The native American., 1838-09-15
From the Alerandria Gazette.
JOHN ROSS AND THE INDIANS.

The following passage from the New York
without interest, especially in connection with
the recent intelligence from General Gaines. The
project alluded to appears rather Quixotic, and
yet nearly all important projects seem so at first,
except to the few enthusiasts with whom they
originate The Indians have been sadly wrong
ed ruthlessly robbed; and yet, the future is preg
nant with many similar scenes of outrage and
oppression. The march of civilization is on
ware, and so is the progress of plumber!
" My present object is to speak of John Ross,
the chief of the Cherokees. 1t is his object, he
makes no secret Of it, to those with whom he is
on a familiar footing to 60 among all the tribes
of Indians and have a ''talk.' 70 tell them that
they have warred with each other long enough,
that they must now unite-it is the will OF the
Great Spirit-or they will be swept away. The
white men are advancing and advancng-and
though they now say that they will not encroach
upon the lands marked out for the red men, in a
few years they will want to remove them again
When Ross has gained his object Of uniting the
various tribes of his brethren i'll one common inter-
est, he then proposes that they should all aban-
don the lands now theirs, as far as the Rocky
Mountains which there are numerous flats,
and delightful pasturage, buffalo, &c. &C., and let
the white men take possession of all the low
country to the Rocky Mountains; but permit them
to encroach no farther, but with the immense
forces they will possess, in the Businesses OF the
mountains, fight for the last relic OF their own,
their native land, if it be necessary, to the death.
There is something very noble in this Indians
resolve. But Ross is no ordinary man. lie IS
one of those apparently marked out by nature
for great and lofty enterprise. Should he carry
out his designs, and should further wrongs be at
tempted upon the hunted lords of the sol-their
stand at bay will be terrible. Our Government
has taken the scattered tribes of the Indians with
that sngularly infatuated policy which charac-
terizes all its dongs and placed them all together.
They are now, likewise, as they have not been
before alive to their true interests, versed III the
tactics of our warfare, and enabled to compete
with us in instances successfully. Ross has an
other idea which shows how deeply calculating
he is in regard to his people and brethren. lie
proposes to purchase of Mr.. .Catlln his Indian
gallery. and to take it with him to the Rocky
Mountains, there to build temple for It's recep-
ton, and invite the warriors OF all the tribes to
visit it, There they will see, many OF them, their
own portraits upon the same wall lie will tell
that the Great Spirit created the great medicine
man (Catlin,) to bring them together, as they see
themselves on the wall, in order that they shall
fight each other no more, but be united. He
will make it great temple, and none but those
who have distinguished themselves will be allow
ed to enter it, and that only Oh the performance
of religious rites and ceremonies. This would
unite the Indians heart and soul Mystery is the
very keystone to all their actions. Such mys-
terv would make those who had ragged with the
enmity of tigers, peaceable as lambs. You have
now some idea of the Cherokee chief, John Ross.