The Arkansas advocate., 1830-09-29


 had they, without cause declared hostil- lty against their protector, and had the colonies been subdued, what might not have been their fate? But her power on this continent was broken. She ac- knowledged the independence of the ] United States. and made peace. The i Cherokees therefore stood alone; and Tn these circumstances continued the War They were then under no obliga- tons to the United States any more than to Great Britain, France. or Spain. The United States never subjngated ] the Cherokees; on the contrary. our fa- thers remained in possession of their country. and with arms in their hands.
 The people of the United States soughta peace; and, in l785, the treaty of Hopewell was formed, by which the Cherokees came under the protection oi the United States, and submitted to such limitations of sovereignty as are mentioned in that instrument. None of these limitations, however, affected ln.the slightest degree, their rights of seifgovernnent and inviolate territory. The citizens.of the United States had no right of passage through the Chero- kee country till the year l79l, and then only in one direction, and by an express treaty stipulation. When the Federal Consultation was adopted, the treaty of itoqewell was confirmed, with all other treaties, as the Supreme law ofthe land. in l79l, the treaty of Iiolston was made. by which the sovereignty of the Chero- kees was qualified as follows. The Cherokees acknowledged themselves to be under the protection of the United States, and of no other sovereign. They engaged that they would not hold any treaty with foreign power, with any separate state of the Union or with indi- viduals. They agreed that the United States should have the exclusive right of regulating their trade; that the citi- zens of the United States should have a right ofWay in one direction through the Cherokee country and that if an Indian should do injury toa citizen of the Uni ted States he should be delivered up to be tried and punished. A cession of lands was also made to the United States. Gnthe other hand, the United States l pald sum ofmoney; offered protection; engaged topunish citizens of the United States who should do any injury to the Cherokees; abandoned white settlers on Cherokee lands to the discretion of the Cherokees; stipulated that white men should not hunt on these lands, nor even enter'the country without pass port: and gave ;i solemn guaranty ofall l Cherokee lands not ceded. This treaty IS the basis of all subseauentco compaets: and in none of them are the relations of the parties at all changed.
 The Cherokees have always fulfilled their engagements. They have never reclaimed those portions ofsoyereignty, which they surrendered by the treaties of Hopewell and Holston. These DOT tions were surrendered for the purpose of obtaining the guaranty which was recon- rnended to thema the great equivalent. Had they refused to comply with their engagements, there is no doubt the U. States would have enforced a cornpli- ance. Is the duty of fulfilling engage ments on the other side less binding than it would be, if the Cherokecs had l the power of enforcing the just claims?
 The people of the U. States will have the fairness to reflect, that all the trea- ties between them and the Cherokees were made, at the solicitation, and for the benefit, of the whites; that valuable considerations were given for every stipulation, on the part of the United States; it is impossible to reinstate the parties in their former situation; that there are now hundreds of thousands of citizens of the United States residing upon lands ceded by the Cherokees in these very treaties; and that our people have trusted their country to the guar anty of the United States. lfthis guar antY fails them, in what can they trust, and where can they look for protection?
 We are aware, that some persons sup pose twill to ouradyantage toremove beyond the Mississippi. We think oth- erwise. Oar people universally think otherwise. Thinking that it would be fatal to their interests, they have ai- most to a man sent their memorial 10 Congress, deprccating the necessity of a removal. This question was distinct ly before their minds when they signed their memorial. Not an adult person can be found, who has not an opinion