Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-09-23

right Of self government could be secured to
them by the power Of the Supreme Court, in
defiance Of tho Legislation of tho General and
State Governments. II was not knnwn how
ever until tho receipt Of your letter that the
spirit OF resistance Go the laws of tbs State
and views OF the United States which have
OF late been evident among the ladians had
N any manner been occasloncd hy your adj
vice. Although iasar.ectica among the InGi.
an people oil Geergia msy be fhe consequence
of your proceedings and those who act ia
unison with You. the constituted authorities
of the State disclaim al risht 10 interfere
with you in any manner so long as you keep
yourself beyond the jurisdiction of the State.
You have thought proper to give The Co
vernon of Georgia an account OF the c~isiliza-
ton OF the Cherokees, describing those whom
YOU have known, 10 be polished gentlemen,
and those whom YOU 10 not know, 10 have
ceased TO be savagcs. WHAT yel Say Of lhs
Intelligence of the members Of the Cherokee
tribe who were IN Washington CITY last via
ter Is partly true. aud equally descriptive Of
ma,y others. They are not Indians ssvev-
er. but the children OF white men, whose
corrupt habits or vile passions led them in,e
connection with the Cherokee tribe. Ii is not
surprising that the white men and the chill.
drcn OF white men have availcd themselves
Of the easy means OF acquiring wealth which
the Cherokee territory has presented FOR
thirty or forty years; ner that intelligence
and spirited activity should increase with their
increased wealth, nor that when wealth intel
llgenee aud industry were confined 10 the
whites and the children Of white men that
the power ever the tribe should become CEN
tered in the same hands. But that these eau
ses were calculated 10 produce similar effects
upon the Indians, the real aboroginss, is dis
proved by every example among the thous-
ands which the experience Of the two last
centuries has furnished in every part Of the
continent. The Cherokees have lost all that
was valuable in their Indian chara 't1r, have
become spi,itless, dependent and depraved:
as the whites and their children have become
wealthy. intelligent and powerful. So long "a
the Cherokees retained their primitive habits
ne disposition was shown by the States Under
the protection Of whose Government thsy re-
sided, to make them subject 10 their laws
Such policy would have been cruel. because
it would have interfcred with their habits o.!
life, the enjoyments peculiar TO Indian poo
pie and the kind of Government which acccr-
ded with these habits and enjoyments. II
was the power ef the whites and their children
among the Cherokees that DESTROYED the an
Gent laws. customs, and authority. OF the
tribe, an subjected the natives 10 tho rule
OF that most oppressive Government, an OFT
garchy. There is nothing surprising IN this
result. From the character sftte people and
the causes operating upon them il ccula net
have been otherwise. IL was this state OF
things that rendered it obligatory uraa the
State OF Georgia, to yindieate her rights of
sovereignty ny abolshing all Cherokee Co
vcrnmcut within its limits. Whether intel
iigent 81 Ignorant tho state of Georgia has
passed ne laws y~iolaiiye OF the liberty, per
sonal security, or private property of any IN
dian. 1t has been The object Of humanity
and wisdom, 10 separate the two classes n
mons them, giving the rights of citizenship
10 ihose who are capable Of performing It's
duties and properly estimating is privileges,
and increasing tho enjoyment, and the proba-
bility of future improvement 70 the ignorant
and Idle, by renewing than 10 q situation
where the inducements TO action will be moro
i. accordance with the character OF the Cher
okce people.
Your suggestion that it would be cenven-
lent and satisfactory, if yourself, the Indians,
and the Governor, would make up a lag case
TO be submitted 10 the Supreme Court for
tho determination CT the question, whether
the Legislature Of Georgia has competent
authority 10 pass laws for the Government Of
the fnsssas residing within its limits, hoxev-
er courteous the manner, and coneiliatory
the phraseology cannot bat DC considered
exceedingly d,srespeciful TO the Government
Of the State. No one Knows better than your
self that the Governor would grossly ~yislate
his duty and. exceed his authority bY comply
ing with such a suggestion, and that both the
letter and spirit OF the powers conferred By
the Constitution upon the Supreme Court
forbid its adjudging sneh a ease. Kour sug.
gcstion is but an evidence Of the state Of that
coatest in which tho advocates Of power, are
c~xeIting themselves to increase the authority
Of the Departments Of the Genera Govern
ment. whilstt the friends ~oflibs,ty andthe rights
Of the people Gre 10 opposition eudeayoring TO
sustain the sovereignty of the States. 1t is
hoped that tho efforts Of fae General Govern
ment to execute its contract with Georgia,
to secure the continuance and advance the
happiness Of the Indian tries, and TO give
quiet to the country, may be 50 edseiealiy
successful as 70 prevent the Necessity Of any
father intercourse upon the subject
Yours, &c. GEORGE II. GILasER.
WILLIAM Writ, ESQ.
Erana fha RaIft~nra Ca1affa