IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // 1.0 I.I 8" Lt 2.5 iiiiii 1.8 ■ 1.25 1.4 1 6 .4 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corporation V^ ^ % "^ s \ ^.\/#^\ ■'o^ ''%>- 13 WEST MAIN STREET WEB3TER,N.Y. MS80 (716) 872-4503 ^1.:^ .-TV . .5^^. i #^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series, CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniquas at bibliographlques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. / D D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur r~l Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul^e r^ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. au\'re que bieue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relii avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrie peut c&user de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge int6rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans ie texte. mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmies. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a iti possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de fiimage sont indiquis ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages ddcolories, tachetdes ou piqudes Pages detached/ Pages ddtachdes Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti indgale de I'impression Includes supplementary materit Comprend du materiel suppiementaire Only edition available/ Seule Mition disponible I I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages I I Pages detached/ r~~] Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ pn Only edition available/ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partieilement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont dt6 film^es d nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu^ ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X J 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Seminary of Quebec Library L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce A la g«n6rosit« de: SAminaire de Quebec Biblioth^que The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Las images suivantes ont it6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition st de la netteti de l'exemplaire filmA, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with. a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les axemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimie sont fiim6s en commenqant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commenqant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — »- signifie "A SUIVRE", ie symbols V signifie "FIN ". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmis A des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour 4tre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film6 A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammts suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 S 6 »'"4i< ^■-rififfgscj^pi^ ■ ■-;:.?,:jp5^ VO Y/f ^J^ 7-1^ ^! 7 A ^ / ^"Tt^^T^t 4i£^ ; //- ^ i AN ARTICLE FROM THE AMERICAN MONTHLY MAGAZINE !-^> ON THE REHOV Ali OF THE INDIANS : EXAMINATION OF GOV. CASS ON THE SAME SUBJECT ; AND A STATEMENT OF FACTS, y IN REGARD TO THEIR CIVIL AND RELIGIQtl^ IMl»ROVEMENT. 3, rue cie I'Uni varsity, r\,yLh^n A. OUEo m^mi^m .X ''A . > ^# P'^^C'^^ :mF'. ^. ) THa REMOVAL. OF THE INDIANS. AN ARTICLE FROM THE AMERICAN MONTHLY MAGAZINE : AN EXAMINATION OF AN ARTICLE i: IN THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW; AND AN EXHIBITION OF THE ABVANOEMENT OF THE SOUTHERN TRIBES, IN OXVIZiXZATIOIT AXn> OBBXSTXAinTV. " Of all Injustice, that is tiie greatest, which goes under the name of Law ; and of all sorts of Tyranny, the forcing of the letter of the Law against the Equity is the most insup- portable.'' BOSTON: PEIRCK AND WILLIAMS. 1830. -l^.,t^ IBS "Tii^'^Y , a^t^a s M^ WB . ^.. mmmm HPiWM h ' J THE REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS 1. AN ARTICLE IN THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW, ON THE REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS, FOR JANUARY, 1830. 2. THE LETTERS OF 'WILLIAM PENN,' PUBLISHED IN THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER. We have placed the titles of these publications at the head of this paper, not because we shall attempt to re-state the arguments of the one, or to lav hare the sopliistry of the other. Both are equally un- necessary. 'Those wlio will not he convinced by ihe p!am reasoning of the latter, and are wining to be blinded by the lalse principles of the former, will neither be confirmed in tlie trutli, nor persuaded to re- nounce their error, by any additional proofs whicli can be urged, nor by any clearer light which can be poured upon the subject. We believe, iSlr. Editor, that on your part you will never suffer the super- cilious advice of certain editorial critics to prevent your personal de- cisions in favor of truth and morality, or to influence you w rejectnig from your journal any opinions, however wholesome, and however sternly opposed to some tenets of the present administratiou. Of this nature are our opinions on the great question in regard to the removal of the Indians ; and such too, we believe, are the opmions of all good and honest men in the country, who do not suffer the clear dictates of reason and conscience to be warped by the motives of personal avarice and party selfishness, or thwarted by the hard and crooked maxims of an irreligious, selfish, abomniable state policy. We should tliink that we exposed ourselves to just ridicule, if we should waste even a moment's time in endeavoring to make mani- fest—what is absolutely incontrovertible,— the fearful importance of this question, or to prove— what is equally evident— on which side the balance of truth and rectitude lies. We have examined sufficiently for our own satisfaction, and all the world have had opportumty of 1 * Removal of the fndians. cominp; to a true and impnrtial decision by examininc for themselves am ..us perlorming vvlnt is a .noral ,i,„y, if ever anv duly was moial and l..„di,.i; 0„ ,|„s point, benevolence, rea'son, jnstice, onseu-nre and ,i.e Word ol God, .peak a voice 'equally l' '" ^"^■'' ""^^"-''='y ol'li^ntions, the fl?e dpT . rV ''"^" H '^' '^ ^'"^' '''■'^ '''■ "PPn'b.tion on the deed ol ,n ernal cruehy, which not a few of those to whom its 1.^^^""" r- "^'^'":"'"«'J '^y ^''^ inscrntable wisdom of Jehovah, llZu\t r'^T''^^ "';»' '^^""""'^ «ense will speak out, in a uni^ versal.l under of reproach on the rapacity and pe.jury of this repnb- il^ncP W "7tr"' ""^ «" "■?"'<''"1 -'" n"' f'^^ trampled upon in vvil not die to the latest generation of onr race. And far more R.l. rT' '"" '""'f."'" of theAlmighty-the judgment of the Ji its tr°aim ' """"■''-^''" S° °^'' ^Sai"st us, and a curse nmst follow t\ruir f^''°"'''^^^? ^° ^^^''"1^' i" the North American Review, an ar- holding a manly and humane policy, which it migl/t so effectual y have supported, bu, of justifying our Government in an act of tie o obvS" h^^^ ^''1'f T-"^ ^"" '"j"^"^'^' devoted to the purpose of obviating the powerful objections on the part of reason and human- nkr! T''"^ tl'e minds of unprejudiced and sober inquirers, and of arguing down the lofty obIigati<.ns of national .norality^ to a place below the never-to-be-satisfied demands of national selfishness It ofn;Tons ando?r"lT' °' "^'"" ^"^ J"^''^^' '" ^^ ^^'^ ^'^ '- Jn^nnT . ?"''' ^^ '" ^^"'''"'^ ^'''^'3' '^'' '^^^^1 -Subtleties, by the tion oftbpf ' '"^^^^-'f."'- sophistry, and by a frightful eii.ibi- ahvnv 1 f^P'-'" ^'^^^'T' "•'^'^''' »" ^ depraved moral vision, always tand up m the path of truth and justice. We are astonished IIZVA' -'^ ^"'' always looked upon die character of its presen Editor ^uh sincere esteem for the moral courage and plainness, the ones, bhs Removal of the Indians. • intellerti.nl nbilily, nnd the i.nrcmiltinp; industry, uliirli mnrk it; nnd we (lid not expect tiint lie would pnt even histaeil siinclionona violnlion ornioiality so uiaiiilest as this. The character likewise oi the re- puted anihor of that article is such as nii^ht have secured his sutlrap at least, if not his powerful alliunce and defence, lor the cause ul the ..ppressed and the degraded, or, in the abstract, the cause of virtue alill honor and relisiion. When we look back also to the past numbers of that work, and compare the present article with those eloquent ones, which at no ^leat distance of time have added to its reputation both for intellect and moral worth, and have deeply enlisted tlio syini)athies of all hearts for the wretched and decaying remains ol our once numerous and powerful, and comparatively virtuous and happy Aborigines, we regard the melancholy contrast, which it exhi- bits in sentiment and doctrine, with feelings both of sorrow and in- dignation. We mourn diat such an index of the perverted state of moral feeling in our country should go forth through the world, to which we are so continually boasting of our perlect liberty, equahly, and nobleness of character ; we mourn for the new occasion it will give to the friends of regal and despotic authority, to ridicule tlie gratitude and the honor of republics. But we cannot express our indignation at the nature of the argument by which it attempts to establish the propriety and even necessity of so glaring an exception to the obligations ol morality and law ; by which it attempts wholly to undervalue and set aside those obligations, and to substitute, instead of such as are eternal, indestructible and self-evident, the narrow, paltry maxims of all-grasping selfishness ;— the maxims of a stale policy, which is criminal, because it does not reco'-nize at once, and without appeal, the supreme authority ot the Law of God, and short-sighted, because it imagines, with the con- tractedness of view universally peculiar to what is wicked and selfish in design, that any true and lasting interest of any nation can ever be subserved by any means, on which are stampe.l the evident charac- ters of crime, and to which the Creator of the Universe has affixed an everlasliuii curse. No real good, national or individual, can ever be procured through the instrumentality of motives or exertions which are selfish, fraudulent, and cruel. It may appear such at the time, for the moral vision is totally perverted, and reason is darkened by the ignorance of guilt; but in the light of eternity, and often in the unerring wisdom of a very short and bitter experience, it will be looked upon with agonizing remorse of conscience, and avoided with shuddorings of horror. At the last it will bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder. Turn to the pages of History, and you will find a thousand records ol this truth, in the dreadful tyranny, the short splendor, and the long and frightful desolations of r,usery, which have followed each other in .he career of guilty nations and individu- r\ < • Removal of the Indians. als. Were tlin prospect ever so dmk before us in the pnih of rec- titude ns to lliis (|uestion, we never would helieve tliiit God liiis made a world, in wliirli iho course of lioiioriilile justice leads lo deirinient, wlule liiat of crooked, decciifid, mid cruel p(,licy leads on lo gain. We know it is not so. VVvriter. " Poliiical questions are complicated in their relations, involving considerations of expediency and authority, as well as of natural justice." We object not to what js contained in these sentences, so far as it relates to those abstract rights, the permission a-d prevalence of which would disorganize the whole constitution of human society, ^u^ throw us back into a state of murderous anarchy, worse thai, tlie wildness of the brutes. These are theoretical rights, such as were contended for in the most terrible period of tlie French Revolution, such as God never gave to men in communities, and such as each man surrenders wiien he enters into the social compact. VV(3 deny that the rights which belong to the Indian.^, and of which wicked men are CMideavoiiu'' to defraud them, partake of this character in the slightest degree? They are not abstract rights ; they are stronsjer and more eiident than any abstract right can be; they are writlte., and acknowledged in almost every treaty, which our government has been called to make widi these tribes. The attempt to reason them awav by the complicated "considerations of expedie— than any other era has presented since the (irst moment ol our na- tional existence. We will go iarther, and affirm without fear ol being contradicted by those who Imvc been accustomed to watch the pro-n-ess of the world, and how God administers the affairs ol this portion of his universe, that it is a crisis of greater moment and on which hang greater consequences, than any event, which lias transpired since the I\lay Flower Im\vA its first adventurers on the shores of this continent ;— a continent tlicn occupied tlirough :ts whole extent by that numerous people, concerning the late ol whose last re- maining descendants, we, in our national capacity, are to legislate ancl decide. Tt is so, because it far more thcphj involves our moral ano reli- gions character, by bringinir „,,, in that capacity, to the very eve oj the commission of a trreat anil clrcndful crimr.. Perhaps it is one ot those awful occasions;:onwir-ch Jehovah resolves to try, by a high and solemn trust, the true character of liiose kingdoms wliom he has loaded with his benefits; and iVom whom he requires an eminence ot goodness, and a readii-ess of gratefid obedience to his commands, and a jealous acknowledgement and support of the supreme authoiity of his laws, in some measure proportionate to the greatness and pecu- liarity of the blessings he has conferred. ^ , . • , • The as^ltation of this question is not like that of admitting the in- dependence of the Greeks, in which no decision could affect any great princioir of evan-elical moralitv or national law. It is not like that of the abolition of the slave-trade, in which the wrong alternative was diat of conuiuiin-, to a somewhat longer period, the commission of a crime with which a nation had been stained for centuries. It is not like that of die declaration of independence, where, in any alter- native, the moral character of the people would have remained spot- leGS. It is a question whether W(! shall noiu contaminate ourselves, in addition to all our other guilt, with a new and auful crime ;— new, in proportion to the sinffulaiitv of the circumstances, (unexampled in the history of tlie worhH in which Providence has placed us in regard to the Indians ;— and awful, in proportion to the civil and religions privile-es wliich we enjoy, and the means of knowing our duty in the hght, which the universal spread of the Gospel has poured so abundantly upon us. Judging from these circumstances, a sin com- mitted by us, whatever be Us nature, must make us incalculably more f 8 Removal of the Indians. guilty than it could have made almost any other nation, which has ever existed. And here we are, on the very eve of deciding the question whether we shall plunge o.u-selves intosueh guilt, andyet we are sh^ ting apparently m the npaihy of the sleep of death. . We repeat it. There is an awful, and a deeply criminal apathy, n winch the public m.nd of our whole country is slumbering on this momentous subject. The public feeling has never yet been roused by any of those strong representations and appenls, which the case would just, y, and vvlnch the crisis imperiously demands. I is a proof how callous the heart of our nation has become to everything but the slnnulus of vanny, and selfishness, and pride, that even in New England, whose inhabitants are apt to be foremost on ev"" occaston where the mterests of religion and of patriotism are at staked the indifference ol which we speak is profound. We are apparentlv at too great a distance from the place where this tragedy threatens to be acted to experience a very awakening impulse of excitement for those who are to be its victims. Distance in space lessen the power of sympathy, and deadens our sensibilities for the sufferings of the oppressed. We have heard of thousands murdered, or enslaved for life, and tortured by task-masters, in a distant land, with far less emotion than that with which we should witness a