Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-05-22
Twcnty-fadin Gongrcss---sd sess
In SENATE
T"csday. May 10, lS3S

IN SENATE.
THcEday. May 10, lS3S
hr. Lunnki n arose, ana addressed The Senate to The
following effect:
Mr. President: hold in nay hand letter addressed
TO me by Mr. john Ridge, a Cherokee man, of The coun.
try West. THIS letter contains much interesting and
detailed inflammation IN regard 10 the present state and
condition Of the Cherokee people, and affords n fair view
at the prospects winch await these people. il they could
hp permitted 10 enter into he possession of the advan.
lagrs secured 10 them by the treaty Of 1895. II is my
wish. Sir.in read THIS letter for tn" affirmation Of the
Senate and o.! the country. will add, that ! have M.
merous letters from highly respectable Chrrnkees who
have settled IN the Vest. which 90 10 sustain fully all
the views aud statements of Mr.. Ridge. The propfie,y
Of introducing and reading this letter trust will not be-
coutroycried, when We take into consideration the pre.
sent actual state of oar Cherokee affair.
1t is known that the Government, in December. Is35,
entered IHt" an arrangement or treaty with n numerous
and intelligent delegation Of tie Cherokee people. I'm.
der which arrangement il was stipulated and agreed that
the whole people should cmigrate from the East To the
West, under the care and superintendent Of the Co
vernmcnt Of the United States. On or before the Odd of
thu present month, .Nny, 1888; and several thousand
oi them, including the most intelligent, have already
emirratcd, and taken up their aoOGrs in their new coun.
Try, where they are quiet. happy. and con,entcd, and
ar" anxious 10 see the balance Of their tribe join them
in the West, aud participate in their rich inhrritonce.
Among the %cmigranrs ar" Mr.. Ridge, the writer of tho
letter TO which have referred. who ls 4 man of strong
native mind. improved by cultivation ana education -
lie ls a man Of gfeat integrity Of character, whose
ibN SplllL CIU IpSt.'SS Uflut TIE CONNECTS ana
controversies of his people with the State Govern.
rnrnts, which Terminated in the annihllation of the Che.
rnkcc Government. Under these circumstances. Mr..
Ridge and his friends yielded 10 the force q, e.FGpsn
be- deprived Of their native right 10 SILT Governments; aud
Mr. RIDGE became he independent advocate Of emIgra.
ton. rs the best hope uf securing To- hs people the boon
Of liberty and Independence. And raw, with 4 prudent
and intelligent forensic, he looks tua more honorable and
( endearrd relation to the Government of the u > as The
only rational hope Of pcrpetuaiiag the existence of the
native American race.
But. SIR, By the india gence Of the Senate, ! will read
the letter Of MIR Ridge referred 10, and 10 sustain The
truth of which have in nv possession ample testimony.
Leave being granted. SIR J. read as followed
South LEE, BERKSHIRE Co Mass,
.May I, 1888.
My FRIExp: while was in New York, received
your kind letter of the 18th ul in answer to mine, for
which am greatly indrbttd to you. II was my desire
10 have visited Washington. in order to have the plea.
sure Of a personal interview with you. and also 10 see
tie result OF the great Indian bill, now in n course Of
discussion in the Senate. but the period have sci apart
to return To my country is the first of June, and have
bat n short line 10 spend among my wife = relations.
did no, wr!e as fully as the Interesting subject Of
the Cherokee removal. and IN" nature Of the county,
demanded. as then believed / should see you. Now
you will allow me to relate my opinion Of our country
~ the West, and the situation Of our people.
The treaty is 50 liberal in its provisions for the com.
