The Arkansas advocate., 1830-09-29

justice. It is incredible that Georgia should everhave enacted the oppressive laws to which reference is here made. unless she had supposed that something extremely terrific in its character was necessary in order to make the Chero. kees willing to remove. Ne are not willing to remove; and if we could be brought to this extremity, it would be not by argument, not because our iudg- ment was satisfied, not because our con dition will be improved; but only be- cause we cannot endure to be deprived of our national and individual rights and subjected to q process of intolerahle oppression.
 We wish to remain on the land of our fathers. We have perfect and origin al right to remain without interruption or molestation. The treaties with us, and laws oi tine United States made 1T pursuance oftreaties, guaranty our res idence and our privileges, and secure us against intruders. Our only re- quest is, that these treaties may be full filled, and these laws executed.
 But if we are compelled to leave our country, VIC see nothing but ruin before us. The country west of the Arkansas territory is unknown to us. From what we can learn of it, we have no prepossessions in its favor. Ali the in- yiting parts of it, as we believe, are pre- occupied by various Indian nations. to which it has been assigned. They would regard us as intruders, and look upon Us with an evil eye. The far greater part of that region is, beyond all controversy badly supplied with wood and water; and no Indian tribe can live as agriculturists without these articles. All our neighbors, in case Of our removal, though crowded into our near vicinity, would speak language totally different from ours and practice different customs. The original pos sessors of that region are now wander ing sayages, lurking for prey in this aeigfborhood. They have always been at war, and would be easily tempted to turn their arms against peaceful emi- grants. Were the country to which NC are urged much better than it is re- presented to be, and were it free from the objections which VIC nave made to it, still 1t is not the land of our birth. nor of reflections. Ii contains neither the scenes of OUT childhood, nor the graves of our fathers.
 The removal of families 10 a new country, even under the most favorable auspices, and when the spirits are sus- tained by pleasing visions of the future, is attended muehdepressiono oi mind and sinking ofheart. This is the case, when the removal is q matter of decided preference, and when the persons cor cerned are in early youth or vigorous manhood. Judge, then, what must be the circumstance of a removal, when a whole community, embracing persons of all classes and every description, from the infant to the man of extreme old age, the sick, the blind, the lame the improvident, the reckless, thedespe- rate, as well as the prudent, the consid- crate, the industrious, are compelled to remove by odious and intolerable vexa- tions and prosecutions brought upon them in the forms of law, when all will agree only in this, that they have been cruelty robbed of their country, in vio- lation of the most solemn compacts. which it is possible for communities to form with each other; and that if they should make themselves comfortable in their new residence, they have nothing to expect hereafter but to be the vic tims ofa future legaliaed robbery!
 Such we deem, and are absolutely certain, will be the feelings of the whole Cherokee people, if they are forcibly compelled by the laws ot Georgia to re- move; and with these feelings, how is it possible that we should pursue our pres ent course of improvement, or avoid sinking into utter despondency! We have been called poor, ignorant, and degraded people. We certainly are not rich; HOT have we ever boasted oi our knowledge, or our moral or intel Ilectual elevation. But there is not a man within our limits so ignorant as not to know that he has a right to live on the land of lis fathers, in thhee the possession q his immemorial privileges, and that this right has been acknowledged and guar anteed by the United States; nor is there man so degraded as not to feel keen sense of injury, on being deprived of l tbis rjoht and driven into exile.