single blow, cause- ess ly inflicted on a stranger within our gates. But the danger is none he ess alar.ning, because it is not at our very doors ; the suffbrings of the Indians wi I be none ti.e less acute, and the injustice inflicted upon hem none the less atrocious, and the consequences to our country none the less certain and terrible, because those sufferings may not be wit- nessed by us, or because we cannot be present on the spot, to have our souls harrowed wnh the eff-ect of that injustice, or because those consequences look small and chimerical in the distance The Christian public especially have been criminal in* their neglect ofth.s great subject. It belonged to them to have been Ion -^ since vvatching, with a vigilance which could not be lulled into security the most distant approach of an event like that, which now threatens so soon to be accomplished. It belonged to them to detect the pre- cursors of the storm, and give warning of its progress in the distant horizon, while yet the sky above was unspotted with a cloud. It was then- part to have calculated and foretold the effect of the passions of mankind, with whose power they are so well acquainted, and to have made provision against their terrible results. But while even distan. nations have been investigating this subject with the most evident interest, we ourselves, on whom its conseq.ien- ces are to fall, arc found s!eeping,-even while there may be heard around us the portentous noise and movement, which precedes the quick shock of an earthquake. ^ i i A Removal of the Indians. • The letters of Penn, indeed, have issued from among us ; and ihey are an lionorable tesiimoiiy to the vigilance and ability ol thai man 3 individual mind, to the correctness of his own moral feehngs, and to the living and energetic piely of the circle in which he moves. But what else has been done ? Has this subject sufficiently arrested the notice of private Cinistians; and what report would each man s con- science command him to make, if he were asked to say how ollen its remembrance has gone with him to his closet, and how lervently his prayers iiave ascended to the God of nations, for that mterposition, without which the most vigorous and timely efforts are o( no avail. We often think, on every occasion like this, of Cowper's most beau- tiful and affecting description of the man of humble and retired piety. The truth it contains is as sublime and real, as its poetry is exquisite. Not slothful he, thouffli oeemmcr unemplnycd, And censiiied oft as useless. Stillest streams , Oft Wilier fairest meadows, and the bird, That flulleis least, is longest on the wini?. • Ask hiin, indeed, what trophies he has raised, Or what achicvnienls of iininorlal fame Hepnrposes.and he shall answer, — None. His warfare is within ; there unfatiffued IJis fervent spirit labors. There he fiirhts, And there obtains fresii triumphs o'er iiimself, And n'^ver witherinir wreaths, compared with which, The laurels, that a Cicsar leaps, are weeds. Perhaps the s.tlf-approvinirhiuii>hty W.)rld, That, as she sweeps him with her whistling silka, Scarce deigns to notice him, or, if she see, Deems hiiiT a cipher in the works of God, Receives advantage from his noiseless hours, Of which she little dreams. Pcrlaijis she owes Her siiiislunc and her ruin, her blnnming spring And plenteous luirvest, to the. prayer he makes, When, Isaac lihe, the solitanj saint Walks forth to meditate at eventide, Md think on her, loho thinks not for herself. And have the feelings of clergymen been sufficiently awake, or their conduct sufFicienily active, in regard to this subject? Have they given it its due place in their public devotions ? We should be the last to put our sanction to that medley of politics and rehgion, with which, at no distant interval, the irritable passions of an audi- ence were regaled and fostered from the pulpit. We woidd totally expel from its precincts every thing, to which that title could possi- biy be annexed ; and no sound should be heard from that sacred place, but the voice of mercy, and the word ol God. But to the christian mind this subject is not a political one. Its worldly aspect is lost hs political connexions are annihilated, in the all absorbing importance of its character in the light of religion, and its influence on the vital interests of humanity ; in the remembrance too, that its 2 li \i' to Removal of the Indians. bearings mny be Mnoed, even till tliey are lost in eternity. We cannot but iliink, tlierelore, iliat it is tlie duty of every minister of tlie gospel, so far as maybe in bis power, to make known to bis peo- ple tbe irtiili of Ibis qiieslion, and lo enlist tbcir sironiiest sympaibies ni tbe canse of jiisiice, and for tbe sake of tbe oppressed. What other resource indeed, remains for lis? The time of decision is at hand. Our most energetic movements, thus tardily delayed, may come 100 late to be of any avail. At any rate, notliing can save lis unless tbe public mind be universally aroused from ifslelhargy, and an appeal made, so loud, simultaneous, and decisive, as shall aston- ish tbe world at the power of moral feeling in tbe heart of ibis country, and cause tbe most inveterate and bold supporters of na- tional iniquity to tremble. An unjust decision in regard to the fate of the Indian tribes, who are so unhappily in our power, to us would almost seem tbe death- warrant to the liberties of our republic. We could no longer put laitb in the boasted stability of iubtitutions, excellent ibongb ihey be, wbicli depend so eminently upon a holy slate of public morality' should we see so tremendous a proof that ihe freedom and tbe reli- gion oi tins people is roite.i at its core. We should then no longer believe, what we cannot bring ourselves, in the cold spirit of political economists, to regard as tbe idle dream of poetry, that this is tbe last and the endurable resort of suffering humanity and persecuted piely. We should look for yet another downfall of tbe liberties of the world, and yet another victory of the powers of darkness, be- Jore the glorious predictions, which we hope are fast hastening to their accom|)lisbinent, could be finally fulfilled. We should look for a speedy infiietion of the vengeance of Jehovah, as signal upon us, as It was upon bis ancient covenant and rebellions people. His mer- cies to us have been inealcnhibly greater, and should we fail to re- deem the responsibilities which rest upon us, why dare we hope to be made an exception to the laws of his retributive providence ? W by should not we also look to become a proverb and a by word among tbe nations? Let us remember what hopes we are blasting in the bud. Let us reflect that the first fair trial of the possibility of brini-ing an In- dian tribe into the full perfection of civilization, and under the full influence of the redeeming power of Christianity, is here fast and auspiciously advancing to its completion. Jt would seem as if Al- mighty Providence, in scorn of tbe daring blasphemers, who assert that any of tbe human beings he has made, are irretrievably beyond the regenerating energy of the Gospel of his Son, and forever out ol the pale ol civil and social improvement, has reserved this solita- ry tribe of the forest, to tell such phi/usophers ihe supreme weakness ot their complacent speculations. To tell the world that there are Removal of the Indians. It none, however sinsnlarly ferocions, whom He cannot reclaim from ttdr savage barb,ri;y. That .he siinplc rehg.on ol tl.e cross of Jesus o„lv, can efF-'C^ that m.^hty renovation, that new moral crea- tion, uhicl must be tlte invariable foren.nncr o social rcfitjoment, Z o the accomplishment of which, all the w.sdo.n a.,c plnlosof% of all pas. a^es is otherwise totally inadeqnate. And shall we now by our obstinate selfishness, reject this snblnne expenmen ,-am with such rejection destroy the possibility ol ever repeating it? Shall we now, when a whole people have emerged Irom their dark- ness, and are rapidly advancing to the possession ol the glorious l"r|„^,„d hop.s of Cl.ristianitv,and to the enjoyment of the blessings of domestic life, shut them up to all future proofless, and return them to their original barbarity ? We have thoroughh' l'^^^^;^'?; j';f '" 'J our vices-let us us at least point them to the Balm of Gilead, and not frown on them, while they seek the Physician there. LcU us not drive ihein back into the wilderness, stripped of the compara- tively innocent simplicity which once belonged to them, «nf» "J^^ " edwitha moral pestilence, which they ne/er would have lei but for us,— acquainted with ciTues, which the ingenuity ot refined Me only could suggest, but not acquainted with the power of that salva- tion to which «;« resort, but which some among us dare to asser they are absolutely incapable of obtaining. After having made them drunk with ihe cup of our abominations, let us not refuse them a par- ticipalion in our blessings. Neither let us cotripel them, as the mis- erable alternative from' a removal beyond the Mississippi, to give themselves to the vullure-like protection of their ueighbors-to the authority of laws, which practically assert that they are not human, bv depriving them of the most precious rights and privileges ot man in a social community. Shall we not rather, as some repara- tion for the incalculable injt.ry we have done them, now perform he utmost in our power to promote their speedy «7'>^'.';"" "/^^^" f blessings which we hold dear ; and even err on the side of too hu- mane a benevolence, too profuse a generosity, too disinterested and self-denviiia: a kindness. ' . We have deferred the consideration of this topic too long ; so long, indeed, that it argues a carelessness in this country, m regard to d\e great imerests of morality and religion, which is truly por- tentous. Tn England, the approach of a question almost exclusively mercantile and political in its nature, the question in regard to the propriety of removing the jurisdiction of the affairs of India from L hands of the E.rst India Company, is watched by the who e nation, with the utmost anxiety, for years before it can possibly come into parliament ; and the subject is kept in daily agitation, with as much vigor as if it were now on the eve ol its final settle- ment. Its connexions and its consequents are examined, not in I .«**■ } 13 Removal of the Indians. \h he h„ ry of tumnltuoi.s nnxiefy, but with that cnlmness of dellbera- t.on wh.ch ,s d.e .oso u,pm,n„t a ,ne:,s„re ; nnd when it co nes o be detenn.ned, ,t vv.ll b. deiennined by men prepared fo do ? eS'^ssion o?t 'I' f 7' -'-'-«- inflnen'ee 'of d. d.! Ve expresMon of an enlightened pubhc opinion. But vvidi us a snl.iprt rorr/:1 ;''-"^'^" '""^'^^ ---'l-ntionsof nation rViS morality, and the interests teinnoral nnrl np.l..,.,o «. i r than fihy thousand human bei,^d;d^1.^^ o^ m ^'nli: ve y moment in which it L to be made the subject of deb te' in o , r halls o legislation, in almost total ignorance o i t ue n tare and Its real importance. " uauire, ana we i)e,ir tJiem with as much indifference, as if we considerpH t\Jr^ si::.h ,^;r%v"'t'-"^°'''"'i>' ^^^•"•'"^ <- rnti^^rr nee nstiiuiions What is more alarming than diis, is the truth tint on the part of a great poriion of this people, and on the 1 of and w h I '"l!"s'";>"s dre received with manifes. approbation- and with an additional sophistry of selfishness in tlid? sun ort' winch might almost put Machiavelli's cool-blooded po icT-.f c A ' hLe and .bond '^T'^^n ?"'^P^^1' ""^1 all our charities af nU?Lf ■ ^ ' '"'' '" °"'* t^-mperance, and all our wide phylacteries and prayers in the corners of he stre^ a deen rooed moral insensibiliiy, an alarmin, stupidity of fe i ^ in reS ute': crrin'tlf:"!-^';'"^^'^^^ and benlvole^ice, :;h::;e:er" snellsWrn/. . Mw '"' '"!'?"''S<^' and no conduct (which always TZ :;tr;;i^ :si^-^ --• ^-^-'^ "- --^ ^'-acti: of fll'that IX l"'' T'^i '""' "'^' '"^'^'^^ "« f^-^hle for the cause or all that IS holy m feeling „k1 virtuous in conduct amon^ ,,? deceived h^nJ^tU ^ '-°"^*^'"^-" , 'o' « "me, and we rema n self- tho.;ritbeseen o ".e'atl7'^ ""^ ^"^"-- ' - the low and he degnded it will T ^'" '''''' r^''''^ °^ ^'"''^^^^ effectual and time y1 eck 'p u 1 ir n T ""''" ""^^ ^'^ '''" country with a mounif.Und 5 ' '''"'' s«eep over our whole try wan a mournful and desolating power. We do not hold such Removal of the Indians. It lan^na-e thoughtlessly, nor without restriction ; but we Icnow that such must be the case in every country, and especially -" ou.s f there be not high, energetic, and unremitting ^^''f ••"""' "'\ ''^ J f^^ of ail, who favo. the cause of a fervent piety and a stern morality. The nature of our institutions is such, that tins country may not unaptly be called a theatre, in uhi^h there is held out a tree hren e for the exhibition of all varieties of wickedness, however radica y destructive in their nature, which do not directly touch the worldly interests of men, or interfere with the ease and com ort ol society. Many among us seem to think, that, in effecting the wholesome disunion of church and state, we have not gone far enough, bu should take atheism into partnership, and for greater security against the encroachments of ecclesiastical power, base our republic hi my in the principles of infidelity. It becomes us to be up and doing, to be vii^ilant and prayerful. The energies of wickedness are o hat irregularity, both in the times of its appearance and the quantit) ol its power, upon which no calculation can be made, to w nch no limits car! be set. None can deny that we have amons us all the elements at least, of a most destructive moral, if not political commotion. Jt only needs an event of suflicient magnitude, and sufhcient sharpness of collision ivith conflicting interests, to set them all m the most terrible combination. , • c i i „.,rl i1,p Like all other countries, we have amor,g us he infidel and the atheist; but, unhke almost all others, we give them full toleration in the eniovment of their conscientwvs faith. We have, too, the sensual and the debauched ; and there are those in whom the hght of Deity and the spark of humanity seems hopelessly quenched, and its place forever occupied by the savage and kind fires ol the instinct of the brute. A woman, whose character is a disgrace to the name of female, has lectured among us to fn 1 meetings of blasphemers and deniers of their God ; an event which could not have existed, setting aside all actual prohibiiion, had the state ot pr.blic feeling among us been pure in any eminent degree V^^e look only with emotions of vacant curiosity at such beings and their followers, while they set aside the authority of Uod s word, and offer to the passions of mankind a freedom Irom restraint, which is too alluring long to be resisted without deep re igious principle. The sabbath continues to be violated ; and though individuals are still permitted to keep it as holy as they choose, yet any attempt to enforce its obligations upon us as a nation is met with the ontcry ot 'priestcraft,' and the obstacle of law. It is said, too, hat the Jesuits are at work with their powerful machinations; and wherever, and in whatever hopeless circumstances of apparent weakness and folly these men begin their operations, let none dare to despise thera. The curse of slavery is still upon us ; and we never can 14 Removal of the Indians. throw it ofr, till our lethnr-jy and leprosy of moral feelin- is vvhollv purity ol relin^ioiis beiievo cnre. Our iiitpitinprnnr.^ ;., r o,™,, i„„ i„,,,.,,, ,,„.„ ,,,H-,,i , ,,:, ;^ f;'^';^™;„l„,,„. altar of arubilious power, .nd " '°^ rnv ,i c " «e are le.l aln.ost .ions of f<'f"^r'^-',^''y^;^T'i:^:X',:^,;,l: is the spirit to despair lor tlie result. 1 hi. °' '^ '^^' " . ^ „ ,,, „f ,„oral and »V'^'"'=f';'Vi:u;it;:;mona wo houor^lte profession of £s- =s^"f » J3 .. l» «-, /„:- leave is lo i comiDitted to o..r charge ; to consequence a .ebl ol -f-:|^,;';« ,, J S-'r""nf Sr%w t " riterminations of Jehovah, and bhndness of latu uy, awaum,.