The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-18

Ridge and his party against the Wishes Of the grea,
majority OF their nation Is the immediate Of the
difficulties in which they have been involved for the
last four or five years The great body Of the chero
KEGS az s well known, refused to leave their homes
and 90 the West-having been parties to that
treaty and il was only at the point Of the bayone
that they conld at last be forced from Georgia Their
removal 10 the West soon followed by the assass
nation Of the two Ridges and Boudino The chiefs Of
the treaty making minority. The late Secretary II
War (Mr. Poinsett) hereupon, without proof or rea-
son, probability, chose 10 consider John Ros.
accessory the murder Of the treaty makers
and prescribed him on this groundIess charge. On
this point, claim to be well qualified witness, Du-
ring these exciting times, resided in Of the Dor
der counties Of Arkansas, on the very boundary line
of the Cherokee country, and had daily intercourse
with them know that Ross perfectly innocent
Of the murder; but the contrary fearing that under
the strong feeling existing against the treaty makers
such outbreak might occur he did all in his pow
er 10 prevent it. Indeed ! your Excellency,
that far from encouraging any such outrages, bis
powerful influence continually eIerted for the
preser alton Of peace and order and il is his intel
ligence, frmneas and good conduct aided by another
indv dual Of his nation (now ia this city, that
owe the preservation Of our western frontier from
war far bloody and destructive than any known
in time.
The abrupt and violent removal Of the Cherokees
from their homes in Georgia and the equally rude and
hasty in which they were thrust into the
country which they occupy, have given occasion
to great national and individual losses among them,
which have never been entirely arranged adudica-
ted. They have yet been fully compensated for
the spoliations they suffered in Georgia and since
their removal they have not ceased 10 clamor for
more complete redress. Many claims arising out Of
this treaty still unsettled, though large have
been paid in partial accomplishment of that object.
They have never ye. received the promised ee-sim-
pie Of their new territory and all their relations 10
affected by that unfortunate treaty, to which they
never were parties, require complete revision and
settlement. treaty, on the basis Of a con plete
acknowledgment of mutual claims and equal rights,
will furnish the only thorough adjustment OF these
complicated difficulties.
For the perfect accomplishment Of this purpose,
would most respectfully recommend TO you the ap-
pointment Of board of or three commissioners 10
visit the Indian territory, with full powers for the in
vestigaton and adjustment of all the pending disputes
with the Cherokees and Seminolcs. By these means
the just intentions Of the Government might be car
ried out with great certainty, and great Of i'm
portant facts might be collected relative to Indian
policy, for the Of the Government for the nor
nation of the whole country
This proposed commission might also be advanta.
geously extended in its abors and inquiries beyond
the limits Of the two tribes hereinbefore specified as
presenting eases Of primary and Immediately urgent
Importance Our relations with the Creeks the Choc-
laws, the Senecas, and other tribes compaetly
ttixA. 80 a. - IL - -
yond Arkansas would all be brought to better un-
derstanding both sides by such complete autho-
rized Governmental survey. There are multitude
ofgrievanees existing and continually arising among
the different tribes, and with frontier settlers and
with Government agents, which, by gradual unhsed-
ed accumulation, may amount last to potent causes
Of desolating war among them with us. There
are vast and weghy questions Of national policy too,
involved in the condition and destiny Of those mors
than halfcivizcd Indians whom the novel and sin
guar arrangements Of the last twelve years have
placed in formidable array along all our western
borders. The citizens Of Arkansas Missouri and
Iowa, look with doubt if not with alarm, at the pho
nomenon thus presented their West ern frontier;
and the peace of,he nation and the prosperity othose
States require that relations to those tribes
should be permanently fixed on mutually, satisfac-
ticn of those tribes7 Are they to be driven again
and again still farther West into the Great Ameri-
can Descrt,-into the Rocky Mountains.-or 10 the
Pacific ocean-shore7 Or shall they remain where
they are now placed soemnly pledged national
faith and there at last find from then wanderings
secure beneath the shadow of our strength, and on
our sacred housekeeping through long ages the
fruits of their abors from their rich cultivated fields
and forgetting perhaps in future happy generations
the wrongs Of centuries Are they always to remain
in their present anomalous tuelagc shall they final
y, in due time take their place in our oreus COME
deracy, with our language, religious and our best
institutions and add another star of strange and novel
lustre to our bright and increasing national constea
ZION
These are great questions which our country and
rulers mus, decide and aid and guide that de-
csion is an object worthy OF the proposed attempt 10
collect all ncedful Information our Indian affairs
In conclusion, may be permitted to poin, to the
glorious results OF this final adjust of our rela
tons to the aborgincs of this Continent and to the
lasting honor which will accrue to that Adminstra-
ton which shall justly meet this great emergency
Those Indians have high and pee ular claims upon
you sir. They the only people in all our wide
dominions who are literally your subjects. and they
present themselves before you under the your
children In the established form of their expressive
and beautiful dction they address you as their Great
Father, the President" With peculiar hope durinr
the long dark years Of their trials they have
looked forward TO that change in our National Ad.
IN nistration and policy which ended in your welcome
accession to the supreme direction of affairs. Let