship is scared aa-ever-they will BE-
rr,,,l a., hsiDo closelv connected with the