The Nevada Democrat., 1858-12-08
From the Red Bluff Beacon ]
vELLOW-BTRD.

Thosa of our readers who are familiar with
@ho h;atorv of events as they transplred IN the
Cherokee Nation, for several years Immediately
nreceedina the year l849, will readily appreci-
Ate The feelings that must have actuated the
breast OF young Ridge at the time the following
mem was written. For the information OF
those. however, who are not Informed upon tnis
point we would state. that prior 70 the time Q.
the removal of the Cherokee from tnelr oio
homes 10 Georgia. John Ridge, or See-lee-ios-
kee as he was called in the Cherokee tongue,
was Chief of the Nation, and when desired Dy
the u S. Government to remove with MS people
10 the lands that had been selected for them on
the borders of Arkansas, Immediately obeyed.
Knowing that il would be useless to contend
against so mighty power as that OF our Gov
ernment he started with as many of bis tribe as
were willing to go with him, for their new homes
in the far West. Some there were who refused
to leave their native woods and plains, and re-
mained behind. or this faction John Ross, q
ouarter-blood. was chosen chief, and they re-
mained in Georgia several years, until tney
were compelled by the Government to remove
to the west and Join those that bad gone before
them under Ridge. There was, ever after tDis,
q deadly feud existing between the rival iac'
tions; two parties Immediately sprung up, one
known as The Ridge or old settler party, and the
other as the Rossites. These were alternately
in the ascendancy; Ross appealed to their pre-
had lived and died, while Ridge pointed to the
many advantages they enjoyed in their new
homes over their old ones, in the character and
quality of the land, &c.
Finally, in the year ls49, and at time when
Ross was in power, he began to fear the rising
popularity of Ridge, who, it was plain to be
seen, was every day growing In favor with the
people. Major Ridge, the father OF the chef,
bad been put to death by the Rossites, and John
Ridge was exerting every nerve to regain his
rights, and to avenge the death of his father;
and at the close of day in which he had spoken
to the people In one of the most powerful and
eloquent oratorical efforts ever heard IN the
Nation, and after having received the congratu-
lations Of the multitude who rushed eagerly for
ward to grasp his hand, be was most fUully and
brutalIy murdered by hirelings sent by Ross to
way-lay him and take his life. 1t was. we say,
at the close of events such as these, that John
r. Ridge, son of the old chief, and rightful heir
to the cheftancy, then quite young man,
penned the following lines over the signature of
HYellow-Bird" his Cherokee name, and sent
them for publication to the Springfield, Mo-,
Wing, of which we were at that time the pro-
pretor:-
ssLet Truth and Falsehood Grapple.'
Why steals around my brow this
A shadow darker than yon cloud,
Which hides the struggling stars from sight,
Like mighty thoughts are from the crowdS
Why comes a sadness DER my heart,
Deep as the scarce heard thunder's moan,
Which, all ethereazed doth seem
Some dark and wandering angels toner
Ah, life hath many a lighter
Than his who bears nations hate
An exile from the early home,
Which men have rendered desolate
'Tis hard to bear doom. struck brow,
To have certain resting place
Reyed, prescribed and hunted down,
Accursd by ones we'll loved race -
race for whom 'twere sweet to die
Would dying raise them from their death:
The death OF all their glorious hopes,
Whose ruins now they lie boneath;
Would dying raise from their lone graves
The noble men, who lost in vain,
Their spotless lives, that one, mean
Hell scorns to name his name might reign.
The grass grows green above the grave
Where 'Sca lee los -kee's sleeps alone
Long darkened now his eagle eye
Long silenced now his fearless tone;
And distant from the son he loved
The great ''Ka ia ella -gi''t lies
Whose trumpet voice led warriors on
Whose strong hand seizd the battles prize.
Fen he that "walked the mountain tops"
''The Lon of a noble tribe,
Whom gathering dangers nser appalled,,
Whose kingly heart no sums could btibe;
And where the sPark Hill Mission throws
Its now no longer hallowed shade,
because fell murder hath been there)
The gentle Boudinot is laid
On whose warm heart sweet heaven breath'd
A purity all stain above
Who gave unto his God. and to
His bleeding country, all his love
'Tis DER the ashes of such men,
hireng band of murderers tread
'Tis Ger the nation that they loved,
A tyrant his hated head
Go, villain, shade thy ally face
From forms that round thy bed arise,
And, in their bloody shrouds confront
Thee with their dark and steady eyes.
Go, coward creep into thy den,
And hide thy deeds from human sight,
Lest with hand too strong for thee,
drag thee headlOng into light
Grand River Cherokee Nation