LITERATURE OF THE CHEROKEES BIBLIOGRAPHY AND THE STORY OF THEIR GENESIS. BY GEORGE E. FOSTER, AUTHOR OF "9EOJJOYAH, THE AMERICAN CADMUS"- ITHACA, N. Y. OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRAT ; SOLD BY G. E. LITTLEFIELD, BOSTON. 1889. COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY GEORGE E. FOSTER, ITHACA, N. Y. CONTENTS. FOLK LORE 2 NOMENCLATURE 4 SPANISH INFLUENCES .^ 6 THE LAW 8 PARCHMENT 9 THE BOOK. 9 PRAYERS 10 SYMBOLS 12 MORAVIAN INFLUENCES 12 ORATORY 14 NUMERALS 15 VISIONS 17 SONGS 17 ANNALS OF VICTORY 18 BOON S RECORD 19 THE CHALLENGE 19 Fi RST CHEROKEE HYMN 20 INFLUENCES OF THEA.B.C.F.M 23 PICKERING ALPHABET 25 SCOTCH ELEMENT 26 WHITE ELEMENT 26 M134689 2 CONTENTS. BAPTIST INFLUENCES 30 NATIVE ADAPTABILITY 32 SEQUOYAHN ERA 34 GOVERNMENT GROWTH 34 BIRTH OF JOURNALISM 38 VINITA JOURNALISM 64 UNION PRESS 65 BAPTIST MISSION PRESS . 66 PARK HILL PRESS 67 DWIGHT MISSON PRE. S 68 TERRITORY PRESS. BIBLIOGRAPHY. THE GENESIS. LITERATURE OF THE CHEROKEES. Brinton, in his book entitled " Aborigi nal Authors," remarks: "When even a quite intelligent person hears about Aboriginal American Lit erature, he is very excusable for asking : What is meant by the term? Where is the literature? In fine is there any such thing?" The announcement that a Bibliogra phy of the Cherokees would .be published by the writer caused expressions of as tonishment that such a work could be compiled at all. "A Bibliography," says Brande, is a knowledge of books in re gard to their authors, subjects, editions, and history." On this ground it is safe 2 LITERATURE. to ascribe to the Cherokees a greater bib liography than to any other Aborigines tribe. I. FOLK LORE. Brinton finds a strong literary faculty in the Native mind, indicated by a vivid imagination, a love of narration, and an ample, appropriate and logically devel oped vocabulary. All the above applies to the Chero kees, but the folk lore of their tribe, has not been preserved; only now and then do we find a recorded tradition. They have but few * tales of talking animals, mythical giants, dwarfs, subtle women, potent magicians.." That they had such lore is proved by the "Buttrick Collections." That the traditions were lost \vas owing to the early doing away of the custom of collecting on feast day around the "old man," who recited the traditions of the past. Neither was this race so fortunate, like the Chippewas, as to have a man of Schoolcraft s genius LITERATURE. 3 intermarry with and thus preserve the legends and traditions of their people. But they were doubly fortunate ; there was raised up for them a man, who be came the "Father of Learning," to his people. This was SE-QUO-YAH, who himself unlearned gave them an alphabet. Before this they had the unwritten litera ture ; they had a historic literature as is seen in the "Buttrick Collections ;" these maybe styled also religious-; they had an unwritten code of Laws for years fully understood, for it was carefully handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation, and was first written out in Roman character in 1820 to be printed soon after in letters of their own inven tion. They had also a dramatic litera ture. Brinton cites under the head of 4 Dramatic Literature," an instance. "A pantomime where the actors appeared in . costume was seen by Lieutenant Timber- lake among the Cherokees in the middle of the last century, which he spoke of as very diverting, where some of the 4 LITERATURE. actors dressed in the skins of wild ani mals, and the simulated contest between the pretended beasts and the men who hunted them being the motives of the con test."* We cite a later instance : when John Ridge, Elias Boudinot and other Chero kee youth hereafter mentioned, attended the Mission School at Cornwall, Conn., they arranged a drama, and it was acted in the school and called a "Cherokee Council of War." 2. NOMENCLATURE. Why is it that members of the Aborig ines tribes have English Names? The answer is a simple one. It was the cus tom, when Mission schools were estab lished to give to the children, who atten ded, an English name. Hence it is that so many English names are perpetuated among the Cherokees. The Boudinot family, now so well known in the Chero kee Nation, is a good example. A *The Memoirs of Lieutenant H. Timberlake. London, 1765 . LITERATURE. 5 bright Indian called Waite, who went to the Mission School, was named for that famous mission ary Elias Boudinot. The name is still worthily perpetuated. It was the custom, also, to baptize even adult Indians with English instead of their native names. Frequent instances are cited in Mission reports. Hence Eng lish names are found most frequently in civilized tribes, and by these changes often unrecorded, the geneology of many Indian families has been lost. Cherokee names formerly contained in them some neat bit of history or biography. The translated names "He-who-walks-on-the mountain- top/ "Nettle Carrier," "The Bark," "Big Cabin," "Dick Justice, "The Glass," "Go ing Snake," "Path Killer," "Sour Mush," "Big Bear," and "The Raven," * carry their own appropriate stories of posses sion, characteristic or achievement. * ; The Raven" is one of the Cherokee favourite war names. Carolina and Georgia remember Quo- rinnah, the Raven of Huwhase-town. He was one of the most daring warriors of the whole nation, and by far the most intelligent, and this name or war appelacive admirably suited his well-known 6 LITERATURE. "The names of animals were imitations of the sounds they produced; the names of trees signified the sound they appeared to make; thus making the name a descrip tion of the thing, according to what is believed to be the primitive origin of names. Certain Indian names of bodies of water are very beautiful, for instance, the familiar name Min-ne-ha-ha, meaning laughing water/ as the Poet Longfellow has correctly rendered it. Ath-a-bas-ca is rendered the meeting of many waters; Minnesota, sky tinted waters. A com plete understanding of Indian words might reveal matters of highest importance to the linguist." * 3. SPANISH INFLUENCES. There is little doubt but most of the un written, religious literature of the Chero- kees, and that finally collated in the But- rick Collection, is traceable to the influence of the devout Cabeca de Vaca. He lived character." T he name points out an indefatigable, keen, successful warrior." Adatr. *Indian Myths, by Helen R. Emerson. LITERATURE. 7 at an early date among the Southern Indi ans and they believed him to be divine. He taught them the story of the Genesis, and while among them, he says, they be gan the custom so long observed among the Cherokees of worshipping by bowing toward the rising sun. It is not strange that the new teaching of Cabeca de Vaca should have spread rapidly in the new world. Tribes mingled with each other, the story of the invasion of the pale-faces and their conquest were fertile subjects of con versation, and the story of the divine Ca beca de Vaca concerning the creation, the flood and other matters was spread from tribe to tribe, each tribe varying the de tail according to their own crude ideas, the stories changing by verbal repetition until the missionaries commenced their work when they were collected as original. The comparison of the early Cherokee religious traditions with those repeated in the Spanish towns in Mexico seems to in dicate that they had a common origin. Nine years did Cabeca de Vaca reside among the Southern Indians, always ex- 8 LITERATURE. erting an influence for good. He said : 4 We told them by signs, which they un derstood, that in heaven, there was One whom we called God, who created the heaven and the earth, and that we our selves adored Him and held Him for Lord and did what he commanded us.* That from his hand came all good things, and if they should do as we did much good would follow." 4. THE LAW. "Some time after the red man entered the wilderness, they came to a very high mountain, and God came down upon the mountain, and their leader went up and conversed with God, or, rather, as their fathers said, with the son of God. They supposed, therefore, that God had a son, as it was said to be the Son of God that came down on the mountain, and the top of the mountain was bright like the sun. There God gave their leader a law, writ ten on a smooth stone. The reason of this being written on stone was as follows : LITERATURE. 9 * God gave our first parents a law, to be handed down verbally to posterity, but when the language was destroyed and men began to quarrel and kill each other they forgot this law, and therefore God wrote his law on a stone, a smooth slate stone, that it might not be lost. Their leader also received other instructions from God,whichhe wrote on skins. 5. PARCHMENT. "Red Bird, an old Cherokee, used to say the Cherokees had a white post set up near the council house, and on the top of it was fastened a white skin, or piece of white cloth, to remind them to keep their hearts as white as that was, also to remind them of the command ments which were once given . to their fathers, and written on white (something white). This was done when he was a boy, as he told his son Situagi." So said Deer-in-the-Water. 6. THE BOOK. "God gave the red man a book and 10 LITERATURE. paper, and told him to write , but he mere ly made marks on the paper, and as he could not read or write , the Lord gave him a bow and arrows, and gave the book to the white man." So saidKotiski. Mr. Boudinot, speaking of the Indians says: "It is said among their principal or beloved men, that they have it hand ed down from their ancestors, that the boo^ which the white people have, was once theirs ; that, while they had it, they prospered exceedingly ; but that the white people bought it of them, and learned many things from it ; while the Indians lost credit, offended the Great Spirit, and suffered exceedingly from the neighbor ing nations ; that the Great Spirit took pity on them, and directed them to this country ; that on their way they came to a great river, which they could not pass, where God dried up the waters, and they passed over dry shod." 7. PRAYERS. Elias Boudinot, ex-editor of the Cher okee Phcenix, thus wrote of their prayers LITERATURE. II in 1827 : "The Cherokees have had no established religion of their own, and perhaps to this circumstance we may at tribute, in part, the facilities with which missionaries have pursued their ends. They cannot be called idolaters, for they never worshipped images. They believed in a Supreme Being, the Creator of all, the God of the white, the red and the black man. They also believed in the existence of an evil spirit, who resided^ as they thought, in the setting sun, the future place of all who in their life time had done iniquitously. Their prayers were addressed alone to the Supreme Being, and if written would fill a large volume, and display much sincerity, beauty and sublimity. When the ancient customs of the Cherokees were in their full force, no warrior thought himself se cure, unless he had addressed his guar dian angel ; no hunte r could hope for success, unless before the rising sun, he had asked the assistance of his God, and on his return at eve, he had offered his 12 LITERATURE. sacrifice to Him." 8. SYMBOLS. The structures used for dwellings among the Indians were plastered on the interior with red or white clay, on which were portrayed various objects and sym bols. On the color of the wall depended the color of paint used in the pictography ; if white, the pictures were red ; but if the wall was red, they were blue. Great va riety was disclosed, animals, plants, trees, flowers, men with animal heads, and vice versa. These hieroglyphics, states Mr. Squier, were made in bold and firm outlines, conveying meaning, pas sion and admonition . * 9. MORAVIAN INFLUENCES. As early as the year 1740 attempts were made by the United Brethren to spread abroad the truths of the gospel among theCherokees, but these and sev eral succeeding endeavors were frustra ted by repeated wars among the different *From Indian Mvths bv Ellen R. Emerson. LITERATURE. 13 Indian tribes, as well as subsequent hos tilities between the English and Ameri cans. Little progress was made, but up to 1772 the brethren had baptized in North America 720 Indians, many of whom were Cherokees. In 1799 the Cherokees made special demands for teachers. Abraham Steiner and F. C. von Schweinitz visited that part of the country, and being favorably received, paid a second visit to the country, and a council was called at Tellico on the Riv er Tennessee. Three or four thousand Cherokees were present. The result of the council was that the chiefs of the up per towns declared their approbation of the proposal, but the lower chiefs would not agree to it. Nevertheless in 1801, A. Steiner and Gottlieb Byhan took up their abode with a Mr. Vann, and schools were opened, from w r hich many distin guished Cherokees went forth. Several of the scholars were sons of chiefs, who appeared very desirous that their children should be instructed. The young people 14 LITERATURE. rewarded the labors of their teachers by making good progress in reading both English and Cherokee, writing and arith metic, and by the pleasure they took in learning hymns and texts of Scripture. The endeavors of the Brethren were greatly facilitated by the kind exertions of the agent of the Cherokee Nation, Col. Meigs. 