The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-11-30
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| lON.
Great pains are taking in various piaccs,
to s1c'ie the feelings Of the people through
out the country, on behalf Of several indi-
VIduais who belong to the State of Maine,
who have been convicted and sentenced TO
imprisonment by Il court in the British
Province of New Brunswick, for alleged
offences against the laws of that province.
| The difficulty between that State and New
Brunswick. arises from dispute about ju-
rlsdiction, the late award of his Majesty the
| King of Hollnnd either not having been es-
tablished, or being not satisfactory to the
parties. With the merits of the controversy
we are not acquainted. Probably, when
| Congress assemble, the matter will be laid
before them, and thoroughly investigated.
For that result the State authorities ap-
pear, very properly, disposed to wait.
The object, we have in view 10 noticing
this subject, is to remark how differently
tbs treatment which these inhabitants Of
the State of Maine have received, operates
upon the public feelings, compared with
that which has been experienced bv two
natlvesof the United States from the most
savage persecution Of the State of Georria.
Two clcrgymen, who went to reside among
the Cherokee Indians, with the full knowl
States government, and whose conduct has
been uniformly such as that government ap-
proved, countenanced, and sanctioned, until
since Gen. Jackson's election, are now in a
State Prison, at hard labor, among the most
abandoned villains and miscreanls, for re-
siding among the Cherokees, without Ii
cense from the authority of the State. AL
lowing the State of Georgia the right of iu
w in 4bn, i
possess, the act constituting such IN offence
felony, and punishable in the same manner
with horse stealing, burglary, and highway
robbery, is foul disgrace TO the character
of a community which claims to be not only
civilized, but Christian. Even the pretqxt
for this Algerine barbarity is in tie highest
degree disreputable to the character of the
State, for it is nothing more than an appre-
hension that the Missionaries might dis
suade the Indians from quitting their coun-
try, and removing into the wilderness IfI
there was any real cause for this apprehen-
sion, is it criminal offence in this country
for one inhabitant to give his advice or opin-
ion to another, respecting his domestic in
terests ? Are the common Offices of friend
ship and good neighborhood to be aggra-
waited into felonies. and made liable TO the
most severe and infamous punishment? 1t
is in vain for the people of Georgia to f1atter
themselves that they can find refuge from
public opinion, and general reproach, under
the overshadowing wings of Gen. Jackson's
administration. Let it be remembered, that
he is by far the weakest and most ignorant
man, who has ever held the Office of chief
magistrate of this country, and of course his
opinion is worth just as much less, on any
Important subject, than those of his prede-
cessors, as he ranks in point of intelligence
below them. But the civilized world will
not be at the trouble 10 take into considera-
ton the minutia of this subject. They will
learn what the offence and the punishment
are, and it is impossible that the case should
not meet with the reprobation of all Just,
enlightened, and honorable individuals, as
we'll as politicians and statesmen.
And yet, while these men are enduring
not merely the tolls and hardships, but the
horrors of their situation, there is compara-
lively little feeling at the existence of such
deep and indelible stigma upon our ma
tlonal character. How long it will last we
do not even conjecture. Four gears are
allotted as the duration of their punishment.
II is hardly to be expected that men unac-
customed to the hardships Of life can endure
such seventies as they must experience, for
such length Of time. We hope the public
sense of injustice, ofhardship,a and ofdisgrace,
will produce some effect before those four
years expire. We had expected that a
general effort would have been made in the
country, to induce the national government
to interfere in behalf of these injured men,
and rescue them from the state of suffering
and degradation to which they have been
reduced.-N Y. Daily advertiser.