Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-12-01
GEORGL8.-THE CHEROKEES.

GEORGL4.-THE CHEROKEES.
Our readers will recollect that we have be-
fore had occasion to speak of the controversy
which has arisen between the Government
of the United States and of Georgia. This
controversy has grown out of convention
between the United States and Georgia, made
in 1912, by which the United States agreed
t'to extinguish, as early as The same can be
peaceabiy obtained on reasonable terms, the
Indian title to the lands lying within the lin
its of that State" They have already extin-
euished the Indian title to about Is million OF
acres at an expense Of about millions Of
dollars, exclusive of the expenses ofthe Creek
Indian war. About five million of acres still
remain in the possession Of the Cherokees,
which they refuse to part with for any consld-
Grafton whatever. Georgia claims from the
United States the fulflment OF the stipulations
in the Convention, by the absolute removal of
the Cherokees from the State; to which it is
replied, that, as they cannot be peaceably re-
moved, the application of force for that pur-
pose would be incompatible with sense of
justice, and is not required by the obligations
of the United States.
The refusal of Government TO remove the
Cherokees forcibly has excited great warmth
in Georgia, and has recently been brought a.
new before the Legislature in the Message of
Gov. Troup, transmitted on the Cd ult. This
message is of the same Incorporate and in
fammatory character which has heretofore dis
tinsuished his communications and those of
the Georgia delegation in Congress on the
same subject. He says:-
Georgia, in the last resort, is compelled
to draw the sword against her own flesh and
blood. The United States will then be the
primary agent in fomenting civil war between
the citizens of Georgia; and what will be
more unnatural-the citizens of Georgia res
ident in the Cherokee country will appeal to
the government of the United States to vindi-
cate their supposed rights against the assaults
of their own brothers. Thus the United States
will, ifthey persevere, reduce Georgia to the
necessity of resorting for redress to measures
depending on herself alone"
In extenuation of the indecorous language
which has been held toward the National gov.
eminent on the subject, he remarks that
&c whatever of irritation has been engendered.
or unkind sentiments expressed, the cause is
to be sought exclusively in the deep convic-
tion felt by the government of Georgia, that
Georgia was about TO suffer fragrant wrong
and injustice, by the course of policy adopt
ed by the United States in their intercourse
with the Indians" and says, that no measure
of an uncourteous character was resorted to
by him till the President sent message to
Congress, of such a character, that " he should
have been wanting in the duty he owed the
people of Georgia if he had not seized the
first moment to protest in the strongest Ian
guage against such doctrines.
'sThe principle asserted by the message was,
essentially, that the Cherokees we're now the
fee simple proprietors of the soil they occupy,
and of consequence that no right of territory
could lawfully pass from them, without their
voluntary and express consent--a principle SO
strange and nocel, asserted for the fEst time in
tho history of the government, connected as it
w as with the declaration just previously OBJ
tai med from the same Indians, that they never
wo uld consent to part with another foot Of ter
rito ny, amounted to an absolute denial of our
RICH Is, and the destruction of our claims, eth
er u, pon the United States or upon the Indians,
now and forever.
"i III our obligations, therefore, to The United
State and to ourselves, our love of peace, Of
harmt Wy, and of union, prompted to this as
the on ly means Of warning the United States
govern ment, in due time, that they were pre-
ctpitati ne themselves upon a crisis, the least
deplor .ble of the results of which would be
the enta ire destruction of the tUedker pdrty-re-
suits wi hich could not be sought by the United
States, and which we, on our part, had the
tronges, motive to avoid"
Gov. Froup concludes the subject by de-
2laring, hat it is impossible for Georgia to
make at; lme surrender of her rights "to such
'retensioi Is as the United States government
ave tho ught proper to urge in behalf of the
'herokee IS" Thus it will appear that each
arty has taken its stand. The Cherolees
Iaim the absolute title to the land they pos
,ss, asa :knowledged by the existing treaties