The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-04-13
THE CHEROKEES.

We last week mentioned the recent attempt
of the Georgians TO break up the missionary
establishment among the Cherokees, and to
put down their paper. We are happy to learn,
by the paper itself, that they are enabled to
continue lis publication, without any diminu
ton of its respectable appearance, unalded by
the assistance of any whites. Some further
particulars relative to these procedures may be
learned from the following:
GO Extract of "A lettor from a gentleman in
Georgia, to the Editor Of the Spy, dated
LAwREScEvILLE, March 90, 1881.
Our last Legislature, in the plenitndo OF their
wisdom and power, enacted that all white per-
sons, residing in the Cherokee Nation on the
first of March 1881, should take an oath to sup
port the laws Of Georgia and uprightly demean
themselves as citizens, and, should they refuse
to subscribe said oath, the penalty was hard la
Dor in the PenitentIary. The missionaries were
so far connected with the Cherokee Govern
ment that they could not consistently, (and
perhaps conscicntiousy ,)take the oath; at least,
The object of their mission must have been de-
feated by such proceeding. OF course they
were arrested, together with the printer and
blacksmith, and as that part of the nation is at
. tached to this county, they were brought here
then holding court.
1t was novel case, and produced great ex-
element among the people, for, but few, even
here, are prepared to rush headlong into the
rash measures, recommended by some OF our
ambitious Statc-rightS men. They were not
prepared for the consequences of such an I'M
Just, impotic, and oppressive law and, when
they beheld the ministers of the Gospel, brought
here under the escort Of Colonel, with pistols
Il lxaIt
guns, &c. with military array, and then arraign-
ed before a tribunal which had the power, if not
the will, to punish--when they beheld them
submitting, without murmuring, to be dragged
to the bar of Justice, and accused of an offence,
which-exposed them to the same punishment
with those who were guilty of crimes of the
blacklist dye, there was evidently a strong feel
ing of sympathy in their favor. The minister
in this place, Mr.. ]. S. Wilson, volunteered as
bail, and thus relieved them from the attentions
of the guard. The Counsel for the prisoners
brought them before Judge Clayton, by writ of
Habeas Corpus, and claimed their discharge on
several grounds, viz that the law under which
they were arrested was unconstitutional that
their arrest was illegal, &c. &c. All the OBJ
jections were overruled by the -Jadgc, -gho did
not seem disposed to yield one jot Of his par
tiality~for State rights, but stil as if he would
cautiously avoid any collision with UnCLe Sam,
he could but regard proviso IN the law, which
declared that it should not extend to any au-
thorlsed agents of the General Government
Mr.. Worcester, (who is from Massachusetts,
it appeared, was the Postmaster at Newtown
and would be embraced in the proviso. Mr..
Thompson was also cleared on the ground that
The General Government had authorised his
residence among the Cherokees, and, probably,
contributed something towards the objects of
the Mission but Mr.. Wheeler the printer and
Mr. Gam the blacksmith, and two other white
persons, were turned over to the grand Jury,
who, of course, were obliged to find true Bill
against them for breach of this strange and
Unprecedented law. They have given bail for
their appearance at the next Court, to stand
trial, and, unless the strong arm of the Gencr-
al Government is extended for their protection,
they will be likely to serve four years tour
in the Penitentiary, for crime of omission.
The surveyors elected by the last Legislature
are now running off the Cherokee llnds into
sections, in which ale to be elected magistrates,
&C., to regulate the country. Report says they
meet with no opposition in their duties, and as
the President says to the Cherokees, 1" they
must submit or remove" foresee that these
poor natives are about to be used up as the
phrase is here.