The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-18
MUNRO Ms.
q For inc uhIoH'
INDIAN AFFAIRs-THE CHERoKEEs.
No 6.

la fulflment of the promise made at the COM
mencement of these numbers, now proceed to de-
fine the positions of the three parties existing In the
Cherokee nation, which has so long disturbed the
peace and amity of these people. Will commence
with faithful history of the rise and fall OF the
western Cherokees, known by the name OF "old set
tiers"
The first settlement made by the Cherokees west of
the Mississippi commenced in or about the year
1885, At the close Of the sanguinary war between
this tribe and the United States, and the establish
ment of permanent peace, by the treaty of Hope
well, in the year 1855, number Of the warriors,
whose blood was still heated from the recent con-
fict, remained sullcn and discontinued. They OBJ
ected to Of the conditions of the treaty; and,
forming hunting party, they declared the intention
to their chiefs of seeking hunting grounds in
the forests and prairies of the UNEMPLOYED West.
Embracing in their favorite pirogues, they descend
ed their principal river (the Tennessee) to the
Ohio, and down the Ohio and Mississippi to the ST.
Francis river, the first inlet into the lower portion OF
the then Spanish province of Louisiana-now the
State of Arkansas Upon this river the first Chero-
kee settlement was made, west of the mississippi;
but, after exploring the surrounding country, they
discovered more eligible position Ito which they
removcd) on White rivera pure and beautiful
stream of water, having its source in the highlands
of Arkansas, and emptying into the Mississippi at
Montgomery point. This whole country was then
called "Louisana;' and the Cherokee Indians had
a considerable settlement upon it, in which they
claimed the occupant title when the United States
became the purchaser from France. The Chero-
KEGS remaining east, by keeping up constant in
tercourse with their wandering brethren soon be-
came convinced of the superiority of the western
huntng-grounds; and at that early day, the effect
can be easily imagined Small parties were continu-
ally joining the Louisiana settlement; and thus emf
grafton continued gradually for period of fifteen
years before The United STATES obtained oohoid in the
| country. This may be considered the foundation of
the Cherokee W. n the Miaaissippi riv
AT an early period Of their history, there were
two parties in the Cherokee nation, designated as
the upper" and "lower'' towns; the first desiring
to become agricultural people, and the latter to
continue the hunters life. The success of their
brethren who had long before emgrated to the west,
urged the lower town to separation from their
tribe, and to seek country west of the Mississippi.
Accordingly, in the year 1909, deputation from
both towns appeared in the city Of Washington, for
| the purpose of making known their intentions, and
expressing their wishes, to their great father, upon
this important subject The President patiently
heard their talks; and, after maturey celebrating
upon their petitions, he addressed them as follows
"The United States, my children, are the friends
OF both parties; and as far can be reasonably
asked, they are willing to satisfy the wishes of both
Those who remain may be assured Of our patron
age, our aid, and our good neighborhood. Those
plorng party to reconnoitre the country the wa
tiers OF the Arkansas and White rivers; and the
higher up the better, they will be the longer un-
approached by our settlements, which will begin at
the mouths of those rivers The regular districts
of the government of ST. Louis are already laid of
| to the ST. Francis. When this party shall have
found tract of country suiting the emgrants, and
not claimed by other Indians, we will arrange with
them and you the exchange of that for Just por-
ton of the country they leave, and to a part OF
which, proportioned to their numbers, they have a
| right. Every aid towards their removal, and what
h,s
administered them and, when established in their
new settlements, we shall still consider them our
children, give them the benefit of exchanging their
peries for what they viii our factories, and
always hold them firmly by the hand"
This was the language held by that venerated pa
triot, President Jefferson, the 9th day of Janua-
ry 1907 to the most powerful tribe of Indians with
! in our limits. His words were, indeed, those Of
a father to his children-kind and encouraging; his
counsel was adopted by both parties; and his prom
ises, whilst he lived were redeemed! The proceed
ings of this council held between the President and
the representatives of the Cherokee nation form the
groundwork of all subsequent action upon the plan
of organizing an Indian colony and government
west of the Mississippi. An exploring party inn
mediately proceeded to the west, and selected q
country between the waters Of Arkansas end White
rivers, and bordering upon those streams.
Here, then, early as lS09 is recognition, by the
President of the United States of the division Of the
Cherokee tribe; and ever since that time they have
been known the eastern" and "western," or
emigrant and antemigrant parties. | will now
trace the of the wesern Chrokees accord
ing to the above division, through all their courses
| up to the present tmej aud will occupy the same
ground, and employ nearly the same language
used upwards of three years ago. in an address to
the President Of the United States, but who left
in as much ignorance of the subject the Pasha
of Egypt; for the poor document slowed away
in one Of the darkest pigeon-holes of the Indian
| Bureau; and il might as well with any hope of see
ing daylight, have been crammed into the remotest
recesses of the capucous breeches-pocket of my old
friend, Major Noah.
In the year 1917, the first treaty arrangement was
| entered into between the United States and the
Cherokee nation, in pursuance Of the promise made
| by the President in the year 1909 This was the
thirteenth treaty concluded between the same par
ties, nearly all of which took additional strip OF
land from the Cherokees, commencing with the
treaty of Hopewell in 1885, General Andrew
Jackson, Governor McMinn, and General Meri-
| wether, were the commissioners. These commits
soners had the whole proceedings Of President JEFF
ferson's council before them, and well understood
the Intention Wishes and interests of the govern
| ment of the United States and the Cherokee people.
This is shown by the preamble to the treaty ratified
| by the Senate on the 26th Of December, 1917
which reads as follows:
Whereas, in the autumn Of the year one thousand
eight hundred and eight, deputation from the upper
uiu ioWci Sneiohcc OWus uuIy duunoIiLcu ny tnclt
nation, went on to the city of Washingtonthe first
named to declare to the President of the United
States their anxious desire to engage in the pursuits
Of agriculture and civilized life, in the country they
then occupied, and to make known to the President
of the United States the impractcability of inducing
the nation at large to do this, and to request the
establishment of division line between the upper
and lower towns, as to include all the waters Of
the Hiwassee river to the upper town; that by thus
contracting their society within limits, they
proposed to begin the establishment of fixed laws
and regular government: the deputies from the
lower towns, to make known their desire to continue
the hunter life, and also the scarcity of game
where they then lived, and, under those circum-
stances, their wish to remove the Mississippi
river, on some vacant lands Of the United States
And whereas the President of the United States
after maturely considering the petitions of both par
ties, on the ninth day Of July, A. ID. one thousand
eight hundred and nine, including other subjects,
answered those petitions as follows:
! Here follows the response of the President
which is inserted above
The caption To this treatv desgnates the partie.