New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-28
MORE OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS.



sOr Of an article which appears in THr NKwYoaK TRIBUNE
2t inst article without signature and without re-
Bponsby anything appear columns INT
article evidently written by mercenary and hrelng In
e interest the Ross Patty Of the Cherokee country The
Ross Party doya 10 the in the late Rebehop'
and they desire escape the consequences Of their acts ana 70
Aod power over those whom they led into Rebellion By assert
hg that they faay loyal after certain period That
period Editor when they discovered that the Federal
be triumphant and that the side which they bad
lined destined under They double traitors
6st 70 the Federal Goyernmeno which they acknowledged
every obligation by treaty, and next to the Conoderaes
whom they abandoned when the fortunes Of The Cofederaes
~aned All OF these facts VIII be made fully 20 appear in TIE
Of his article Ny statement IL reference 70 other mat
ters staD BE- brief
l. It's true that the CheYotees have arrived At shgh
degree Of civilization Bat who we're the first among the
Cherokees to adopt end customs Of the whites
and 70 take lead stepping from the midnight OF plr
barsm INTO MONDAY blaze Of ciyliSsioDf Wac II tne
sgnorsnt led by John Ross BY no me1us II was tne
sptslecual the able men headed by "Ks-nan taca-ea
<sdaor RIDGE the who walked the morntainops his
same ID IN history II was who first adopted tie manners
md customs Of Whites who erected the hrs mouse acF
the Furopeln style Indian country who clothed hmsel
A civilized garb and who educated his children IN The
schools and colleges OF New England His son, John Ridge
and bis nephew Elias Boudno followed il the path Of this
aged pioneer Of Cherokee civilization and their are
.pon record as among those Who aooed 70 re-
s,em their people from tie savage state They organized me
party Of civilizations the party that has always
soeved the and opposition Of tho ignorant Indians LED
y, John Ross blinded and deceived by him oI Us own
selfish purposes.
n-Tho writer whom am reviewing says
.Ta.y cbeoks have Govemeut modelled ateI 'he Coy.
ksd- IN Aabnn and Georgia bal usen posted With
Ses 20 Sc aid annually years Iris been Used
solely Tor pabi paposes ray ht Of gee. 70 tnS' ts
q hsr .ve session printing then avs holding sr5
peres Of their Government Apa. q the remainder
sss remainder oftfei iulds are schooilaDd,."
Nov Sir let US vndcate truth Of history The Gov
nm.n spoken by your anonymous correspondent was al
Che outset legitimate and established with the Eee CON
cent Of tie peOpe but the Government 10 which he REFERS
when he uses the terms they taes Government" &c. rs
soe built upon murder and usurpatortAe msrder OF the
pioneers Of civilization (the Ridges and BoOdno and the
ppaon Of authority and above the will and protest OF
large body Of the people and founded the ruins Of an
Akeady established Government Of indebted legmaoyso
recognized BY the Federal Power az Washington me
Uherokees living Of the Mississippi invited tbe Cheokees
living Of the Mississippi TO join them and 70 ave upon
sh.ir lands after selling their treaty was made IN
ls by the civilized party headed by John Ridge and Elias
Boudnot cedng TO United States The lands Of the CLero
lees residing east Of Mississippi fOr Of money the
proceeds of which to for national purposes as SET
forth in the above from the letter ofyour anonymous
eSTrCEpOudent.
.o Cherokee Government existing AT all asst o! the Mississippi
the country Of the Cherokees being then divided into
annexed for the most pat 10 the State OF Georgia.
Alabama also asserting the right OF Ike uris-
cton All the and ordinances Of the Cherokee Nation
East were annued and the people stood as mere mass OF IN
s,duals and organized body polite In this con-
ALTON Of things the Supreme Court Of the United States hay
nag virtually decided in favor Of thus stripping the Eastern
EArokees all their immemoal rights upon their own soh
by refusing 20 give the Cherokee Nation stains in court the
Federal Government proposed Din 1859 treaty mprtssng
spon the Cherokee people through Authorized agents the de-
snnaon Of the Government not to interfere with the States
sf Georgia Alabama and Tennessee in their assertion ors
Election over Cherokee soil but leave them at the mercy OF
er oppresors You either sell your land 10 the Gov
srnment leave it per force without remuneration such
was the meaning Of the language used by the Government
soyard the unfortunate Cherokee The Cherokes at
Arge notified appear general council TO hear the
propositions the agent and TO negotiate with him. not as an
srganized body polite bat individuals and il was dis
xuc stated by agent all those who did not respond
80 the call for the council would be considered by the
Government having given their consent TO whatever should
be and transacted upon the ground John Ross having
made offer sell the land st certain price and greatly
s his own personal advantage and the Government having
negotiate with the people at large he Ros refused
~ attend cogne and kept the ignorant masses
whom he led although be would individually have sold from
beneath feet every foot of the ground upon which they
stood majority Of the wealth respectabiy and inei-
enoe of the Cherokee people attended the council They
Informed the United States Agent Commissioner that they
there, indiridaa responding 10 bis call he gave
1lem 70 understand that he considered them authorized to
make treaty inasmuch be had notified the general mass
Nat they did attend they would be considered as
having given their negotiations might be
made treaty agreed to- and signed by the Ridge and
Boudinot party RdridsOls and not representing
body poltei and in this shape the document
was taken TO Washington and ratified by the
Senate becoming the supreme law under which Cherokee
rs have been administered or have been assumed to be
administered since John Ross knowing well t these
sreumtancs for his sefsherds ehoss TO work upon
Al. yrejudices Of the ignorant popuace and stir them
asainst the intelligent and able who signed that treaty
senvneirg ignorant that it they the Ridge
and Bondnot party and the Government Of the United
States had swept from under their feet the soil OF their
ancestors Yet be made contracts with the Government I'M
Ger the povsons Of this same treaty and realized hunereds
Of thousands dollars out OF the fund which should have been
sded among poorer classes He took contract for re-
his ignorant followers to the West and charged them
10 have fed and clothed in their home for
yeas While thus specializing upon the profits OF the treaty
denouncng the gners Of and insugans the mecca
Sin footed savages OF the Nation 10 their murder Arriving
sren the lands the Western Cheroke lie found them happy
end eontented, with wise and harmonious gov
eminent Of their own and received with cordial vel
s.me was understood that Government then in force
.bod rule until the masses old residents and the newly
arrived could meet in council and agree upon system tine
ssion Of all divisions and parties The Ridge and Boadnoi
wing Nation cheerfuy acknowledged the authority OF
existing Government and joined hands with the old oecu
rants Of the country Ross peceyng that this proper and
honest CON bnaton would defeat him for the chenshp at
abe neI election and give the Office TO John Ridge pretended
70 aoquiesce but secretly organized conspiracy by which
sohn Ridge Major Ridge (his father and Boudnot (his
soun) we're ssss,sinated lie then seized the public
suuds organized military force pursued the lives OF the
suers legitimate Government hunted them down and
BY sort Infamous coup dea overthrow the existing No
sonay and established himself sole Chief of the country
II IL was smart and ingenious to murder who could