10 ORATORY. The eloquence of the Indian is more often talked of than understood. The Indian orators had wonderful influence in peace and war. This is illustrated in the recorded speeches of Oconostota, the great Cherokee warrior, or Attakullaku- la. their Sachem for peace. The orators were well-made men, of a powerful voice and ready delivery. Each young war rior, when he had returned from a battle or an embassy, had a right, and in fact was expected, to give a minute account of every thing he had seen or done. From these specimens of speaking, the LITERATURE. I> sagacious sons of the iorest, judged with great -shrewdness of the respective mer its of the aspirants for distinction. The best speakers were encouraged and se lected for other enterprises. To improve their minds, they listened hours together to the historical legends of the aged war rior and patriot, and treasured up the events he related or sentiments he utter ed. The student in oratory was careful to remember t he best figures of rhetoric, which were used by the aged in illustra- ting their sentiments; hence a set of phrases have descended among them for ages, such as "to bur}* the hatchet, "and 44 to smoke the calumet of peace." These and many other phrases thus became fix tures in their language, and have no doubtful meaning.* II. NUMERALS. Se-quo-3*ah. having invented letters, did not stop there, but carried his discov eries to numbers. Of course he knew "Hinton s History of the United States. l6 LITERATURE. nothing of the Arabic digits, nor of the power of Roman letters in the science. The Cherokees had mental numerals to one hundred, and had words for all num bers up to that ; but they had no signs or characters to assist them in enumerating, adding, subtracting, multiply ing, or divi ding. He reflected upon this until he had created their elementary principle in his mind ; but he was first obliged to make words to express his meaning, and then signs to explain it. By this process, he soon had a clear conception of numbers up to a million. His great difficulty was at the threshold, to fix the powers of the signs according to their places. When this was overcome, his next step was in adding up his different numbers in order to put down the fraction of the decimal, and give the whole number to his next place. Knapp says in his " Lectures on American Literature" from which the above facts are taken, that "When I knew him, he had overcome all these difficulties and was quite a ready arithme- LITERATURE. 17 tician in the fundamental rules. This was the result of my interview ; and I can safely say, that I have seldom met a man of more shrewdness than See-quah-yah". 12. VISIONS. The Cherokees have many accounts oj visions. There is little doubt but what the first Cherokee Hymn that was written down by the missionaries was the result of a vision, as will be shown further on. The accounts of visions were of people supposed to be dead, but afterward reviv ing, related what they had seen in the land of shades. These visions had a tendency to enforce the practice of virtue. 13. SONGS. Songs accompanied the dances of the early Cherokee. They were martial, bac chanalian and amorous. They had moral songs much esteemed and the precepts practiced and these answered the purpose of religion s lectures. Many of these songs were borrowed from the Chocraws, who in early times were eminent for their poetry and music. Ever} Cherokee town strove l8 LITERATURE. to excel every other in composing new songs, and by a custom they had at least one new song at every annual busk or the feast of first fruits. The doleful songs or elegies had a quick and sensible effect on the passions and disclosed a lively affec tion and sensibility. Their countenances at first dejected, again, by an easy transi tion became gently elevated, as if in sol emn address or supplication, accompanied with a tremulous, sweet, lamentable voice. When listening to these songs, a stranger would be for a moment lost to himself, as it were taking upon himself the expressed joy or sorrow of the singer. Their war songs were a loose sort of poetry. Their love songs contained no more than an af firmation that the young man loves the young woman and will be "uneasy," ac cording to their own expression, if he does not obtain her. The above facts are found in the Memoir of Lieutenant Tim- berlake and the Travels of Bartram. 14. ANNALS OF VICTORY. It was the prevailing custom of Chero- LITERATURE. 19 kees to engrave the story of their victory on some neighboring tree, or to set up some token of it near the field of battle; to this they pointed with pride, as a history of their victory, and especially of their en emies defeat and of the slaughter in their ranks that they had made. 15. BOON S RECORD. One white man left a record in a similar way in the old Cherokee country. In the year 1853, it was still to be seen on a beech tree standing in sight and east of the stage road leading from Jonesville to Blounts- ville, and in the valley of Boon s Creek, a tributary of Watauga. D. Boon CillED A. BAR On Tree in ThE yEAR 1760 The above is taken from the Annals of Tennessee, by Ramsey. 15. THE CHALLENGE. It was the custom of the Cherokee In- 20 LITERATURE. dian to leave in the enemies country, a club, in shape something the form of a war club or a cricket bat, with many of their warlike exploits written upon it, and the enemy accepted the challenge by at once bringing it back into the Cherokee Country, So said Henry Timberlake, who accompanied the three Cherokees to lay the crown before King George. l6. ORIGIN OF THE FIRST CHEROKEE HYMN. 4 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." More than sixty years ago, Missionary Chamberlm, translating the passage, repeated it slowly to his little Cherokee scholar, Lydia Lowrey. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth me beside the still waters," were the first words that really attracted toward God, the thoughts of that nature-lo.ving Cherokee girl, who at that time was numbered among the very brightest of that then uncivilized tribe. Up to that time there had been no na tive hymns, and the songs she sang were LITERATURE. 21 English Missionary hymns, or the ruder murmurs that nature taught her. And when the lessons of the Sabbath morning were over, the Cherokee maiden bounded away over the cleared lot and threw herself beside the brook which was rippling in the deep forest. "He leadeth me beside the still waters," she involuntarily repeated as she sat down beside the brook. And then she fell to wondering about the Great Spirit cf the Pale Face, and then she fell asleep. As she slept she dreamed; and wonderful indeed, has been the result of many dreams of the Cherokee People. She dreamed of a grove of wonderful beauty, in which had gathered a vast concourse of Cherokee people. They were seated around in a semi-circle, and in their midst stood a wonderful being, giving praise to the Great Spirit, the whole congregation repeating again and again the words after him, in joyful Cherokee song. And when the Cherokee girl awoke, she looked about her in sur prise, for she then saw no congregation, 22 LITERATURE. and heard no music but the brook s mur mur, and the song- words of the singing birds. But the song of her dreams still filled her mind, and she went and told Missionary Chamberlin her dream. And he asked her to tell him the exact words which the congregation of her dream had chanted, and she repeated the fol lowing in Cherokee, of which this is a free translation : "God and I are friends, I will not be afraid of Him. Though all the world be against me, I will still be confident." This was the first Cherokee hymn, and it was the result of this dream of little Lydia Lowrey. This stanza was soon followed by others, and was a popular hymn in all th.e early religious meetings among the Cherokee people. It acted like a key to unlock the language, until / O O now there is quite a collection of hymns for church music, and among those who sing them to-day, there are children of the same Indian dreamer ; and a grand son, it is said, is a presiding elder in the LITERATURE. 23 Cherokee Nation ; but she who dreamed has long since passed beyond the green pastures of earth, over the still waters of the creek, through the deep iorest, and perhaps is now one of that mysterious band that she saw in her vision more than three score years agone. Who can tell?* The Cherokees have a song of friend- c5 ship which in their language reads thus : Kan-al-li eh ne was to Yai ne no wai ai e noo ho Ti mai tan na Klai ne was tu Yai ne wai E-noo wai hoo. You resemble a friend of mine, And you look like a friend to me; I think that we are brothers kind, And brothers we will be. 17. INFLUENCES OF THE A. B. C. F. M. In 1817, the American Board of Con gregational Foreign Missions established schools among the Cherokees at Brainerd and also a Mission school at Cornwall, *The above was written by the author of this book, for the "Woman s Magazine" from which it is reprinted without change. 24 LITERATURE./ Connecticut. To these schools were sent the brightest youth, that were then atten ding or had been partially educated at the Moravian schools. The students, who had already made good progress, continued to develop surprising faculties. Their ad vancement was rapid. They pursued their studies with diligence, and on leaving these institutions they labored with the missionaries to translate the Scriptures and various text books into Cherokee. In the publication of these works the Board gave considerable assistance up to the year 1862, when they not only withdrew their mission work, but printing in Chero kee, almost entirely ceased except for the publication of their laws and on one page of their National paper. Among the prom inent Cherokee young men, who helped translate the Scriptures and other works, were John Arch, (At-see), John Ridge, Charles Hicks, George Lowrey, David Brown, Elias Boudinot, John Huss, Jesse Bushyhead and Stephen Foreman. 1 8. ENGLISH TEXT BOOKS AT BRAINERD. It is of interest to know what English LITERATURE. 25 books were used at the Brainerd school. Below is the list in 1826. Old and New Testament. Webster s Tables. Woodbri dge s Geography. Cumming s First Lessons in Geogra phy. Webster s Spelling Book. Raven and Dove. Marshall s Tables of Definitions. Colburn s Arithmetic. 19. THE PICKERING ALPHABET. In 1826, an effort was made to print some Cherokee works in the Pickering alpha bet. This was used in translating works into the various languages used at the stations of the American Board, especial ly in the Sandwich Islands. This alphabet being nearly a perfect one was easily learned. The Board, however, was not ready to print Cherokee in the Pickering alphabet. Before they were ready, Se- quo-yah, one of their own number, invent ed for them an alphabet of far greater simplicity. Then it was too late to use 26 LITERATURE. it. National pride came in and to have used the Pickering alphabet would have been hazardous to mission work. The manuscripts of the Pickering alphabet were abandoned and that of Se-quo-yah or George Gist was formally adopted by the Council. 2O. SCOTCH INFLUENCES. "There is," said Ridge Pascal, "the best blood of Scotland flowing in the veins of the Rosses, the Adairs, the Mc- Leods, McDonalds, and many others. Some of our people can trace their an cestry back to the Scottish nobility, but they are prouder of their Cherokee than their noble Scotch blood." He explains the prevalence of Scottish names among this people as follows : "My mother, who was a full blood learned from my grand father, who was the great chief, named Ridge, that, before the Revolutionary War, a number of Scdtch nobility, who were unfriendly to the crown of England emigrated to America to save their heads o and settled in the Carolinas. When the LITERATURE. 2/ Revolutionary War broke out, a majority of the descendants of these Scotch fami lies became Tories. When Great Brit ain was defeated, and her armies expel led from American soil, the Scotchmen, unable to return to England and afraid of the victorious Americans, pushed out on the Cherokee reserve and settled among the Indians. In course of time they were absorbed by marriage and by adoption into the Nation."* 20, THE WHITE ELEMENT. One of the leading questions in the Cherokee debating societies is upon the value of white blood in the history of their civilization. As a usual thing the Cherokee half-breed is as loyal to the white blood as the red in his veins, but he always traces his red lineage with pride. S. S. Stephens of Vinita, Cherokee Na tion thus writes to his countrymen in the "Indian Chieftain" of Oct. 28th, 1886.- "The Saxon element is fast becoming the motive power. It has set in motion ""Cincinnati Graphic Nervs. 28 LITERATURE. the wheel of the manufacturer ; opened the best farms in the nation ; raised the largest herds of cattle ; built our colleges and given existence, character and effi ciency to our common schools and pub lished the Old and New Testament in the Cherokee language. Go from dis trict to district and you will find this same white man s character telling on the industry and enterprise, the thritt and the prosperity of the people. Don t cry out, half-breeds, and say that it is not so. Think before you speak, and you will mid that your father or mother was of English descent. Ask who taught our schools, thirty and forty years ago ; who are the principal teachers of our semina ries, who are our lawyers, physicians, preachers, most thriving farmers, me chanics and merchants. I have given you the domestic fruits of our white men who have by assimilation and intermar riage been an advantage to the Cherokee people. The white element of the coun try has become an important factor in our LITERATURE. 