Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-09-14
NOWASEIGa
orIIcIAL nncnnENr.
Letter from the Secretary Of War to The In
dlau Board In New fofk

..,inl nj the Constiiuiion, rlaiing 10 the In
,l,sus. recently adopted at New York by YOU
1,oaxe,,,op. With the course pursued at your
....i,og. the President Is much gralihed, and
as.,,es me- 90 10 declare TO you He caanoi
h., ,npre, ia,e highly the views taken by you
.,s course Of policy, Which Justice 10 lr'ncifie'
s..,yp sd. and humanity towards our indlan
h,,,hren, constrained him rs matter oieoncris-
"a d,,, "a adopt lie regrets thai 10 many IN
.r,u,aeies. both as TO oljeotand motive, should
have found place in the public journals Of
,hs da,. evidently incorporating, and caleh.
I.,.d 10 produce incorrect impressions lbe
80, consolation entertained by bim though,
,ba, lime viii prove that his only end, aud
ob;ert and nurpose, Il TO do full anh inrnfoH
,,s,ice 10 the extent thai h,s official discharge
duty will SANCTION
her leave 10 assure you. that nothing OF
..,,s.isors course, 10 effect the removal III
mi. unfortunate race OF people. has ever been
,bought OF bs the President, although u has
been 40 asserted. The considerations when
controlled. IN the course pursued, were sutn'
a, he really and in fact believed, weie feqnned,
rs well by regard for Tue just ilghi winch '''
Sia,e'ol Georgia WAS aulh"'hen '" "s'''
rom conscientious conviction, that ny H.
h,n,ao,,y ,o.arls the lnhsnl would more eheo'
,,nlIy he snh.eryed. OF this they have been
s.s,S.d. aud m that assurance, no other uispo
.,,,oo uss had than 10 explain fnlly 10 them,
al IN, country. the actual gfosnd On winch
), -sa believnd they were tishtfully en'l'led
20 stand.
Uow can the Uailed States Government con
te,, with leorein the authority 10 regulate her
awn internal affairs 7 II the doctrine every
where maintaincd u ne, that state Is so
vereign, 40 far as b. he constitution ad"pied
IL has not been t,aried with To- the Genara Gov
srnnent, then mus folio" MS matter 81 e'r
,ain,v that " thin The inits ofa state there
Gnu be none other. ihan her "wn SOVEREIGN
power. thsi can claim 20 exercise Nh fuheI9ns
Of goyernmenf. II is certainly contrary To-
every idea entertained OF m lndsprndeni gov
.,,nent. for any other - a eri adverse dn-
nin,on aud authority within her iutitlteioonl
limits they are things thai eanhot eaNd 10
sc'her.
gewet, the State If Georgia and the Indian
tribes WITHIN her limits, no co'npnct pr hgtr'
ment was ever entered into Who then Is 10 yielh
for It's certain thai in the ordinary coh ;
ofexefcised authority, tina, Que " the Other
must The answer heretofore presented from
the Government, md which you. by yont adop.
Ton, have sanctioned rs correct, IL the only
ono that can he offered. Georghhy her ae'
knowlodgri conlederative authority, may lie.
gally and Ilghtluly govern and control
throughout hef own HinHh, w 'isN W., N""N
ledge Of the science and principle of govern
meo,. n. they relate TO our own forms are
wrong, and have boen wholly misunder'
stood.
Sympa,hy iadulged is a noble and generous
trail al character but It should never assume
a form calculated 10 outrage settled principle,
or 10 produce IN the ond greater evil than u
woull remedy. Admit II were IN the dispo'
xition ofthe Cow rnnIrnt At ashngton 10 hold
A course aud language different from that
shry heretofore employed and TO encourage
she Indians 10 the belief That righHully they
NAV remain and ererci civil government IN
desnile of Georgia DO those who nrc the ajvo
Gates of such n course, aud consider u recon
cilable 10 prop eriy. dream OF the consequences
10 which Il would lead, OF consider after what
manner 50 strange nm idea could be put IN prsc
lice Havo they looked to the stat OF Geor.
gin conscious IN The recIiiude vi her own con-
biru,,o" ~ nsA'. '.~'a"d'"- "' it," Hnil"'
States their constitutional authority 10 inter
feIe, and appealing 10 to states 10 sustain her
against encroachments which II submitted 10
might. in the end, prove destructive ofthe
whole &c nothing else can he traced through
such a appeal aud In such an iss e, th'nk ihe
good and the humane mas nj last perceive
that IN II peril ii 10 be dscerned, aud that The
weak and undiscipined Indians, M snch q con-
test would be so utterly destroyed, that the
naces which nos know them would presently
khow them no NOR.
From the conversations had with the Pres,'
dent. recently and formerly, on the subject oi
the Indians, am satisfied. 10 man in ths coun.
Try en,ertains towards them better eeli gs, Or
has a stronger desire 10 see them placed IN that
coalition, whirh may coudncp to h'ir advance
mont and happiness. Bnt TO encourng" them
30 the idea, that within the confines OF State,
they may exercise ali the forms and requisites
ofa government, fashioned e. their owo ton'
ditioh and necessities, he does not can.Idrr
can he advantageous 81 them. or that The ek-
ercisc Of such right can properly be con.
coded. What would the authorities Of the
State Of New York say 10 an attempt, on the
part of the Sir Nations, 10 establish, within
their limits, separate and independent gov.
crnmenf; aud vet their anthnri v, 10 do So,
void be rs andcniable as that of the Greeks or
Cherokees, within the territory of Georgia
or Alabama Would they agree, tina, the In
dian law OF retaliation on tue next oil kin,
should be enforced for the accidental killing
of,one Of their tribe I Or, that nothing oftrade
and commerce, by her citizens. should take
place within their limils except in conlp NIFTY
20 the provisions of their mum ipal code
Would they assent 10 have their citizens ren.
dered hable To be arraigaed at the bar OF an IN
dian court OF justice. aud TO have metad out 10
them The penalties OF their criminal code
II is obvious, hat no State of this Union would
grant such authority. Coucede, however, that
these Indians are entitled TO be considered
sovereign within their oWn limits and you con.
cede every thing else as matter OF consequence.
Admit the principle aud all is admitted and
what thee The sword, the alone arbiter in
any community, where questions OF adverse
sovereignty aud power are to be sHtdrd, would,
IL the end. have 10 be appealed 10 and when
this shall be the case, the humblest prophet
in our land cannot but discern what will
be the finale Of The contest. Is it not pre-.
ferabie, and does not their own peace, and
quiet and happioess, demand. hat they should
surrender, al once. such visionary opinions,
and, by retiring beyond The Mississippi. place
themselves where every conflict, as 10 state
authority. will cease, aud where the mos, enlar
ged and generous efforts, by the Government,
will be madeto improve their minds, better
their condition. and aid them in their efforts of
ualE m. Al.