^ im« hvnociilical resij^nat on of exclaiming, in the sup.ne •^il': f;., "'^^,;';;^^,!V'' if we^are even Z rcet'iu Xr-riit'," ,f:,',rS,:'l„„a u,, or tl„e,„er tltall r'eceive us,'to be enveloped in ever astnr. -U nes^ and irtir±ri'j:^r':S^;^::^:^P"sr£i aSislratl™ of the universe, or to say tn what manner, «heo f 18 Removal of the Indians. he inflicts vengennce upon a guilty people, he will apportion the piiiiishmpnt of its indivifliinls, acfording to their sliare in the crinie. lint we know thnt he will do this, and that we all, as individuals, m ike lip, by our own character and conduct, the character and conduct of our country. Let ns ask ourselves what each of us can do, to avert the tlircatoiiing evil, and to add power to the hands of the benevolent. Let each conlribiite his exertions, and utter his voice, till the united appeal of millions shall swell to such an accinniilnted energy of remonstrance, as even a despotic government would not dare to resist. God forbid that the prayers which have ascended for the Indians, and the exertions which may be made in their behalf, should fail. It vvould be better that half the states in the union were annihilated, and the remnant left powerful in holiness, strong in the prevalence of virtue, than that the whole nation should be stained with guilt, and soon- er or later disorganized, by the self-destroying energies of wickedness. VVe would rather have a civil war, were there no other alternative, than avoid it by taking shelter in crime ;— (or besides that, in our faith, It would be better for the universe to be annihilated, than for one joi or tittle of the Law of God to be broItio„s ol »'»'''»■';•* "''»r,^','f'e„,,|Li„„, »n'l will d..i.in,„ ..,; Iisl..ly ,pss,.l V w, , »»'-'■„ J-'dl,.;,,, », 1... j„,„ly Yt-1 evi," I' V „,^,; „,),„,„ our roumiy lias ever """'r"'V+ ,n b , e - happe„e,l, i> is ,l,e par, ol w.s- hearings, lo ilie present. . I .0 no exception to ^.e -,2.:!;- I^Tt^nTrnt^ Ii:^;^^:;,;::! ^^e failh. If there are ca«us m ''», ^''^ ;^;^^^^^^^^^^ ,,.,l,vic., ll.e religion of irovern- nono wh.^n it i>i iff '„ • i„i„icco smoke, or a sir.n^. ot „,e,„s I. Is ol'sorved l.y ^^^'":' ,^„; "" h-UIv to Irealies. Even m Al-Jiers, beads, trivrsnol. ""'»dy a b.inlina 1 > c - l.u a ^'^'h ^^^^ ^ ^^ .^^^^ ,^ t„ , ^„e, or a truce u.ay be bou.ria tor '"-"■{ '.J ;,,^'''^Vln s we see, neftber the .gnorance too just to^isowrj and annul '' "^ ^^^'J ^;"j;,t,, „ ,;,, piracy and rapine, penn.tana- '™rfir /S;; -;; -;:;i»TMLu;:-.«a r,„a "u,ea " Edmuud Burke, i Fisher Aiiic». i ^p*- 18 Rrmoval of the Indians. lenHi'vVl'; In^.nSlVll; o,"r' '''''v •"'"''' ''" ''"■^ "^l-'ri-"- whirl, w.u.l.l bn .... le^snni arc .r, 7, . HI I;" V;'"' '"■'^.•-•;'"'" ''k" " .•ln.r..h,v,.r.l, nil vvl.oBe ; . ' • ";;''' ''"""''"■ '" ^"I'wl.li.s. 'your ,K,ssi„n. n.ul V." r V ice. f r I 1)0 r It nil. It ia ii^n Hliniild llint n ro- J and tin- ? is duly, APPKNDIX 1 fe* The article in Mr. Willis' MaKa/ino, was written, as itsolf incli- cates, from deep feclino. ane case. We hope the vehen.encc SVllid. we hive freely spoken our sentinjents w.ll -;;^ ^^^^ one from wei^hin-r well the iu.iu.rti.nce of ih.s crisis, or from exami- ning wUh camlou"r the statements in our appendix. A P-.o-me zeal, such as we have been wron^rly charjr, d with, all m.^rl.i lo..k pon lith just contempt; but stubborn facts -"^ jL-[.' I)' ;;;^;;;;:'2 ; ^^ which none can innocently refuses conviction. We -erve our minds from being paraly/ed by the cold a..d n..- feeli.M^opbistrv of i..tri.ui..g polil.cans. Besules .t .s a niela..choly ru.:.°!:a v.rtuous men are almost always less energetic m a good cause, than wicked men in a bad one. "Good works ' it is one o Burke's finest remarks, " are commonly left in a nule unhn.sbed state, throuuh the tame circumspection, with which a t.mid prudence so frequently enervates beneficence. In doing good, we are general y cold, lan.T„i,l,and sluguish ; and of all things .fraid of being too much in tile right. But the works of malice and injustice arc quite in an- '.-fl i ./•••-. 20 Appendi ix. M other style. Tlicy arc finished nith a bold tmsterly hand ; touched as they arc, wi.ii the spnit of those vehement p;issions thai call forth ail our eneriru-s \vhenev«!r we oppress and pers(.'cute." 1 lie article in me iN'i.rth Ameiican Review is undoubtedly the most powertui exhibit.on tliuf can be presented of all the false reasoning Which an inventive mind could sii<,rirest, on the wron-r side of this qiiestion We hardly over met with .v publication, which contained wm.iii thf same number of pages so mmy assertions whic. are abso- lutely false, statements which a.e incorrect, principles which are im- Hioral, and reasonings which are shamefully rrroneous. The insinu- Mting sophistry ol its jiaragraphs will be best .k-tected i)v a constant comp-Yison as the reader passes over tiiem, with what William Penn ndsexluhited, in a very plain, sincere, and convincing manner, on .he same topics. In pointiii;/ out its most important inisiepresentations, we shall adopt a course scjmewhat different. . It is well known that this article upon the Ii,dians, in the North Ame- rican Review for Jan. l^m, was written by Gov. Cass, of the Michie.tyto prove to our readers that on ions X?",' r"'' '" "''^ '>"^'^''«" '^^ '^^« '^•■'-' his old declara- tions and adopted new ones : and ou. readers will observe that this in- ZZT.nnl "l'" "'! ""'' J"'^'""'' ^y "">' "''' '>^<^"Tences which may nu on T,T. ','"■ ""^'"^ T' "«P^^^' ^^''i^^l' the cpies.ion may have which his fomer opinions were grounded, remain to this day with ncTeaTd"'^ tI;:;."' [ " "••''7 ''T''' -^-"-'-i. ^''-t po/eVfln n^creased. They will remember likewise that the broad principles of Td m fsfTn i"""' '"■' '"d««t^"^'i'^l« "n' '•'^''"tation of the itisin- uating sophistry of tins gentleman mere complete in its kind, than he ;i Appendix 31 ,„, ,,,..,f given us the opportunity t. -^^f; .^^^^ rSt::;- ..„o have to set. k ^^-%^Z^';^;t^'2^ of thc.o ; otherwise, f,o,n Wash.njrton. ^c lu>^^J>e .. • ^^ ^^ i^efore onr while wo are labonnj^ to ^l'"^ f .^ ^^^^^ ,,j- the same opinion with pamphlet can reach h.m he "" ^ ^^f,^^ "^ ..di,,. on a shadow. LrJelves, and we shall Imd ^2;^:^^ I ^.hI Afterwards n^ention We slrall first ex nb.t - " ';°^^ ^^^^^^^ .Usplay to onr readers a and refute s.une of his also '^^^ , _\'«"-,^ ^^^ 'precisely of the same specimen of his immora pr" ^ >'-• ^^ .J HJ^,, committee under- rnjr^^^SStri^sSe'nrcode ^public morality.- took not lon,^^_^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^_^ _^^^^^^ ^^ ^^.^^^^^ ^, ^„„ We shall r;::;;u:Uhis,arh,ed and partial representation of legal ^Pi?!r;Hrh^to:!:ie:2;;:^%.t;,uotehis latest opinions on the proposed plan of removal for the Indians. Gov. Cass in ISoO. their degr.dalion, a.ul ll.e '''\''« ''>.'' ^'^.^^.^ ^u.! l.efore ll.e.n, os thev are be- ihcv Levari to ...rvoy tl.e subjei't, tlo- ''f ',\\"^,. fl„^i„„ ,ide, was evidem; but i„f,„„ <,„,„n.u.i..c. '«~'"» l'°r''. • , tou,,l.rio. v.e,e „„„Wi.l»d, ...I e r nic nnollive log.ther, we find no coun , whc e ^ - P^^^^ ,„,„„ ,f „„ „ov- ;Zcr those child.en of •!-f";^':"«;;";"l,- Jt^ .ion belonging to the I n.ted LnRMitsfor.nedbeyondthe>)^M>>pp. I et - . ,,^ ,„rfi,„„, vvhere uo Sta es, ad.uirably adapted to '''V''"' " di do k1 where no a.ten.pt will be ^ta te authorities have or can >•"- J^^f,^'" ;,,,,., t barrier has heretofore h^i:^Z:fjrS::^Z:'^::^r^^^^ .o.d be nether .eal gov. l„. (l,o ' (Uilv' of our inCiUit colonics !o ' pro- • We know nol ul.nt this uiitor can mean h) 'f.^J-, „",,,,„,,. of NoriU AnuruM, and permission. /■ 22 Examinotion of Gov. Cass press yj>on lluU Unricr f .rohlt f 'r X'lV^ «S^'^> our population skould ■which would cnusa„J\Lro I ,^ /J^^ [''T' '""' "<^''^rcd new huhits, pain to ns,or nf,n- Z,Xt V^^^ '^'"T '" "'"^ '""' ''"'"'^ tains, or disappL-nl ''it , ' ■ , L ■"' '""/./"'•«"/ '/'« liocky Moun- u"^;:!n'S.-;io;;7r ,:;^ -sr .--7-- ;"-.rs; winch sMch'loti.hn'^^r^^^^^^ "'" "'^'^'^ '"S ''"'lifr^Tcnce with from iho ii„tioe arid iho mcinurv of imn ' T „ r i ' 'i" , ''"■"■'" ir^, coiitains llie fullou-iug dechiratioii :— ' lied by their power or i„ tlieirs, which oiibr.s any Page -We cannot enter into a full exan.inution of ti,,. eTect of nh„r , • Indians in the western regions. InH,, the retro ■ cti e v 1 ^ " ' "' "^ htsforv It rs evulently th. only means in our p„vv' o i„ Z probah.hty of preserving then, fron, niter cMinco A /,. ' , ^ ofii,-. .,■„„ ,„.:.„. ,„„ „,,„„„ , 0,,.;' "I'^iiiL^-'^^-xsi'-! Page 119 of the same niirnl)rr confnin« tlir> r^ii„. • the same topic. We mark thc^ Z^Z^'^I^Z TP''^ 7 attenttot, of the reader to the singular difTere; e i Z t'eJV^' Cass's compn.^sioti fbr the Itidians in 18;J() from tin/ H, t ^''''• fesled in 1^26. ' " "*''^ "'"ch he mani- " Rut after nil, it cnnnot ho denied :ind onn^ht not m I.,. . i , . transplantation fron, the soil of their anee^;::' ;'^" ^U^^l'^ ^ '"*> ""' some mental and coipnreal suflei-in-rs await tl • P''"'.'-l "' "'^ Mississ from the measi,,e itself ' " PPi, '-•^'^^^•■.^.zr^;Su:!:z'-r;:s;s; applied, the.jon,-ney ,„ay he .endced as easy "to liieMr'";;,.^ ur own people. |5y „ continuation of the' .same lil,:.,ai;,v "• 'IK fiquiil numher be made(or,l,e,rsuppo,t, aft, r their J ,- . ; ^ •, d T' '■'■""^';""""^ "'"^ accotnn.odale the.nselves to the ci,r„n,st„ ces o f H „' • ""' ""' "'"'' ""^X secure f,on, the earth or the f,„-ests, the .'..s f ., ' " ',"""' "'">' '^='" themselves to the pursuits of agricultu,-e o" of thl chte.'' ' "' "'"-^ "'"^" '^''^'^ "' '':ri:!'!.!" ;" ;^r'^'!' ^': '''--'"^ ./-/-., -l.ich is .nemly hy. y, which reigns through vhic 6 P^i'i pocrifical,roiiipired with the hard inseus'ibilit •■->vh.*„r,i..i„ :,„„,,„•, , „.,ntz^i:.:,::"':i^^.;':°}'s^; the whole article is ve graph' " This i.s the course we had a ri.'lif to evm.ff .,.,,1 . i • i , .bj..i.n. u. ,„. „„„,„ .„,j.« .;,„„; 3;',:;c:;lT,,:t;s!u'r'i:';,':;.;"r .# ll on the Removal of the liuUans. 23 M :i ,h.t tb« establishment of nn .'7'^p-;;-;n;::j::;;;::;:;.;::it" nS \.::IS cannot l.e per.ni.t.cl. ':na wln.-i. '' '' ~ ' /, ,„j, ,„ ,1umm will, uuiple mean, to bio ruin, l.et the ..iVer o. a new <• 'J ,,, ^; ^ ,„ ..e.ful an.l perpetual posses- rear.!, it a.ul to .uhsi.t •.. U, w.th ""1 ■.,^, ^'^ . U,,,., ., • W„r, -tl.at ll.e ,nosl enlarged sion, an.l wilh a ple.l nMn tlie wev.U -I ' ■' - '^^ > , •„ „,„ ^ iheir n.inds, bel- aud generous etllnt., 1.V ^1-p'V"'-"""" ^^^ S^,^"o Mir s-Jver ent.' Let them ter t1.e,r oor.h.ion, an. an '''';''',',;!,,,. e.l to^.uove, but w.sh o re- nnin an.l submit to oui laws, u ill, > n.e ^ ^^^^ ^^^.^ .^ j^,^^^ „„ ,on- ;;;„., W.<^ on- '-;''';"V''l!;;:rt. • :; e ;n.n;,n,ent, or occasion ,e,ret to the ^.;o:e':J tmn,- pos.es.ions anci "^-.;^:^-'"; ; i,v nlelt .way he.b,e our IrL aneient ass, eiat.ons to In u e o P e^. ^ a ^^^ ^. ^^^^^^^^ ,„^^i ,, ean Lople and iu-aitut,ons the "^' .,. ' ^^ „,^„,„,, i, exercised over the abor.g.nal Li,J.er stay nor control. ,' l'^ j „ ^ ^ ,? with then., and of '"itercom. a- colon.es, and just l'"-^' ' =. ^ ,, j*^ ' a cnlbrce.l, we may bope »". ««« 'f ''",; nication among tbeu>, '".,'"^'''' .;'';,, ,ve have so long and so vainly looked, proveiuentiu their condition, tor vvb.ch w^^^^.^^^^ ^^^^n^^ ^.^ ^^^ ^^g, 120. Gov. Cass on the same subject in 182G. districts which they have occupied to ag, to y^ ,,,,ere their particular will bring many of them to a countrv , "' ^^ '"^ , ,,^t changes in their OS te^ are ignorant, and will re,u e •^^'^^J^ *,,„,»,,, ;„ which they may Kits, to^.ceom.nodate the.ns.^ves^ he new cnci, ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ be placed ; changes ^^h-c v «- rt*;^ '^^^ '^'^ ^^ j^ „, ,,i.bt task for a whole people and with great sacnhces ol health '»'!''■ ;,bandon their native land, and fr"om helpless infancy to ^ - ^l;,;;;;;;"' „t; ' ew^.neans of support The pub he seek in a distant, and perhaps b.iucn u , ^„^j j^ ^i,^ author- ';,pers inform ns, that an attemp - -^^f ^ .„;;;,e.e to remove to the west. to them. „ ., ,. ,u„ ,_ii„.^ as wc have already seen, east and ..Hut this is not all. Many ol '^o ribs, as ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^^^ ,^^^^ ^^.^^^^ ^ west of the Mississippi, are m a ^ . tc o c ^.^^^ _^_^j ^,^^ ^..^^.^ .^^ Tges. The Cbippewas '»7;/'^'7; ; 7i„''' ^vvar ; and most of the Algonqum iLeshaverecently joined the on,, mtliej^^^^^^ ^^^_^^ ^^^,^^_.^^ ^ . ^h tribes, the Delawares ^''f " ^^^;/,^ ^ .^se .ibes to exist together? As well 84 t 'Appendix. roam where their inclination mny dictnte Tf,„„ • ^^ vvole .s,s.e,„ of rndi,.n ed.ca^ on I'nd instiS.!: " T'''"^' '^ '° ^«^ '« »m done '7'^ "."^' "' "'" ^"•«" war dance S"t of r ," "l" ^'"""» "»'" '» "as Clone before hini, unless lie can find m 11 ""* '"""'. »•" I'ia father wear on his head the envied fea hers i" the w"^' '", «"'="""'<''•••' "ovv ca„ ho t"re ; or paint npon ,he l.odv a ven ilio„ °,k ^^ ""«'«• "'"' one for each ndven! game only and never travel the J Z > [["'t '"T"^' "' ''" "'">" Pumue encircle each tribe, n,ight keep the aM „ ''"^''"" "^^ '"-""PS which should d'^plny of an overwheTnnng .L t 'ry ' iT\ '"fr'"'''- ''"' ^'""-"t .sue a d^M.ce was perfornied, the war so !?ni ,H ' ■ ,'''""''' ^""" ''««'-. that the war ""..elve., »o ,l,i„k, ,l,-„ llmir^f ,10 '/„';! "' "'"•'"■""'' "«fr SS' F„? '•■« eener,,! „l,j.c,„„d ,.g„|,„io„"... '"• 8<»«n».on. .I.o.ld b, li,„i,ed »i i^.' "i" ,1,:";," iSio™ ,1° '"^^^ »™= of "-» -.-.a.i„„., and clo,e, .1-e s^nlif .rr'-Zv-r,,:;,",';"',;''- "'" «-• c»- '- -?=».. noi eonteiitfid rriprpii/ i..,> i- '"^ ('latea. iriev are their own n.s .tut;on.s. This leelin.., i nci-lc , eH ' '!"»'"« ^'"' " death-araJn [o ;;-e a..e u,e pniici^'U :,;:;;;:;!-• ;:J '" ^^ ■■-»' .t un t^,,^ ; .^^^ •nan nature IS n.cessaiy, to be e isi . h ""• •,'"' ''"'^ knoulclg-. „,„.' exchange .such a lif. fj,',,,, su, ^ '',, 'm.''""''''';^/' «-«&e w„„^l be to . i>.v,;ene„c.. has sl,„.vi,, Uv.t t he l„ '"'"""'"* ''"^'es of civilized societv 'Hfr. And cau.es of ,|„sdmi,^ tin v 1 H ' '"T ''"'"'''>' '''''^ ■•=»l'i'l'y 'iimuSh- -■•e>et ,.. consrau, and active ™;,'',f,,:'^ "-f -'"deavore.l'to mves^iX to stand hetwcei, the |,vi„,. a,„ u,l r.' 1 V '■''^" ''^'■" ^'"o^vn, that our e^. S :^^' \ : I on the Removal of the Indians. 35 ii 1 ««r.ta nf science and the aits, evidence of our desire to repair them. rising generation of Indians. Gov. Cass on the same topic in 182G. ..The c«.rt. .h^ch benevolent «^ and as^^ - £S tln.ou.,1. tl>e United States .n CO. pe a 2 v^';,.^'^,J,, ,,d "-*"^''^^"Suk se unon more practical principles, aim pron j j^^^ q,. (,p,„,ons ot those coi " "er anf attempt utterly ^'^'P'^'^'t^'l'^^^,!^^^Am^^■^ can do for then .s io inn', ^^■l.o have arrived at years of malu ,j , ^^^^ ^^,,, ,,,, upon le S 10 he comforts of their P/^-f^^^^J'^'^^-o,, missionary schools exhih. tL^r .cmuUion. An;^ ^ , rescr rations ff^'^ran le to frontier settlements, or who have •^r^'""^'',4„t the sale of spirituous lupio^ them. It Itas been found impracticable to P ^x^" , ^^.^ ^,^ eluded or openly HXse who are thus situated. '- -^^-''^'^S 'conspire to bring together violated. The love of spirits, and ^''^ '^ "^^^'^^n.'c heavier, and tlie proba- 1 e buyer and the seller. As the l-^^.