29 civil and religious institutions. Truth is a strong leaven and though it is unseen, it is sure to leaven the lump. Can we ride on the crested wave, and breast the roaring; storm without our white o lathers and mothers?" But it is no argument against the Cherokee Nation as a native people that the white men may be the greatest crop- producers, and that some white men there engage in mechanical pursuits ; or that a Cherokee can engage a white man to till the soil and himself live on the rental. The Cheroke es, naturally indolent, have become in point of fact, an industrious people, while the descen dants of the .oldstock race in the States, naturally industrious, seem to be growing more indolent. It has taken thousands of years for the whites to attain their present state of civilization, while the first germs of Cherokee civilization reach back hardly a century. English, Scotch, German and Irish intermarry in the States, and their offspring go to make 3O LITERATURE. up the American people, who compose our civilization, yet we do not hear it ci ted that our civilization is any the less American that it is so ; neither should we consider the civilization of the Chero- kees less a Cherokee civilization because white men and white women have inter married w r ith this race. Intermarriage with other Indian tribes produced no like results. 21. BAPTIST INFLUENCES. In 1817 Rev. Humphrey Posey was the first appointed missionary from the Baptist convention to the land of the Cherokees. He established two or three temporary schools, which were abandon ed to allow him to make a tour among the Indian tribes, but in 1820, with an able corps of teachers, he established a station at Valley Towns, on the banks of the Hiwassee, just within the southern boundary of North Carolina. Eighty acres of land were enclosed as a mission farm, which was supplied with stock and the necessary implements of agriculture. LITERATURE. 31 Buildings were erected, and a school of fifty children was opened, in which in struction was daily given in the Scrip tures and in useful knowledge, and the arts of civilized life. Other stations were soon established, and the grand work went on. Among the Indian converts of superior intelligence and w r orth, who at this period became connected with the churches of the mission, were three whose names became well known as the names of Christian ministers. These were Oganaza, Kaneeka, afterward called John WicklifFe, and Jesse Bushy- head. Each of these men had an impor tant influence on Cherokee literature and the literary attainments of this people. Through them many portions of the Scripture were first translated into Cher okee. Fuller particulars of the transla tion, etc., will appear in subsequent pa ges. The Baptists have never given up their mission work in the Cherokee na tion, and their work is still going on, and the blessing cometh down. The Metho- o 32 LITERATURE. dists have also added their mite in the way of schools and mission churches. The work of the Moravians, Baptists, Methodists, and schools of the American Board, did much toward preparing the Cherokees for their written literature, which was due to Se-quo-yah, an un learned half-breed, who gave* them the first alphabet which had been invented by any aboriginal nation for over a thou sand years. ^ 22. NATIVE ADAPTABILITY. The Cherokees more than any other Aboriginal tribe was willing to be the recipient of instruction Irom the whites. Said Elias Boudinot on this subject in 1824: "It is worthy of remark that in no ignorant country have the missiona ries experienced less trouble and difficul ty in spreading a knowledge of the Bi ble. Here they have been welcomed by the proper authorities of the Nation, and their persons have been protected." Said Mr. Worcester two years after : Their enthusiasm is kindled, and great LITERATURE. 33 numbers have learned to read and write. They are circulating hymns and portions of the Scripture, and are writing letters every day." Said Mr. Thompson, in 1830, "Could it be known by all the friends of missions with what avidity they seek reading, they would urge us to give them more as fast as possible. There is a spirit of inquiry in all parts of the Nation." Say s Mr. Evarts, in 1827, concerning the school at Brainerd : "Not a word was missed by the whole school in spelling. One of the boys, ten or eleven years of age, who had been in school less than five months, not having previ ously learned the alphabet, was spelling in words of three syllables, and had nev er missed but a single word. Consider ing what it is for children to learn to spell in a foreign language, and how very am biguous and deceitful the English alpha bet is, these facts certainly provs an ex traordinary attention of the mind." Said the Committee of the American Board the same year : "The experience of an 34 LITERATURE. other year enables the committee to say, that the transforming efficacy of the Christian religion, both upon individuals and upon neighborhoods, is now seen in different parts of the Cherokee Nation. If the same efficacy should pervade every part, a most lovely branch of the church universal would here unfold its flowers and dispense its fruit." 23. THE SE-QUO-YAN ERA. We have followed the intellectual growth of the Cherokees , from the bar baric, through the traditionary periods, and to the advent of missionaries in 1801, which mu st form the First Epoch in our discussion of their literature. The Sec ond epoch covers the period from 1801 to 1826, when Se-quo-yah gave them an alphabet. The first epoch was in deed one of ignorance, but in one quar ter of a century they developed a fair state of civilization. Schools were in progress at Brainerd, Carmel, Creek-path, High-tower, Wills town, Haweis and Can- LITERATURE. 35 dy s Creek, under the auspices of the American Board. The Baptists had schools at Valley Towns and Tinsawatte, and the Methodists had four Missionaries laboring in the Nation, and the Moravians still kept their school at Spring-place. More than this, the students who had attended the mission school at Cornwall, Ct., had all returned and were doing a good work among the people. Such was the condi tion of affairs in th e Cherokee Nation when Se-quo-yah s alphabet was accepted by the Council. So fully has the biogra phy of Se-quo-yah been written out in the first of this series,* that details will not be entered into in this work. He came at the most opportune time. Portions of the Scriptures and other literature had been reduced to Cherokee in Roman form, several missionaries had in a measure ana lyzed the language, and the Cherokee youth, from the mission schools, were good interpreters. At least three precious years were lost by the Cherokees after the *See "Se-quo-yah, the American Cadmus and Modern Moses." 36 LITERATURE. invention before they would accept the alphabet, but once accepted it became a national institution, for which they fought with as much earnestness as they at first opposed it. Said Mr. Worcester in 1827: "Tell them now of printing in any other character, and you throw cold water on the fire you are trying to kindle. To per suade them to learn that other would be in general a hopeless task. Print a book in Se-quo-yah s alphabet, and hundreds, both of adults and children, can read it the moment that it is given them." 24. GOVERNMENT GROWTH. For several years the Cherokees had striven to imitate the whites in the man agement of their affairs, and the Councils were well conducted. In 1810 the Council abolished clans, and unanimously passed an act of oblivion for all lives for which they had been indebted one to another. In 1820 the Nation was reorganized, and by a resolve of its national council, divi ded into eight districts, each of which had the privilege of sending four members to LITERATURE. 37 the legislature. The pay of members was established at one dollar per day; that of the speaker being fixed at one and a half dollars, and the principal chiefs were to receive $150 a year. Some of their princi pal laws and regulations were a prohibi tion of spirituous liquor being brought " into the nation by white m en. If a white man took a Cherokee wife, he must marry her according to their laws; but her prop erty was not affected by such union. No man was allowed but one wife. A judge, marshal, sheriff and deputy, and two con stables, were commissioned in each dis trict. Embezzlement, intercepting and opening sealed letters, was punished by a fine of $100, and 100 lashes on the bare back. No business was allowed on Sun days; and fences were regulated by stat ute. They also had a statute of limita tions, which, however, did not affect notes or settled accounts. A will was valid, if found, on the decease of its maker, to have been written by him, and witnessed by two creditable persons. A man leaving no will, all his children shared equal, and his 38 LITERATURE. wife as one of them; if he left no children, then the widow to have a fourth part of all property; the other three-fourths to go to his nearest relations. And so if the wife died, leaving property. Before the division of the nation into districts, and the appointment of the above named civil officers, there was an organized company of light-horse, which executed the orders of the chiefs, searched out offenders, and brought them to justice. It was a funda mental law, that no land should be sold to the white people without the authority of a majority of the nation. Transgressors of this law were punished with death. 25. BIRTH OF JOURNALISM. A council held by the Cherokees at New Echota, Cherokee Nation, Oct. I5th, 1825, and the following resolutions were passed: New Town, Cherokee Nation, October I5th, 1825. RESOLVED by the National Committee and Council, That an agent or agents, shall be appointed to solicit and receive L I TER ATURE . 39 donations of money from individuals, or throughout the United States, for the ob ject of establishing and supporting a na tional academy,, and for procuring two sets of types to fit one press, to establish a printing office at New Town, (C. N.) one set of types to be composed of English letters, the other of characters, the inven tion of George Guist, a Cherokee. Be it further resolved, That the agent or agents be required to keep a correct account of his or their travel ling expenses, the same to be paid out of the sum collect ed, and said agent or agents shall be enti tled to receive eight per cent, on the amount paid over to the Treasurer. Be it further resolved, That the Treasu rer be, and is, hereby authorized to apply fifteen hundred dollars, out of the public funds, towards the objects herein specified; and in case that the agent or agents are successful in obtaining donations sufficient to purchase the requisite types and press, the Treasurer is further authorised to make the purchase as soon as circumstan ces will permit. In the mean time, the 40 LITERATURE. Treasurer is hereby required to open a correspondence with such person or per sons of some of the eastern cities, as may be capable of giving correct information relative to the same, for which the two sets of types and press can be purchased; and the National Committee and Council hereby appoint Elias Boudinott as agent to solicit and receive donations for the objects herein specified; and further, the Treasurer is hereby authorised to appoint ether agent or agents, if in his judgment, may be hereafter deemed expedient. J NO. ROSS, Pres tN. Com. Concurred in by the council. MAJOR RIDGE, Speaker, his PATH X KILLER, mark, CH. R. HICKs. A. McCOY, clerk Com. E. BOUDINOTT, clerk Coun l. Active labor was put in by the agents appointed for the purpose, and the follow ing year, being assured of the practicabil ity, at the council held at New Echota, LITERATURE. 4! on Nov. 2nd, 1826, the following act was passed : New Echota, Cherokee Nation, November 2, 1826. RESOLVED by the National Committee and Council, That a house shall be built for a printing office, of the following di mensions ; 24 by 20 feet, one story high, . shingle roof, with one fire place, one door at the end of the house, one floor, and a window in each side of the house, two lights deep, and ten feet long, to be chincked and lined in the inside with narrow plank ; with the neccessary wa tering benches and type desks requisite for a printing office. GEORGE LOWREY, Pres t pro-tern. MAJOR RIDGE, Speaker, his PATHX KILLER, mark CH. R. HICKS. A. McCOY, clerk Com. E. BOUDINOTT, clerk Coun l. 42 LITERATURE. Two days later, signed and approved by the same, exceptthat John Ross signed as President of the Council, the follow ing was passed : New Echota, Cherokee Nation, 4th November, 1826. RESOLVED by the National Committee and Council, That David Brown and George Lowrey be, and they are hereby appointed to translate eight copies of the laws of the Cherokee Nation, as early as convenient, into the Cherokee language, written in characters invented by George Guess, and also to translate one copy oi the New Testament in the same charac ters, and to present them to the General Council, when completed, and the Na tional Committee and Council shall com pensate them for their services. JNO. ROSS, Pres t. N. Com. MAJOR RIDGE, Speaker. his Approved PATH ^ KILLER, mark CH. R. HICKS. A. McCOY, clerk of Com. E. BOUDINOTT, clerk Coun l. LITERATURE. 