Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-20

commenced hostility at a critical period OF
the war, and created powerful diversion OF
our resources. both of men aud money; but.
by vigorous prosecution ofthe war, they were
reduced, after many and severs losses. The
treaty Of Fort Jackson followed They were
a conquerr., people, and treated as such and
such terms were imposed as considerations of
public policy dictated.
The advantage that would result by separat-
ing those powerful southern tribes from one
another, and from the territory of Florida. at
that time foreg n province, were among the
most obvious dictates of policy, as il would Ct
fcctna'y guard against the possible future com
bnaion of those tribes, and prevent the liza
bhFy Ia hostility, which almost invariably re-
suits from the Intercourse of Indian tribes with
n foreign territory. The Creek Indians were
required Ia make the cession of lands To the
Cnied States, in such manner as to effect
those important objects; and, accordingly,
The Unltrd States acquired large cessiOn in
WHAT s now the state of Alabama winch sepa-
rated the Creeks and Cherokees from the
Chickasaws and Choctaws; and a cessinn. in
the southern part re Georgia, which separated
the Greeks from the province of Florida
II was not conceived that there was any
thing in the stipulation Of the convention with
! Georgia. which prevented the United States
rom pursuing those views of national policy.
The obligation Of the United States extends
only To the purchase of lands within the limit
of Georgia, so soon as it could be- done upon
/" peaceablc and reasonable terms" The lands
were acquired by conquest, and not by pur-
chase, which left the nation at liberty to pur-
sue those ews of policy which have been
stated, and which, IL is believed, has tended
strongly to give security and strength TO the
most vulnerable portion of the country.
In noticing the treaties of 1917 and 1919, IL
may be proper To premise, that as far back as
The year 1904, delegation from the Cherok-.
nation, then at the seat of Government, were
informed hy Blr. Jefferson, if the Cherokees.
or any portion of them, Thought proper 10
emiSratc To the Arkansas, they should receive
as much land as they were entitled To I'm pro-
portion TO their numbers, on the east of the
aiissIssipp Under the sanction Of this pro-
mise, and tempted by the abundance ofgame,
emigration continued from the Cherokee ma
ton, in small parties tn the Arkansas, until
1917. The number being then considerable
commission was constituted TO treat with
the Cherokee nation, on the basis of the ar
rangemcnt made by Mr.. Jefferson, which was
followed by the treaty of the eth July, 1917,
which, among other things, stipulated that
census of the Cherokee nation should be taken
in June following, and that portion of the
country should be coded In the United States
equal Ia that which those who croigrated TO
the Arkansas were entitled To that is 10 say,
IT IT was found that one-thi!d had emigraied
one-third ofthe territory should be coded. and
so IN any other proportion, according to the
number that should emgrate. To carry the
treaty into effect, Congress appropriated, by
the act of the Goth April, 1913, the sum vi
$4,000, in order to deiray the expenses that
might he attendant on the emigration of the
Iherokees tn the Arkansas and Joseph NJ
MINI, Esq. then Governor of Tennessee was
appointed agent To carry the treaty into effect
II was found, however, Impossible to take the
census as proposed by the treaty, in June, and
various causes delayed its final execution ill
Inc beginning of the year 1919. II the mean
time, the emigration ofihe Cherokees was IN
cessantIy urged by.all the means in possession
Of the government.
1t was the desire Of the Government that
the whole Ration should pmigratp, under the
belief that il would he better for the Indians.
as wen as ourselves; and no effort on the
part OF The Government, was left untripd, to
induce them to emigrate. A large portion of
the nation, however, were SO decidedly on.
posed TO it, that it was found impossible In
carry this policy Of the Government into eff
feet.
The appropriation being finally exhausted
delegation of the Cherokee nation was per-
InItted 10 visit the seat of government, IN IGI9,
IN order to close the treaty of 1917 II was
ascertained that about one-third part Of the
natisn had emigrated, or enrolled to emigrate.
10 the Arkansas ; and the delegation proposed
to treat upon that basis, which was accrded
to. 1t only remained to fix on the portion of
territory To be coded With the view nCl
throwing the land tO be cedrd within the linn
ITS oi Georgia, an'. 10 separate the Creek and
cherokee nations, The government y opposed
that all the lands lying south and east of Eta
wah, enc of The main branches of the Cooso
river, should br ceded by The Cherokees hut
II was found impossible TO induce the delepa
Ton To yield To that proposition, or any other.
more favorable TO Georgia. than that which
was adopted. They were fixed in their de-
termination, particularly, not to be separated
rom me Creek nation, 10y an Intervening white
population, and 10 cover their northern boun-
Diary by the Tennessee river, which necrssari-
ly threw The cession, made by the treaty, into |
Alabama. Tennessee, and North Carolina, as
wei as Georgia Since the treaty of 1919.
TWO attempts have been made, under apprOpri
atoms OF Congress, To open a negotiation ijh
the Cherokee nation, for further ccssou. both
OF which have proved aburtlyc.
During the present winter, delegation. or
the principal chiefs Of the Cherokee natjon.
visited the scat ofgovernment. and the oppor |
Iunliy was seized tn make known 10 them the
sentiments Of the Government, upon the sub
Ject ofaGdhionai csssions, IN order ~ fulfil the
stipulation ot the convention with Georgia.
cannot be doubted, that much Of the diff |
cuity OF acquiring additional crssions from,
the Cherokee nation. and the oiher Snntberr
tribes, recruits from their growing ciyil;z ,tion
aud ltno"lcdgp, by which they have learned
10 place higher value upon their lands than
wore rude and savage tribes Mhny causes
have contributed to place them his6rr in tho
scale ~ civilization ihan ciher Lndinns ,,itIin