The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-28

of cattle gazed upon their extensive plains; horses were numerous, many ana extensive flocks of sheep. goats and swine covered the hills and valleys: the climate was healthy and delicious, ana the winters were milo. the soil or the valleys and plains was rich and produced corn, tobacco, cotton, wheat, oats, .in- digo and potatoes; considerable trade was carried on with the neighboring States. much cotton being exported in boats or their own to New Orleans; apple ana peach orchards were quite common: much attention was paid to the cultivation of gardens; butter and cheese of their own manufacture were seen upon many or their tables; public roads were numer- ous in the nation and supplied at con- venient distances with houses of enter tainment kept by the natives: many and fiourishing villages dotted the country cotton and wool cloths were manufac- tured by the women. and homemade blankets were very common: almost ev- cry family grew sufficient cotton Tor its own consumption; industry and commer- cial enterprise were extending themselves throughout the nation: nearly all or the merchants were Cherokees; the popula- tion was rapidly increasing, census Jusl taken showing 12.563 native citizens, i4I white men and 73 white women who had intermarried with the Cherokees, and l,a7 slaves: schools were increasing every year, and incidence WAS strongly discoun- tenanced; the nation had no deot, ana the revenue was in fiouriShfng condl- tion: printing press was soon 10 pc es- fish language were to appear side by slde in newspapers and books; and natio1ai library and museum were in contempla- tion. These were the pscrle whom Geor- gia held in contempt and this the Ar cadia that General Scott was sent to de- stroy in 1858.
 Prudentiy Scott stationed hls forces---a regiment of artillery, one of infantry, SIX .sAsr Nf Ir-ne teers from Georgia and Tennessee-in the passes of Smoky Mountains, occupying every available fastness anu point O.! strategic advantage. Then he sent out an address to the Indians, advising them to come voluntarily into camp at Ross or Gunters Landing on the Hiwassee River In part. he wrote:
 ''Cherokees; The President of the Unit ed States has sent me. with a powerful army. to cause you, in obedience to the treaty of 1885. to join that part of your people who are already established in prosperity on the other side of the Mis- sissippi. Cnhappily. the two years which were allowed for the purpose you have suffered to pass away without following and without making any preparation to ost ToSw a snd mow in bass the bf mfrSSon Sone without disorder . The full moon of May is already on the wane. and be- fore another shall have passed away. ev- cry Cherokee man, woman. and child must De. III nOtlOn 10 JOln InSiT brethren in the far West.
 T am an old warrior. and have been present at many scene' of slaughter General Scott added feelingly. but spare me. beseech you, the horror of witness ing the destruction of the Cherokees.'
 Ross enrolled for removal in October the names of 13.1i9 persons. Captain Ste venson. the agent who received them on their arrival West, accounted for 11,504, and the disbursing officer. Captain Page. paid Ross for the removal of n12l. That is the brief story of their losses. Two hundred went down with the sinking of a rickety old steamer in the Mississippi, the rest of that list of l.42S unaccounted for either died on the road, were lost in acidental upsettings or Boats, or de- serted to make their way back to their old homes in the Georgia hills and in the mountains of Tennessee
 Immediately upon the arrival of the Eastern Cherokees in the Indian Territory violent quarels broke out between the two sections of the tribe Three leaders of the Treaty party-Major Ridge. John Ridge, and Boudinot-who had moved West two years before. were murdered by the Ross faction. ana 1t required all the influence that Ross and the more level-headed leaders could command to effect formal unification of the Eastern and Western Cherokees in iS39.
 Peace finally settled upon the nation, and the progress towards the higher civ ilization resumed Then the civil war came on to devastate their country and set them back another ten years in the race But the power tn rcCuperate. the habit of industry, enabled them to meet even this catastrophe with T certain phil osophlcal calm They have brought their country up to a high state Of cultivation: they have developed anew schools. churches and printing presses; they have encoura ged industries to such an eXtant that the traveller of today vii he pug zled to know where the Kansas Missouri or Arkansas boundaries cease. and the Cherokee country begins.
 The general Government now considers the tribe fit for citizenship. The long series of negotiations. during which the Cherokees have by various treaties cyd- ed Sl,O00O00 acres Of land to the United States. and retain of their Western res- ervation but 5,i00 90o acres. will soon be concluded forever Indian TerI tory is quite ready and tit for Statehood The 8. 600 Cherokee citizens recognize the i'm practicabilty of maintaining longer a sep arate government. and are seeking now only to obtain wise and just basis for settling their long last account with their Great Father at Washington.