The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-15

that NY young friend j red GQNau wrote
about the missionary, DR. Butler, and
his wife. No doubt but that it is found
ed on fact, and he probably got his data
from some very old man who still lives
near Coosayille, Il little village twelve
miles below Rome. ! was interested in
the story because when | was lad that
same DR.. Butler was imprisoned in the
county Jail in LaWrCnceyiue, where my
father lived. Another missionary, by
the name of Worcester, was imprisoned
with him, and their oiIense was their re-
fusal to take the oath of allegiance to the
State of Georgia or otherwise to leave
the Cherokee nation. They were. sus-
pected of using their influence to rem
der the Indians dissati with the
treaty that required them to go west.
John Howard Payne, the author of
Home Sweet Home" was also Sus-
pect, and was arrested and taken to
Miledgeville to be examined Those
were hot times in Georgia, especially
north Georgia, for Gwinnett was a bOr-
der county, and we children could almost
see Indians squatted among the chin
quapin bushes or behind the trees on
the road to the MILL We knew they
were just over the ChattahOochee river,
and that some white people over there
had been murdered by them. Indians
were as much a terror to us as ghosts
and runaway negroes. The new granite
Jail had just been completed, and nine
Indians were the first prisoners. They
all escaped within Il week. They took
up stone in the floor and burrowed out
like moles or rabbits.
| never heard until G0van wrote it
that Butler was dragged to Milledgeville
with a rope around his neck, nor | am
prepared to believe that much of the
story He and Worcester were arrested
at New Echota lin Gordon county, and
brought mounted to Lawrenceville and
tried before Judge Clayton. who was
Mrs Henry Grady's grandfather.
learned, humane and incorruptible judge
They had the best of local counsel,
Elisha Chester. also n native of COnncc-
ticut, and they had the renowned VIII
liam Writ as an adviser. and they had
the President. John Quincy Adams. on
their side. John Marshal. the chief
justice of the Supreme court. issued his
mandamus to compel Judge Clayton to
release the prisoners, but he refused, and
collision seemed inevitable between
Georgia. I think that Mr. Govan's in
formation is mistaken. for Butler had
lots of friends-powerful friends-and
John Ross. the chief Of the Cherokees
was back of him. DoughtlesS hewas good
man, but he was stubborn and fanatical
and declared he owed no allegiance eX-
cept to the American board of foreign
missions, and to God-that it was his
duty to teach Christianity to the Indians,
and he would continue to do so.
Both these men were convicted and
sentenced to the pcnitentiary for four
years. When they arrived at Milledge-
Vile Governor Lumpkin kindly advised
them to take the oath or agree to leave
the State. and if they would do either he
would at once pardon them. They re-
fused and wrote to the board of missions
for advice. That board commended their
refusal and again urged Writ and Sar-
geant to resort to the Supreme court.
But these eminent lawyers advised an
acceptance Of Governor Lumpkin's offer.
SO they accepted and were pardoned-
and my father always said they returned
to Connecticut. He knew them and
had many conversations with them and
gave them good advice, for he. too. was
a New England man. And hence | am
surprised to learn from Mr.. GOvan that
Butler returned to his missionary work
and died near Coosaville and was buried
by the side of his wife. In fact, | never
knew before that he had a wife; but of
course the inscription on her tombstone
settles that. Mr.. Goyan gives Butler the
Christian name of Elonez, but the records
in the State archives show his name as
he himself signed it to be, Elizur.
1t is, however, an interesting and pa
thetic story and very great men figured
in it. both state and national. The con-
tlicts between the State and the Chero-
kee and the United States continued for
twelve years and ended only with the ex-
odus of 1888. Several treaties were made
made only to be broken Ross and
Ridge, the two chiefs, could never agree
upon terms, and they had their follow
ers. When Georgia ceded Alabama and
Mississippi to the United States in 1902,
the consideration was that the United
State should eXtinguish the Indians
title and remove them beyond the Miss
issippi river. The federal government
was so slow in trying to do this that
after waiting and urging and entreating
LOT twenty years, the state got impatient
and demanded action. The Ross party
declared they would not go at all, but
finally agreed to cede their lands for
S20,OOO,O00 and seven million acres of
land. This price was considered beyond
reason, and the Ridge party finally re-
duced it to $5,000,000 and seven million
acres and 100000 for expenses in
breaking up and Transporting their very
limited household goods 1t is astonish-
ing how many notable men it took to
effect the removal of the Greeks and
Cherokees from Georgia. In looking
over the records we find that Governor
James Jackson had trouble with the
Creeks, who after they had made a treaty
continued their depredations, and he up
braided them and brought forward a long
list of damages, amounting to $4,000, |
which he said thnv must nav "Giva mo |