43 RESOLVED by the National Commit tee and Council, That Isaac H. Harris be and is hereby appointed principal Printer for the Cherokee Nation, whose salary shall be four hundred dollars a year, and whose duty shall be to attend to the printing of paper to be printed at New Echota ; and it shall further be the duty of said Harris to employ, and he is hereby authorised to employ a journey man printer, of sober and studious habits in behalf of the Cherokee Nation, in or der that the aforesaid paper may be suc cessfully carried into effect. And be it further resolved, That the salary ot the journeyman Printer so em ployed shall be three hundred dollars a year. And be it further resolved, That the commencement of the salaries of said Printers shall commence and begin on the day of the commencement of the pa per, which shall take place as soon as practicable, and that the aforesaid respec tive sums be, and are hereby appropria- 44 LITERATURE. ted out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated ; and it shall be the duty of the Editor, at the expira tion of a term, to certify that the printers have well and faithfully performed their contracts as printers, which certificates shall be presented to the National Treas urer for payment, who is hereby author ised to engage the aforesaid printers in an obligation of sufficient penalty for de fault, for the certain performance of printing the National paper. ELIJAH HICKS, Pres t N. Com. MAJOR RIDGE, Speaker. Approved WM. HICKS. JNO. ROSS. A. McCOY, clerk Com. E. BOUDINOTT, Clerk N. Com. RESOLVED by the National Committee and Council, That a person be appointed whose duty it shall be to edit a weekly newspaper at New Echota to be entitled the "Cherokee Phoenix/" G-wy JdvaucK*. and also to translate all public documents LITERATURE. 45 which may be submitted for publication, and that the sum of three hundred dol lars per annum be allowed said editor and translator for their services. New Echota, Oct. 18, 1826. ELIJAH HICKS, Pres t N. Com. MAJOR RIDGE. Speaker Coiin. Approved WILLIAM HICKS, JOHN ROSS. A. McCOY, clerk Com. E. BOUDINOTT, Clerk N. Council. RESOLVED by the National Committee and Council, That the salaries of the persons attached to the Cherokee Phoenix shall be paid quarterly. This to be an amendment to the resolution providing for their salaries, dated Oct. i8th, 1827. Be it further RESOLVED, That, in or der to provide against inconvenience that may arise for want of paper, ink, or other articles requisite in the printing depart ment, it shall be the duty of the Editor to provide from time to time, the necessary articles as may be needed, which shall 46 LITERATURE. be defrayed out of the proceeds of the Cherokee Phoenix. Be it further RESOLVED, That, the Ed itor of the Phoenix be, and he is hereby required to enter into bond with sufficient security for the faithful performance of all his duties ; and that said Editor be and is hereby authorised to receive all monies that may arise from subscriptions for the Phoenix, or from the publication of any other matter ; he is also expressly empowered to use his discretion in every respect, in order that the Nation may be benefited by the institution. All monies arising from the Phoenix shall be paid into the Treasury of the Cherokee Na tion, quarterly. Be it further RESOLVED, That in case of the sickness of the Editor, death or resignation, the Principal Chief shall have the power of appointing a suitable Editor to take charge of the paper in the editorial department whose salary shall be the same as his predecessor s. LITERATURE. 47 It is further RESOLVED, that, in case of sickness, death, or resignation of the Printers, the place or places so vacated shall be filled by the Principal Chiefs. The salaries shall be the same as the former printers. And in order to have a native printer, it shall be the duty of the Editor to procure, if possible, a Chero- . kee apprentice, whose clothes and board shall be paid out of the proceeds of the Cherokee Phoenix. The clothing of the apprentice shall be common and comfor table. It shall be the duty of the Editor to engage, and make arrangements of said apprentice s board. In the selection of the apprentice, the Editor is required to choose one who speaks and writes the same dialect with the inventor of the Cherokee Alphabet. New Echota, I9th October, 1828. ELIJAH HICKS, Pres t N. Com. MAJOR RIDGE, Speaker. Approved WM. HICKS, JNO. ROSS. A. McCOY, Clerk of Com. E. BOUDINOTT, Clerk N. Council. 48 LITERATURE. On February 2ist, 1828, not five years alter Se-quo-yah s alphabet had been ac cepted by this nation, an iron printing press of improved construction and fonts of Cherokee and English type, together with the entire furniture of a printing of fice was put up at new Echota, and the first copy of the " Cherokee Phoenix" was given to the world. It was the ave rage size of the newspapers of that day, and one-fourth of it was printed in the Se-quo-yan alphabet, and all this at the order of the Cherokee Council. This printing press was the first one owned by any aborigines of this continent. It was owned by citizens, who of all the natives of this continent were the first to invent and use an alphabet of their own, and indeed, it was the first aborigines alphabet that had been invented for over a thousand years, arid more than this, they presented to the world the most perfect orthography that this world has ever seen. It was presided over by Elias Boudinot, the first aborigines editor LITERATURE. 49 of this continent, though he was aided often in his editorial work by the mis sionaries of the American Board. The Phoenix was the average size of the news papers of that day, and one-half of it was printed in the Se-quo-yan alphabet. Some time before the first issue was printed a prospectus was sent out. "The great object of the Phoenix," said the prospectus, "will be to benefit the Cher- okees, and the following subjects will occupy the columns : ist, laws and pub lic documents of the nation; 2nd, ac counts of the manners and customs of the Cherokees, and their progress in educa tion, religion and arts of civilized life, with such notices of other Indians as our limited means of information will allow ; 3d, the principal interesting events of the day ; 4th, miscellaneous articles cal culated to promote literature, civilization and religion among the Cherokees." Such were the topics that were printed, and that Se-quo-yah read in letters of his own invention in the columns of the 50 LITERATURE. Phoenix within two years / of the accep tance of the alphabet by the nation. Probably no paper yet printed was re ceived with such profound wonder by the world as this. Copies were in de mand from all parts of the country, and the London Times exchanged with it on equal terms. In the fall of 1828 the Council passed the following : Resolved by the National Committee and Council, in General Council Con vened, That the Editor of the Cherokee Phoenix be, and is hereby, required to keep a correct and exact account of all contingent expenses attending the print ing establishment, and that it shall be his duty, at the commencement of each session of the General Council, to make a detailed report of the amount of mon eys received on account of the establish ment, also of the disbursements made, the number of subscribers to the Phoenix, and the amount due on account of sub scriptions. LITERATURE. 51 Be it further resolved, That the Editor shall select another Cherokee youth of good qualities and capacity, who will agree, with the consent of his parents or guardians, to serve as an apprentice to the printing business, and for a length of time so as to enable said apprentice to become master of the art of Printing, and that the said apprentice shall be clothed and boarded in the same man ner as is provided by law for the appren tice now in service, at the public expense. Be it further resolved, That the Editor be, and he is hereby required, to withhold from the columns of the Phoenix, scurri lous communications which may have a tendency to excite and irritate personal controversies, also, he shall not support or cherish, by publishing communica tions, or by inserting under the Editorial head, any thing on religious matters, that will savour sectarianism : It shall also be his duty to collect as much original Cher okee matter for the columns of the paper, as his situation and abilities shall enable 52 LITERATURE. him to do, and to have the manuscript laws printed in a pamphlet form and at tach to the printed laws as early as prac tical, and to have an index to the same. New Echota, ipthNov., 1828. LEWIS ROSS, Pres t Com. Concurred GOING SNAKE, Speaker. Approved JNO. ROSS. The publication of the Phoenix seemed to be the key to unlock the intellectual faculties of the nation. On the November following the February on which the first copy of the Phoenix was published, a missionary wrote from among them that it was his opinion that at least three- fourths of the Che rokees could read and write in their new alphabet. Publications in their new alphabet were eagerly sought after. "Their enthusiasm is kindled," wrote Mr. Worcester at this time; "great numbers have learned to read and write, they are circulating hymns and portions of the scripture, they are eagerly anticipa ting the time when they can read the white man s Bible in their own language." LITERATURE. 53 Within five years of the adoption of the Se-quo-yan alphabet, the press at New Echota had turned off 733,800 pages of good reading, which was eagerly read and re-read by the Cherokees. Two years after the number had increased to 1,513,800 pages, and before Se-quo-yah s death in 1842 more than 4,000,000 pages of good literature had been printed in the new alphabet, and not including the circula tion of the Phoenix. As early as 1830, this pioneer paper began to forecast the doom that was inevitably to follow. Even the Cherokees had given up all hope of receiving justice from the hands of our government. February iQth, 1831, the Phoenix appeared with only a half sheet. "The reason is," said an editorial, "one of our printers has left us, and we expect another, who is a white man, to quit us very soon, or to be dragged to the Geor gia penitentiary for a term of not less than four years, or for his personal safety to leave the nation to let us shift for our selves. But we will not give up the ship while she is afloat. We have intelligent 54 LITERATURE. youth enough in the nation, and we hope before long to make up our loss. Let our patrons bear in mind that we are in the woods, and as is said by many, in a savage country, where printers are not plenty, and therefore they must not expect to receive the Phoenix regularly for awhile, but we will do the best we can." One month later another printer was carried away to prison, his only misdemeanor be ing that he was a white man .without hav ing taken the oath of allegiance to the Governor of Georgia, who dared to reside within the limits of the Cherokees. In June, 1832, the Phoenix remarked, "The gigantic silver pipe which George Wash ington placed in the hands of the Chero kees as a memorial of his warm and abi ding friendship has ceased to reciprocate; it lies in a corner, cold, like its author, to rise no more." Only three years more was the Phoenix allowed to do its good work. In October, 1835, the Georgia Guard took possession of the newspaper establishment, and its further issue was prohibited unless it would uphold the LITERATURE. 55 course of Georgia against the Indians. Thus perished one of the most remarka ble newspapers, both in its origin and re sults, that America has ever known. But, if the newspaper died inglorious!)/, far more so was the fate of the editor, Elias Boudinot. In his early days he was a very promising lad, who attracted the attention of missionaries. His name was Weite, but he was given the name of Elias Boudinot after the Governor of New Jersey, and the President of the American Bible Society, for it was the custom for a Cherokee youth to be given an English name when he en tered an English school. Elias Boudinot was one of those placed in the mission school at Cornwall, Conn. He was good looking, and at last, by his pleasing address and manner, became welcomed at the home of many of the first families in that quiet village. Among the lively maidens of the place was Hattie Gold. She was in all respects a sprightly lass, the village pet, and given vsomewhat to romantic ideas. The young Indian was frequently received at her father s house, and, unthought of 56 LITERATURE. by the parents, a mutual attachment sprang up which ripened into love, and it was not long before the little town of Cornwall w r as stirred to a fever heat by the announcement that Hattie had plight ed troth with Boudinot. Her parents were fierce in their opposition, but tears and entreaties were of no avail, and the words were spoken that linked their for tunes for life. Taking his bride back to Georgia, he dwelt among his tribe hap pily with his white bride, and was conspicuous among his people as a scholar, and one favored by the Great Spirit. His life was a busy one, as he aided the missionaries in their work, translating portions of the Scriptures, tracts and hymns. During the adminis tration of Andrew Jackson, he took a prominent place in administering the af fairs of the Cherokees, and especially, toward the last, took a leading part in making arrangements for his people to emigrate irom the Land they loved so well. Precious to these sons of the for- LITERATURE. 