The Van Buren press., 1859-07-06
ATTACK UPON C.rr,r Dnovrps 70 r,ov =,

| IL
| events.
ATTACK UPON CATTLE DRovERs FROM THE
CHEROKEE NATroN.-We copy the follow
ing letter from the Missouri Republican, If
the Missourians persist in not letting droves
from the Indian country and Arkansas pass
through their country with cattle, the citi-
zens of Arkansas and the Indian country
will have to retaliate, by not letting droves of
horses and mules pass through their coun-
try South, next fall. The people of Missou-
ri must be getting back to the times of old
Salem Witchcraft. ED.
Sr. Louis, June 9th, 1859.
EDITOR REPUBILCAN-Dear Sir: I re-
gret the circumstances that require me to
bring to your knowledge, and, through
your paper, to the knowledge of the law
abiding and order-loving people of your
State, a most fragrant outrage against a
citizen of an adjoining State, and also
against those of a neighboring Territory.
John and William Alberty, and William
Brewer, citizens of the Cherokee Nation,
and myself, a citizen of Coles county. Illi-
nois, left the Cherokee Nation with about
twelve hundred beef cattle, In the aggregate.
Mr.. Brewer in the lead with about 13O head.
Messrs. A1berty with about $50, and |
with about 250, intending to drive them to
Upton, the present terminus of the Pacific
Railroad, with the view of shipping the
fattest to the ST. Louis or New York mar
lets, as the case might suggest, and the
balance to the prairies of Illinois, where
they might be fully matured When we
had advanced in our course as far as Yer
non county, Mr.. Brewer was met and very
abruptly. commanded to turn back. The
cattle of the .Messrs. Alberty next came nm
under the management of Fiji oIarkum who
was commanded in the same manner to-
turn the rattle, which he did, and drove
back near five miles, accompanied by mem
bers of the ontf-eoale organization. The
Messrs. Aiberty were not with the stock at
the time, having been detained by other bu
siness. When We heard of the opposition
we rode forward together to learn the char
acter and cause of ths obstruction. When
we overlook the stock grazing upon the
prairie There were three men of the or
ganization riding among the stock when
we came up, as we supposed to report the
progress Of our march if it should be again
attempted. Upon inquiry we learned from
them tiiat an o.d ran by the name of B. L..
Sims had been appointed Captain 6f the
" Opposition" We Immediately sought
Mr. Sims and learned from him, in very
emphatic language, that not a hoof of
Southern cattle should pass that road, and
if they did that their passage would be over
the dead bodies of hundreds of men. AS
a reason for that course, he gave the fact
that many cattle had died along that road in
short time after Texas cattle had been
driven over it /; and that they had now or
ganized themselves into an armed body to
resist any further effort at driving Southern
stock through their country. l attempted
to reason the case with him by telling him
that my cattle, having been bought in the
Indian Nation, were the same as their OWL, /,
subject alike to the disease, if suaf did ex-
list, and that it was wrong dot to discrimi-
nate between cattle that was supposed to
create disefse, and those against which no
might be regard to Texas cattle but no
one had yet been able to give satisfactory
reason for the existence of the disease, or
that it had been solely caused by the passage
of Texas cattle. l also reminded him OF
the fact, that if the people of the Indian
Nations were prevented by Missourians
from driving their stock across their coun-
trp, a spirit of retaliation would be engen-
dered, and that no Missourian would be
allowed to come into their territory for any
purpose whatever, or even to pass through
as an emigrant to Texas unmolested, for l
had heard them make such declarations.
also presented, or endeavored to do SO, to
his view, the fact, that was a citizen of the
neiehborine State, and that l claimed, at
the hands of the people of Missouri, protec-
ton to my person and property, while with
in her limits /; and if that were denied me,
while in the prosecution of my legitimate
and laudable avocation, it would be difficult
for Missourians to convince a certain class
of Illinoians that it would be proper to
protect them in the free and uninterrupted
transit of certain species of their proper
ty, recognized by many of us as property
under the Constitution of the United States,
when it might be convenient or desirable
to cross Illinois with it. And lastly, that
it was not very suicidal policy in them,
while paying heavy taxes, to construct and
foSter faiffoauS III their Ctdte,'to oIiSe, oy
this course. freight from their roads, pre-
sently and prospectively, and prevent the
accumulation of wealth in the aggregate
that would follow the purchase and safe OF
these animals by their fellows citizens, ts
say nothing of the high handed, unjustifi-
able course that they were pursuing towards
US. also made proposition to them to
go in among our cattle and select such as
might appear to retain too much Spanish