Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-02-16

their missionaries, and why, and see who
were the staunch friends and supporters of
the Cherokees and the missionaries. Read
how families were separated, never to be re-
united; how, in their long, wearisome march
for hundreds of miles to the western terrific
ties, they suffered and died by thousands,
and is it any wonder that some desperate
characters among them, should, in an evil
hour, take the lives of some whom they
regarded as the chief authors of all their
calamitiesl l do not justify these acts of
violence, but must say that the provocation
was more than human nature ordinarily
bears with meekness and resignation.
This brings me to Mr. Boudinot's commu-
nication. 1t bears sufficient evidence of the
animus of the writer, viz: that of extreme
hostility towards Mr.. Ross, who has been
the beloved and idolized Principal Chief of
the Cherokees, reelected epery four years. by
the almost unanimous voice OF the people,
ever since about the year 1928. He has ever
been the friend of education, Christianity,
peace and good order. To bear me out in
this assertion, need only refer to the history
of the Cherokees during that time, to their
progress in civilization, TO the records of
Congress, and of their own National Coun-
ellis to the annual and extraordinary MESA
ges of Mr.. Ross as Principal Chief, to their
free school system, and to their condition
when tho rebellion broke out, with free
schools in operation, one for every thousand
of their population, besides male and
female seminary, also free, and 10 the peace
and good order which reigned throughout
the country. Mr.. Boudinot, on tho other
hand is the representative OF those who sold
the birthright of their nation, and were the
authors of their internal difficulties. But
for many years the difficulties have been 30
far settled that those of the old "Treaty
party" who choose to do 80, resided quietly
and securely in the nation. Others like MIR.
Boudinot choose to expatriate themselves.
Tho influence of this party was always in
favor of extreme Southern ideas, hence some
of them were said to have united with the
knights of the Golden Circle" and your
correspondent, il my memory is not at fault,
while editing paper in a border town OF
Arkansas, endeavored to excite feelings
against Mr. Ross by calling him an "Abo-
litionst." Hence, too, when the rebellion
broke out, they threw themselves heart and
soul into it. Mr.. Boudinot soon appeared in
Richmond, as delegate from the Cherokees
to the Rebel Congress, and his uncle Stand
waite was made Brigadier General in the
rebel service Why were not these honors
conferred on Mr. Ross and his friends, If
they were such hearty rebels as your cores
pondent representa- No; Mr.. Ross and his
friends, "the poor Indians, " caused the
rebels great solicitude, and were loyal TO the
United States Government, though over
powered by hostile forces, against which
that government had by solemn treaty prom
ised to protect the Cherokees.
That Mr.. Ross was loyal, his murdered
children, his scattered family, his ruined
home, all, all the work of rebels in arms
against the United States Government, at
test.
In regard to the commission that met al
Fort Smith, and its extraordinary acts, car
only say that, knowing as l do, something
of the history of past commissions sent by
the United States Government to force mea
sures upon the Cherokees that they were
opposed to, am not by any means prepared
to receive its conclusions as just and right
To my mind their official record shows {
determination to take advantage of the ex
traordinary position the Indian tribes wer'
placed in by the rebellion-certainly by nj
voluntary act of theirs, so far, at any rate, a
the Cherokees were coneerned-to agaii
compel them to accede to measures to whicl
they were opposed, and which arc contrar.
to all treaty stipulations with them. trus
that Congress will not sanction any NOR
oppressive measures against the Indians
The whole bearing of this Commission to
wards the Indians was unworthy of the re
presentatives of a great and magnanimou
nation. They treated with them as if the
were all savages, and seemed 10 do ever
thing possible to create i'll feeling among'
them, for the purpose of demonstrating tn
necessity of using stringent measures wit
with them; in other words, placing thel
under martial law. These so-called "dissel
sions among the civilized Indians hal
always been magnifed for the purpose
" keeping up military establishment on Il
frontier, in the interest of contractors, su
lers, sc.
In conclusion would say that am N
!, "a relative" of Mr. Ross nor an "interestt
party" in the case at all, except for idsti
and right. 1 write chiefly from person
knowledge of the facts, having been bo
and bred in the Cherokee Nation, and beil
Y, familiar with their history for the past for
a, years My father was for more than thir
years missionary of the "American Boart
among the Cherokees, and was one Of tho
who suffered imprisonment in the Georf
Penitentiary for maintaining their rigl
and privileges under the United States &c
H. ernment against the dogma of State Righ
ne [See the case of Worcester Ss. the State
K Georgia, in Peters, Reports of the Suprel
~ Court of the United States, vol. 6, PIP. 51'
IS. Respectfully,
,s- S. w. BUTLER, NJ. d
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