57 est were their homes, and the burial pla ces of their fathers. While a few favor ed the treaty of 1835, the majority did not. It is a matter of historical record that the Ridges, Boudinot, Bell, Rogers and others, who signed the treaty, very suddenly changed their minds in respect to the policy of removal. They had been as forward as any of the opposite party in protesting against the acts of Georgia, and as much opposed to making any treaty or sale of their own country, up to the time of the mission ofSchermerhorn, as any in the nation. But they suddenly changed their mind, and they were sus pected of treachery, bribery and corrup tion, and the worst passion of the oppo sition was aroused, and on June 22, 1839, these men were assassinated. Mr. Boudinot was decoyed away from the house he was erecting, a short distance from his residence, and then set upon with knives and hatchets, and survived his wounds just long enough for his wife and friends to reach him, though he was 5 58 LITERATURE. speechless and insensible to all around him. Thus perished the first aboriginal editor of this continent. Whether he and his comrades did betray their coun trymen for gain cannot now be deter mined, but it hardly appears possible that one who had served his country so faithfully, should at that late day have betrayed his people for gain, or with traitorous intent. Indeed, a careful read er of history must feel, that while he acted not according to the will of many, he acted to what he thought would be their future welfare, and even Chief Ross of the opposing faction, deeply regretted this hasty execution. Let the mantle of charity surround the memory of our first aboriginal editor. Let us not believe him a traitor to the people whom he had long served ; let us revere his memory for the great work he was enabled to do toward the enlightenment of the early Cherokees. For a long time there were no further attempts at journalism among the Cherokees. The years succeeding LITERATURE. 59 1835 were years of affliction to this race. Driven out from their land by the bayo net of the white man, they were obliged to take the long journey to their western home, and during the removal nearly 4000 of their race perished. The follow ing years were spent in recuperating and reorganizing, and it was not until 1844 that the nation assumed the publication of another paper. In 1843 the Baptist Mission started a paper called the Cher okee Messenger, that for some years did an important work in the Cherokee Na tion. A decade of years had indeed brought about a great change in the con dition of the Cherokee people. The mis sion press had continued to do its noble work, and when the national council had their new press in running order, three separate printing offices were running within the Cherokee Nation. The Coun cil called their new paper the Cherokee Advocate. 27. THE ADVOCATE. "The object of the council in providing 60 LITERATURE. for the publication of the Advocate, " said an editorial in the first issue, "is the physical, moral and intellectual improve ment of the Cherokee people. It will be devoted to these ends, and to the defence of those rights recognized as belonging to them in treaties legally made at diffe rent times with the United States, and of such measures as seem best calculated to secure their peace and happiness, pro mote their prosperity, and elevate their character as a distinct community." Re alizing their need of assistance outside of the nation, they called for patronage from the citizens of the United States. It promised to be an enlightener of pub lic sentiment, as far as possible, as to the feelings, wishes and proper expectations of the Cherokees. "For, "said the open ing debut, "ignorance of their condition, opinions and claims, has been to them a fountain of many wrongs, a fountain from which they have been forced to drink many bitter draughts. From this cause, measures of policy in themselves LITERATURE. 6l unjust and highly destructive to their peace and prospects, have been con ceived and persisted in to their accom plishment, with singular pertinacity, by those from whom they have a right to expect and claim protection." The exec utive department of the Cherokee Na tion has among its archives copies of the Advocate from October, 1845, to No vember, 1846, but it continued to be printed until 1853 or 1854, wnen it was suspended. It did not attract the atten tion the Phoenix did, as the novelty of Cherokee journalism had subsided, and the nation was further removed from the centers of civilization. The present Cherokee Advocate was established in 1870, and is the official organ of the nation ; it has for its object the diffusion of important news among the Cherokee people ; the advancement of their general interests, and the de fence of Indian rights ; it is published weekly in the English and Cherokee languages, and nothing of a personal, 62 LITERATURE. abusive or partisan character, is admit ted to its columns. Since Feb. loth, 1881, the editor has been required to have one whole page of the paper pub lished in Cherokee, and for this purpose he is authorized to employ two Cherokee boys as apprentices, for a term of two years, who read and write Cherokee and English, and pay them during the time a sum equal only to the cost of their board and clothes, and the bill for their services is paid quarterly, by order on the treasury of the nation. The editor is elected by joint vote of both branches of the National Council, and receives from the public treasury the sum of $600 per annum for his services. It is the duty of the editor to exercise control over the establishment, to furnish such matter for publication, from time to time, as in his judgment will promote the object of the institution. He must see that the materi al and property of the concern is proper ly preserved and economically used ; he receives the subscription moneys at the LITERATURE. 63 rates fixed by law, but himself fixes the rates of advertising, excepting such ad vertising as may be furnished by the offi cers of the nation, or provided by law ; he makes quarterly accounts to the treas urer, and an annual one to the Principal Chief, for the information of the Nation al Council, of the condition of the paper and its interests, with an itemized -ac count of its receipts and expenditures. It is his duty also to print and deliver, within a reasonable time, to the Princi pal Chief, such laws and treaties, as may be required by the National Council : also the blanks required by the officers of the nation, and such other printing as may be required in public service. Before entering upon his duties he is re quested to fill a bond of a nature to satis fy the Principal Chief. The Principal Chief also employs a translator, whose duty it is to translate into the Cherokee language for publication, suchlaws, pub lic documents and articles, as the editor shall select for his paper. He receives 64 LITERATURE. $400 per annum for his services, and like the editor, is subject to removal by the Principal Chief for improper conduct, or failure to perform prescribed duties. Though the Advocate is an eight wide column folio, it is furnished by the order of the nation at one dollar per annum, payable in money, national warrants or certificates, but is sent free to subscribers who read only Cherokee. The present Cherokee Advocate is des tined to be a permanent institution among them, or should, at least, until the great majority of them have an English educa tion, though the reasons whrv the nation should have an organ will be as strong then as now, should the Cherokees con tinue to hold their country in common. The paper isably conducted by Cornel ius Boudinot, who is a grandson of Elias Boudinot, the first Cherokee editor, and has J. L. Springston as translator. 28. VINIT A JOURNAL ISM. Several attempts have been made at Vinita toward journalism. The earliest LITERATURE. 65 paper was the "Vidett," which was fol lowed by the "Herald." The "Indian Chieftain was started by Ivy & Rogers, Sep. 22.1882. On Feb. 9, 1883, the paper w r ent into the hands of R. L. Owen and Wm. Hollensworth. May nth of the same year, it changed hands again, the firm being Owen & Sweasy. Sept. 14, 1883, Wm. P. Ross and Rev. J W. Scroggs were announced as publishers; July ist, 1884, S. J.Thompson and M.E. Milford took the paper; Jan. 1st, 1886, John L. Adair became editor, and with Mr. Milford is making an excellent pa per. 29. UN I ON PRESS. As time passed on, it appeared best to abandon the Ossage mission buildings at Union, and it was decided to fit up a por tion of them fora printing establishment, where they might print tracts and books,, in Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek and Ossage languages. This movement was proposed in 1832, and was carried out the follow ing year. The location was at the Forks 66 LITERATU RE. of the Illinois River, and it was decided to remove the press to a more elevated and healthy place, called Park Hill, situa ted a few miles away. The removal took place on December 2nd, 1836. The influ ence of this press on the nation, like that at New Echota, had a wonderful effect in spreading abroad the seeds of civilization, which germinated quickly, and brought forth fruit in abundance. 30. BAPTIST MISSION PRESS. This mission was located at Cherokee, three miles west of the boundary of Ar kansas, and the portion of the nation who were connected with it in 1841, resided within a circuit of forty miles on the north, the west and south. In the autumn of 1843, tne mission was furnished with a press and printing establishment, which added greatly to its efficiency and its in fluence with the nation. It was intrusted to the management of Mr. H. Upham, a printer by trade, and at the same time Rev. W. P. Upham became associated with Rev. Evan Jones, who presided over LITERATURE. 67 the mission, in preaching, arid in care of the churches and stations. At this press the bock of Genesis and about half the books of the New Testament were print ed in Cherokee, together with a number of school books, tracts, and other relig ious works. A periodical known as the Cherokee Messenger was commenced by Mr. Upham in 1844, and was continued for many years, by members of the mis sion. On this press was printed Bunyan s Pilgrims Progress in Se-quo-yah s alpha bet. 30. PARK HILL PRESS. The Park Hill press was first in charge of Messrs. Archer and Candy. In 1851 the Gospel of Luke was added to the por tions of scripture issued from the press of Park Hill. Up to that time, this press had printed the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistle to Timothy, the epistles of James, Peter and John. The first five and two last chapters of Revelations, and from the Old Testament three chapters of Genesis, 68 LITERATURE. twenty-two Psalms, and twelve select chapters of the Prophecy of Isaiah, a total of 600,000 pages, mostly in the Se-quo- yan alphabet. 31. THE DWIGHT MISSION PRESS. From 1862 to 1886, there was no relig ious literature published in Cherokee. For a long time Rev. A. N. Chamberlin had been translating passages of Scripture, hitherto untranslated, and several hymns into Cherokee, but there was no way to get them into print. But at last, Miss Delia Palmer presented to the Presbytery of the Indian Territory a little printing press, for the purpose of sending forth lit tle tracts and leaflets, specially adapted to the wants of the people in the vicinity where published. In August, 1886, Rev. Nicholas Neerken started on this minia ture press the D wight Mission Witness, a two page paper, on a sheet 6x9. There was not type enough of a kind at the first issue to print one side of the paper. Like the Cherokee Phoenix and the Advocate, one-fourth was printed in Cherokee. No t 2 presented a better appearance There. LITERATURE. 69 were Bible selections translated by Rev. A. N. Chamberlin, and the hymns "Coro nation" and "Hold the Fort," translated by the same person. In No. 3, the editor rejoiced at a new case of type. It was the gift of friends. The Presbyterian church at Clifton, Kansas, gave sixteen dollars, and considerable was contributed from various sources, and the Dwight Mission Witness, Kedron, Cherokee Nation, was made a success, and continues printing Mr. Chamberlin s translations of Scripture, hymns, etc., into Cherokee. NOTE. In the following pages is the first at tempt yet made toward a Cherokee Bib liography. Itisinno way a complete one, and perhaps should rather be called a beginning of a Bibliography or a collec tion of facts about certain Cherokee pub lications, and works pertaining to this Indian people. In regard to some publi cations we have been unable to make more than a mere mention, for much of the then existing Cheroke e literature was lost during the war. The increase in their literature today is largely confined to their newspapers and public docu ments, very little else being printed for them. We have also indexed a few lead ing articles from such copies of the Ad vocate as we have on file. It is the hope of the author, now that attention is called to the matter, that they will soon collect and preserve for themselves, and give to the world, a more perfect Bibliography than is possible for a white man to make, who lives outside their Nation. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE CHEROKEES. Cherokee Dictionary, (Mss. edition.) by Rev. S. A. Worcester. This was lost on the Arkansas. Cherokee Geography, in part, (Mss. edi tion.) Abandoned by the author, Rev. S. A. Worcester, when he saw it would take too much time from his Bible work. Cherokee Grammar, (Mss. edition) S. A. Worcester. Sunken the emi gration steamer on the Arkansas. 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Primer. 