^/'X prohibited article becomes bihtv of detection and pumshment st, get, tn^e j ^ . . deaixr, and the sacritice to obtain it greate, . ^.:)b'^V^ V 2G Examination of Gov. Cass i ) " Our object, as will be seen in the sequel, is not to trace the operation of all the causes which have contributed to tl>e diminution of tlie population of the Indians. AVe confine ourselves to those which may be fairly attributed to the coming of the Europeans among them, and which are yet exerting- their influ- ence, wherever the two races are jilaced in contact. As we s'liall attempt eventually to prove, that the only means of preserving the Indians from that utter extinction which threatens them, is to i-emove them from the sjjhere of this influence, we are desirous of showing, that no change h.as occurred, or probably can occur, in the principles or practice of our intercourse with them, by which the progress of their declension can be arrested, so long as they occupy their ])resent situation. " The conseciuences of their own wars, therefore, do not fall within this in- quiry. These were in active operation long before our fathers landed upon the continent, and their extent and e/K-cts have been gradually circumscribed by our interposition, until the war-h.atchet has been buried by many of the tribes which are near us ; and if not buried, will, we trust, ere long be taken from those which are remote." Our reiidnrs will remark in tliis extract the policy of the Governor in dwelling on those causes of decay wiiicii have operated in the neighborhood of the wnites, and his caution in avoiding as much as possible the troublesome consideration of those which will be most powerful in the contemplated region of removal. Gov. Cass on the same topic in 1826. On page 94, Vol. 13, (New Series) he speaks of" the introduction of whiskey" as being " among the least of the evils to which the calamities of the Indians are attributable." *• Among the remote tribes, spirits are scarcely ever seen, and they do not constitute, an article of i>cucral use, crcn among those, irho arc much nearer to us. The regulations of the government are such, and tiiey are so rigidly enforced, that the general introduction of spirits into the Indian country is' too hu/ai\lous for profitable si)eculation. Nor could it bear the expense of very distant trans- portation ; for if sold and consumed, a corresponding reduction must be made in clothing, guns, powder, and lead, articles essential to the successful prose- cution of their hunting expeditions, and without which the trader would soon find his credits unpaid, and his adventure equally ruinous to the Indians and himself. " lUit their own ceaseless hostilities, as indefinite in their objects, as in their duration, have, more than any other cause, led to the melancholv depopulation, traces of which are everywhere visible through the unsettled' country ; less, perhaps, by the direct slaughter, which these'hostilities have occasioned, than by the change of habits incident to their prosecution, and by the scarcity of the means of subsistence, which have attended the interruption of the ordinary employments of the Indians. There is reason to believe, that firearms, by equalizing the physical power of the combatants, have among these people, as in Europe, lessened the horrors of war. " The Indians, in that extensive region, are to this day far bevond the operation of any causes, primary or secondary, which can be traced tc civilized man, and which have had a tendency to accelerate their progressive depopulation. And yet theirnuinbers have decreased with appalling rapidity. They are in a state of perpet- ual hostility, and it is believed there is not a tribe between the Mississippi and the Tacitic, which has not some enemy to flee from or to pursue. The war flag id lif r;*"*'*'^!^ i-!»?'».i ■%" on lU nmoml of the Udiam. VI J I 11 „™, the mt song uniung tlireus'' ""'' any^mput.tion upon the n.otivcs ot U.l cxterniin- We perfectly a,reo .tth Ute wnter - ^ ^^a Ks^on^^ ^^^ ^^ ^ atii.g hostilities of the Indians t bcs ^n l ^^^ ^^. ^j^^^^^ ,,o,,i, to Reflect on the l-*^;*;^ ^^^f.^^ated c^ these tribes be removed, m one con„r ^ Our first is from that m IH-U). Unrestrained by moral .- Reckless of con.equenees, 1>-^ ^l**-' ^/l X' '5«1'«^''"S ''" *'" '"'1 coJerLous, whatever hi. pa..o,^ I^optju^d^^ ^_._^^ '-"-"" ^^^^H :S'- =0^ ^vS.;r t£:.^'Tlf^,t.r n£a.e. ^ U..^.oe^y^;.. he know, only by P-^-^^'-^^^rties o b S -l.-lb i" ^'- '"''^"'^•^Uor n tin.l of fimilv 1 ffiiment ; by tlie ues ui t ^^^^ criminal coite, ay ai° ro l^l'i- a. other associations are -; f^ ^^^^^ ' fj ,,uuive dutie. to en- ncfcourts,no^mcers nopun.hmen^ J'-y^^^ .^^^^^^ ^,., i„ .^^^ force, no debt, to <^"11'^^*' '^^^j^X ^ny people to be. Injuries are icdiessea Our next is from the article in 18-2G. Our next is from the article .u .^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^„. .< The constitution of their society and the t^-.X^ explanation it requires fiether, furnish a paradox, ^vh,cb has ncv e^ i ecu ^^J^^ ^^,,^^^^ "P^^''^^^'"" '^ AVe saV Ihcv have no government. ^"^ f '^^ ^heir lives and property are Ix, c^tLr in-rewaids '^^V--f-^^ ^^ h mselves. and xvith other tribes, f.r(,.,1 and their political relations amoni,/" •. ^j^^.^ to deeds of vi- !:" d ';.:s^-a. ' n-e they then ^V^^ ^^^ '^^^, ,,,„„.« prin- o encc,- or have they discovered, -"^ ' "^"^^^\ • .^ ,vith the two great mo ives :;Lof action in human >'=^;[^' -^£ . '^:^.^ have hen.tot<,re ,^ ed^ of hope and fear, vipon f "f ^ ° ''" ,-,1^" of nu.vder, traiupuUv fold In an- VliN- does the Indian, Avho has been b ."i> i ,,,vait the retnbutne ^t about his head, and, seating InmM^P-^'-^^^ ,^^^^„, ,„aev similar cu^- st^'oke from the relation ol the f^^;^^ ^;„ ,„„eeive of no motive which cmstancos, would llee, "^^ .^^l ' ^^ ^sac hce. Those Ind ans, who have ,vonld induce him to -;^';»;,^;^ ,„ ^^ ^n-endered themselves ior trial. ,,urdered our citizens, h.uc,eneK We finish ottr ^^i^'^'-'t^^'J^^Ss^^ ^ ^Y'^P^^^^'y ^^ '^^^'"f ,,,,,, by this -ntcr lnl^^,-^-^'^^ ^^^ ,hich we ^vish l^ll^lTh^^^Serilp^r^tt present interesting % >-^>.< 28 Examination of Gov. C\ ass nnv w^. . .n . ' Tc ' ''" e^^^nm^nt nor people of the United Stntea, hnvo any wish to conceal fro... tl.o.selvcs, ..or fron. tin' world. tl,„t there is upon their f. ..tK..r. a wretched, forlorn people, looking to the,., for support n.ul , , , t e i ,, ce ieTourT" fT^ '=l''""^"("'^ their justice n„d hu,..:.„i, .' These people "l weiL 8ur oii.ided. I he Indians were then stionjr, and we were weak ■ and 111 r hir wl^Se'f 1"'"^" 7'''' '''- '"='="^'-^''' '■' ""^ ^P'"*^ "f n::.rh!d'aftS he fo'rtn^ . r .=' r*^."" "«" ""'^"■■*to'»«'i '" observe g.-eut ...uiatio..., in torv nt . r M "* 'V'."' '^'' ''='"" «"'""'•'• '■'''« PnH.uM...,t poi.UH of their hist- ory arc before the world, a.,d will go dow.. unchanged to p„s erity. I., the n' v- out.onofafewages, this fair portion of the continent, which was th eirs has rDne, fj' K^'ri'"';/'''-'''' '''""''' .:"".' .!'""'• g'"''^'-'''. ''"v«3 disappeared, or are dis- appearing, before the progress of civilization. father' ''ZlI:"l"*'''l"^'''^''''''V'"•''''.'' ';'■"'•'■''"'' P'^''^''^'' "P tho hones of their tiers. Iheir population has d.m.nished with lamentable rapidity. Those tribes a re.na,n, l.ke the one colun.ns of u fallen temple, exhibit' hut U.c s r I cs of the, former strength ; and many others l.ve only in the names, vvl el have reached us through the earlier accounts of travelle.s and historians." Before we proceed to correct his mistatements and refute some of his tin ounded assertions, we wish to remark on two peculiar points ot sophistry ,n the whole of what he has written on the character of the Indiaiis ni the htto number of tlie North American Review It is evidently iis ohject to exhibit that character in the most gross and de- graded colors in winch it can possibly be drawn ; and even to make It appear that such " wandering hordes of barbarians" can be entitled to no rights, which would resist the tiniversal progress of white and civ- ilized population lor any period of time, or over any, the smallest ex- tent ot territory. He gradually endeavors to prove, by the darkest display of their savage ivretchedness and inferiority, that there is somcllnng m their very nature which renders them absolutely incapa- ble of even approximating to the condition of the whites. This in- capability, lest his readers should forget it, he is ever and anon assert- ing as ho finds opportunity. Their nature is such that they really cannot be improved by civilization or meliorated by Christianity For this purpose, and as if most of the tribes of Indians now in the Uni- ted b ates were not widely dilfercnt in their circumstances and char- ac er Iroin the race ot Aborigines which inhabited this continent on its hrst discovery, he goes back to the elaborate descriptioti of Dr. Rob- ertson, and devotes page after page to the delineation of the "life and tr^bX i" "' f" r^?' ' ^'''^'"S for granted that not a single tribe las improved a whit Irom the earliest period at which they be- came the subject of observation to the preselu day. He then goes on to reason abovu the obligation of ' reclaiming and^ultivatin. die soi ' imposed by J\ature on all men, and the noxessity of coercin. tho.e ravage communities who will not obey this obligation. From Till this uTed s?..f T"'"^"^ •!■ ^'^ ''' '^ ^-y «''^-- — l--n that the rnmm^.. r''' ' P'''.''' ''^'"'^ '^^ any thne to dispos.sess a savage community and occupy their soil for the general benefit of society -W •i»3^(*«i»*7 m f 29 on the Rcmoml of the Indians. e tiirp Thcro is another ,,a the arco,npr.sl>monl of tl'V-'^^'f^rro nTlMicturc^ of the l.urhjr- co elusion t.. ul.ich l.o l.nngH l"""--,-' "'" \\\^/„„i innni; al.lo to take ^ u .nl-ecility of th. ^-»'-;;;; , Jl,ty of iu.livi.h.al states to oversee and le..slatu tor all thos. ^^^^^^^ '^.easonin,. as he v-^sses to i^- ---;;;^.:1;: ^i:::::.!- con- tion of I.Hli'-u.s, the elVoct o tl, . ..p ' -^^ ^ ..roke.s, Choctaws, and CO e of tl'o^^' ""^^ '" ''" '^''''' wl Incler of stubl>or.> au.l teronous 'n^her tribes, under the ^^••;'^"\; ^J^ \ ..j.^t in then.s.-lves nn,h ava^es ; to whon. b.s pruun,. ., ^^-S^,,,,^^ ,,^ than .1 k, ha seentto l)e more a,.i.hcab e, an e.s ,^,,,c,niblo ni their cm- attempted to apply H^Mn 'l'^''^ ,.';^.^ , „ ^„a Christianity, as that of he d,un and so far advanced m ^-'^'''''-^ "" ^" ^.i^i, the admission ot what C io ees. lie Unevv thats..ch an »1 ; ' ,,,,,(1 have been re- ttdly .me in re.ar.l to the ^^^Z.^,-,, ; and he thereto^ voltin.Mo the .noral sense ot tlu, vv o ^renerally upon his ar dfv here leaves them out ot ^ '^•- \' J' „,,,ecile ^ava^es. Ho hke- d^Stiou of horce an.l "H.r.U.r...^and^nu ^^^ ^^^ i„aians, en- tise Lunm the ri'rht to 'f ^^^2^^ '' t, ^f all the ri^ht of this kunl. kuvorin. to make Ins readers tor^t«t ^^^^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^,,. ^,l,ich we do or can P"^^.^^^' 'r^^ .t ons of inviolable treaties. Tnission and agreement '":''^^;^ '^/^'^aeavorin. to prove the .mpos- Another fallaey which he uses in i- .^j^ ^,,^ „„„d might sibTli ty of civih/ingthe ^'f/'^" ' '^^ aUo.iher from the character easily be blinded, is this : He reasoj au ^^^^ ^, ^ , „ ^rLe vvho luive arrived at mt^hood -^;^^ ,,e satisfied with the.r moulded by the customs of savage ^^^^^ ,^ ^leir own institu- ^ble how unwilling a savage wouM ^^^..y As if this h tionary and labuiious diUie o c -l.z ^^^^ ^^^^ ^.^^^ ^f'^^^ excha.xre could only be made at ^^^^'^ f ^,,^ ^ther. As it there the one^condition into the nil ve "^'^^ j' j- ,Ue youn. and coming were no process by which the P^';^ \"^^';;\,r habits, and intnMlnced Z^^Z may I- gvadiudly onned to bette^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ -f '"'S: to -i more elevated existence f^ 'V' j the aacd, instead ot being Ve to be all wasted on tl'e.bardenc ■ ml ' j ^^;i^^ .^^^ ^l • ,ly directed to the Christian ed-U on o^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ .^^ ,„,,,. 1 U .nidontlv his ob eel to make Ins rcautr ^ ^ ^j^^. „„ssion- "ill • o«r:.ct 11,0 «l,„l.; l'»"S' ; ■' 't^' „ °„ l„,.k .1 tteir prucuca Kt;;;r;,;:« r"ir;;^^;:;:;'r ^:r:''o:r;-;s: I 30 Exnmlnntion of Gov. Cass npcaird and insinuated in some form or otlior, time aftor limo tii.ou^rl.ont. iho (•ours,, of Lis ar.icl.". J I,, has not stated one; but after liiakm;^ tliis(i..r|aration, for the truth of which he leaves his re'iders to trust to his own hon.'sty, he proceeds to draw that l.roa.l and dark im-tureol the suvajre life an.l character, of which we have spoken. 1 Ins picture, drawn Iron, accounis nearly a hundred years old, stands in the place ol " lacts," and we douht not it was his intention that it should appear in the view of his readers as tl... hopeless res.dt of all tlie efforts which have Iuum. or can he inad(>, to improve and Christian- ize our xnl.appy hrethren of the wil.lerncss. Ho wished it mi^rht pass iommmfiu ''''"'' " I"'"^''""' operation of those efforts" on the We shall now proceed to point out and to prove the falsehood in somcot the assertKms of (Jov. Cass, commeucinir with those which occur in the (.xtracls already nuale. 'J'hc first is Ibund at the do.e of our hrst extract, in regard to certain events which are declared to bo too remote to inOuence any Just view of this subject." With this declaration we may compare the lullowiny moral propabilities of the case exhibited by William i'enu, fairly and without exaggeratioiK " Twenty years licnce, Texas whetlier it sl.;ill heJonK- t" tl'e Unitc^l States or no w, 1 uue been scUlcdl.y the ciesccndun.s of tluAngio-AmeS,' Tl^ sue Miss.n.n wJl then U- populous. There uill be i^Li n.ads thmuLd, I e new Indian comitry, and caravans will be p.assin,^r an<='^'- '"---'cV. there \vill pr 3 1 - be 4,000 000 of onr population west of the Mississippi, :i,ul fdtv vears hence nnt less than 15.000,000. IJ, that time, the pressure' Ip'on the l.iliS wi 11 Ic' m cl hi ir " IT' "' r^'T' '^■'''^'' '""^' "lliiTiatelv be std^lued and in comuiy:- '''' *'"'" "" '^""''■'■^ "*^'"-' '"■"^•"' ^■''^•'■"'^^'^ Our reader.s have seen an extract from Gov. Cass' opinion of the character ot the Indians, in which he makes the fbllowin-r assertions Cioverument is unknown among them." " They have no criminal' cotle, no courts, no oflicer., no punishments. They have no relative duties to enforce, no debts to collect, no property to restore. 'I'liev are in a state ot nature, as much .so as it is possible for any people to e 1 hcs.- remarks are found on page 74 of the article. On pa-re . M l.c remarks J5,it there are barbarous tribes in the world who do not feel the force of these restraints, who have neither relbno , no^ mora ity n-ither public opinion or public law. to check their^propen' sity for uai , whose code rc.pures them to murder, and not to subdue- to plunder and devastate, and not to secure. Are such tribes to b^ admitted in o the commumty of nations, ignorant of every thincr but their own barbarous practices, and utterly regardless of their "own ¥ 'T'rh on the Removal of the l,vUctns. 31 H. applies nucha torlp- '1'"""' '";■' '"i;",;;.. . ; a,.ei«.- '-i'-':;'s ^^^i ' . ."».. ,tute ^«-'" "'\ ^principles of Dr.co uro -^-^^^y^ \; -.lalion of this "■' „""c o MW;.;..- «,r«a. Gov. Cass a . ns, ,._^^^^^^ ^ lu cmc... to sn,.l..-l. ." »">',,';»',;• I ^I.K-I, relator .» S"-;; ^^^^ inestic improvement. li « sr.t 5£SI3iP«rt«w>iRS -^ 33 Examination of Gov. Cms (lov. Cass nsscrls tlint " tlicrc ia no just roason to believe, that any (till- of the tribt'M, within tho whole extent of our hoiiiulury, has hecn increanitiLt in ntnnhcrm iit any jk riod Minrc they huvt- Itccn known to u«." Uo iniiy conipiire this with the liiilowiniij assertion in tiie Cher- okee Phoenix. " 'V\w. ('herokccs have been increasin;i within the hiMt 20 or !10 years ; and of latt; in a coininon ratio of increase ainonjj tho whites. Anion^f tiie (,'lioctuws and Ciiirkusaws tlu! increase is proba- bly ncNirly as rapid." This tnny be a large estinnite, yet wc cannot doubt they arc on the increase. Wc are confiruicd in this opinion by the testitnony of Col. McKen- ney, who says in liis " llcport and |)r()cc(Mlin(rs," subiniited to Con- gress in I.*«'.IS, " Tii(! jjopuiation of the Chickasaw nation may bo put down at four thousand ; they haviui,' increased about four iunidred witliin the last liv<--2.'> and concludes, " If this summary of Chero- kee poi)ulalion from the census is correct, to say nothin^r of those of foreii,Mi extract, we find tliat in six years the increase has been ;{,.'>(>:{ .souls. If we jude.istl.uthH,noraU^cnc^^ -H.at our nnul olt>liir-ilt!i'»'l" rt'liiiiKi- c.iu .flliou of I'ulscliooi uliitioiis, \v«'«ji tlio ,l,.rs luiiy Ui'ow wliat ,„U,liiseuuMi>r;iUoi' luiH bi'oii al I, the tribes to ->;::"!.'v:.;::\;;;"Js,theWy.uuiots t,...r>.i.w tn „t\ue.l." TlT Iroq; Hires the (llllUIJl^, - , t, , B.cs,tlu.r..s..s.tl..l.^^ , • 1. ni.lv tlH-ou"hoiu ui<^ ,,|,„io url.cl.' "f 11"" " '"" • .""' ■ Oft o '■ fats >vl,..-.l. li "'= !»»■" "'■""^ whole urticlc ot tins wriiu , -v, . . , ^^ ^^,,^^^,,, „ ^,,. u,;,;,. ..>.v.