Portable removal of the Cherokees. that have heard no
complaints on that head, but The highest sG!siac'ion.-
Ihase who went by water IN STEAMBOATS, IN The spring
Of he wear. passed with 80 mach daspnich, that most Of
Them planted corn, and raised considerable crops. You
know that good and exemplary christian, Mr. Charles
Moore. He said that he planted in the month Of June,
md raised n greater crop Of beans, pumpkins, and corn,
than he ever did in Georgia under the most favorable
circumstances. He said that the land in the West was
50 TIch, TINT he could compare II To nothing else than y
flliPnrd hog. which was so fat that he could not get up "
have travelled extensively in that counlry-ouc". from
my residence. near the corner os Missouri and Arkan-
sas. 10 Fort Smith, through Flint district, where he'd
the pleasure o. ]brholdInG fne springs "f water, escrl.
1 -, E- ~ -.E.,.L b-.... No., Ill. ,t ,I.
sion schools. belonging To the Cherokecs. aud every eva
dencc Of prosperity and happiness WAS TO be- seen among
th- Chrro"cts as a people. saw a number who had
previously arrived. and who arrived since had, and
heard but one sentImen'-lhat they wPT' happy ard
conrentcd in their new country. Indeed, the soil is so
exceedingly rich, and well timb"red, and The ia.
vigaiiUn Of the Arkansas river affords them superior
commercial advantages to what they enjoyed IN the
East ,oked with the people. and asked them If they
would return 20 Georgia. even IT they could be re csta.
blIshed in their ancient rights and location IN That coun-
try' They invariably said-No, by no menus! Nothing
would induce them Ia return But they sincerely WISHED
TIM, the ewes of their COurirymPn might b" op ned. and
break from The deIuSI"nS OF Jrhn Ross and his pohuca!
tools. and escape 10 this good land. think in this di.
rrc,ion. travelled over 50 miles OF the nation IN o
s,rajpht line. After this. | visited the newly acquired
land. called neutral, winch wds added tn our country
west. by the treaty Of New Echota. !r0de over IL about
two DAYS. md there found MIR. Joseph Rogers, our Che.
rokec friend from the Chatahoochy, pleasantly situated
in the finest region Of country ever beheld on any IanG
in the United States. The streams here, OF all sizes
from the river 10 til" brooks, run swiftly over clear
stones and pebbles. and the water Is clear as crystal,
in which excellent fish abound in vast numbers. The
soil is diversified. from the best prairie lands to The best
bottom lands in vast tracts. Never did see 0 better 10.
cation for settle mrnts. and better springs in the world.
God has thrown his invors here with a broad cast In
this region are numerous mills, and il is Of itself capa.
BILE of supporting n larger population than the whole
Cherokee nation. On my return, | travelled towards
Fort Gibson. seventy five miles. in another direction,
and found the richness of the soil, and natural odv"n.
taqes. far superior 10 any other country in my Travels
In this trip. visited Parkhill mission, where the Rev.
Mr.. Worcester and MIR Boutino; are located, and are
enuaped in the translation and publication of useful rei-
pi6us books in the Cherokee language, aud also Choc.
law books prepared by tie Choctaw missionaries. But
VIVA, pleased me more, and which was a new thing here,
in this country, those gentlemen bad published a chris.
ian almanac. in Cherokee and English, calculated for
the meridian of For, Gibson! found this extensively
+ IN circulation among the Cherokees; and in fact, was
pleased 10 find, that religious tracts in the Indian lam
quage. on The shelves of full blooded Cherokees, and
every one knew and seemed TO love, the ''ntessenger, y as
they call MIR. Worcester. / very often met with new
einigrants from the Eastern nation, either arriving, or
setting the country, or on their way TO Fort Gibson, 10
draw the balance OF their dues for their lands and I'M
provements. These nem corners were formerly oil oppo-
site parties in the cid nation; there was no disposition
10 quarrel, but every disposition maniiesled 10 cuit'Vale
friendship, and rejoice together IN the possession oil this
country. CT
had the pleasure Of being introduced to General
Arbuckle. commanding al Fort Gibson, and found hlsi
n he an excellent man, OF fine personal appearance, 'no
intelligence. He informed me hat the cohntry H'"0