1839, P^ k Hill ; edition 1,500. Matthew, Gospel of: pp. 124. New Echo- ta, 1829. Translated by Worcester & Boudinot. 200 copies used by Rev. Evan Jones. Matthew, 2nd edition, pp. 124 ; edition 3,000; (1833.) Matthew, 3d edition, pp. 124; edition of 3,000. (1834.) Matthew, 4th edition, pp. 120 : Park Hill, John Candy, printer, edition 500 ; Mark, 1844, pp. 70; E. Archer, printer; Edition 5000. Luke, 1850 ; pp 133 ; printed at Park Hill Edition 1,500. John, 1839, printed at Park Hill. pp. 101. Edition 1,500. John, ] 2d edition. John, [ ] 3d edition. John, 1854, 4th edition ; E. Archer, printer, pp. 93. Acts, by Worcester & Boudinot, pp. 124. 1834 5 edition 3000. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 3 Philemon, [ ] S.A.Worcester. Titus. [ ] S. A. Worcester. Hebrews, in part, S. A. Worcester. Scripture Extracts, 1831, by Worcester & Boudinot, pp. 124 ; edition 3000. Scripture Extracts, 1834; 2nd. edition, pp. 124; edition 3,000. Scripture, Select passages of ; 1836, pp. 24. Edition, 5000. Union Press. New Testament, portions of. Mss. Trans lated by David Brown in 1825, by order of the Nation. New Testament, by Rev. Evan Jones, and native .assistants; translation commenced in 1842 and complet ed in 47. Printed in 1848. Old and New Testament, portions of, American Bible Society. New Testament, 1850, E. Archer, print er, Park Hill. New Testament 1860, American Bible Society. New Testament (complete) 1862. Amer ican Bible Societv. Edition 10,000. 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Cherokee Hymns, 1829, 1st edition, New Echota. 52 pp. 33 hymns. Edition 800. Worcester & Boudinot. 2d edition, 36 pp. edition 2000, 1830. 3d edition, 1832, pp. 36; edition, 1,750. 4th edition, 1836. pp. 48; 5th edition, Union press, 1848. Cherokee Hymn Book, American Bap tist Publication Society. Eight editions. Oct. 2, 1866, looo Apr. 7, 67. 1000 " 29, 69, 300 Jan. 3. 74, 500 6, 77, 250 June 14, 78, 400 July 18, 82, 250 Feb. 19, 84, 250 Church Litany of the United Brethren ; prepared and printed by the Mis sionaries of the American Board, at expense of United Brethren ; pp. 12. Edition 300 copies. Profession of Faith and Covenant of the Church of Park Hill, 1837, by S. A. Worcester. Another edition in 1848. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 5 C herokee Alphabet, lithographed, trans lated and written in large charac ters with Roman letters indicating the sound of syllables ; in board sheets. Boston, 1835. Edition 300. Cards, lithographed ; translated and writ ten in Cherokee by Mr. Hitch cock of Dwight. 1835. Ten Commandments, edition 300. Fourth Commandment, 300. Eighth Commandment, 300. Prodigal son (cuts) 300. Star of the East, 300. John preaching in wilderness, 300. Cherokee Spelling Book, in Roman let ters. Prepared by Rev. D. S. Butrick. Cherokee Almanack. 1836 56. Union and Park Hill press. 1836 edition 450, pp. 16. S. A. Worcester. Arithmetic, prepared by order of the National Council : Tahlequah, 1870. Cherokee Indian History, pages from, as identified with S. A. Worcester, by Miss Nevada Couch, of Worces ter Academy, Vinita, C. N. pp. 27. Printed in English, 1884. O BIBLIOGRAPHY. Laws of Cherokee Nation, 1826. Trans lated into Sequoyan character by David Brown and Geo. Low- rey ; compensation paid for trans lating, $72. English edition of same. Constitution of Cherokee Nation, 1828. Large pamphlet size. Journal of the two branches of the Coun cil of 1829. Translated into Se quoyan alphabet by Mr. Edward Graves. Printed also in the Phoe nix. Translator and printer re ceived 50 cents per day while in actual business during the session of the General Court. Laws passed during the years 1839 67, compiled by authority of the Na tional Council. St. Louis Demo crat print. Edition 200. English edition 500. Laws. 1844, edition 500. English edition, the same. Laws of 1847-8-9. Edition 200; publish ed at $1.50 per vol. English edition, the same. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 7 Laws, adopted by the Council at various periods. Printed for the benefit of the Nation at Cherokee Advocate office, Tahlequah, 1852. Constitution and Laws passed at Tahle quah 1839 5 1 * Tahlequah, 1852. English edition of same. Laws compiled and published by author ity of National Council. National Advocate print. 1881. pp. 335. English edition pp. 370 ; editions 1000 each. Laws and Joint Resolutions of the Chero kee Nation, enacted during the regular and special sessions of the years 1881 2 3. E. C. Boudi- not, Printer, Tahlequah, 1884. Edition 500. English edition, 500. Genesis. Translatedby Rev. Jesse Bushy- head, the father of Chief D. W. Bushyhead . Thessalonians. ( ) S. A. Worces ter. Pilgrims Progress, Translated and print ed under the auspices of the Bap tist Mission. 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Tracts, "Swiss Peasant." (1848.) Mis sion Press, p p. 1 6. Edition 5000. E. Archer, printer. "Negro Servant." (1848.) Park Hill Press, pp. 40. Edition, 5000. "One Thing Needful" (1848.) pp. 8. Edition 5000. E. Archer, prin ter. "Poor Sarah" (1833.) pp. 12. Edition 3,300. New Echota. Pre pared and issued by the American Board, at the expense of United Brethren. "Poor Sarah," (1844.) Park Hill. Mission Press. John Candy, print er. "Tract on Temperance," written by Boudinot ; New Echota. (1833.) "Evil of Intoxicating Liquor," 2nd edition, Park Hill Mission Press, pp. 22. John Candy, printer. "Duties of the Marriage Relation." 1833- "Bob, the Sailor Boy," 1847; pp. 12. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 9 Tracts, 4 The Dairyman s Daughter," pp. 57. Park Hill. Candy & Archer printer, 1847. Present Crisis in the Condition of thz American Indians : pamphlet. 2,000 copies printed by Editor of the Phoenix, by order of the Cher okee Council. Translated into the Sequoyan character from articles in the "National Intelligencer, "a paper printed at Washington, D. C., under the signature of "Wm. Perm ;" English and Guess char acter on same page. 1829. Records of the Council of the Cherokee tribe of Indians. Published (in English) for the Nation. This sheet contained a resolution au thorizing the building of a two story Council House, and a reso lution prohibiting negotiation with the Commissioners from Georgia about the sale of Cherokee lands. Place of publication unknown. Emancipation Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln. 1862. Publish ed in Se-quo-yan alphabet, also in English. IO BIBLIOGRAPHY. Address by Elias Boudinot. Printed in English, Philadelphia. 1826. This was upon the progress of the Cherokee people. Address on Temperance, by Major Geo. Lowrey, Assistant Principal Chief under the Constitution in 1828. It had an extended circulation. Prin ted in Sequoyan alphabet. Analysis of Cherokee Language (in pre paration) by Dewit C. Duncan, Vinita, Cherokee Nation. A work designed to perpetuate the Chero kee as a distinct language, the medium of expression being the Sequoyan alphabetical symbols. Part of this work has already re ceived a favorable mention at the Smithsonian Institute. Antiquities of the Cherokee Indians ; compiled from the Collections of Rev. Daniel Sabin Buttrick, their missionary, from 1817 to 1847, as presented to the * Indian Chief tain," printed at Vinita, Indian Territory, and Published at the suggestion of Hon. Wm. P. Ross. 1884. PP- 2O - English. BIBLIOGRAPHY. II Eonegusski, or the Cherokee Chief. A tale of Past Wars, by an Ameri can. 2 vols. in one. pp. 414. 1839. Washington. Education among the Cherokees, by W. P. Ross. Journal of Education. vol. i :i2o. Historical Caricature of the Cherokee Nation. Lithograph from a sketch by W. A. Thompson, Tahlequah. Vivid, complete in detail and abounding in the ludicrous. Copy righted, 1 88 5. Speech of E. C. Boudinot, a Cherokee Indian, on the Indian Question, Sept. 21, 1871, at Vinita, 8 vo., pp. 18. Washington, 1872. Eng. Statement Respecting the Condition of the Loyal Cherokee Indians. A document prepared under the di rection of John Ross, Principal Chief, under the signature of Rev. Evan Jones of the Baptist Mission ary Union. 1863. Views of a Native Indian as to the Pres ent Condition of his People, by David Brown, a Cherokee. 1825. 12 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Articles of Faith of the Baptist Churches. Paper covers, (recent.) Printed in Sequoyan alphabet. Methodist Church Discipline, (recent.) Printed in Sequoyan alphabet. Memoir of John Arch, a Cherokee young man. Mass. S. S. Union. 1832. PP- 33 Missionary Herald for Nov. 1828 ; also one chapter in Se-quo-yah, the American Cad mus, by Geo. E. Foster, p. 113. Memoir of Catherine Brown, a Christian Indian of the Cherokee Nation. Boston, 1824. pp 144. Another Boston edition in 1828. New York 1831, pp. 138. Philadelphia, Pa. 1831, pp. 138. An edition was al so printed in Choctaw. Travels through North and South Caro lina, Georgia, East and West Flor ida, the Cherokee Country, the extensive Territories of the Mus- cogees, or Creek Confederacy, and the country of the Choctaws, together with observations on the manners of the Indian. Dublin, BIBLIOGRAPHY. 1 3 Addresses of Indian Chiefs ; translated into English by David Brown, a Cherokee. Missionary Herald, 1827, p. 381. Advancement of Morals and the Arts of Civilized Life among the Chero- kees. Letter of Rev. S. A. Wor cester. Missionary Herald, vol. 26:153. An Educational Essay, by J. W. Ivey. Cherokee Advocate, vol. 9 :22. An Appeal in behalf of the Loyal Cher- okees. Missionary Herald for 1864 page 100. Art of Teaching, by Jno. H. Beck. Read before the Teacher s Institute, at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, June 30, 1885. Advocate, vol. 10 :6. Are Indians Foreigners ? A letter from Principal Chief, D. W. Bushy- head. N. Y. Sun; also in Chero kee Advocate, vol. n :6. Among the Eastern Cherokees, by Re becca Harding Davis. Harper s Magazine, vol. 61 1532. 14 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Among the Cherokee Indians, by A. M. Williams. Lippincott s, vol. 27: 195. Battle of Pea Ridge, by an Indian who saw it. Cherokee Advocate, vol. 10:33. Brief Sketch of the Mission History of the Cherokees. A discourse delivered at Vinita, Ind. Ter., on the dedication of the Presbyterian Church there, March 16, 1884. By Timothy Hill, D. D. Publish ed in St. Louis Evangelist, Apr. loth, 1884. Case of the Cherokee Nation against the State of Georgia ;with an ap pendix, containing the opinions of Chancellor Kent on the Case ; the Treaties between the United States and the Cherokee Indians ; the Act of Congress of 1802, en titled, "An Act to regulate inter course with Indian Tribes ; &c, ; and the Laws of Georgia rela tive to the country occupied b} the Cherokee Indians within the boundary of that State. By Rich ard Peters. Philadelphia, 1831. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 15 Case of Cherokee Indians. Speeches on the Passage of the bill for the Re moval of the Indians, delivered in the Congress of the United States, April and May 1830. pp. 304. Boston, 1830. Case of Cherokee Indians; by A. H. Everett. North American Review, vol. 33 1136. American Quarterly, vol. ii :i. Jeremiah Evarts, in American Annual Register, vol. 5 143, vol. 6 126. Letter dated on May 12, 1822. Concerning a vis it through Cherokee Country. Missionary Herald, vol. 17. S. C. Sewell, Christian Examiner, vol. 9 1107. Annual Register, vol. 5 1123 ; vol.7 1364. Southern Lit erary Journal, vol. i :227- Spirit of the Pilgrims, vol. 3 1141, 492 : vol. 4:292. Niles Register, vol. 36:40, 370; 37:189; 38:53; 39 : 68, 81, 197 ; 40:67 286; 41 :i74, 42:24, 40; 43:105- 227,419; (removal) 27 1363, 404. Cherokee Advocate. Missionary Herald, vol. 40. 21 o ; editors of, see "Se- quo-yah, American Cadmus," p. 130." l6 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Cherokee Phoenix ; origin, first editorial, etc., Missionary Herald, April, 1828. See Drake s History of the North American Indians ; Geo. E. Foster s Se-quo-yah. Correspondence relating to the Arrest of the Missionaries among the Cher- okees ; viz., Elisha W. Chester, S. A. Worcester s Counsel, Col. J. W. A. Sanford ; also, Mr. W s reply to the same, and a letter from Mrs. Fuller, an inmate of Mr. Worcester s family, concern ing his arrest by the Georgia Guard. Missionary Herald, vol. 27. pp. 322333. Concerning the Arrest and imprison ment of the Missionaries of the Cherokee Nation, by the Georgia Guard. Missionary Herald, voL 27:165, 229, 248, 254, 281 284: 332334 363- Extract of a letter by S. A. Worcester, while in Georgia Penitentiary ; published first in the "Journal of Humanity, also Letter from Dr. Butler in same place. Missionary Herald, vol. 27 1395. BIBLIOGRAPHY 17 Cherokee Indians, a Plea for, pp. 8.(?.) Constitution of the Cherokees. Mission ary Herald, 1828. p. 133. Claims of the North Carolina Cherokee Indians, pp. 9. Washington, D. C. 1875- Letters of Geo. R. Oilman, Governor of Georgia, to Messrs. Worcester, Butler, Proctor and Thompson, concerning the Georgia difficulties, dated May 16, 1831 : also their replies to the same. Missionary Herald, vol. 27. pp. 249 254. Letters of Win. Chamberlain, dated on April 29th, 1831. Containing an account of the arrest of the Mis sionaries of the Georgia Guard. Missionary Herald, vol. 27 1247, vol. 25 1119, 374 ; vol. 28 143, 156, 191. Resolutions and Statements of the Mis sionaries, relative to the contem plated plan for removing the Cherokee Indians, presented at a meeting held at New Echota, Dec. 29, 1830. Missionary Her ald, vol. xxvii p. 80. l8 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Correspondence with the Cherokee and Choctaw Nation, by Prudential Committee, A. B. Cf. F. M. Miss. Herald, vol. 55 : 350. Death of Major George Lowrey, once Assistant Principal Chief, by S. A. Worcester, Missionary Herald, 1853- Draton s Talk to Cherokee Indians, ( I 775)> Dawson s Historical Magazine, vol. 11 1280. Expedition against the Cherokees, 1776, by E. F. Rockwell, Dawson s Historical Magazine, vol. 12 :2i2. Georgia Cherokee Controversy, S. E. Sewell. Christian Examiner, vol. 9 5107. American Annual Regis ter, vol. 6:91. Southern Review, vol. 2:541. Nile s Register, vol. 32 189, 108 ; vol. 37 140, vol. 40 : 244. History of the Cherokees. Drake s In dians of North America, pp. 437 _ Intemperance in Schools, a paper read before the Teacher s Institute, by Miss Ada Archer, Cherokee Ad vocate, vol. 10. No. 