- -. ,.1 .T.niind work ol "'s w"""' .1 . , , „„n,.,.,p(l almost a u n for to the condition ol the ^ lu i«)^«^ ^ ' ads ancfnirnt lu *:i\ '"'• 'y,'"' and Christiiunty, which arc itsu j thcv cannot be doubted. ^ j, assertions in regard to ll "^^ 34 Examination of Gov. Cass the Rev. Isaac McCoy, a Baptist Missionary among the Northern tribes ; and at the conimcncomcnt ol" the article quotes from tlie " Re- marks npon Indian Reform" Ijy that gcnth man. These remarks, like Gov. Cass's knowledge, arc confined almost wholly to the Northern tribes. Towards the close of the article Gov. Cass has occasion again to call in the aid of Mr. McCoy's opinion on the Removal of the In- dians ; and it is an amusing instance of the reckless confidence with which he gives the lie to all who differ from him, that when this gentleman names the Cherokees and other Southern tribes as particu- hir exceptions to the truth of his remarks, Gov. Cass flatly contradicts his own witness, and accuses him, in a note, of being " ignorant of the actual state of things among the Cherokees, and of the utter poverty and misery, and we may add oppression, of the great body of these people !" — these very people, in regard to whom Gov. Cass himself had previously confessed his own ignorance ! On page 71 he makes the following assertions in regard to this tribe. " That individuals among' the Ciierokees have acquired property, and with it more enlaifred views and juster notions of tlie value of our instituuons, and the unprofitableness of their own, we have little doubt. And we have as little doubt, that this change of opinion and condition is confined, in a s^reat measure, to some of the half -breeds and their immediate connections. These are not suffi- cieiitlv numerous to ntfcct our g'eneral pro])osition ; and the causes which have led to this state of ihinp^s, are too peculiar ever to produce an extensive result. An analysis of these causes is not within the tas'i wc hace assigned to ourselves." Had Gov. Cass attempted an analysis of these causes he would not have found them " .00 peculiar ever to produce an extensive result." The progress of Christianity, which is the great and predominating cause, will continue to operate as long as the Indians exist, and to produce its result as extensively as the limits of the tribe will permit, and until not an individual shall be left beyond its power. Our rea- ders may judge of the truth of his assertion in regard to the half- brcfds, from the following facts. At one of the eight missionary stations among the Cherokees there were in the school."., in the month of August last, 2.5 Cherokee boys and 27 Cherokee girls, besides the children of the mission families. One of the churches in the same tribe contained, in the month of July last, 38 members, exclusive of the mission family, of whom ;JG were Indians. From the Choctaw tribe we have more full and minute information in regard to this particular, but wc have no reason to suppose that the improvement in this tribe is more extensive among full blooded Indians than in the tribe of the Cherokees ; indeed we may infer that it is less so from the general inferiority of the former tribe, compared with the latter, in Chris- tian and civil improvement. In the Choctaw tribe, in seven of the schools the proportion in September last was 97 full Choctaws to 131 mixed or half-fjrced. In one of the schools the proportion was 30 full Choctaws to G mixed. In anotlier it was 17 full Choctaws to 3 mixed. These facts are sufficient for our present purpose. "JTilT , ii r -■--*.. „„ ,leBc«™I «/"■««"'"• 35 on !■'«■>' '■ • ■^ rlimax of misrepresen- After .naUing ^^^ l^sE^^" U. ^^u^^Xf^ tation, till at l-J^I^'^^.^^ro^ the face of the who o, g bbc tl ^ n^ore wretc bed race exU^ ^^ ^^ j^ I, ^^^'"3 '»^ulon .e rcpresenta- Cherokeesl "^^"''Vw.s vnnclc by Oonjrrc.s «P»" ,^'^,3 from tions of t\ve autlmrities c^ ^^^^^^^.^^ ^^ j ,vith the co ^^ ^^^^ actual starvation. | !^^' ^ .^ticularly «P'^^^»^'"S. "«^J';J „f ^hom Cherokees, of whom l^^ -l^ ;^ ,^ ,,,,,, pvess, =;'" "^^^^ffi;! tidings, tbat theiv schools and P"''^'^' r . ignorance was ended, anu ^^^.^ sincerely te long night ot abon -d ,g^^ .^ ^^,^^.^ ^°•,!^S^^ otf from exaggerated rep- edge had dawned. >> ' ^^^,^6 can dern c ' " expectalions never to tin we should. «"\;»^ J';;evcv to be ^-V^'^^^^^coZ with a powerful 'v; bave melancholy »^'' ^"J^i^.ate them ;v>lh slave .wu ^^^^_^j^^ ,., reived rvovable cotton l'^'»^>^' ••'£! And so long a tl c ^'S . ^,^,i ^^ other ntUftcd we may well l'^"^'';,.„^^ to the support ot a nc\\ i ^ jons upon Z^t united States, are apphul^ ^^^^^^ U.e poor e,.x.v^-- -P ,,•, ,,d ob- *^^"^^^::r Wgl-einthispara^a^^^^^ The error of ^e c " "§ ^^ ^,^ ^^^^j-, pt^t^^^ "'/^f j^^ets, and ex- ,cady mentioned, as vdl^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^'.trt for the improve- „ess which Go^^^;^,^,^ operation" « ^ \^^^te .hould go into a ■ ^ »" »i'""Vt 8r»^ i ? \i !;■ ; J Tuxamination of Gov. Cass our readers, would suffer it. Wo shall therefore nor the patience of content ourselves in this case with merely answering assertion by assertion; with declaring tliat the objects to which the "annuities," are devoted, are ol niore real importance to the poor than to the rich : and that, till we see some cause lor remodelling our belief, we siiall continue to trust to the declarations ot mi'^sionarics, to tlie accounts in the Cherokee Phtt'uix, to the statements ol'the principal chiefs of that tribe, who were the authorized agents to our government, and to the reports of our own official authorities, rather tiian jjut faith in Gov. Casss whining insinuations and " melancholiv ibrebodings," fortified tliough they be with tlie candid coniession tiiat he knows less of the bouthern Indians than of any other tribes, and must necessarily draw hisconclusions respecting the Cherokees, from what he does know of the wretciicd tribes a tliousan e.«l^-^ •w; 1^ III' 38 Eitaminnhon rf Gov. Cass. There is no more necessity, at this moment, that our government shoiiM deprive the Cherokees and Choctaws of their independence and country, than that we sliould seize the Canadas, or Cul)a, or Ilayti. To talk of such a necetssiiy is an insult to any man of ordinary intelligence ; aiul even a moderate share of honesty "would prevent its benig mentioned. Tiiere is indeed the necessity which avaricious selfishness always brings with it, and pleads to justify the most atro- cious acts of cruelty, it is the moral compulsion of depravity,— a com- pulsion which supersedes all other obligations, however strong,— a compulsion, whose inlluence its subject imagines he conceals, when he alleges the " considerations of expediency and necessity," to 'excuse the guilt of his usurpation or extortion. Without stopping to remark any farther on the moral character of his rca.sonmgs, we shall here simply quote the article of treaty by which "authority" was ceded to the United States from the Indians. The same reasoning and doctrine which he has here used, is expanded through almost every one of the pages which we are now about to ex- amine, and which contain the most involved and perplexino- portions ot his sophistry. " * Article Oih in the treaty with the Cherokees, concluded at Hope- well, ]7hir>. " For the benefit and comfort oi' the Indians, and for the prevention of injuries and oppressions on the part of the citizens or Indians, the United States in Congress assembled shall have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the trade with the Indians, and managing all their affairs in such manner as they think proper." 'Lest our readers should nuagine that the indefiniteness of the latter phra.se renders the power of the United States general and unlimited we must remind them that the ounranty of the sovereign possession of the Cherokee territory and thelimitations.stipulations, and explanations in other treaties, and in this treaty, render such a construction impossible. Gov. Cass takes great pains to bring forward a decision of the Su- preme Court of New York, which rested upon the ground that the small tribes of Indians, remaining in that state, ar'e not now inde- pendent sovereignties. What then? If the Oneidas, reduced to a small number, residing on a reservation of a few square miles, surrounded by a dense population, exposed to the corrupting example of numberles.s vicious white men, and having held intercourse with the Dutch colony • then with the English colony, then with the United States, and with New York, during a period of nearly two hundred years; if such a remnant had, to use the words of the judge, ' lost its independence,' what would this prove about the Cherokees and Choctaws ? Would it prove that the Cherokees, residing much secluded from the whites, surrounded by a comparatively sparse population, on a tract of country, amontr the mountains, more than 1.50 miles long and 70 or 80 miles broad" that such a people, fortified by numerous treaties, and assured in dif- ferent ways, by the functionaries of the United States, more tlian fifty times a year lor fifty years in succession, that their country should never be taken from them without their consent ; that the govern- ment of the United States wished them to become civilized, and re on the Removal of the Indian. 39 „„, ,,„, .licr nuU,,, . «. nor .UU.K.v lose «'-^ y^,__^,^, jf course tiloy »"'-*• "•■ I 5 1,, 0.10 i„>vo (».<( Il'tir ""'"f'"X'",'. norvvill lliov lose ". " "jf,^ ,oria state of New York. ^ ;\"7^„,,aition of the remnant o t state .w-;"i;^^^-^,^;i:^: Certain a sin^ ^J ^^^ • y«^ '^ mainuig there. | ^'""';^ ^^ ^,^,y able and a very up „ decision, Justice, and ^ons < e. lum a y ^^^ .^^^^^ ^^ '' ' tr bani^l ; viz. the is due to truth, and o the V ^^ ^^ j, i.^^ tn^^n; ' ^^^^_ isfiiisiigil Does he ^^'^''^Tltl^r c.n^e to t\>e condu^m ^ ^^^ ^^.„,, ,„,„. docWou of tl,e oour ^'j °\J, „„„ Jissenuns vole 1 D^^^^^^^ ,„ ,„ ClMncollorsUBt»,uc „ turnincr to the early history ^^f^^^^^ <^ the colonial ^""^l'^'^ •^' !. h c ^vo witl.lK.ld Iron. them. (b'H;' ;"' ^„,,,, f,, ^ A. a„U,nu<'l po. nevernosscssed.norcoulltucj r -.u^.w benefit, a certain portion olUio.e ^ 42 Examination of Gov. Cass I and that it cannot be found in any "assumed right to restrain the Indians," however often this writer may assert tlie existence of such a right. We have no power whatever over them, but that which they have voluntarily given to us by express stipuhitions, and for their owii protection and defence. After tiiis lie goes on, from page 83, tlirough two pages more of false assumptions, which we proceed to lay before our readers. 1st, he declares, that in the various treaties negotiated with the Indians, such terms as 'lands,' territory,' 'hunting grounds,' &c. could not have been intended ; indeed, " no teruis in these compacts could have been intended to convey the sovereignty of the territory, or tlic absolute dominion of the soil : for such improvident concessions would be equally inconsistent with all the legislation over them, recorded in our statute-books," (our readers will remember, that the only power of legislation possessed by the United States was granted froui the In- dians by treaty) " and all the transactions with them recorded in our history," 6lc. Wc fully agree with Gov. Cass, that no terms in those compacts could have been intended to conrri/ such sovereignty ; for It would be manifestly impossible for our government or any govern- ment to 'convey' by any language or ceremonies, a power which it does not and cannot itself possess. We however assert that they were intended lo acknowledge that sovereignty as a condition which already existed, which could not be disputed, and which the treaties themselves, in their very nature, and apart from all mention of it, irresistibly fm- plied. We moreover assert on the strength of those treaties, and of opinions expressed in regard to them (which we shall presently ex- hibit) by the highest court of New York, by Chancellor Kent, and by other eminent civilians, that the sovereignty and dominion of the Indians over their country was considered in such compacts as " abso- lute ;" and that the only and " ultimate title" of the United States is the acknowledged power of being, to the exclusion of all other nations or individuals, the sole purchasers or receivers of the soil of the In- dians, whenever they may be disposed to sell or cede it. This we never can legally com/jcl them to do, and in no other way, unless they make war upon us or become extinct, can we ever come into pos- session. 2nd. Reasserts that "because we have resorted to this method, (the method by treaties) of adjusting some of the questions arising out of our intercourse with them, a speculative politician has no riglit to deduce from thence their claim to the attributes of sovereignty, with all Its powers and duties;" &,c. We declare again that they possess all the attributes of sovereignty which they have not yielded up, by posi- tive treaty, to the United States. We shall confirm this truth also, by extracts from the opinions of Chancellor Kent, whom we suppose Gov. Cass will hardly denominate a " speculative politician." 3d. He asserts that it is only out of humanity, and commiseration for ''their inferiority in knowledge and in all the elements of prosper- ity," and not because they are independent nations, that we recognize I "T » - i iri-i i fi ;r( . ! »!« on the Removal oj the Ind.'tns. 43 mont This aaser- . ,,M in then .0 .* Mp »™, *;-. J.ffrovcrei.n.y U . - lion r..ll.)WS of course .mm no ^_^,^^^. „f nnilui. lul " pUinl, co,u.»Jic.o.y ;; 'l;i» J,,,,,,, being .r-^^^^^^^^^ °L"^r J'"o'Uf ; .; -;-;r r :oi'S in »nc„ « o.e grunt savofrc, a ngh <» "'^ ^^,,t ^f restraint. ^, ?hc part of be»7»'P r^^^ .^"e tion will I'l^ewiso app-.^ <^^^^ ^ evi'l^"'^^ Gov. Cass IS so incorrectness. ^"<'^.';, .^ „f ^^c Indian tribes seen, wUH «»^^.'\ ,, :„ w.-rard to the sovereignty ot ^^^ ^ j the cellor Kent's opinion "^ -^^^^ ,„ion which was ^^^^^^.^J that SeTrrSn,iS.i':,ora,.„..ercon«. „, j;„.KrNT m Urease of acoddl ^brt,:;^sir ;>£-\,:;^st &..e. or »=. - »."' »- des>gnivte the per.od, ^ » ., , total revolution. # * * ., „,„ TncVians were considered * • rnnr colonial hlstovv, these in nr^^^i„„,, .. TlMOUsh the whole --- ° V" H.e-.elve. the P;-," 'i^lves and their a. depen.h-ut •..'.lins, who .id -^ ^^^^_^^,, ,j,„ term., -lac; 1 ^^^^_^,.^,, ..^i.^nties t , who h.ul voluntarily, anil " „ovemnifnt. " ^i,), thein, as liviou"' "''■i' jrMvvn aa^ii"*'- >■"■'"", , •„ iiniU under friiio" , tion. Such a ac ^ » * .„„r :„ fro 11 tbe nui.io, and on hehal o ^._^^^.,^, ^^ el heUvce'i ^^^ eoncerned u J. Congress tendered protection •1 .',■ l»''! 44 Examination of Gov. Cass Tiuliiin should bo employed iih soldi.jrs in il rilio, to wliicli tluiy'liinoiificil, sliould, in ii nut tht! I tlicrciiiito, 1101- then, without thu fjiivornininit could nioro cloiirlv 10 amiifiw of thu United Stutes, hffo ioiiiil ronncil, Imvo (umsnnlud ••.vpnss iipprohiitiou (if Coiijriiws. Wlmt act:! of detuclied fioin our hod loi politic, iind as nnd stronj^ly dij^iigniito tlioso liid an-t iH totally '/inrutc anil iiult /niiili iil to mm null There was nothinfr, then, in any art or proceed ins, on the part of the L'nited State, dunn- the r('^olutioMary war, which went to i.i.pair, and ii.Mch Iosh to cx- lingu>sli the national chara.'ter of the six nations, and <:onsolidate then, with our own people. J.very puh he, docu-nrnt speak, a d.llerent language, nnd admits their d.snnct existence and competence as nations, hut placed h, the same slate of depcndeneo, and calling tor the same protection which Existed hefoie the war * ^' * * * * # ' "111 1791. there was another treaty mnde between tho United Stales and the Bix nations, in which perpetual peace and iVieiuiship were declared between ho con.racin. par les, and the ( ni.ed States acknowledged the lands reserved to o Oneida, Onondaga, and (ayuga nations, in and hy (heir treaties with this State, to he heir pmpeity ; ami the treaty contains this provision, which has a very im- portant and very decisive hearin- up,.,, the point under discussion : The lf,,ited States and the SIX nations a.;ree, that for injuries done by individuals, on either Side, no private retaliation shall take place, but complaint shall he m ide by the injured prtv to tlie other ; that is, by the six nations, or any of them, t, the lie.,,!..,, toi the I nited Slates, and hy or on behalf of the I'resi.lent. to thji.rincl- p.l Cl.iels ol the SIX nations, or oClhe ni.-ion to which the oiren.kr be „n-r. Ulr.t more denion-t.ai.e proof can w,Me.p,ire, ofex^stiMK and acknowl..,lyed,-overei.mlv residm.