Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-11-17
From the Richmond Whig'

Chevokse Indians.
Tha address of Brigader General Stand Waite, Cher.
okee Chief who commands the Indian forces west OF
the Nssiss ppi, nded to Us by Colonel William
H. Thomas (now in this city) of Thomas Legion Ct cl-
zepjzd Cherokee Indians and Mouataineers raised by
bim principally il the porion Of North Carolina west
of the Blue Ridge They are said to be fine scouts the
best of marksmen, and nave rendered valuable services
For prudential reasons, best known to the commander
but little knovn Of their whereabouts or operations
by the p1b,. The COMMANDER aud a la ge portion OF
bis men rot liable to conscriptlon purely VOL
unteers first for hree years, nearly expired, and now
they propose going III Tor the war; De the time long or
ahCrt,
We apptnd tie address cf General Stand Waite:
To the Honorable Members of the National Committee
and Cosncu in General Council C0nUened:
Under favor of Divine Providence to whom ls due
cur humble and grateful submission, you, the Repre-
sentatvs OF the Cherokee people enabled to meet
in General Council to promote as lar as may lie IN
yolr power their bst interests In undertaking the
work before us it is proper that impore that wisdom
and guidance without which buman Efforts are power
less and human calculations vain.
Siuce the organiz alton Of the present Government
our peope have been subjected changes Of cond tion
copeuuent upon tha war in which the alton has been
engaged. Soon after the General Mass Conventoo,
held By that intelligent portion OF the Cherokee people
who could not be Infected with the deliberate treachery
of their principal rulers, Confederate orces OF this
District made an advance n0rlhgard, the enemy was
xpeed from borders and our prospect was fair
for continued pOss ss0n OF country. The CAM
psgn. upon the whole, however, PROVED disastrous 10
The common cause. All that portion OF our country
living porih CT Arkansas river wesed from US by
| Overwhelming numbers, ard our women and children
forced to fee from the mercess traitors who had sworn
with ourselves to protect them from the common enc
| my. lhe next sprng the en- my strongly III
trenched at Fort Gibson, aud at the close OF the follow
ing GUNNER, Fort Smith, the key OF Wessern Arkansas
and the Indian Territory passed cut OF Southern pos
session. No efforts that cou0 thsn be msdeby brave
| and Jealous soldiers under truly able commanders,
could prevent or did prevent, the whole igabe por
tion Cf Arkansas river, with its contingent territory,
from falling iuto Federal hands. It was, we can sup
post the policy Of able CcInmanderin-C Chief at
Shreveport to exhaust or expose the resources OF
the country by premature attempts to regain what had
been lost, all events the Inhabitants OF most OF Ar
kansas on the Federal line OF march were compelled to
seek the of etreaog armies and our own peo-
pIp en- masse with Greeks and the population OF the
Northern Choctaw Counties were driven to take TEN
porary refuge on Rcd River and in Texas where they
at present abide
be destitute condition OF the people had been repre-
sented 10 the auhorts Of the Confederate Government
and am grated to be able to state that measures had
been taken supply them with provisions independent
of the Ordinance CT CONVENTION to supply the destitute
passed May 3Otb, 1863 The principal Commissioner
Captain j. L. Martin, who was appointed under the
ordinance, was also appointed Iesung Agent under an
order from General Steele, making provision Tor sup
plying the destitute with raons at the expense OF the
Geaeral Government. have received 20 official re-
port from the Commissioner, and am only able to say
in THE connection that raops have been furnished bin
, for distribution among needy Cherokee families, which
have at short ntervas Of time been received and ssuec
undeH bis direction.
During tie last winter the Cherokee Delegate to th
Confederate Congress, Mr. E. q. Boudnot, succeeded
in obtaining appropriation or loan OF one hundret
thousand J!as from the Confederate government tt
supply the most pressing necessities OF lndgent Oherc
> KEGS Forty-fve thousand dollars of this am unt ha
been received by the Commissioner, on part of the Ma
ton who is now enea ged IN making purchases OF sue
Il articles their immediate wants require IT. s expect
ed that they will be at hand and ready for disr
r button. l. lies within your province to take such &C
ton 10 this your wisdom may judge BEST TO
the uniform and best allotment of these articles anon
N the actually and literally destitute, to which state man
\ | of the people have been reduced
~ ghe Act Of the General Convention, entitled an Or
dipance to incgease the Military Force in the India
II ory placed vita certain EXCEPTIONS all Cheroke
male cilzaps between the ages OF eighteen and forty
the Service of the Confederate States for the te
two and three years. II is lot necessary to inform
that it is Cf tie most urgent cons quence for efectir
If the ret Establishment Ct ynal ghts that the
should be pros cuted with the greatest Vgor, and th
The whole of the population capable OF b9arlng arr
ould take part in the mmou struggle. l tbelefe
recommend ior tie purpose OF Increasing cur III ctl
mill; ar7 fol- ce to the usmus that act b. passed pu
ting all Cherokee ;lae clz2ns between The ages OF
and 45 fl for GUY aud already euls ed for the Wi
il the Confederate service fJr that perioj-with 50
further provisions tOc fully carrying into effect such
is low as in your ldgement may seem best.
y The Ordinance Of the General Mass Convention e
tabIiab,e this Government held at TahloqCa1, Augr
~ 2lst 1862 rea ed ard adopted the Constitution
nc s previously IL OPERATION, aid it lies within yo
,ro,inca to make apv amendments or additions to
same in the proper mode as you may deem expedient
49, am however aware that the interrupts to viii
your present session is exposed and the sequent
tn ceasi,v of dispatch, which respectfully urge up
ymr Iotico will lot ALLOW you perhaps to exercise
reonise Geliberation, except upon the most mater
sn1iscts Of legislative action affecting the imnedi
ed | welfare If your constituents.
ina A General Council to which all the Indian Tri
of are invited hos been called to meet the 20 Of
NJ month at Choteau's Trading House. Three delega
ino boua hrn anpoiated represent the Cherokee pee
f,il w Messrs Iussy Guess, John Chambers, and
ire liam Arnold Copies Of official letters will be furns
TO vu for ycur inform alon III regard to the obect OF
this General Council of all tue Tribes.
o, Snce the campaign opened last Spring prospt
bono hon hriohteu!ng. Confederate arms so far as
the have hard have eryWhere been victorious. In
ned Danartmant vast ard combined movement OF the
f. tile aroies towards Texas signaly checked and
mo- ,ted erv in the Sprng-a circumstance which shc
and not he forgotten explaining the seeming nertness
ish1 time cf our Oommander-ln Cnef and as lllust!a
the his consummate prudence and Ek as well as the
was aoe and discipline OF the army This success may
instiev hone that with the blessing of Provide
om upon the yaIor of troops, our people may ere
ia of / return tn tbec country ant homes IN peace.
the East of the Mississippi the war at last accounts
oht raging with the convulsiVe fury OF hDal struggle
numerical strength Of the enemy in the field is er
is a mous-ther means ample and this power, raised
and our destruction, is not contempnby welded Aga
this threatening prospect are opposed an army
ined has not In all the terrible colncts OF tne ae
s OF show bold and progressive Hont-a 0euea, "ho
SO not his equal eath surrounded and aided by eu
dinate commanders, scarcely inferior In capacity
ition above all cause which We know to be sacred