The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-20
CHEROKEE TROUBLES.
.# Arkansas, Jan. 26, 1896
To the Editor Of the Onion.

Arkansas, Jan. &c, 1886.
To the Editor OF me onion.
sIR: The different presses throughout the coun-
try have been teeInng Of late with articles
on Cherokee affairs. Since the outbreaking
OF the difficulties, in which the nation is al
present involved, / have been a quiet observer.
IN the very midst Of the scenes Of slaughter anu
bloodshed committed on and near the line unn-
Ierested for either party occupying situation that
compelled me 10 hear nearly al the stories and rep
reservations OF different Outrages, murders, and
depredations, and beg leave to make a statement
which may be at variance with nearly all you have
yet published. The thousand and one stories which
were daily related, after the arrival of the dragons
rendered II only amusing to some, and provoking to
others; for not cord could be relied upon from
either party and wish (lhe only object have in.
deed) TO show the part our own government is ia
king IN this domestic strife. | have been with the
companies OF Dragons since they came out, and
challenge a single officer in the command 10 say
that he has heard the least circumstance related that
he believed honestly to be true or that he could
ever give credit to anything coming through those
in the least interested. Indeed, could not mama
one giving an account Of any outrage committed in
the nation, TO which I would give half credit
Notwithstanding this, Major Bonneville comes up
from Fort Smith TO get true statement Of all the
circumstances attending murders and various dep.
relations, for the general He, the major, sue
ceeded 10 his apparent satisfaction. But how did
the major succeed when the officers who have been
out from the very origin of the outbreak, can give
credence to nothing they hear He came up heav-
ing with prejudice against John Ross, and proceeds
TO business, collecting the true statements of various
Cherokees and halfbreeds; but in all probability
entirely at variance with the fue eircumsaicts AT
this time was myself prejtldeed in the same way;
but the majors cause set me completely on the
fence. His great hobby were the aiidayits which
he took, all of which were from persons deeply in
teresed, whose near relation had, in some way
been connected with murderer or murdered and in
any controversy on the subject, he would refer TO
these afiiJayts as aets-the true statements Of facts
when, Notwithstanding the blindness Of prejudice
he must have known that thousands of afidavits
precisely the Of those could be procured in
the nation, from men Of far superior standing. In
four snd-tweny hours, any number could be OBJ
tanned contradicting the major in every particular
And why, under such circumstances receive this
evidence, this statement OF "he true facts, and give
them such weight The general is bound TO act upon
them facts, Carried to him they are. The presses
through the States are bound 10 speak from this
and the papers at Van Buren, exaggerate ten fold
everything they hear. From these sources, the
country is led TO infer that the "Ross party" a
set of ruthless savages; that the other or treaty
party, is the only civilized portion of the nation,
and suffering intoeraby from the butchery of these
barbarians. The reports which have gone abroad
from these two sources have opened the hearts to
the kindly and tender feelings that and suf
ferings awaken; 1t Is natural TO weep with those who
weep; 1t needs and pleads for sympathy; but when
we discover that their own vice--that unquencha-
BILE thirst for their brethren's blood-has occa-
stoned or brought them 10 their present deplorabe
state, we naturally turn deaf to their miseries
and entreaties.
There many as good citizens as the nation at. |
fords who have fled the line, and never intend
returning; this Is to be deplored; but a peru large
majority who are now across the line, remain only
for the fear they have Of their o,sn people
was told last evening by one who married con-
nex n he thatb IL
boys" and remained now only through fear of his
oicn relations. The treaty party were the agsres.
sors in the present difficulty; and the other excited to
mob, carried their maddened revenge to a truly
frightful extent. For considerable time after the
troops came out politics had scarce entered their
minds; and so soon as this cry raised they fled
in numbers; and then it was that many good and
honest citizens left their homes, and are now afraid
To return in consequence the desperation of many
of their own party; and many came for the purpose
OF making as much noise as possible, and enlist the |
sympathy of the whites in their favor. The dis
turbance had commenced, and they wished TO carry
it far possible, through fear of their own
friends and relatives than the Ross party. Many Of
them go to their homes every day, have brought |
away and sold all their produce at their own neaa
ure, without having been disturbed or losing grain of
corn and are now drawing ratons, selling their corn,
pork, &c, to the contractors, (ttco of whom are |
rfugees,) and then draw their rations. On last is
sue-day, man came from the nation to try and
ma Quill mere was any certainty as to hoto long
rations would be issued; and f for any length Of
time, he intended coming over himself" This, sir,
was within my hearing. On the night of the Odd
inst a Cherokee shot at the door of house in
Evansville, where he lay in the agonies of death UNI
Ill next morning; added to which was the hor-
ror Of burning, his clothes having caught fire
from the wadding of the pistol and so great
is the fear entertained for these persons, or ref-
gees, by the citizens, that the persons in the
house dared not open their doors. These murderers
were Ezekiel Rider, Augustus Rider, William
Johnson, and William Beatty, tor whom warrants
OUT and the people feared turning out for their
arrest lest they should leopard their own lives and
property, so extensive, desperate and revengefu is
the bind of their connexions. The military seeing
such murders perPetrated without an attempt to ar
rest the villains, turned out, and were Joined by
some few citizens as pilots for their arrest; but
every effort made has proven unsuccessful, by the
combined action of their friends in and about Will
sonvle, who harbor and secrete them, and carry
them intelligence Of the movements made for their
arrest, provisions, &c. And to show the vigilance
of their friends on the night of the Gath the company
Of Dragons was secretly formed, ION foot and sent
IN squads as quietly and quick possible, to
round and search number of houses about the
same minute. This was thought of and executed
in about thirty minutes, and erery house knew of
their approach-had arisen and prepared for inspec
ton. These persons, with the notorious Tom Starr
and Ellis Wesi have lived at random among the citi-
zens Of Washington county for considerable time;
but il is now understood that petition is going the
rounds, praying the government TO have these refl-
gees sent from among them. These are the per-
sons claiming protection from the butcher-knifc of
their own brethren! In the name Of Heaven, may
| not ask who, and what kind of people the troops
are protecting And answer, Jnefion Of party,
who, fearing each other than their alleged enc
my, have fed from the laws Of their own country,
and are setting our own and our citizens at de-
fance
| am, sir, yours, truly, .. II.