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 19 Letters of C. C. Torrey concerning death of Rev. S. A. Worcester. Miss. Herald, vol. 55 : 350. Letter of Stephen Foreman, a Cherokee. Missionary Herald, vol. 25 : 318. Letter from Mr. Ellsworth, Mis. Herald, vol. 25-: 318. Letter from Rev. John Thompson, Miss. Herald, vol. 25 : 184, 319, 373. Vol. 26 : 214. Letter of Rev. Mr. Potter, Miss. Herald, Aug. 15, 1831, vol. 27 : 99, 332. Letter of Rev. Evan Jones, Miss. Her ald, for 1830. Letters of Rev. Dr. Butler, Miss. Her ald, vol. 26: 381 ; vol. 41 : 240; vol. 32 : 186 : vol. 34 : 136. Letter from Rev. John Allen, concern ing the Cherokees, Missionary Herald, vol. 23 : 378. Letter of Rev. S. A. Worcester, vol. 25 : 253 ; vol. 37 : 373 ; vol. 47 : 325 ; vol. 51 . 263. Tour of Rev. Mr. Buttrick among the Cherokees, with description of Lookout Mountain. Missionary Herald, Jan.. 1824, pages 8 to 15. 20 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Letters of Rev. Mr. Buttrick, vol. 31 : 289, 400 ; vol. 32 : 189. Letter from Rev. John Allen concerning the Cherokees. Missionary Her ald, vol. 23 . 378. Letter from Rev. S. A. Worcester, vol. 25 : 253 ; vol. 37 .-373 ; vol. 47 : 325 ; vol. 51 1263. Catalogues of male and female semina ries, usually printed at St. Louis, are published annually ; pages about 30. Full account of man agement and course of study. Only printed in English. Historical Discourse, preached at Bap tist church, Tahlequah, Nov. 16, 1884, by Rev. Daniel Rogers, general missionary of the Baptist Home Missionary Society for Indian Territory. Cherokee Ad vocate, vol. 9, no. 27. Historical letter, by Rev. W. A. Duncan. Cherokee Advocate, vol. n : 6. Institutions of the Cherokees. American Annual, vol. 12 136. Legislature of 1819. Niles Register, vol. 37 : 189. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 21 Lands of the Cherokees. Democratic Review, vol. 28 1320. Message of the Principal Chief of Cher okee Nation, 1828. Extract con cerning the Press, Missionary Herald. Dec. 1828. Message of Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation, 1842, printed in both English and Cherokee. Edition 500 each. Message of Principal Chief, 1843. Edi tion 500, both English and Cher okee. Memorial of the Delegates of the Chero kee Nation to the President of the United States and Senate, and House of Representatives in Con gress. Washington Chronicle Print, 1886. pp. 12. This is a val uable document, as it contains a record of the War of the Rebel lion, so far as the Union Cherokee troops are concerned, and more, so far as it contains a copy of the act whereby the Cherokees eman cipated their slaves. 22. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Message. First Annual Message of Hon. D. W. Bushyhead, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, delivered at Tahlequah, C. N., Nov. i, 1879. Pamphlet, pp. 9. 2nd Annual Message of same, delivered at Tahlequah, Nov. 3, 1880. Pamphlet and Broadside. 3d Annual of same, delivered at Tahlequah, Nov. 9, 1881. Pamph let and Broadside from Advocate. 4th Annual of same, delivered at Tahlequah. Message. First Annual Message (Sec ond Term) of Hon. D. W. Bushy- head, Principal Chief of Chero kee Nation, delivered at Tahle quah, Nov. 7, 1883. Pamphlet and Broadside. 2nd Annual as above, delivered at Tahlequah, Nov. 4, 1884, Pamphlet, pp. 25. Advocate print. This has an appendix with a statement showing the receipts and disbursements on account of sales of Cherokee neutral lands, under the lyth article of the treaty July 1 9th, 1886. Also a statement BIBLIOGRAPHY. 23 showing the receipts and disburse ments on account ot the sales of the Cherokee school lands in Alabama ; 4th article of treaty, Feb. 27, 1819. Also statement concerning funds received from the sale of lands to Ossages Paw nees, Poncas, Nez Perces, Ottoes and Missourias with a statement of the amount and character of Cherokee funds and invested se curities , Message. Seventh Annual Message of Hon. D. W. Bushyhead to the Senate and Council of the Chero kee Nation, pp. 20. Delivered Nov. 4, 1885. Fourth Annual of same (Second Term) delivered at Tahlequah, Nov. 2nd, 1886. Advocate job office, pp. 20. The foregoing Messages were printed in Advocate, in English and Cherokee. Notes on Brainerd, with an entertaining account of early Cherokees. Mis sionary Herald, vol. 19:44, 117, 169, 341 ; on Dwight, vol. 19:81, 172. 205. 24 BIBL1OGRAPY. Names of Stations, Missionaries, Mis sionary Physicians and Assistant Missionaries, with record, from the establishment of Cherokee missions in 1817 to 1840. Mis sionary Herald, vol. 36:28-30. Origin of the first Cherokee Hymn, by George E. Foster. Woman s Magazine. Cherokee Advocate, vol. 10, no. 5. Our Cherokee Sisters, by George E. Foster. Woman s Magazine, Brattleboro, Vt. Opinion of Court U. S. Court of Claims, Eastern Band of Cherokees, vs. U. S. and Cherokee Nation. Chero kee Advocate, vol. 10 . 4, ten col umns. Relative Importance of Branches taught in the schools. J. L. Taft. Read before Cherokee Teachers Insti tute, June 30, 1886. Cherokee Advocate. Responsibility of the Teacher, by Miss Flora Ingram. Cherokee Advo- o cate, vol. 10, no. 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 25 Report on Slavery among the Cherokees and Choctaws, by Selah B. Treat. 1848. Missionary Herald, vol. 44. Report of Missions of the United Breth ren for 1822 ; 8 pages ; Dublin. Contains much about the Chero kees. See also Holmes Mora vian Missions, London, 1827 ; page 206. Missionary Herald, vol. 20: 296, 329. Speech of Chief, D. W. Bushy head, de livered to the assemblage at Tah- lequah, Aug. 8th, 1886, on the death of General U.S. Grant. Cherokee Advocate, vol. 10:12 Letter on the same by sam.e. vol. 10 :n. Supreme Court of the U. S. Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, vs U. S. and the Cherokee Nation, com monly called the Cherokee Na- .tion, West. Appeal from Court of Claims Cherokee Advocate, vol. 10:45; 46:47. Schools among the Cherokees. Dennie s Portfolio, vol. 26 158. Consult also all of the Missionary Heralds pre vious to 1 86 1 . 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY. Se-quo-yah, a Cherokee Half-breed, by W. A. Phillips. Harper s Maga zine. Vol. 41 042. An account of his life and inven tion. Missionary Herald, Vol. 24 : 30. Copied from Cherokee Phoe nix. See, also, Knapp s Lectures on American Literature. Sequoyah and his People, an oration by W. A. Thompson, a Cherokee. Published in Cherokee Advocate, June 30, 1886. Sequoyah, the American Cadmus and Modern Moses, a complete history of the greatest of red men, around whose wonderful life has been woven the numerous customs and beliefs of the early Cherokees, together with a recital of their wrongs, and their wonderful progress toward civilization, by George E. Foster, editor of Mil- ford, N. H. Enterprise, pp. 265. Philadelphia, 1884. Temperance among the Cherokees ; an historical record. See Cherokee Advocate ; vol. n 143. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 2y Success of Cherokee Indian Missions, by Selah Treat. Missionary Her ald, vol. 47 1310. 313. Cherokee Mission and Alabama, by P. H. White. Congregational Quarterly, vol. 3 . 279. General Remarks on Cherokee missions. Missionary Herald, 1825. Socrates, an original essay by Mamie Aciair of the Cherokee Nation. read at the Commencement exer cises of Kirkwood, Mo. Female Seminary, class of 1884. Chero kee Advocate, vol. 9 . 9. The Indian notLo. W. A. Duncan, Ad vocate, vol. 9 143. The Mormon Question, discussions by W. A. Duncan and others, in the Advocate, 1887. Things as they Are, by Rev. W. A. Duncan, of Park Hill. Advocate vol. 9:33. The great Question, Are the Ifive Civil ized Tribes prepared to dissolve their Nationality? by Rev. A. N. Chamberlin. Advocate vol. 9:45. 28 BIBLIOGRAPHY. The Preservation of the Cherokee and other Indians, a special Report by S el ah B. Treat. Missionary Herald, Nov., 1853. Traditions of the Cherokees. Selections from Phoenix, Missionary Herald, vol. xxv .197. The Lands West of 96 degrees Terri torial Government of Oklahoma, etc., vol. 10:48, 49, of Cherokee Advocate. United States, vs. Rogers on Petition for Removal, and Habeas Corpus. Opinion of Judge Parker, Chero kee Advocate, vol. 9:52. THE CHEROKEES. THE GENESIS. What we accept as the genesis of any people is simply traditionary. The le gends and traditions of all nations resem ble each other in so many points, that they are often compared for the purpose of proving the common origin of man. The water legends especially bear a close resemblance to each other. The myths and histories of the ancient nations are full of reminders of a deluge. In ev ery region and every clime on the globe the historian meets with traces or tradi tions of the flood and the favored few. 2 THE GENESIS. The Cherokee traditions, as a whole, come down to us more clearly defined and consistent than those ot any other Aborigines tribe of America. Still there are omissions, contradictions and suspi cious evidences of borrowing. But here the tradition : In the time NU-TA-TE-QUA, or the first new moon of Autumn, U-HA-LI-TE-QUA, the great-great, or the head of all power, great beyond expression, having also A-xa-NO-Ti. and U-sqA-Hu-LA, two oth er beings of like sentiment and action, in the Great Council House above the gilt-edged clouds beyond the mountains, sat on three seats, which were covered with the purest white fur, and surround ed with trusty spirits. *These three were the proprietors of all things that then *There is no explanation in Cherokee traditions telling how U-ha-li-te-qua came to exist, nor is there any account of the origin of A-to-no-ti or U-sqa-hu-la or the ministering spirits. As it is sta ted that thej r were "the proprietors of all things that then were" it is probable that they believed in multiplicity of worlds. THE GENESIS. 3 were, for all that then was by them had been constructed. They were indeed the great-great, for when U-ha-li-te-qua, A-ta-no-ti and U-sqa-hu-la said "live", life came ; when they said "die", death followed. But at this time, they were discussing where to fix their permanent abode and they concluded to first finish their work of creation. The first firmament which they created was some higher than a mountain, but it proved too narrow and too warm and not high enough to behold all their subjects. Then U-ha-li-te-qua, A-ta-no-ti and U-sqa-hu-la built a second firmament that also proved too small and warm but as it proved more comfortable than the first, they decided to keep on building firmaments until they should find one just right. They did so, and in the seventh* they decided to make their home. Then U-ha-li-te-qua, A-ta-no-ti, and U-sqa-hu-la became absorbed into *For much information concerning the Cherokee "Seven," see the Author s SE-QUO-YAH. 4 THE GENESIS. one being as they had been before in sentiment and action. This being was called YE-HO-WA. The early Cherokees believed him to be both m an and Spirit, a very glorious being, whose name was never to be spo ken in common talk. To him bowing toward the East they addressed their prayers, just before the rising sun. Within the first firmament, Ye-ho-wa created the earth and in it he made a beautiful garden. And it came to pass that Ye-ho-wa and his son for the earli est Cherokees say he had a son decided to people the earth, and the time was Nu- ta-te-qua or Autumn, when the fruits were all ripe.* Then Ye-ho-wa sent his son to man age the affairs of earth, and he descend ed to the garden and made two images out of clay, and when he had completed *This mention of man not being created until the fruits were all ripe was a pretty conception of rhe early Cherokee, showing the thoughtful foresight of Ye-ho-wa in providing food for the newly created THE GENESIS. 5 them, his father, Ye-ho-wa, breathed into the bodies, a soul, heart and inwards, and one became a male and the other a female. The clay of which they were made was red ; hence this man and wo man were the progenitors of the red race. When Ye-ho-wa breathed into the bodies the breath of life, it was his inten tion that man should be immortal, but he was deprived of this boon by a young Cherokee woman.