The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-05-12
NDERsON s. C, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY IL, 1897.

History has it that Fox desisted then
and there. Then the secretary made
a speech in the Cherokee dialect,
which was translated to the impotent
commissioner as it was delivered.
The secretary said that he had come
among the Indians a stranger and in a
~peaceable manner that he had grown
to love them as a brother that, see
ing their poverty and insecurity and
to preserve their liberty, he had con-
solidated their power and intended to
further seek their advancement that
he also intended in pursuance Of this
purpose to open a waterway to New
Orleans ; that the distance proved his
motive good and he intended to return
with a number of skilled artisans, who
would teach the Indians how to make
their own guns and powder; how to
improve their appliances for living and
to develop the raw material with which
the land abounded. He concluded by
saying that the tyrannical purpose of
the English was plainly leveled at the
Cherokees, because before he had
come among them he was never accus-
ed Of having done any i'll against the
British, hence his offending must be
the things he had done for his red
brother and his crime of loving the
Cherokees.
The secretary position was impreg-
nable. Col. Fox was in danger. The
man whom he sought to arrest could
have had his head had he desired it,
but Pribus had him kindly and polite
ly treated, gave him a passport insur-
ing a safe return, furnished an escort
from the emperor's own guard, and
when he was about to leave wished
him a safe return home.
English colonists became more seri-
ously alarmed as they began to COM
prehend what the formation Of this
new power meant. It meant a wall in
the west that would forever hem them
in. The wisdom Of the Indians was
clearly apparent in their trust in such
a mar as Pribus, whose sagacity had
directed him to choose a proper spot,
a position in the mountains impregna-
bic to attack, where he was forming
an empire by sure and slow degrees.
The Cherokee empire was beginning
to attract the attention of the Ala
bama tribes, the Creeks, the Choctaws
and the Chicasaws. The influence Of
Pribus was beginning to work for the
amalgamation of all into n powerful
nation. The seed had been planted
and was ready to grow into the plant,
when the accident happened.
In the fifth year of the empire the
secretary set out for New Orleans es-
corted by a few Cherokces. He tray
eled by land until he reached an In
dian town on the Tallapoosa named
Tookabatche, which was at the head
Of navigation. Now this Tookabatche
was outside the sphere of Cherokee
influence, and there were several En-
glish traders there who had gained
prestige with the inhabitants. These
traders had heard of Pribus, and tell
ing their Indian friends that the new
conner was a dangerous man, they
overpowcred the Cherokee escort and
took monsieur prisoner. By forced
marches they at once took him to
Frederick, in Georgia, and delivered
him to the Governor there. That
official placed him in close confne-
ment, not with felons, however, as he
was a foreigner and a gentleman. For
nearly a year Pribus bore his impris-
onment with great fortitude and con.
stancy, but confinement began to tell
on him, he was taken sick and died.
The Cherokees, way. up in the Georgia
mountains, neve again saw their be-
loved brother who had never told them
a lie.
So persisted a man who might have
changed history. He vas evidently
capable of great ideas. He labored
increasingly toward the accomplish
ment of his imperial dream. When
he was gone the keystone of the arch
was taken away and the Cherokee en-
pire fell to pieces.-Philadelphia
Times.