The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-13
THE CHEROKEE INDIhNs.
Four Thousand Indians in C0uncil--Speech
by the Principal Chief--Ai!iance with the
Confederate States

Four Thousand Indians in Council--Speech
! by the Principal Chief--Ai!iance with the
Confederate States. ....
! The determination OF the Cherokee Indians
| to unite their fortunes with the Confederate
| States OF America has already been an
| nounced. A grand council, consisting of
| about four thousand persons, was held at
| Tahlequah on the 2lst OF August, when John
| Ross, the principal Chief delivered the fol
! lowing address:
FricuGs and Feiloso- CIti-egs-It affords me
| great pleasure to see SO many of you on the
present occasion. The Invitation to Won 10
III eet here went from the Executive Depart
ment in compliance with the wishes Of many
| citizens, who desired to make stronger the
| cords thai bnd rs together, and 70 advance
the common welfare The circulns tances u.i-
der which you have assembled are full OF i'm
port, Ion have precious rights 1t stake, and
| yonf posterlty. 1t may be, Will be affected b.
the sentiments you may express You need
not be told that eyi, times have heltllen The
| great Go! ernlnent with which W. have been
| connected Kent by dissentons, its com-
! ponent parts stand in hostile array They u We
| marshaieG powerful armies VINO have already
| engaged in deadly conflicts. The United
| States claim to contend for the tegrity of
| their GovarnTent--the Con federate : tateS for
! their Independence and 4 Government of their
| own. Gigantic preparations are maze by bo,h
| sides to carry on the war. Tie calamites, the
l lcDgt and the result of that war c;npct be
| fore told. The Cherokees will ne concerned in
| its ISSUE which, in all probability, it now ap-
| pears villa be the establishment Of the new
! Government. The attention Of Your authori-
ties WAS e;srlydirected 10 the subject from their
| position, and bycorrtsp spondcuce with officers of
| the Confederate St2tes, and the delicate and
| responsible duty deyolving upon them of de
| Gliding To some extent the course to be pursued
| by the Cherokee Nation i'll he conflict be-
| tween the whites, to whom she was equally
| bound III peace and friendship by existing
treaties. Our political relations had long
| been established with the United States Gov
erlment, and which EN- braced the seeding as
| well the adhering States. Those relations
| still exist. The United States have not asked
| lis TO engage in the war, and W. could not do
| without coming into collision with our
| friends and neighbors, with whom We are
identified by location aud similar institutions
| Nor, on the other hand, had We any cause TO
| take arms against the United States, and pre-
! maturely and wantoIly stake lives and
| all our rights nnon the hazards Of the conflict
felt 1t 10 be my duty, therefore, then TO
| advise the Cherokee people to remain
| neutral. and issued proclamation to that
| effect. | am gratitied 10 hnoW that this course
| has met the appreciation of the great mass
OF the Cherokee people, and been respected by
the officers OF both Governments in II manner
! that commands our highest gratitude Our
! soil has not been invaded, our peace has not
| been moleSted nor our rights interfOred with
| by either Government. On the contrary the
their farms in security, and are rea ping fruit
full returns for their labors. But for false
| fabrications, we should have pursued our or
dlnury NOcatlonS, without any excitement at
| home or misreprese1l ia tions, and consequent
| msapprehensions abroad as to the real senti-
] ments and purposes of the Cherokee people.
Alarming reports, however, have been peril
naciouSly circulated at home, and unjust i'm
putatons among the people of the States
The object seems to have been to crea te strife
| and conflict, instead OF harmony and good will
fl,.,- NlcY Yi,n, i
| der prejudice and distrust instead of kindness
| and confidence towards them by the officers
| and citizens Of the Confederate States.
! My fellow citizens, you have now an oppor-
| tunity to express your views in an authorita-
| tive manner upon the policy which has been
| pursued by yonr officers in the present june
| ture of affairs and upon Questions affecting
| the harmony Of the people, and upon the do
| mestic institutions of the country. The peo-
| pie are here say whether you are arrayed in
| classes one against the other-fuIl blood
against the white and mixed blood citizens ?
| Say whether you are faithful to the constitU-
| ton and laws of your country? Whether YOU
abide by all the rights they guarantee, par
| ticularly that of slavery? And whether you
| have any wish or purpose 10 abolish or III :
| terfere with it in the Cherokee Nation?
| The position have assumed in regard to all
| the important questions which affect the Che
| rokee people, has been too often proclaimed 10
| be misunderstood, however much it may be
| misrepresen ted. The great object with me
| has been to have the Cherokee people harlno-
| nious aud united i'll the full and free exercise
1 and enjoyment of all their rights of person
| and property. Union is strength, Dissension
! is weakness, misery, ruin. Ii time OF peace.
| enjoytpeace together in time of war, II " az
musttolne, fight together As brothers, live
| as brothers, die. While ready and willing To
| defend our tiresides from the robber
aud murderer, let Us not make war
wantonly against The authority of the
| United or Confederate States, avoid CON
iict with either, and remain strictly neu-
| tral on our own soil. We have homes, endea r
| ed to us by every consideration, laws adopted
| To our condition, Of our own choice and ri ghts
| aud privileges of the highest character. Here
| they m ust be cn joyed or nowhereel When
| your nationality ceases here, it will live no
| where else When these homes are lost, Won
| will find no others like them Then M
| eountrymen. AS You regard your own rights.
| as you regard the welfare of your postcrity,
| be prudent how yon act. The permanent dis
| ruption OF the United States is now probable
The state on our border, and the Indian Ma :
| tions about us have severed their connec ton
| from the United States and joined the Con-
| federate Sta tes. Our general Interests are
inseparable from theirs, and ii is not desira-
BILE that we should stand alone. The prestr-
| walton of our rights and OF our existence are
| above every consideration And in view OF
| ali the circumstances of our situation, | do
| say TO you frankly that, in my opinion, the
| time has now come when YOU should signify
your consent tor the authorities Of the Nation
| TO adopt preliminary steps for an alliance with
| the Confederate STATES upon terms hon norable
I
| The following preamble and rcsolu tions
! were subsequently adopted by acelamation
| Fhereas, We, the Cherokee people, have
been invited by the Executive OF the Chero-
| kee Nation, in cora pliancc With the request OF
| many citizens, to meet in general meeting, for
| the purpose Of drawing more closely the
| bonds OF friendship and sympathy which
| should characterize our conduct and mark
our feeling toward each other, in view Of the
| difficulties and dangers which have arisen
| from the fearful condition OF affairs among q
| the people OF the several States and for the
| purpose OF giving free and frank expression
| to the real sentiments iTs cherish to ward each
other. aud OF our trne position in regard to
questions which affect the general welfare
| and particularly on the subject OF slavery
Therefore, be it g..
Resolpsd, That we fully approve the reutrai.
! ty rcc0mmended by the Principal Chief, in
| the war peniiing between the United and
/ Confederate States. and tender to Gen Nc-
| Calioch our thanks for the respect he has
| shown to our position. ,sTts
/ Resolufd, That We rsaew the pledges given
by the Executive Of this Ma ton, OF the friend
ship Of the cherokees towards the people OF
| all the States, and particularly towards those
on our immediate border, with whom our'r
i latious have been harmonious and cordial.
and from whain they Ahould not bc separated.
i Resoired, That We also Lake occasion 10 re-
/ new 10 the Creeks, Choctaws, Semiaoles,