Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-02
LETTERS FROM THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS.
AsKvrLLE, BrScoMBE COUNTY, N. G.

A.. ~. .. MAY II, lSdS.
In the present letter purpose to give you brief hsor
cal of certain celebrated Cherokee Indians who
desevedy considered among the bright particular stars OF
their nation Some of them dead, and still living
but they all born in this mountain land and is
that should award each passing paragraph Of praise
The first individual that would mention is Yo-na gus ka,
or the Drocang Bear. He the principal ahief Of the
Qoala Indians and died in the year 1885, in the seenyfh
year of his age When the Cherokees invited
of the Mississippi in 1909 he petioned Presi
dent jefferson that he might be permitted to remain with his
followers among his native mountains and his prayer
gIaned He was eminenty peace chief, but obst.natey
declined every invitation of the Government mgra and
would probably have shed his blood and that of all hwar
rio in defending his rights When about sixty years of age
he had fit of Sickness which terminated in trance
this apparent suspension of all his faculties lasted about wen
tyour hours during which period he supposed to be
dead. happened, however, that be recovered and
resumpg his Speech told his attendants that he had been to
the spirit land and held communion with his friends who had
been long dead that they all very happy. He also
stated that be had many white men, and that of
them appeared to be unhappy The Great Spirit talked with
him, and told him his time vet to leave the
world that he had been good and honest man. and that he
must return to his people and govern them with great
and affection, fiat he might finally and live with the
Great Spr, forever
Subsequently that time his people gave him name,
which Yon-na- yous-ta Hoc like Indian He gov
ened his people like father, and universally beloved
1t his suggestion that Mr. Thomas adopted into
the Cherokee nation the pomnen, assigned for such
desire his part being that Thomas had proved himself to
be the Indians friend and alone in the world having
father brother Mr. Thomas exeed great influence over
him, and among the which the former recommend
ed the adoption of temperance society for the improve
men OF himself and people, who were all addicted to the in
toxicang bowl He true patriot at heart, and on be-
ing reasoned into OF mind, he expressed his
determination to create reform. He first reformed himself
and then summoned council Of all his people, osensby but
secretly for the purpose of establishing temperance society
At this council he made speech 10 the effect that they
knew he had been incorporate and had discouraged
the of strong drink, which he confident rapidly
annhiIatng his nation he expected BE- with his people but
short time, and extcae them from the great evil he had
mentioned the real purpose of the Great Split pro-
longing his life he also spoke Of the many evils to families
and individuals resulting from intemperance and whom he
concluded it is said that his entire audience
Taking advantage of this triumph he called his scribe, (or
he himself iterae man, and requested him 10 write
these words upon sheet Of paper The undersigned drink
whskey :" which pledge he requested that his
should be attached Every member OF the council APP
pended his name TO the and thus was established the
first temperance society among the Cherokees which has al
ready accomplished wonders. Among the regulations which
he afterwards proclaimed that each Indian should pay
fine of shlngs for every offence committed break
the pledge and that the money thus collected should be
expended in extending the boundaries of the territory And
here may be well to mention the fact that though this ia
ther of temperance among Indians had been extremely
dsspaed during period Of thirty years. he known,
in the wag cfmedcn touch drop spirits after his
first temperance speech. '....
The reputation of Yonaguska as an orator was
tensive with his entire nation He only understood the
art of working upon the feelings and clothing his thoughts
the appropriate imagery, but the thoughts themselves
invariably sound and his arguments unanswerable. From
many examples of his reasoning select When once
invited by the officers Of Government westward,
even after he and his people had become czenzed he
informed that in the West he would have abundance of
the fertile land with plenty game; also government
Of his own that he would be unds,ubed by the whites and
that the United States Government would protect him
from future moesaton In replying this invitation, as he
stood in the midst Of armed soldiers he remarked in substance
as follows -" old man, and have counted the
Of almost eighty winters. My hair which is now very
white was like the ravens wing. remember
when the white had not the smoke Of cabins
westward Of the Blue Ridge and have watched the eab
shment Of all his settlements the Father Of Waters
The marcn OF the Wnlte Is sun towards
know that he will be satisfied until he reaches the
shore Of the great water II foolish in you tell that
the whites will trouble the poor Cherokee in the West
country. The white mans and the Indians fate
tell different story. Sooner later Government
cover the whole continent and the red people, il
tered among the leaves will become part of the
American nation As the white mans prom of pro.
ection they have been often broken they like the
reeds in yon1er rver-ihey all lies North Carolina
had acknowledged our title these lands and the United
States had guaranteed that title but all this did pre-
the Government from taking away lands by force
and only that but sold the very OF the poor Indian
aud his gun, 50 compel him to leave his country. Il
this what the white man calls justice and protection No
we will not go the West. We wanted TO become The
children Of North Carolina and she has received as such
and passed law for protection, and will continue
raise cornin this very land. The people Of Carolin
have always been kind US, and know they will
Cypress u.s. You say the land in the West is much bette
than it here That very fact is argument side
The white man have rich land do his great bust
ness but the Indian be happy with poorer land Tn
white have a fiat country for his plough to
easy, but get along among the rocks on tn
mountains We never shall do what you want US TO do
Il don't like you for your pretended kindness always nd
wise my people keep their backs forever turned toward
the setting sum- and leave the land Of their fathers
tell them they live like good citizens never forge