The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-17
TwENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
IN SENATE.

the Treasury Department, in pursuance Of Senate
resolution Of the OH Of March st in relation to The
Clerks employed in that Department. Laid on the
table and ordered TO be printed.
CHEROKEE TAEArY.
Mr.. DAVIS presented the memorial Of Jacob
Cnmmingo and Others citizens OF Southboro, Mas
sachuSeits setting forth their reasons for believing
the treaty with the Cherokees 10 be illegal, and
praying, if said treaty Is enforced, il may be done
| with humanity.
Also the memorial Of David Daggeu and 439
others OF New Haven, in the State OF Connecticut,
setting forth their belief that the Cherokees never
| assened to the treaty Of New Echo.a, and praying
that the honor Of the nation may not be stained, and
the rstribulion of Heaven provoked, by enforcing
the conditions OF lha. instrument against the will OF
| the Chcrokees.
Ako, like memorial OF 81 citizens of Hamden,
4 Conn.
Also, like memorial Of y citizens Of Durham,
Conn.
Mr.. DAVIS also presented the memorial Of cit-
zens of Orange county, New York, upon The same
1 subject.
Mr.. McKEAN also presented remonstrances on
The same subject from citizens OF Pennsylvania. All
/ laid on the table.
Mr. LUMPRIN said he held in his hand letter
addressed to him by John Ridge, from the Cherokee
| country west Of the Mississippi. He was full
blooied native Cherokee, The letter contained
mucn interesting information in regard TO the true
condition Of the Cherokee people who had emigrated
wcs OF the Mississippi river MIR. Ridge bad been
l in that country twelve months, had explored andex
amined it, and the letter gave full account in respect
| 10 The true condition of those people Butthis was
not all The declarations of other intelligent per-
sons corroboraed what Mr. Ridge had stated on this
subject.
| This letter Mr. L. said had come as from an in
dividual, but it contained full and complete refu-
| ta,ion OF all those petitions which, morning after
| morning, were pouring in upon the Senate, from
persons who knew nothing OF the real condition OF the
people, of the subject which they were annoy
n icletpriDuS
effect on the country and onthe unfortunate remnant
OF these Indian people, and which might end in a
manner affective to all persons ofsensibility and hui
mainly.
Mr.. l.. asked that the letter might be read it con-
tanned statements facts which could be established
in courts OF justice, and which were calculated to
have an important bearing on this question
| Mr.. l.. then read the letter. no objection being
made; and, after brief statement Of the happy and
contented condition of the Cherokees west Of the
Mississippi il proceeded with matter and reflections
principally derogatory TO John Ross, of The Chero-
kee nation, and his encourages and coaduto
Mr.. l.. said he grateful for the indulgence
which the Senate had granted him. He felt II due
to the subject and the country to do thus much, and
he felt very confident that il those people who were
sending petitions here knew better what they
doing, every good principle Of human nature would
impel them 10 a different course They were pro-
ceedng under the sacred name of the holy religion
of The Bible and If Mr.. l.. reverenced any thing, il
was The religion OF the Bible. But he looked for
ward to the results Of the passing tendencies TO unite
and blend that religion with the politics OF the coun-
try, with fear and trembling But he would not now
consume the time Of the Senate. His sole object
to prevent the evil which he saw growing out of the
course taken on this subject.
l. Mr.. DAVIS presented another remonstrance Of
Vthc same kind from number ofnhabitants of New
Windsor, Ontario county, New York, which was
laid on the table
While up, Mr.. D. said he would speak word
or two in reply to the Senator from Georgia. That
Senator had seen fiji to read private letter for the
information of the Senate and Mr. d. was happy to
be informed in any way in regard to the state Of
facts as they existed on this subject and he would
not have said word in reply if the Senator had
not alleged that this letter reiuted the statements OF
the remonstrants. Mr.. ID. had looked overthe me-
MORALS which he had presented, and he had heard
the letter and if the Senator had been better inform
ed in regard the contents of BOTH he would not
have been led to the conclusion that the letter touch
ed the subject of the memorials at all. The memo
raliss did not 80 into the inquiry as TO The literally
of the treaty. of the richness and peaSanneSs of
the country to which these people were removed,
and, as far as Mr. d. knew, they made question
about this. But whether it were not, not
al all the matter in question. The remonStrants in
sisted that the treaty was procured by fraudulent and
improper means, and that il was made and procured
without the assent of the Chcrokees and they then
drew this inference, that if the treaty was made
without the assent of the nation il ought not to be
obligatory and consequently ought not TO be enforced
without their consent. Mr.. ID. had uniformly con-
Cured in the opinion that this no treaty; but as
constitutional majority had declared it law of the
land, Mr., d. deemed it his duty to acquesce, and he
had sent these memorials to the table without exam
ing this matter, expecting that the Government
would go with the treaty but hoping that it would
be done in the spirit of humanity. The memoriaistS
were, many Of them gentlemen Of the highest re-
spectably in the country for intelligence, moral
worth, humanity, and every thing that went TO exalt
human beings. The Senator had not done them
justice, for all they asked was tha, the treaty might
not be enforced against the will Of the Cherokees.
Mr.. ID. not disposed TO enter into the question
of the merits or dement's of John Ross. The remon-
stans had derived their information this subject
not from him, but from documents published here
They had seen the remouSrance now on the files of
the Senate from more than 5000 of that nation,
stating to the Senate and to the country that the
treaty had been made without the assent of that ma
ton by few unauthorized individuals, and that they
were therefore not bound by ii. Mr.. ID, felt it his
duty 10 say thus much in order TO do Justice 10 the
remonsrants.
Mr. LUMPKIN said he denied wholly that this
letter reproachtul 1t spoke Of the remonstrants
deluded, bewildered, and miSed; and it was true
that they were so; and that the Sena himself was
under misapprehension, Mr. l.. would show by
calling his attention 10 one fact, which was, that it
was we'll known BY Mr.. l.. and by others here that
there were not 10000 Cherokees east Of the MissS-
sipp men, women, children, and infants included.
This showed the deception and dension under
which the rcmonsrans acted and evinced that these
good people, well as their respectable organ here
were under mistaken impression.
In regard 10 the language OF the remonsirants,
Mr.. L. had examined of the memorials, and
there was no comparison between the reproachiul
terms used by them against this Government and
all its respectable authorities there nothing in
the letter to compare with it. But we had fallen
times when privileges of this kind were all on one
side the Senate received reproacheS TO degrade the
Governments; but the moment reproach was cast on
the people who took these liberties, like dis
urbng hornets nest. Mr.. l.. denied that this let
Ter contained any reproach or abuse it was state
ment Of facts; and Mr. LIS object in reading it was