The Arkansas advocate., 1832-02-15


 ask leave of the public to make few remarks, as present circumstances com pels me to do so-and wllich may here after prove beneficial to my people.
 lst. It is the desired wish and policy of the present administration to have the different tribes of Indians ret re. malnlng eastof the Mississippi, removed to the West, the country planted out for their destiny--the country planted out for their future civilization--ihe place for their future protection and from the further rencroachmentso ofother Indian tribes and whites. The remo- val of the Indians beyond the limits and jurisdiction of the States, places them beyond the reach Of philanthropic aid and christian instruction; if the reno. val Of them to the West, would place them within the reach'of philanthropic {. aid and Christian instruction, would beg leave to ask but one simple ques- 1 ftion-that is, why is not the different tribes of Indians already West of the MississiE pi, placed within the reach of this aid and instruction from our white brethren, who fulfills the word of God = the pastoral functions assigned them by the gift of nature's God? The h. dians yet remaining East of the Mis- sissippi, cannot, in my estimation, be placed in a more suitable country to
 bring them within the pale of civilza-
 ton and Christian religion, if they were not subject to the gross invasion of the whites and State jurisdictions. lftrea- ties and compacts are disregarded when made between the United States and 1 the Cherokee Nation of Indians, then l say. that if we should aecede to the of fers made by the General Government for an exchange of lands, we would not rely upon the promise of our Great Father; because, so soon as he becomes athirst after Indian land, he would say to us what he has already said, in re- gard 10 our rights:-You cannot exist as free and sovereign power within the limits and jurisdiction of any State or States; therefore positively say to my countr, people, if the United States cannot protect us in tine rights already assured to us, by different adminstra- tions here where we are, we need not depend on the assured protection of our great father westward, among the more savage tribes of Indians. Here it is, my friends and brothers, let Us study our pleasant condition at present, and
 what our situationwould be, if We were to remove West of the Mississippi We must exist as people; we cannot exist upon the wings of the flying winds; we musthave nourishment and support; nor can we be supported within the circunscribed limits of the palm of a mans hand-for, comparatively speak ing, the country to the West viii be nothing more than if we we were to try and raise support in the palms of our hands. We cannot live on the game of 1 the forest alone; We have been raised in d country healthy and salabrious; in a country possessed of thousands and l thousands of food suitable for the sus- tenance of man, at a reduced price; it beckons and bids us welcome to the heavenly feast; peace and harmony ex- ists among our people, save the gross linvasions of the whites. Let us stand steadfastly or our native land-handed down to us by the Great spirit of na- ture's God. The land has been ours from time immemorial to the present day; record and history gives DO ac- count where the white man ever pos saSssdd t!sc thc right ;gght, ..ha: hy the dis
 covery made by the brave and heroic Christopher Columbus, who found the Indians in possession of the American soil; they were at that time lords and masters of the American continent Some Georgiawriters and philosophers say, that the land was taken from the aboriginal tribes by conquest-but if they will examine Thomas Jei1erson's Notes on Virginia, at page l3O, they
 will find the following lines.-that the lands of the country were taken from
 them by conqest, is not so general a
 truth as is supposed. find in our his tories and records, repeated proofs of purchase, which cover a considerable part of the lower country: and many more doubtless would be found on fur |sther search; the upper country un-
 known has been acquired altogether l by purchases made in the most uncx cepiionable form. Gentlemen. if we now can place confidence in what