The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-09
FOf The Uhlol
CHEROKEE AFFAIRS.-No. X.


More mmdsr.-Ross's detsnes.-H jusiifss he recent
murdert.-.No gopunment IN the Cherokee country
proof -.9froeious ealnnies upon the victims Of
as,a,sinafion -Passing scenes.
Again the Cherokee soil is stained with the blood
Of assassination Taxa tan. ka one Of the leaders
Of the band which murdered james Starr, has him
self fallen by the hand Of violence. or his death
there is no doubt; Of its manner, says, that
he wss snssesd from his camp drink and IN re-
turning, pierced with three balls dozen stabs
and scslped. Thus, by Indian law, has the murder
Of James Starr, and his little son, been PARTIAL y
avenged. But where is this thing to end
have been waiting for the advocate Of John
Ross and his associate chiefs to finish hs defence
Ii awful task, and after two efforts his hand
seems to have been palsed. I wished him to pro-
coed, because he could not do so without produ ing
evidence to sustain my positions. Such as he has
given, now propose to review.
J Rosss defence, against the assumed charge of
having direct agency in the assassination of James
Starr and others, begins with JUSTIFYING THE
MURDERS "The Starrs," says the defence,
''ior whose MERIrED FATE sympathy and ven.
geouee are now invoked" &c Yes, Ross JUS
TITLES the murder Of the aged father, against
whom there was not charge, and the STRIPPING son,
who was hardly capable OF crime, and thus COM
mences his defence before the American people!
This is but repetition Of his atrocous course after
the concerted murders Of the Ridges and Boudinot.
This commencement is followed up by letter
y,
the daughter of John Ross, making charges against
the Starrs," afterwards admitted to be partly false
and since proved to be totally So and wishing sue
to the bands of assassins then the hunt for
them. And when they did succeed in killing James
Starr and Suel Rider, severely wounding Washing
ton Starr and putting four rifle balls through Burk
Starr, little boy, since dead, the same William
Ross, editor of the Cherokee Advocate, wrote to
his UNCLE jastiyng the murders, and in the national
newspaper called for more blood! "Hunt them
do,on," was his cry from week to week, until the
movements Of the United States troops and the in
dignation of the neighboring people struck terror
into the hearts ofthe public assassins.
But the principal use | desire to make of Mr.
Rosss defence, is to prove, by his own showing,
that there is no government in the Cherokee country
,ohich deserves the name. William Ross, after detail
ing the burning of Meigss house, the murder of two
Of his neIghbors, and mentioning the names of the
supposed murderers, says 1.-THE council has taken
steps 10 arrest hunt dotpn the mrderers Companies
are, however, out, and God grant they make take
them. There Is n0D no security in the country"
Mrs. Megs says, in her letter: "The country is in
such state Just now that there seems little encour
agenent tie people 10 build good houses make any
thing, for fear Of being robbed and murdered BY these
| barbaro,s Jelo,ps."
Now, if there is emo security in the country" for
the Ross party with all the powers of government il
their hands, legislative, executive, and Judicial,
standing army and all the funds Of the nation, what
| is their pretended government WORTH If they can.
not, with all these means render themselves secure,
,ohat must be the condition Of the hated treaty party
| old settlers? With what face does John Ross and
| his delegation approach our government, and say
that those parties can live in security, where his
nephew and daughter tell him, and he tells the
American public, "hsrs is no security" for his
family and friendsa ...... ....
| Facts as strong and convincing positive proof
show that the officers of the pref ended government
were the accomplices of these bands Of assassns
boe ale - m R,e
Why Because the companies of assassins were
| abroad who would do the work certainly and
| promptly than government which must have some
| proof to justify the taking Of life. Is there any
other 'ssible reason for their inactivity While
they stood STILL their official editor called for more,
and still more of these companies, to "hunt them
down" And when murder after murder had been
committed, the acting chief and council sent out,
sherfs the lighthouse to arrest the well known
assassns, but committee 10 collect materials for their
| jusiifcationi This, committee consisted Of George
Hicks, Stephen Foreman, John Thorn, and w. s.
Coody. Without the slightest evidence, they made
| the following asserton---viz; '.... ~.
rIn order to make our statement plain it will be
proper to premise that on Saturday night, the ID
inst, number Of men, among whom were Thorn
az Starr, Ella Starr, Washington Starr, Suel or
Ellis Rider, and Ellis West, came to the house OF
Mr.. r., J. Meigs, presented number of guns
through window, and demanded admittsnce."
| Some Of this committee, | believe, are now in
/ Washington, and call upon them for the evidence
that Of these men was present at the burning Of
Meigs's house. pronounce the charge sicked
fabrication 10 justify murder bu duplicating the refirr'
in previous crimes Of ,ohieh they entirely innocent
| | know il has been proved that several OF them
were far from the scene Of plumber and arson on
that night a.. 1u EgH fe... go ~ "ar
Look at the evidence furnished by Joha Ross in
his defence. William Ross says, II was "haD az
hour of,sr darkp when 't6ve seven men approach
"a ,ha ho,.e NJ M Meioar. havinr held some con.