^ in those Indians. We have hero .1,,. forms and r,-,piisi.ions%,eculiar o" he mlercoursel,e.u,.enfrie,ully and independent Stale., and they are coin .rinlo to the r.ce.ved instilntcs of the law of nalions. The I'niled Stales baveieler dealt with those people, within our national limits, as if they were cKlin-uished soverei^nnes. J hey have constantly treated with them as\lependent irations governed by their own usages, and possessing governments competent to mako and to maintain -reaties. hey have considered then, as public enemies in war! and allied Ineiids in peace. " • After mentioning certain provisions niaclo in treaties with =cveral Indians tribes, among uliom were flic Clicrokccs, the Chdnceilor r.- rnarks, _ ^'It vyould seem to me (o be almost idle fo contend, in the face of stich nt-a- :;r::;.i'r;:5,:sr"-'^ ''''"'' -■■ ^"^^^^^ '"''"^ ^-'^^^^^ «'^^-. -<'^-t "In the ordinance of Congress, in I'Sr, passed for the trnvernment of the tevntory o be Lmled States noHbwest of the Ohio, it was' leclaied, bu e I dians wilhin bat terntory should never be invaded ov \\; J ^ .'.ed possessors of this whole rl.lus of those who were ';>;-; ,,i, a so nu.ch of the.r sovere.gn- contin-o ns k.c a ^^_^,,,,,^.^,^,,,,. i,e,t,es," fidc-nlv rusted ; and settled, '^^/^ ''.^I^'^-;^^^^^^ L .n.ltiplied le^al author- t;;rS'£u» :s, -..»j -x;?xi,i?"^i''- u,.« >>* "' = ^l8^**«r-«"'" 46 Ejcamination of (iov. Casn thny arc ; supposinj/ llint nil our ppciiliiir reliitinns with the F been him. Tlio 1 11(1 spocilicd aiid dispnspd of in mtiltiplic'd slipuliit ndinnn hud ions. We will tell ian.i iiii! less civili/cd tliiin we. The State of ( gia wants the Indian T.'iritory. Tin; [.id we, and have Cijnnnitted theniselveH, trust jeor- to the United St itos for protect the thei are tl tion. Tl conHtructicn" of those tn-atics as ti r present inlieritante, or under the laws of the ( laii.s -re less powerful than inj,' iii the faiih of treaties, lercforr, we must so " regulate ) "coerce" the Indians out of le peculiar relations which, according to tl leorjrjans. Such lis unprincipled p(»liti Cian, are to reifulate the construction" of our con.p'.cts with the fn- dian tril.es. I hese are peculiar relations indcc.l , the relations of ^venkncss on one si. e, and streuirth on the other; the relations of an Hifonor an,l peaceful trihe, lookin. to us (or protection from the o^ p f-sMve nvance o a more powerful nei.,M,l,oriu;r state ; appealing o the very treaties, hy which, for the sake and with the promise of U.at protection they have placed themsehx-s in the attitude of a .leorMident nation. I hey are r..|ations which should make us peculiarly disinter- ested and l.eneyolenf in our conduct, jealous of all usurped and inter- nieddlmrr ,urisdiction, and scrupuh.nsly careful to preserve, unimoair- eU tn the slijrhtest de.,rree, every jot of those rights, which the Indians have, as it were, committ.nl to us for safekeeping. It is not onlv on- pression, but inexpressil.le meanness, and shows in Gov. Cass a selfish and degraded mind, when he can allege such relations— the very ones which call lor generosity an-l kindness,— as adbrding his countrv an opportunity lur successful Iraud. ^ On page 88 he asserts, that "Our right of jurisdiction over them lounded upon the principles we have already discussed, and siionorted by our own practice, fou/ hjj that of rrcn/ nation whirl, ha, ,rt,„,lv<»ral or his th,! MXlc;fU tr<'alics w ith '•^S;-^;;:^.aro.nor.dyan«^^^^^ the fc^crotary's k.tt.r, w.. |; <'- ,^ ^ '^,:.,,, i„.,.uious couM-hmn.^ ehan.;t..;. ,md ar«uc. t>.>^t -h>uo,. -, tull ^^^^^ ^^^ . __^^^_^. ^ acr, an.l .lovastal.on. can ^ >^ » ^„^ without oxcopt.o ti,.i s, inlbrrinjr of courso that ^^ '^ T^ ,.,i|acy as torn.orly, ot „ ih s prodicauumt. H«; uses "*-'•''' //J^'^'^.^.y ajjo, and considcra- anr in'r a p.cture of harhanans 'f' y J ^ , " J, ^1^: stale of thmi;s ;!:^;Jdnuv.llVon. circuu.sunces^t^ ; -.t^u.^^ ^^^ , •It til." nri'scut moment. 1" ,^'"* /" „„ ., ...cos (as the Induius aud rk. " tha. it is evident ^ - ^^^.^^^.^j^ t of each othc.. The,r the whites) caimot exist m contact, '^^"^ ■^^^^,,,,;' &,c. &lc. Is .t ^arrlonld soon come to he ^-^ ^^^^^^^^ , „.y Inan in his sense, ;ossihh. that (iov. Cass -IM;*- j^, '^ J , „re at this day m dai.ger believe tliat the people ol the l_ «^< ;^, •„, ^^e limits ot our ter- from the auuressions of any 1 d.an tr c ^^^^^^^ ^^.^^^ rZy Th^t the Cherokees. lor ■'- f^ ;;;,': ; ,;,ny years, have now ;;rv?livc.d in mutual !>-- ,- :;?'K ^rou one sJle. that tlu^ can at last arrived to sucli a p. oh o lur ) ^ ^.^^^^^^ ^^,.^^, „ ex- no lou- r remain in cm.tact with ^=^,^. V, ' ^ ,,i,,,i.aved the terrors of the llr -.Lrain (»« »' J'^lo'""""' '" ''"'" "(vLovrm powers, our own or , iuc >l" .rsu,.s, from .l,c P'^ l^^,"!,'; 'T l.la.-.«, "ol on y 48 Exammaiion of Gov. Cus.h I I tion to injure him." ITe ihoti makes tlie follo\vinent to then,, c.r.tinued nnsiiuken for .mu'.rds of a century, ami this niulM.l jrood f.ith has received the n>ost honorable, and the most tn.doubled attestations. (;ov. Colden, in his historv of the six nation, states, tliat tile Duich entered into an alliance with them, which continued with- out any breach on e.ther side, until the Kn-hsh conqneied the coionv in 1664. Fnendshif) and protect.on were then reneued, and the hulians, he says, observ- ed the alhancc on their part striclly to his .lay ; and v, e know that their fidelKv cont.nue.l unshaken down to the period of our revolution. On one occasion the colonial assembly, ni their address to the ,,^overno,, expressed their abho : rence of tlie project of reducnj^ the Indians by force, and possessing thenisehe., of hen- lands ; tor, to the steadiness of these Indians to the inteix^st of (ireat Hntain, they said, tlicy owed, in a >v,.eat measure, their internal secnritv. The colony governors constantly acknowled.i^ed their friendship and services. " The six nations were a t^nrat and powerful cor.fcderacv, .-uul onr ancestor., a feeble colony, settled near ihe casts of the ocean, atul alon^• the shores of the Hudson and the Mohawk, when these Indians first placed tlu^nselves, and their amis, under onr protection, and formed a covenant chain of frieiulshin that was to endure for ag-es. And when we consider the long- and di.tressinff « ars in Mnch he Indians were mvolve<"" to provo ,hat ead, i„divi,lu„l Slate have a HO seen that ho has all alon,. deduced the ri.rht of at mr sdiction ■UN .s the third clause ot the eighth section, which grants To CWress he ponx.r to regu ate couunerce with fore..,, nntionl. and a.no,." t'fe everal States, and w.th the Fn.liau tribes. Certainly t'l s to " aVow a .;>u,.d,„„,,. ,.,.ou wh.ch to erect so broad a supcU .cturo "« tZ which would ...elude w.thiu it the ^rhnfr ronnrns if the I, hns T h^ reg„|at.onot couunercecan by no f.ir interpretation .cl. e th-nthe sphere oj its operat.ou all the acts and du ies of /;f. .n V r ::;l,i';;;'„ii;r'""" -"" ""•"""■i' ' i-i.ic.i for i.,i;y;ci:;:;;:f";: car.-liil rcudor ! M ' ' . i . ;'"" "'" ■"'"'"I" '" ''"'""fralc all ; a i.ar,.l„l reader lull caMl, .loloculwii,. <)„ !„,„„ ],«) |,e makes a la- k I i •^^^S iyiSa as- js to observe J^giiid to the "ranee never any doubts, iible to her. wliere noth- vidual State ts chartered 1 Ills selfish lim into the V he has all litod States tribes. We jurisdiction liis favorite Vow he not d degree of I degree of I ; to the Tn- Congress among the too narrow re, as that ians The within the hus confer Dii that we two pages ction over , and our 1 precedes !S. following ml cunvcr- ovcrlooks ire found- : tlioy can itcd ; that d that the It for the ive grant- ee, in fbr- in regard ite all ; a kes a la- on the llemovnl of the Indians. 61 mention that "it is now too late to c-H in ...-ti.>n tl. c^^^tion^ treaties witii tlu; IndiuMS, or the pow.-r ol the «» . . , ^,„„,^;. them; although it is ''/ >>*''''''';' ''''Z-r'' (We are tution which c.prrssh, or nacssanll/ f^rants '/ ; '^ ; ^ ,„„„i, it glad the obligation of treaties has come to >" /^^ '^^^ j dissat.slac- be attended m his own bo.om w>th so ^;'>".^'^,;^ fj^^ "j^r the source tion.) We see'hi.n again recurrmo- ic, the Con.tiiulion, lor ^ _^_ of ter the case. We ask our reaaers lo ---;j; ;■;,; ,,,e 101 that tions contained in his argument, lie '^^_^e ^^ '^^ 1 - .. ^,,e r on.) We see'hi.n agam recurrmg u. uu. v^-... . . ^^^^ .^^_ f that power in the United States w Inch he "^ "" J \,",eessity of .mptinl to prove is supren.e, from j-'^V'!'?, iu nble « contradic- he case! We ask our readers to -A-^- ^^'^ ,/ /''^ m that " the tions contained in his argument, lie asse s i ^ ^^^^ ^^^,^^ jurisdiction over the territory may be in He Mai _ .^f^rencc {o dispose of it in the United States;' ^"^ ^.^^J^^J'^', JnU g to the fact that white citizens ^^ ^^^^ ^'iTl I^IQ,,, limits they i on tue RTruu..> "■. — " , ■ , 1 f .1,,. tJiMtos w I un wliose limils iiiey ment, are sub ect to the laws of tl e ^ '^tcs % u , .^.^j,,,. reside. Here he is guilty ot an absolute ^ ^'J,, ,,;, Jties, but ing that the Indians have no existence or P' 'P'-'-^y ^. j^^ ,,ere arf, in fact, like all individual white c.t..en. ^^^^^^.^ j^ns- contradicts the very doctrine of the Georgians, diction are inseparable." i.i.u tho United Slates pos- I,; according to the J-^^^ ^l nl "n a.^"!>- by express sess no power over the Indian whic ' » - ^ ,,,^^i Stales acquire provision in the constitution, bow f^^^'^'^ ^^ and which the Uni- Ihe unlimited jurisdiction tor ^^};^^^^ ^^^^^^ ,, tboni '! ted States cannot give because >t ''.«'^ ^ " ^ , ^le pviiiciple that the We suppose that he grounds this i ght oi t'. , J^^^^^ ^,^, States received from great Britain all her pov\er o j ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ the States received iVom great «n ='" ' ^ ^ ^^:^,,a that power by the the Indian tribes;* and that ^.^'''^^ '^ j j;";' ,Ue proposition of the right of discovery. Su.h.n 'l^/^'-^^^j^^Suly accedes to all his Secretary of War, and Gov. Cas. "»'' V;'';"^;^^^^ .ronositions. Now though nolbnig can l>^ ,"" f '"'J ,„.,. .^.^ion the propositions. _ . . that mere discovery of the coiituio^iu power to them froi could give to any nation the e discovery of the continonv .c" "" - ^ ^, to drive ,eg.iate over the natives, ^^J^^ .^Zn^.u. that Great ,n their own torritory : v^t '7 . ' "ttor our independence it ,ossesse'"*■'/'■'•""« "fan,j Stale, or witldn the fnh 1- ,",'i"-^ f^/Acr .y //a. saal di.trkt,, ajyainst a citizen or any white s^^chn^ '■'' '/°f'^\' Pun..shahle by the huvs of M.ch state or 'district, such oHenderor o«en, cr.s shall be subject to ihe same punishment, and shall be M^^I'l^'^^^T'r"'^ :'''T ">='""'■'•»«'♦ tl'e offence hud been con.mitted wuiuathe.junsd,€tiun oj the State or district to which he or they may belontr aganist a citizen or white inhabitant thereof" ^ ^ ^ -lll^^'""''' " ^"^ 'i^eanin,tyiii langinifye, it is here irrcsislibly implied, that the .he okee country, or .' terrUory" is not ■' within the jurisdiction of any SU e^ X"»" -,)•'■•- •='-".''.-.t'-': of the territorial 'Districts of the ^United Ch or fi!=?ll?;-" ^V^"'"; •"''"' •^"•'^'•''=.''"" i* ''t. t''en '.'^ I)- ^'^>-^' tl'^'t the Cherokee terri' A^^iemKw t' I "'"' ""/ T" ''V'" --«-^''^"-« --"•'" he pursued thither, hi n. 1 • r'"'^'" ''r '"'"' "'^ S:i-eater part of the Cherokee country to full ^f^' Jt -"'".T r.\'"" ';* "'"* •^'"''-' ' '^'"' "'''* "^'^ '"^-^ "*' t-eoiffia shall tike itcZlnT "^*^„^ '^'"kees vvnhin less than a year from the present time. The Constitu .on of the United States (Art. VI.) has these words: "All trea- les made under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme lav, of uJ L •''"'^.^''^ •''"'»'''=^ '" '^'■''■y Slate shall be bound thereby, anythinirin the uv s or Constitution of any State to the contrary notwithstanding." The ques- tion of jurisdiction is, therefore, easily settled.' Page 102 he asks, " What has a Cherokee to fear from the opera- tion of the laws of Georgia ^" We answer by simply exhibiting the following enactments, passed, not long since, in the Georgia legisla- ture ; with another commentary by William Penn. "Sect. 8. 'That all lav.-s, u.sage.s, and customs, made, established, and in orce, m the said territory, by the said Cherokee Indians, be. and the same ai-e hereby, on and after the first day of June, 1830, declai'ed null and void. r if \ m Ike Rmotal of ihe Indiana. .13 ..sec 9. .T,,..-., ..■V»n or *-," J^J.lS'r";.,;:;^ I'JS.! « ^:^;;:X^^:r:^ -"''"^i'" '''""""''■''"■■ -'"•■^ "'"' ''""• to whicli a wliite man muy be a parly. I . Under the administration of this 1- a white -^^^^ LZ t -d I Cherokee in the P--- °' n.-^ ••^--^.^^'^^ythis malignant character " vet the offence coviUl not be ptovta. *" ...le- but assaults, ubnses, and ITonld be con.mitted is by ^l^^^JZ^^^'^ ^^^^^ "'' "^ ^'-'•"^"^ vexations, of a ar njkr.o,- ^ ^J P^^ ^""^^ '^^^ 'i„,a ,,y „er Senate, to seize five intolerable. The plan ot Gu g a '^; J« f " .^ -^ ^.^^„„j, i,er citizens. If a sixths of the terr>tory '" [l''^''""-; \ '\L'." ,e mav possibly have his house Cherokee head of a ''-l' >- '"f ^^ i iX mosU'avo^rable s'upposition. But and a little farm ass,K""l to um. ^ >'^ '« "^ ^ ^,,e ,^„d because .t is his rights are not ^-knowledged. ^^^^-^^^"^^ ^."^^ /i, .ui be surrounde.l by his own ; but receives >t as a ^^^ "'^i,';'^„t ^,. tv„n> the more sober, temper- five white neighbors. These >*f "-'^ ^^ .'^ ^' °,\, .aie, the dissolute, the (luar- ate. and orderly citizens «t Georgia, t^ ' ' "'^ ; '^./^'^ •^,,y,, opportunity of iu- JeUome. Many, of them w. I -"='---{. ;' /e .^kee are' driven away in his suiting and abusing them. J^>^^,,^'^,' ;^,,"*,;j , •„ crops destroyed , if h.s chd- ni-psence , if h s fences are thrown down -^"".""^^ ,^ ,'._..,i,,,,pver outrage and 5::.rbeaten.and his 'lo^-^^l/^f ,t;Lre nte^ a S remedy". He ^vhatever injury he may expene c^ l^e cam o ev^ ^^^^^h^^^^ ^^ „^ can neither be a par V nor a w. iks^- "^{';^,,„ ,,^, ^ny interest in seemgjus- his behalf. Not an >"f '^ulua ca be <^^^";\'^;"^ ^^. I ,,, .^rve him. Kven tice done him, and who, at the ' "l^^J'^^^i^j^* \Z self-interest of their mas- ,he slaves "Hiis ne.v neighbors a e<^e^ f> ^^ ^„ ,,,, p,,e,test ters. But he has lu.t even this ^ " '^"< " ^ ^..^y is let loose upon evils of slavery, without any of ^^^^'^^^^J^ „„, (be official duty of r ;s:!:eSe::Sde£ tr ^ - saacis^:ie:r;^;;\^^^":entasthL>.. .n^ 1 lo^ this master spirit of expediency, necessity, On pages 107 and 108, this master spr i ^^.^^^ selfisli pol-y, --' I'^'-^rTrbo VrcaSng their territorial of sending off the <^>>'=:".\"^^^"' \,S;uiIl his separate share, and community to pieces, g'^'^S - <^ ^ '^ ' ^ interest " for a valuable then persuading them separate y '^fll^^^ ^,^,,i ^e concluded, to consideration." au<^;^y'^; f ^a onin., must fall within the States,' and accordn.g '^.^^.^^J"^'^^ soon be annihilated laws of Georgia Thus ^ ^e^'^^^t ^^ „„nner, without any as a nation, and that " ■.\„^«7, "l^T . possibility of which even this of the disturbance and diffictity. of the po y ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ sturdy disciple of " expediency and netessiiy indistinct idea. , i proposition by the as- He thinks it would be quite "^^^ " J^^^fJ/'^^.^ a course ; because, sertion that the Cherokees ''^^^.P-J^^'^ ';\Vy have no ri.ht to make in the first place, =^*=^»^f 'S^V;* ^''^i'^XL u v^.„ald not be f.vorablc such a prohibition; ^-V" V'%!^.f ^^^^^ttrefore to interfere and '::^JZL^::'^Z^ :^^ ow^. institutions,- these not being I '. "■»}iut by wliat we f)urselves judge to be expedient! Even Bonaparte's principles of concpiest were better than this; for he alwa\s declared that Ids battl(;s and his iisurp;itions would be for the world's henift. But (Jov. Cass acknowledtjes no law save that of his own ronvenienee. " Ex|)ediency" is his motto, in all cases where *princi|)le' and sellisliuess hap|)eii not to coincide. There are very many points of error and sophistry in this article on which our limits would not pernnt ns to remark. One of them, es- pecially, is of such a nature that we cannot now but notice it. Chan- cellor ivcnt observes that the Indians in New York are 'placed under our protection, and subject to our coercion, so far as the public safjij requires it, and no farther." Now our profound commentator on na- tional law gravely tells the ' learned Chancellor,' tliat he could never have meant to restrict the extent of the terms, ' public safety,' to cases involving actual danger, but that he must have intended to define it, as according to the political system of this profe.ssor of ' expediency and necessity' it ought to be defined, " the permanent interest of both ])nrties!!" We imagine th:. 