Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-15
THURSDAY. MARCH Is, 1882.
SPEECH OF JOHN RIDGE,
A cHtRoKEE HIEF,

rokee nation, rose to address the audience, and
was greeted with great applause HIS per-
son is good his manner free and graceful,
and his accent peculiar, such as marks the Indian
frnn The white man His language was strong.
" hsurative, though not strictly grammatical
but the more impressive, perhaps IN that very &C
count, from its conformity TO the Indian mode III
,xpres,ion: his voice distinct. and his action and
elocution such as would grace an orator OF the
schools. We shall not do hun justice IN the
sketch we will attempt Of his remarks, but 1t
will give some idea of his address for those who
feel curious to know how civilized and we'll.
bred Indian talks.
Fl. congratulated himself upon being allowed,
for second time, to address the sons and dausn-
tiers If Massachusetts,. He would avail himself
Of the oppo tunity to state the origin of the mis-
sien upon which he mad come To the cities OF the
North. The Cherokee Nation, oppressed by
G oryia, BETRAYED and abandoned to their ene-
mics by their father, the President of the United
States, had met in council, though the laws OF
Georgia subjected them to four years imprIsOn-
mrut in the peniteniary for holding their own
Council in their own territory over which Geor-
Ola had no control. They REQUIRED to the times
when the protecting shield Of the United States
was extended over them, and they reposed IN
psace. under the broad wings OF the American
eagle. The tears stood IN the eve, OF their w0-
men, They found their sources OF revenue cut
off, The annuity of a1out $4,000, which had
always been considered the property OF the ma
ton, and paid to its chefs. and with which they
had met the expenses of their government. had
bren ordered by the President TO be paid 10 the
individuals of the nation. Most ut 1t, as was
stated on the former evening, still remained IN
the hands Of the U. 5. Agent. But the nation
was left destitute. The Council ot the nation
turned their eyes TO the North. They selected,
from among their head men. some OF those who
could communicate IN the English language, and
they said 70 Us, 20 to the cities OF the North
and let them know of our distress. Go to the
land of that great man who has buckled on the
armnr Of truth and e!oqueuee, and noblv defend
ed the Cherokees on the floor of Congress; 90
to the lard If Edward Everett applause TO
To the civ OF that man who struggled tor our
riahts 20 he last. and died in the cause OF the
Corrokee,: the cit, OF Jeremiah Evarts- some
arniau.e ! TINE he SAID. would fail him, to do
Justice tn the good aud great men who had con-
tended for the rights of the CheroSees. lie
would most gladly detail them all, 1t time would
allow.
He referred briefly 70 the title BY which the
'Ctrrokees held their lands Ii was title not
written. but extending beyond memory. 1t
was charter derived from the Great Master OF
Breath, the K,ue of kiOss, and to which the pre-
tensions set up by Georgia we're but as yesterday.
The Cherokees. he sand. were once nation oil
savases. Of warriors and hunters. lie could
himself remember that period. Ihey lived IN
tonns Of wigwams. with common fence around
their danrinp ground and council fire. There
was no Individuality of property. The warriors
Join I'd in the war dance, and when they returned
&, ,ha h,tt fhp yyhn a
their approach. and the number OF scalps they
brought from the enemy. The scalp were held
between a man and woman, who danced In tri-
umph; and 80 rude were their women then, that
they would put these seal into their mouths, and
exult and mock over the miseries OF the relatives
Of the slain.
Al this time. General Washington. the Presi-
dent of the United States, proposed himself to
become the father of the Indians. He encou-
ragged them to lay aside war and the chase. and
cultivate the arts of civilized life. They follow
ed the advice Of that great man, and they had
become civilized and christianiZed communl-
ty. Instead of joining IN the war dance, their
women were now employed IN useful industry,
at the wheel or at the needle, instructing their
children, or attending to their domestic duties.
Instead Of going out against their oppressors with
the war sony aud the tomahawk. to wreak ven
geance on their enemies, and die hghtlng III tne
last ditch, their men we're now bariing NTH the
eceapons Of inieQecfuaf argument This fact
alone, he should think, ought to satisfy any one
that they had become a civilized nation. he
fell a pride in tracing the improvements OF his
penpe. rhey were proud TO be Cherokees. and
would scorn to be- compared to the character OF
G 'rgia!--[ great applause.
The CUerukees, he said we're, the only mo-
IL. A. 8 L.,
ing invented an A pnabet. George Guess. Che
rokee Indian. who did not understand single
letter, within few wears had invented an alpha
bet in which newspaper was now published in
the Cherokee nation. and their children taught to
read aud write. He was poor man, living in
retired part Of the nation. aud he told the head
men one day. that he could make book. The
chiefs replied it was impossible, because, they
.a,d. the Great Sp,ri, at first made red boy and
.. xhite bow. to the red boy he gave buck and
g. white boy bow aud arrow, but the white