Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-03-08
ANNUAL REPORT OF GOv.P. NJ. BUTLER,
CHEROKEE AGENT. FOR 1914.
CHEROKEE AGENcv,

CHEROhEE hGENCV,
Fort Gibson. September 80, lS44.
. Sir: The period has arrived when the rrgua.
lions of (he departed demand my annual rePor: up.
on the affairs of the Cherokee nation.
am happy to be able to renew the assurances
contained IN my last report, of their continued nm.
Iprovement morally. intellectual, and smaIy.-
Tho liberal policy of the government has projuc.
led the most fia,terng results. |, has Proved BE-.
Iyond cavil, the capacity Of the Indian racc for
4 hioh grade of civ ~"a ",'"5y p0'Ss'o'-
hnce in the same enlightened CO rse, we m y hope,
nav vet save them, on the brink Of extinction.
from what has nlmos, seemed to be their appoint.
nd doom, The several matters deemed most ~or-
Inv the notice Of the department are, for greater
perspcui,y, arranged under arpropria heads.
9, Morals-femperance- mhiskry trade.--
The Cherokee Temperance Society was organic.
ID in 1886, and has steadily been progressing in
,s work ever since its establishment. Its last
bnnual meeting was held in November, ls43,
when the whole number Of signatures amounted 10
wo ,bousa nd q nd seventv.three. Since that time,
number of verv successful meetings have been
held in different parts Of the nation. -Four hun
red additional names are known to have been
iCned, and many more, not reported, have been
!
mounts 10 two thousand four hundred and seven.
y.,hree. Of these, probably two thousand are
-Cherokees, and the res. whites or blacks. In con.
exion with this benefcient institution. it gives mo
Iieasure that my duty permits me to nllude to the
onduc, of the late commanding officer of Fort
Gibson, Lieutenant Colonel G. LOOMS. This
Gentleman. hesdes extending his humnn ne exertions
this cause 10 the interior Of the Cherokee mutton.
s,ablshsd temperance society among the SOL
iers of the fort, the operation Of which, may
teeIy saw, proved highly beneficial. As was
yseIf at first more than doubtful of the good Jndg'
hent of his proceedings, and the advantageous
haructer of these results, hope will not be sup
psed TO travel out of the record in remarkng thai
pe diminished consumption Of spirits 10 which
hall presently alIude has been in no inconsldera'
part attributable TO the reform in the garrison
fected by this gentleman s efforts; for tho tacl
II Of Introduction of ardent spirits through thai
"A bannel undoubtedly led 10 its more extended us'
the nation. Tho whiskey trade; in n moral view
4 cond 10 no other in mportance-has fallen oil
4 ry materially during the last year; and it IS wor
4 N Of remark that as little or less Of this article
rs introduced during tho suspension OF the inter
Purse law, than before. This has been altribut
however, as we'll to tho want Of means, as o
n p disposition to purchase: o, all events, the con
4 mption is greatly diminished. The Cherokee
d ws for the discouragemcnt Of this trade anon!
T.. emselves are very effective. and are much NOR
idly enforced than such could probably be nmonl
whites. am, therefore, decidedly Of opinion
led p. the introduction Of military interference, o
i adoption Of arbitrary measures on this subject
Sill be productive only Of evil. BY the spilit OF op
Dsition that will inevitably be excited. This re
/, hrk, however, is no, intended to extend to tn
olection, from our iaps, Of white persons wh'
Fry spirit into the country, or bring it up The ri
% in bulk; against them, they cannot be too strict
Reinforced. While on the subject oftheir morals
Mill advert to vicious practice, prevailing anon;
Indians, Of habitually carrying about then
th, lded arms and secret wenpons-n habit as un
Pd hnly as productive Of danger and disorder. Al
'S ugh have thought !. my duty 10 adver. to .h'