'learned Chancellor' must be highly gratified with the coin|)liment Gov. Cass pays to his integrity, in thus bestowiuir upon his terms such a Machiavellian construction. From Nimrod down to Napoleon no usurper or coinpieror has ever existed, who did not pretend to fight and usurp for the ' permanent interest of both ])artios.' It may be thought improper to have mentioned Gov. Cass, as the author of the article in the North American. We certainly should not, in ordinary cases, disclose the name of a reviewer, who had chosen to write anonymously. But, in this case, tlie Reviewer is the last man in the country, who would wish his authorship to remain alto- •■•iSS^; on the Removal of the M^ns. 55 tlfl nil- -• - 0,i„U, tl.«t 1"» ■"«""' ?'"" ;;'■,«• very w,.|l Lis "S"";* " " '' matter ; 'I'l'i ''■ ' •""• o t , Jper "..ul i" <"" """'"^' •, "^; °.S ty anJ »i.l. corrccl moral We arc ac(iuaint.Hl only uitli 1 . im' ^..^^^riaiued any feelings but Liv'dual ve shoaUl be very g'">t> , ' ^^.^'^ ,,i,u we can form ior his ho e of undisson,l)lcd k"ub,ess Iho be t ^^^^^ bitterly re- ;;!:;:\nd lastm, i-;;;-^ u;.' m.h^>,> i->p'«. -- ^^^-^^ '^"'"^ ^h:^■^ndr;ed^rr;^.o tn;;..;. ...^;-' ,„ ,,, eharact. and Were it possible to ""^:S"\« ^^" \ ,' a l.fer the power of some coXn of^the I"^^'^"^,^,^^;L - n' its tnie i.^ors tl. cnrn- unfortunate mistake ; or that ne m .^,i„ i the case won d K of tl^e -^-- ''' '^'^LTS ca not Sve that such a man could be somewhat ditVerent. But wee. , ,^^ j^^g advocated or be "nonuit of the real nature ol ^' ^^ „ ^i,, ^^uth, and with so tin with so many opportunities tor k nou . ^.^acquuinted with '^nch parade of ^-i'-^^^ , T'S whose character he has grossly the actual co.ulitiou of the tubes w considerable labor of misrep esented. Ue has evenj,u ' - ,^ ,,, ,„ight till up the Te ea ch for the darkest '-'t, e know less of the Cherokees ptcture. And if, as he '■•\^ ^^f ;;, ; V.li/.e.l tribes, what a perversion £ of the more degraded and cm' ^^^^^^ i„hnman.ty of of moral feeling, what utter -^';^'^Z to the character of such a tart does it «>;-.- "PP'^ut to^allege it as a reason for depriving SmW'thei: most vaLujle rights 1 ^ .^^^ ,,,,,,, ' t is a dark crime to ^1"»; '.,;,/. cabumiinte tlio character o a But it is one of uncommon '"'^ ''-'' ^ \,„,,t,>, and ,U-fenceless,-pecu- whole people^a people abs.mtutortun,^^.^^_^^^^ ^ voice to rente Uarly unprotected from ^«;; ';'';^,^„' .i,,raded beneath the ra.k of the repr. ach ;--'i P^'>pl*^, '^'''^' , re than ever entitled to the com- their proper humanity, but "''^ V^' ,i/;\,,ethren, through their own 'ti. ...... wo;*.a a ,-:-;;- ,s:!^,,::i;";!:ff !"-.»*- Clms,i.u ■'■'•-;,:"^ '„'/„■ ,!,«■ have, ll.al our ^ p-^^T^'.ftsn^-fi ?^ i 66 Examination of Gov. Cass and not of principle ;' — when we behold him making light of the sol- emn obligat'un o! treaties, regretting their introduction, laugiiing at the ' iin^luktn bauvohitcc' of those revolutionary patriots and excel- lent men, (among whom was Washington,) wlio presumed to elevate ' these little Indian connnunities' to the rank of an equal party in sucii treaties; — wiien we behold him alleging past usurpation in other nations to justify present nsurpation in our own, and meanly endeav- oring to deceive his readers, and give strength to his reasoning, by garbled extracts from tlie law, and by ([notations of overruled opin- ions ; when we behold him ungratefully accusing the Indian tribes without any exception, of ' unprovoked aggressions and atrocious bar- barities,' and of being ' restless and mischievous' and savage in their disposition, and totally regardless of their promises ; and when we see him asserting, without scruple, that "all have a right to join in order to repress, chastise' and disable those tribes; — and to crown all, when we hear him proposing a most detestable plan of cruel and perfidious cunning, by which we might succeed in overreaching them, and c-ijoling them out of their inheritance — when \ye behold all th'is and then turn our eyes to their true condition, and imploring posture, we hesitate not to declare that a production which, like that of Gov. Cass, discloses such principles and such propositions, ought, in the mind of a Christian republic, to awaken a general senti- ment of indignation against its author, and to cover his name with dis- grace. By the power of his sophistry he would hurry his country to the violation of treaties more solemn, of obligations more binding and repeated, than any people, in their natural capacity, ever yet swore to preser' e.' They are the more solemn, and the more binding, because they are made with a people defenceless and forsaken — a people weaker than we— and who in their simplicity have imploringly appeal- ed to us for protocUun from the evils which threaten them. If ever pity had claims upon any nation, it has them upon ours. If ever any tie can bind us to compassionate the wretched, it is that of helpless- ness. If ever we are called to unlock all our sympathies, to exercise a generous forbearance, and to be kind even to the extremity of kind- ness, it is to those, who are wholly in our power— it is when the cry comes before us of the last remnant of that oppressed people, upon whose very ashes our republic has tlourished. What is the plea that wc use, when we implore His mercy, the very slightest of whose innumerable favors we have all alike forfeited .' Is it not our own weakness, our own helplessness, our ow n utter unwor- thiness ? But with what face can we make this plea, if we deny its efficacy to others J Have we no feelings of humanity? Arc they not men— are they notour brethren ? Shs'll benevolence be left utterly out of the question l Shall we forget that if mercy is a blessed attri- bute and a binding duty in the catalogue of personal virtues and indi- vidual obliirations, it is still more blessed and still more binding, when it shines in the ch^iracter, and holds up its obligations in the path of a great nation ? Shall we, can we be so selfish, with a territorial do- on the Removal of the Indians. 57 r tlie sol- igliing at 11(1 excel- iO elevate party in 1 ill other y endeav- nning, by jjcd o[)in- iiiii tribes :ious bar- e ill their when we o join in to crown cruel and rreaching ve behold imploring , like that IS, ought, :ral senti- ; with dis- try to the iding and t swore to [, because -a people ;ly appeal- If ever r ever any helpless- 3 exercise y of kind- en the cry ople, upon r, the very i'eited .' Is ter unwor- e deny its Arc they left utterly jssed attri- i and indi- ting, when he path of ritorial do- r 11 Fnronc ?to break up the homes n^inion almost coequal with ^h^t of a U U ope.l^^^^^^ ^ ^ Td sacrifice the dearest '"^^^'f, "'^,^ n it of bind ! Beings who do ?or the possession of one poor "'» V;*^^;;; / jo feel, like us the ties bear hke us, the image ot ^>'^^'^^;,^2v whose existence, like ours and the sympathies of common »'" l^^'to one common Saviour, but can ever ce.se; who are like "^ '':^^;,^i° ^e may well despair, if 7wTose salvation, both fj-- Ive t m f,n their own soil, or ban- h. long as lilb remains -^^^^J:^^ZT::: ^ slaVery and in whatever 'abandoned degrada on y^^ beware how oS alienated from ^^^^'l^^^lX,,^! thrust them beyond the Jbi-^lXi^iratSinostbutimm^^^^^ ,h. ffnvcrci'rnfv of the Indian tribes. Opinion of Mr. J---J^- f,^ :2J^4. 10. 1701. From a Letter to General A . ^^ .^ " I an. of opinion ji-^^rs^.^i:^ ^^^ ^^^^:iz^x;^^ the Indians have a '•^>^ ^^» j j.,,,^, t,,ey happen to be ; ^-^^ "'^^ ^ g/.te can States wUhin whose cl a U,e^^^^^ ^^,,„,,„n to a rea y. no act ot.a^^.^^^ ^^^ them by treaty or ot'^[ , . ^,,^t neither |uncler the V'^^^t to treat with the give a right to «"^^ >a"^; 'i^^a ,„y Slate, or pe.-sons. ^'l^'^'^Xlt consent has fhe ancient con ede,a..on,ha^p ^^y ^^^^^^^ ^overnrnen . a l^a^^^.^^^ ^ ^,^^t md.ans. without the conse ^^^^ ^^^^^^,,, „t fJr7he,atron;it tliclr i'ii,'litH upon llio Kmils wlu-re tlicy iiili:ihit or hunt, are acnirrd U) \.W-n\ U\ Ixninilai'c-. dilincd in a iiiiciibli tnaliis hiciwivw llic IJnitfd Stult'H and tlicmsclvcs \ iiiid tli:it wliciu'Vcr ll)o--c Ijmiiid.irics urc varied, 't is al- so by iimirnhlf. iniil ri>!iiiiliiiij i.iciil'i\o, by uliicb they rcci'ivu from the Unitt-d States ample comiii'ii-aiioii tor every ri^,'lit they bive to die land ceded by them. 'I'hey are so ilir d''pciul.'Ut as not to have the ri^Hit (o dispine of their jands to any prl\ule pi'ivon, nor lo any power other ihan the Uniled States, and to be under l/irli- /iniUdiou aloiir, and not under tiiat of any (W/cr /«j/rc/-. U'lietiier called sMl)j;xis, or by uliAlever name d* ,i;'-iiated, .w/i/j is the relation between them and the United Slule-i. That relation is neither asserted now for the first lime, nor (lid it orl^-in.ite with the tiv.ily of (ir('en\ il'e. These ijrinrlples have be.'ii «/(//■(),,)/'// ;6(H;'//''-.rf/ by the Indians ihem.elves not 'mly by that treaty, but in ('// liu: ud'icr i),ici.oiig 113 well an liie aiibsriuunt IrcuLks between them and the United States." fRESEMT ST.ITE OF CIVILIZATION MiO CliniiTIANrrV AMONO TUE INDIANS. At a fuliirc dtiy, wlion wo look tipori this subject in the liglit of expcricnct!, it will iijipoar not the Ictist iistotiishiii^f iiiid niotniiful part of it tliiit hiiicli opinions slionld jiiivc been tittered in reiiuid to the incnriiblciicss of wlr.it is wild and disoideri^ in the Indian character. Notliin!;f oiiirlit more sensibly to aw.iken our indignation, than the liypocniic il wliinin^j of .some statc;-men over what tl)ey are pleased to term the melancholy result of past elforts, and the hopeless-- ncss of all fultiro ones, to christi:ini/,e tliese peojde. As if God's plan of redemption were not suited to the chaincter of all mankind! As if He, whose essence is mercy, h id created a race of imman, in- telli sun. as civilization waits upon the march of Christianity. Are the soiemn deci irations of Gods word to 1)6 disbelieved, and is the testimonv of all past ex- perience to be bl(,ited out? Have they never heard of the Sandwich Islanders, or coinp ired their dreiidi'ul wickedness and degradation twenty years ago, with the piety, the decorum, the morality, tlie social and civil order, and the domestic relinement and happiness, which are found among them at litis d ly ? And are they jirepired to assert that th(^ al'origines of North America are less likt ly to be subjected to the operation of Christianity than a people who have been, from the time c;.fa.;»«»-'CAnv;™i., »/-;.. W'-"""- 59 • Of their ai.covo,y nil ''!'■ i^'^;;,;;'';;;/;^!.^:: "-"-JtJ^ and a ,,rovorU .n tl..- whole ^^ >;' ;/^; ^^ „„, ,,,^ ,, r.s.,rt m.r..ly t( the Tn contu„r.tlion of tl>.> n^.t .. „,,.,,•„•,,„, ,vc wish to make one But before wc proccra l'> ^ f " " , , .,,^, ...-rne.tu.lly »*^s(.-rting the moral inci.pbil.l.c. ot ^1" / !' " ,„t,, f„u,r.. (as tlu-y assrrt) o all ^cc for a melancholy proof <>' 1 ;"',,,„ ,^.,0 vluU there l.ul been :;;:-ri-o;oru..;..,;- ^;;-:i;;:i;^:-^5 the effect «f '^ Siven 'l'"*"^ / .J l-s not exactly co.ncule with hat they .letcrmino uhe» \> ' [\ ^V „„netbn..r uro... ... .t. con- the r previ<...s calculano... ';^ ;^/ ^Ve w.sb to re.niu.l then, that struct on and ..nperloet ... .1^ ' • U^ ' ^,,^,„, i„„„!,U, i„ the v.ew ; e.r "failuv."" a.H» ....stake '^;";\,,,i, ,„u.re clepen.lence on o heir o>vn ii,n.ora,.ce, a..d «^"- «; '^ ^,,. ,,„l.ri,.,' the.n .mpat.cnt oreibrl, a..ri"cipl- -' ^ -^';;;f ,,, ^ ,, .,,iu,te. the P»t.eno.= wh.ch 1 60 Civilization and Christianity of the Indiani. of jjrncc fiill yet longer upon it, let the opportunities of mercy be still hell! out. We shall coiiimo our oxtriictH and remarks principiilly to the Chero- kees, Chickasavvs, imd Choctaws. The^e are the tribes which would be most deeply atlected by u removal ; and llu; projrreHS of civilization and ('liristianity is most remarkable and most encourayiing among them; although missiona and schools have been established in many other Indian communities. CitEnOKKF.H. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions com- nieMC(ul their operations among tli<- Cherokees in IHI7. About two years afterwards Mr. Hodgson, the English traveller, visited the Cher- okee tribe, ami bore testimony to the judicious arrangement of the mission, tiic sincerity and benevolence of the missionaries, and. the encouraging prosptict of success, 'riiere arc now 8 missionary stations, a church ami a school being established at each. In 182^ the churches contained IV.i memi)ers, and the schools 174. The next year there were 18:2 members in the former, and 18(» in the latter. The Methodist Episcopal Society have 4 stations in the same trdie ; at each of which there is a school. In all the four schools are con- tained about m) scholars. The Baptists have likewise two stations among the Cherokees, and the United Brethren, or Moravians, two. Outlines of the Cunstltulion adopted hi/ the Cherokees ; as abstracted for the Missionary Herald in 18iJ8. This instrument was framed and adopted at New Echota, the seat of gov- ernmenr, in Jiilv, IH^!/, by (UUgates from the eipht distncts, into which the territory of tlie Cherokees has, for some time been divided. ,. , , The provisions of tiie Constitution are classed under six general heads, and are arain subdivided accordiiijr to tlie number of topics. The Jirxt Article regards tlie hounduries of their terntory, and their riglitsot sovereignty within those boundaries. The second divides the power of the government into three departments, legislative, executive, and judicitd. The tltiriississi|)pi. — More than 100 of the scliol- ars bnard in the mission families, and are trained to various kinds of labor. Many leave the schools annually with an edui ation sufficient for the common business of life. " Iinprovnnnnt among the Proplc. — They are beenming more indnstrfous, a large portion have good farms and comforiable houses, raise an abundance of the necessaries of life, and mamifaciure their own clothnig. — During the year socie- ties have been formed, in various parts of the nation, lor the promotion of tem- perance, on llie pvinclple of entii'e 'ibstinence, and large mimbers have joined them. A Xatioinil Society for this object wts formed at New Echota during the last session of the leglslaiuie. The civil ollicers enforce the laws against the introduction of ardent s()irlts, and impose ii.ies on ti-ansgressors. A great ref- ormation has been iiie consecjuence. The system of government adopted ia 1827, has gone into sieady operation, and the people are contented and order- ly. — Most of the adults can read their own language. •' The Piess. — The Gospel of Matthew and a collection of hymns tians'ated by Mr. Worcester, liave been printed in tlie Cherokee character, in an edition of 1000 copies each. Tlie people every where manifest a strong desire to X Civilization and Christianity of the Indians. 63 "\t August 1839 .h3 teacher of .he »hool at .he B.aine.d S.a.ioa writes thus. , ., , , i,.,vf. rmclp greater proficiency ..„unn,U,elastyeav,I .hlnk the ^^i-,;-^ r't.Sools .i:. attended than di.ving any year pvev.on '>^ ^^' „,, „f vv„om were tvom among on the 5(11 n«t. by «l>wa.xU ot a,o.. J^^ ^^^. ^^^^ ^u^nments the most respectable m the "=^V . ' 'o •• ■ s 1 can learn , and there is no doubt o the scholU AH were S- ' h-^, '^ ; ^ .e . terest b; the people now, than ^•. ,r- SE '-e-'S^S ti;^ sonnd o. the Oospel. and ..ve. us move intlirence. ..„ ,„.i condition of the Cherokcos is certainly mi- u ,v„,c of .1fon,/,s-.-'lbe .'^; !^ ,^^ 'S ,., ,„d men of inHnenee and author- proving. Ten.peran.x- ^'''-•- ^ "^ , ^ ' ;' ,,^„,,.e morality. A case occurred ty are usin|? the I'O^er vesu-d un 1 _.^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^.,,^,„,g ,^^ ,, last spring-, where one ot the .l''''S' '^ "V wh-kov, dirccu-d his shcr.ff to fol- the court"h<.use slron^ly -'"l"-,;;;'; ^ . ,A the' woods, and -'=''=Vl ■ trX^'a "n\ - nu!de bv the llev. S. A. Worcester, press, at New Erhota. ll>^/'''~ '^^.u.ued at' that place, assisted by Mr. [he missionary of the ^V:"''';'m ' .kee VI e Ix- A very large portion ot the Boudinot, the editor ot the - .okecU^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ .,,.crally, in the nation, members of the nnssion ''"'^ ;- :" ^ „„,, Scriptures. are now able to read this po n ' * » .