Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-05-20
From, The National TnielIigsnc~.
WAsHrNGToy CRY,
Tennisoa's Hotel, Apra, 1924.
!. CAFES s SEAToN

GENTLEMEN We have READ in the
Georgia Journal, of the 9Th instant,
letter from the Georgia delegation in
Congress and also some remarks OF tue
Editor OF that paper However great
our surprise has heretofore been at the
course of proceeding of this delegation,
as set forth in their letter to the Presi-
dent OF the United States, and which
the Georgia delegation consider res
pscJm," but which, if it be, is different
in its style aad temper from = hat we
are accustomed to observe in our inter
course with our chiefs; yet this surpri
yes has been much heightened at a new
attempt to deprive US of another portion
of our blessings. Not satisfied with
wishing the Executive of the United
States violently to rupture the solemn
bond of our rights to our lands, and to
put at defiance the pledges which exis-
ting treaties contain, gaardn'y'ng to Us
our lands, it is attempted to take from
us the intellect which has directed us in
conducting the several negotiations
with commissioners appointed to treat
with us for our lands and with the + X
ecutve government, by the unfounded
charge, that "fhe last letter efthe Cher
okess to the Secretary Of Va,' contains
Internal eridcnce that IL ,eas n.rer rrtten
or dictated by an Indian" Whilst we
profess to be complmenttd on the one
hand, by this blow at our intelligence,
we cannot. in Justice, allow it to pass,
upon the other, without a fiat contradic-
ton That letter, and every other, was
not only ,critien, but dictated by an In
dian. We are not so fortunate as to
have such help. The white man seldom
comes forward in our defence. Our
rights are in our own Keeping; and the
proofs Of our loneliness, and The preju-
diced eye with which every thing is
looked upon which relates to us, by such
\ vast majority of those who should be
our guafdian, and friends, have put us
upon our resources, and we DO thank
God, sincerely, and our benevolent
white brothers, for there are some
Christian hearts which regard us, who,
seeing our bereaved and helpless state,
come in to our help, with letters and the
lights of civilization and christianity. -
We fell the necessity of our case and
we have endeavored to improve it
Our letters are our own, aud if they
are thought too refined for "Savages,"
LET the white man take it for proof, that,
with proper assistance, Indians can think
and write for themselves. We refer the
Georgia Delegation, and the Editor of
the Georgia Journal, to our correspon-
dence with their own Commissioners in
our own country. They can tell whe-
Their the head of white conceived, or
his pen dictated, the negotiations, on
our part; or Whether they were the
lonely and unasssted efforts of the poor
indian-whose lone, now that it begins
to blossom; and the seed time and the
harvest are greeted, and the chase "a
bandoned, and churches are rising, and
the Great spnit is felt in its influence
upon our hearts and our gratitude, and
our little ones are learning TO read his
blessed word, and sing anthems in his
praise for the gift Of the Redeemer-
yes, they can tell-whether they, from
whom IT is attempted TO force all these
blessings, and drive them into barbarity
and sayageiSm as cruel and as dark as
ever---did, or did not, conduct their own
correspondence We, sag zee did-ond
fce iOrs The truth. It is not for us town
dictate, or to attempt to vindicate, our
Great Father, the President of the Uni
ted States; he does not need an Indians
aid, nor an Indians eulogy; but, howe
yer, we are bound TO love him, yet, it
is due to justice to state, that we have
been often panied and especially of
late, at the earnestness with which he
has often pressed upon us the subject of
ceding upon our lands. Why he has
acted thus, we ale at loss to conceive.
We were not ignorant of the nature of
the Convention of 1902. We know
every one of its promises. If, however,
these are to be violated, and the fell
war-whoop should ever he raised a
gainst us, to dSpossess us of our lands,
we will crafty the delegation of Geor-
ga, In their present earnestness to see
us removed or destroyed, by adding ad-
di6onal fertility to our land, by a de-
poste OF our bodies and our bones: for
zoe are resolrsd neper to ledr, them, but
by a parting from Thea, and eur lirss To-
gether. How the Christians of America
and the world, will view their attempt
upon our rights; this effort to force
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