^ ■\,^. „,';,,H..three, designed to aid m " A «'-^" ''r'^-I'l^etee Pl« ed '3v'he same persons, and printed in the rehgious worship, have otcn ]n<.\ ce a, ^^^.^^^ .^ '^'""'^'['t^lXupM the reli- it will doubtless prosper , mu n . i„ br. aK 1 1 .^,;j Jlu«ge it into, the fy«!^^;'7bc churches, a^>d to cau.e ^'^ P^^;;^'''',;^^ s, and ul- gioul institution., to f '^ ^" '^^^^^^^^ ,ben.selves to '"'"^"^'^^ ['"'n' they become ut- f„a relig-- -'"c :b wS 2.y w.H he 7;'" S, e -; pl^.lanthropi^t -rc7ed^rieVe:J:irtUplerromru.n;- CIIOCTAWS. The missions among the Choctaws weve^ con;.en<.d ;nj^^ the foUowing extracts Irom s Board in 1829. prevailing attention became ap- , in the northeast ais ^^^^ nation, the excie intelliffenco. parent in the "" l' «"f^^^'',„ p,,ns of me nat.nn. ^ '""Y;,^, latest intelligence. ihe last year, "P'"'"' wHhou ahntement, HH ^''^.^'^^^ °e ." the preachini? of the strong, and 'j""l\"l'?f,;^ ^'^rfest.d the "^>"''«V':'*^t!S and those would hear The people had before " 'in ^__ ^^^^^^ collected at an ettug, a^^^^ ^^^ .^^ ^j.^^„ ^^. " £(/iic«(wn.— tet " '"' ■ "^ summarv view ol uii 111 ^c, othetvaiage- 'H- f'^" ;;;;•;«;..„ langu.-'i. a n.ost universal. ^^^^ Fupl learning Choctaw only, 172 24 100 White children in all the schools, 296 23 Total, 319 u«r.lr_-r)4 others in the New- . -U stndvin. English, C7 read well m nny book-64^o_th^^^^ .^ Of the pup.ls tndymg t. g^^^^^^^ ^^^^,,„ W wro e ^^^^^1^._^ ,y !S^:r a;,tll^;cW^^ ^.^^ ^S^d^^y-s and answers .n cate- V.,. V..- r . , gft ■_ easy reaums ..i„, i,, tiie niiui""-" o^....^.^. cQuested that each ■ ''?ht ^"^ ^, „,^s in the S''"' Tr "=r!^another spe! '' ^''7 «::£-Ti;ee^h, oUs in the ^-«-';^=^oU;er spelling- - .'/- ""' "{e " inirod'-ctory «l''>l'"'^,':;t44li;8'onsisting of Scripture {::SoS^^{i---n'S::fi^^^^ extracts and other ubb 66 Cuiltzation and Christianity of the Indians. I Since the attention to religion commenced, the dosiro (o loam to rend has be- come vnry siroiiir niiii tfeiieiiil. A book of 5!! Iiyiiins is printed in an edition of 2,000, which it iscxpectfd will I.e deniarid.'d iniineiliiitcly. Tlie first of the former books is to be reprinteJ in an edition of 3,500 or 4000 copies. In a report compiled by Mr. Kingsbury, (from the reports received from the several station.s,) and forwarded to the War department, lie re- marks in regard to the state of the mission during the past year, thus: " We have also been permitted to witness a greater improvement in the schools and ainonjj tlie people, than in any forme year. Wliat was pntioipaled in the last report, is now in a great measure realized. The CJospcl has had a commanding influence in different parts or the nation. By means of tliis influniice, and so far as it extends, a foundation has been !aid for" an entire clian^o in the feelings and habits of a considcral)le number of Choctaws. They have m to nly laid aside their vices, but their anuisemonls. Instead of assembling for bail-plays and dances, as formerly, they now as:iunil)le for piayer and praise, and to converse on suljects which tend tr) their moral and religious iinprovuuient. Parental i.ifliience is now exerted, to a c )nsideriil)le extent, to encourage and sustain those principles and habits which are inculcated on the children while at school. A powerful impulse has been given to industry. Hundreds of Choctaws can now be hired to t'o many kinds of farming work on reasonable terms. A system of means is now opt ating, for the civil, moral, and intellectual improvement of the Choctaws ; which, if not interrupted, cannc t fail, with the blessing of God, to produce important r.nd happy results. But should the present order of things be broken up, there is reason to apprehend that all the ground that bus been gained would he lost, and that the na- tion would sink to rise no more. 1 regret tlie necessity I am under of differing from the government in any of their views relative to the Indians. But c:in(lor and a regard to what 1 anpreheiul to be the hnt ivUicst.s, both of the red and Wliile ni.in, constrain me to say, tint, i-hould lire Clmclaws be brought into such circuurstances, as to feel tliemselves ciuupelled, coirtrary to the wishes of the best part of the nation, to leave Ihi! country they now inhabit, I cannot but anticipate consnquenc(\s highly disastrous to thenrselves, and eventually injurious to cur own country. And my prayer is, that God in his holy and wise providence, would avert such a calamity." Mr. Wriglit, aiother of the missionaries remarks, " Their former amusements are abandoned, the Sabbath is observed, many at- tend to the duty of *aiirily prayer, and an almost universal desire to hear the Gos- pel prevails. There is also a general desire awakened among the people to read their own language ; the Choctaw books are sought for, with an eagerness that is truly wondenul. Such has been the cill for books not only here, but in the other discricts that the whole of the edition of the little Choctaw spelling book is entire- ly expended, and another edition is called for immediately. It is thought that the edition now to be printed, should consist of 3,500 or 4,000." The following are extracts from a letter of Mr. Kingsbury in Jan. 182«>. •' To form a correct estimate of what the Gospfel, with its meliorating and civilizing attendants, has accomplished for the Indians, we must compare the present state of those who have in some degree been brought under its influ- ence with their former condition. Judging by this standard, it msy be fairly doubted whether the past eight years have witnessed, in any portion of the civ- ilized world, a greater irnpi'o\ e ment than has been realized in the civil, moral, and religious state of the Choctaws." Advance in the Arts of Civilization. " Other evK ces of improvement we have in the increase of industry, and a consequent advance in dress, furniture, and all the comforts and conveniences of civiUzed life. .H CMhation and ChrManiiy of the Indian,. r% . t _ I » f1 I O lA 67 ..U h.been ve.a..ea ^JJ^^' ^J^ll^^^^t^^l^^^^^^ been kept in so Rood "'f ' ,^^" ■ '' n.cci>nKS, the ^^'^^''XZ^^^'^ "^ year. M connc.ls unu l.H,c ^^^^^^^^^,,^^1,,^ '''r , -f n^u e for their Jlortl^ern and western ^^^^ > ;, manUes.ed to « ' ^' ^^.^ ".'^ that of neW them richly ch.d. A «'l: ,, ^' pi.ed in a manner not >ntcuoi honses, and some are aheatly »upp ^^ Pettier in our own c,.u.Ury ^^^^^^ ,^^^ ^ ^^l^t^^^ ' °-'^ ni , hogs. 22.047 ; ^'-^P^^^^.J,;-:':;:;.:' 7, coope. s s-ps ^J^^ , 360; waggons, '^^ '^'^"^.u Choctaw tWd.es, 22 ; hcl«^'^^^ who 8hops,2, .^v»»de men wth U> ^^^ ^,^^ ^,,^„, w>th a W^^^^^^^^^ course of Instrucfon, ,^'"",,V, .destitute of property, g'°:\'[ ^^^e, 853 hogs, a year ago were -^'^'f .^ ^'^^ , ere are now 188 1>"'--. f^^ ^f.,r 25 scholars, miming from place to .Ucc.u^^^^ ^^ ^,^^. 1 school .,,„„^uy tor ^'-^r'''.T:r'^!:^U >^- ap,>rcM--;l,*;'^^;!,f present year they «« The norllieasi uisii'v.. . 'f uiocusmiui ^ — rr ^ the estahlishment and supp" I o' ,-„„ilar objects. Ee appropriated ^»-;!\^^ \" " ^.uVk: spirit, I -""'''„rf" a large c'al-pit. .. As an evidence of '"';"> J a shop, chopped ^vood foi ^ S ,^^^,^^ f„, neighborhood the natives >a^c bm.^^^ ^^^l , U""^ ^vith their own $300 more annually, «oi uu , .hops in other places. ^ .^ ^^^^ .^ ^^^^^^ 1829. The following is from a letter o. M . . ^^^^ ^^^^^ , of the natives. I it-) aic i ,,,iy there are not ^w. ^ ^g „ot used twice ^ith those of white men. H ' ! ^. ^ ^,^ .^,^^^ states who have . ^^^^ ^,^^^. Residing together '"j^ ^^ P; ..hich the ^'^"'^'^^^^^ regulate property the quantity o ardent ' ,^^,^,, I'^'f "'l' ,h ^'e imP"'^='"*^'^ '" ' P nast Several very good laws ^^he people attach mo e , ,hey have S the conduct "* -J^lf 'oospeu'to -Jf "^fj^ ^in the enjoyments intereslins "^f^r.nauo. m J ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^'ir ^r inc ea^nr, acquaint- brmore particular. cmCKASAVVS. ^^^ ^^g 68 Civilization and Christianity of the Indians. ifc ^> .1 ^i! if missionary stations Tlie scliools contain about one hundred members. During tlio two i^ast years tliere has been a prevailing attention to religious instruction. In October 1828, one of the missionaries writes, *• Tlie nation has recently formed some wholesome li'wi, and to our astonish- ment tliey are all strictly enforced. Whiskey is buiiislu'd from the coimtry. A thief is punished with thirty-nine lashes, without regaid to color, a(ce or sex, and is compelled to return the stolen property or an etpiivalent. Hue hundi'ed men (twenty-five out of each district) are to carry the laws into execution, and are paid by the nation. «' These thing's are encourajjing-, and I see nothing in the way, ifthe.se people are unmolested, of their becoiiiing civilized, enlightened, anil lia[)py. " The work of reformation is aircidy comnieiiceil ; and if they could but enjoy tranquillity of mind, 1 have no doubt bui that it woidd rapidly advance." From the reports of missionaries in July 18-28, it appears that a re- markable change had taken place among the Chickasaws with respect to tcmijcranrc. " I am informed," says Mr. Holmes, " that it is very common for the full Indians to purchase coffee, sugar, and flour, in the stores on the borders vd' the nation, but no wliiskri/. This last ar- ticle appears by common consent to have been banished from the na- tion. Wi: hmic not seen an intoxicated natine diirimr the past i/ear." There was also at this period an uncommonly general attention to religion. Of late the agitation produced by the fears of a removal seems to have drawn their minds from this subject, and disheartened the chiefs in their exertions to enforce the salutary laws which had been enacted. In the latest view of the operation of the Board it is remarked as follows. "The condition of the Chickasaws is obviously improving. Tho chiefs are more decided in favor of tlio schools anil the preaching ot the (jospcl. Laws enacted aifainst the introduction of whiskey were vciy strictly enforced, and a great re- formation occasioned for a while ; but of late, some change of rulers, with anxiety respecting reinov.d,liave made the laws to be less regarded." Our readers will be interpreted in the perusal of tiie following extracts from the answers of the Chickasaws at three different intervals in 182(5, to the propositions made by the treaty commissioners on the part of the United States. We quote from the official account of their proceedings, published by Congress. «• We have to look to our Father to still extend his strong' arm of protection to us, until we are mtn-e enligh'ened and advanced in civilization. We know that this is a very important subject before the natiim. We, the commissioners, on the part of the nation, have to act agreeably to the voice of the People. IVe are desimus of jiromnting our rising generation into a state, of respectability. We cannot act contrary to the will of the riation. TItey are determined on staying in their native country ; under these circumstances we can only say to our brothers, the Commissioners, that they are still opposed to selling any more of their lands, consequently we can do no move." " You say that the country we have is greatly too larg-e for us ; we havealways taken the talks of our father, tlie President, heretofore, and reduced our lands to yery small bounds; not more than what will support us comfortably : We, as well ai our white brothers, have a rising generation to provide for. We have ^ s. > s Civilization and Christianity of the Indians. C9 .f fin.Vinc the came will not do for a abandoned the Ulea of hunting for a 3;;;;f-|:;,^,,,,,e'; „> conu- -ongst ns sunnoi t. our talhcr, the Fre.i lent, nui o i ^ j „„,, „„ y,alavg all he Jn'ldv lice us to a state ofc.v.h/.at.on ; '«;",/^',, ■,,;„„. ,,,„„« for Ike support oj mmmmsmm i not the case with your reel c . e , t he . ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^, ^^. ^,^^ ^ ^j,^,,, „ u friend lor a new one '^^e^Un tc Stat« have always prolectccl -^'J^^'^^. dren. We know that the Uiutcct »^ , j ^^ protection West ot the Missis iiiiiiPliSi consequences may ^^ J'" .. f j .^g would coine to the same / much inipossiblc ♦"' \" "'^gu^,^ Hiat those tnhes that ''■^V^.'f,. ' [..^^ tl.(.se uihes :-;s s.;n »r;^«. *;- -x»: ^^-^^ '"■"-" = injuslicoof the """''P" -",?^„" ant» Barhoa,, extracted fro.n lus Um.rkal.le .c»tin;o.,y ta 10": - „„ l„d,a„ affa.rs letter In 1« to the Cha.rinn , .. ,„„„,„eirmincl., by imbaa.s i;. "V of them have recUmed the loie , t- 'f4 '^ 70 Civilization and Christianity of the Indians. r' not only for their iilxxk-, l)iit for tlie ailminisfriition of justice, and for reViR-ious Wor.,lii|). And wlaii ll>fy liuvt- so doiii-, ijoii send ijoiir .\|renl, to tell them they nuisl surrender their country to thi while inim, uiid re-c.oinniit iheniseives to some new desert, and substitute as the means of tiieir suhsistence liie precarious chase for the certainty ofcuhivaiioii. The \»\i; of mir native hmd isiinplanteil iii every huma-. boioin, whether he roams the wilderness, or is found in the hi|,'hest state of civilization. This attachment increases with the comforts of K-cc.. .„„„.=,■« i...i»» '"5: ' I ' Mw».;i". "»>;?• '"r" ?r .r ;^ '» >"« f,r„.i»6<>» ''\" " ,, " u„.n..i.ii. i,cc,....c ..1 ;';™, ,,s.".d'''■«">'"v'''• E'»W l.y 1»"- » "" 7""- ,. ,„ „„ .„e consequences of the 79 Civilization and Christianity of the Indian* the influence, wliich the rompfirntivrhf frw, who have hitherto been educated, hase exerted ulreudy on the clmriicter of the nation, especially tliiit of llie Cherokees. Let tlu-m runiember that tliis influence will Btill continue to spread, while there will he added to it the influence of a much larger miniher of educiUed Indinv, , (,, i.jn-.bcr increasing each year) who will leave the schools aiinn-iUy fur ten years to come. Let it he remembered that in the mein iiiik; i' .1/1 proportion of those, whose attachment to old habits of life is most inveterate, will have pass- ed away, while their places are tilled by those whose habits have been forme-d in a greater degree under the influence of civilization arid Christianity ; that the number of schools and missionary stations will also be increased, while the obstacles which have impeded their suc- cess are daily diminishing ;— let all these circumstance' ' ■ m riered without prejudice, and none can help acknowledging that there is the fairest prospect of the full and perfect civilization of the nation of the Cherokees, and that too at no distant period of time. Provided that they be left to the undisturbed i)ower of the causes now m operation— that they be not brokcii up and driven off" to the wilds beyond the Mis- sissippi, nor left to sutler from the oppression of the State of Georgia —we think there exists the most rational ground for snrh a conclusion, not merely in re-rard to this tribe, but, at a somewhat more distant in- terval, in regard" to their neighbors, the Choctaws, Chichasaws and Creeks. , . , , • 1 • j The statements wc liave exhibited will proh:voly be met with incred- ulity in the minds of not a few, and with absolute contradiction on the part of others. There .seems to be a deep rooted superstition (we know not what else to call it) in many minds, that the Indians are really drstiiml, as if there were some fatality in the case, never to be christianized, but gradually to decay till they become totally extinct. This superstitious idea is equally irrational and unchristian ; and it 13 every man's duty to examine facts with an unprejudiced mind, and to give accredited statements their true weight. As to the proceedings of Congresson this subject, it is most evidently the duty of that body to learn the truth, from eye witnesses who are competent to decide, who have had intimate and personal acquaint- ance with the character of those tribes, whose welfare would be so deeply aflTected by the measures which have been proposed in regard to them. Those who hold the destiny of these tribes in their power cannot he too humane, too deliberate, nor too cautious in tiieir deci- sions. They should never rest satisfied with second-hand inlormalion, nor with the declaration:; of interested men. ) I fl ■ bif ! "ill ^ -1' \ .d«' Miifeii.,. . UK'* ~i I •> -" ^»J %