* How immortality was lost is thus related. Some moons after mankind was created, a young wo man was bitten by a serpent and her spir it fled from her body. The people were *Thus it seems that the early Cherokee laid their misfortune at woman s door as did the Genesis. It was firmly believed by savage tribes that women had no souls and consequently no place in heaven. Later the place allotted to woman in heaven was a menial one. It was the universal custom among savage nations, when a chieftain died to slay the wives and servants, that their ghosts might accom pany him to Paradise. The Cherokees seem to have been the first of our Aborigines nations to ac knowledge the rights of women and they are lead- ers in that virtue to-dav. O THE GENESIS. told that if they could get her spirit back to her body, that her body would live again and general mortality would be averted. Some young braves there upon procured a box and started in pur suit. The trail led past rocky fastnesses, up shady dells, through forests dark and across green meadows to a silvery river. Here they caught up with her spirit as it was dancing gaily in the sunlight, like a gold winged butterfly over a garden of flowers. They captured her spirit at last and shut it into a box so dark that she pleaded for light. But they hurried on until they reached a point near where the body was, when on account of her pecu liar urgency, they removed the lid a very little, and out flew the spirit and was gone and with it all hope of immortality. It is related that Ye-ho-wa, before re tiring for good into the seventh heaven, instructed the people concerning the prac tical affairs of life, and unfolded to them the mysteries of the magic seven. He told them that it took seven days to build the world; if they worked on that day, THE GENESIS. 7 they or some of their relatives would die; that there were seven heavens; that in their prayers they must raise their hands to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh heaven, and then express their de sire to the Great Spirit who dwelt there. He gave them a prayer to be sung every seventh morning. A little before morning or about daybreak they were to plunge seven times into a stream. On the day of the feast, the food was to be brought by twice seven women: seven of whom were to provide for the men and seven for the women; that the nation should be divided into seven clans; and these clans should fast every seventh day.* Ye-ho-wa, afterward called the Great Spirit, directed them not to use vulgar lan- * The seven clans are seven families, each from its own original stock, and therefore too nearly re lated to admit of intermarriages. The names of these seven clans are as follows: i. Ani-wa-ya, or Wolf clan; 2. Ani-ko-ta-ke-wi, or Blind Savannah clan; 3. Ani-wo-ti or Paint clan; 4. Ani-qui-lo-hi, or Longhair clan ; 5. Ani-tsis-qua, or Bird clan ; 6- Ani-ka-wi, or Deer clan; Ani-stasti, or Holley clan.] SHIELD EATER. 8 THE GENESIS. guage, and not to tell a lie* as these things were considered wicked. He then gave the redman a bow and arrow and taught him how to use it; he gave him also a book and told the rodrnan to write in it, but the red man simply made marks, as he could not read; this book he finally took away from the red man and gave it to the white race. Hav ing given his instruction, Ye-ho-wa left Wasi as a teacher and he appeared no more on earth. fWasi was a Prophet and foretold events. He told them of an approaching flood by which the world would be drowned, also of a shower of pitch, which would be followed by a shower of fire. He also laid down the *It was made a criminal act by the Cherokee Council in 1824 to give false evidence in court, the punishment being thirty-nine lashes. fWasi seems to correspond with Moses of the Genesis. Indeed the Butrick Collections, many of them can hardly be relied upon as genuine Chero kee. It is only too evident that many legends were borrowed from the earlier missionaries, especially v from the Moravians, who had been among the Cherokees as early as 1740. THE GENESIS. 9 rules of the feast and left instruction for making sacrifice. The early priests offer ed sacrifice with new fire, having a rack two or three feet high for an altar. "The sacred character of fire w as impressed very widely and deeply on the Indian manners and customs. Fire in their minds was regarded in some manner as we should view the opening of a door into the spiritual world . It is believed that its symbolical light is thus thrown on the path of the deceased to guide the foot steps through its darkling way to the land of the dead. That the procurement of sacred fire by percussion, the ceremony of lighting the pipe and the incineration of tobacco therein and its being first lifted toward the sun, prefigured the beliefs in ancient fire-worship, is more than proba ble"* *The new fire was made by friction ; like the original holy fire it must not be used for common purposes, except when made especially to supply the Nation with fire. No torch must be lighted by it, nor a coal taken from it for common use. When the ceremonies were over it was given to some one to keep.] SHIELD EATER. IO THE GENESIS. The seventh day was the Priest s day. They assembled all the people at an ear ly hour. Ko-tis-ki gives an account of this feast as follows : "No work was done except by women, who brought forward the food. The old men smoke and the young men occasion ally dance before them. At usual break fast time, the victuals were brought by fourteen women previously appointed, seven to wait on men and seven for wo men. The priests sat on their appropri ate white seats ; other old men sat on the seats near the middle of the house ; other men and boys on seats to the right and the women and girls to the left. The victuals were set on the ground in dishes, before the several seats, and then the waiting women took their seats with the other females. The priests then arose and told the people that the Creator had given them food, and by partaking of it they would be refreshed, and then told them to eat. The repast being ended, the fourteen women took away the dishes. THE GENESIS. II The leader of the dances was then called forward. He arranged the company in single file : the leader followed by his wife, the next principal man and his wife, and so on, a man and his wife ; or, if a man had no wife, he was followed by a single relative who was a near rela tive or of the same clan. This arrange ment might form a number of circles in the wigwam. Being thus arranged, while standing, the congregation was addressed by tour priests successively. They occupied the white middle seat. The eldest arose and spoke, holding a white wing of a fowl, by the right side of his face. Together and with other in structions, he charged the people to love and be kind to each other. On conclud ing, the first took his seat and handed the white wing to the one next to him, and so on until all four had spoken. The white wing was then hung in a sacred place over their heads. The dance then commenced. Toward evening, all being again seated, the same women who had 12 THE GENESIS. provided breakfast now brought forward dinner or supper, which was served as in the morning ; and the night was wholly spent in dancing. None must sleep ex cept the children ; after breakfast all re turned to their homes." All were Indians, or red people before the flood, said Nutsawi. They were taught that the people, after death, would be separated, the good from the bad. The good would take a path which would lead them to the happy hunting ground, where it would be always light ; but the bad would be urged along another path, which lead to a deep gulf, over which lay a pole with a dog at each end. They would be urged onto this pole, and the dogs, by moving it, would throw them off into the gulf of fire beneath. If they ever got over they would be transfixed with red hot bars of iron, and thus would be tormented forever. SE-QUOYAH, THE AMERICAN CADMUS. BY GEO. E. FOSTER. Editor of the Milford, N. H. Enterprise. Price $1.50, Postpaid. A graphic Biography of an Unlearned Savage, who invented an Alphabet, and thus started the Cherokee People forward toward their present high state of civiliz ation, and, though himself unlearned, he becomes the "Father of Learning" to his People. Interesting as a novel it is entirely de void of the harmfulness of dime novel In dian literature and is a pleasant book for all who make up the fireside circle. Replete in facts hitherto ungarnered, it is a valuable work for Public Libraries and should be read by all students of American History, PRESS NOTICES. A very interesting volume. Lowell Mail. A delightful book. Charleston (S. C.) Neivs. Healthful as well as helpful. New York Union. A book of much merit. Nerv Hampshire Jour nal. More interesting than a romance. Woman s Magazine. Ought to be extensively read. Salem (Mass.) Register. A well written biography, worthy of attention. Boston Herald. This volume will be found full of interest. Hart ford Courant, A pleasant book for the fireside circle. Independ ent -and Times. A work that every one ought to have at hand. Cherokee Advocate. A splendid story of Cherokee history. Phoenix, Creek Nation. One of the most valuable works recently pub lished. Nashua Gazette. Interesting from first page to the last. Magazine of American History. Not easily laid aside after the work has been opened. Peterboro Transcript. Will have an important place among American historical books. Boston Globe. A mass of valuable information collated wi;h great care. Lowell (Mass.) Times. We are very proud to give this book a place in our library. San Joaquin (C/.) Argus. The author should be encouraged to publish other C herokee works. Indian Chieftain. Mr. Foster has conferred a great favor to the gen eral cause of history. Golden Cross Journal. Will be read with interest bv every lover of the strange and eventful. Keene {N. //.) Observer. Will do much to counteract the pernicious effect of dime novel literature. Amherst, N. U. Cabinet. As interesting as Robinson Crusoe, and at the same time as true as the Bible. Garden City her ald. Is quite unique and shows praiseworthy diligence on the part of the author. Junction Journal, Ayer, Mass. The work is timely, and throws a flood of light upon the capacity of the red race. Manchester Daily Union. Worthy the careful attention of the American historians as well as the general reader. Boston Transcript. Mr. Foster s publications have done much to awaken a kindly interest toward our people. 7 he Chieftain, Vinita, Indian Territory. The work certainly is a very commendable one. Mr. Foster is an earnest and enthusiastic friend of Indians. The American, Philadelphia, Pa. As one reads this lively story of Cherokee pro gress, he is vividly impressed that there can be a high type of Indian civilization Ithaca (N. Y.) Journal* The author is to be commended for his painstaking fidelity in making this contribution to an interesting department of American history. The Watchman, (Boston.) The author has a happy faculty of making his historical facts tread closely on the borders of ro mance, rendering the book quite captivating. Ghat- anooga, (Tenn,) Times. Certain it is that on laying aside the book we feel underobligation to Mr. Foster for the conscientious work he has performed, in an endeavor to enlighten his countrymen on a subject that they know little or nothing about, and that little all on the wrong side. Nashua Telegraph. From Personal Letters. "I know sufficient of its purport and value per se and of its unique relations in literature to believe in it and to accept its success without surprise." [Prof. S. J. Blanpied, Principal of the Millbury (Mass) High School. "I have read Se-quo-yah with much interest and profit. It is a valuable addition to the literature of the Indian question, and upon the side which has hitherto had altogether too few advocates. I assure you, I can conscientiously speak a good word for it when opportunity occurs." [Hon. Martin Haynes, Congressman from First New Hampshire District. "I have read Se-quo-yah with much pleasure and interest and have recommended it to the City Li brarian." [Wm. B. Morgan, Prof, of Mathematics, Elclham College, Richmond, Indiana. "I congratulate you upon the success you have hg d in preserving the memory and spreading the renown of the Indian Cadmus. [Ex. U. S. Sena tor, Bainbridge VVadleigh. The American Nation as well the Nation Cher okee owe you a debt of gratitude." [Abby (Hutch- inson) Patton. "I have looked upon you as in a measure "God- sent" for through vou I became interested in the Indian cause." [Esther T. Housh, editor of the Woman s Magazine "I have read your book on Se-quo-\ah with much interest and pleasure. You have made an ad dition to the literature of American biography, t congratulate you on the result of your work." [Dr. S A. Green, Librarian of Massachusetts Historical Society. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, CHEROKEE NATION, IND. TER Tahlequah, Jan y 2oth iS36. Mr. George E. Foster, Milford, N. H. Dear Sir : I have the honor to transmit to you, a certified Copy of the Joint Resolution, which passed the Senate without any opposition, and would doubt less have passed the lower house had there not been so much business ahead of it that it was not reached. I may assure you that I would have ap proved it, if there had been time to pass it. Hoping that success will attend all your literary ventures, I am very Respectfully D. VV. BUSHYHEAD. PRINCIPAL CHIEF. [Copy] Whereas^ The National Council has been pre sented with the life of Se-quo-vah, our Cadmus the inventor of the Cherokee Alphabet, written by George E. Foster, and, whereas, if there is one man more than any otKer whose memory and his tory should be cherished by a Nation if there is a single individual on whom a nation can look as a benefactor, it is certainly Se-quo-yah. Now therefore be it resolved by the National Council : That we hareby extend to George E. Foster, the author, our sincere gratitude for his effort to preserve the history of our greatest man ; for his effort to keep alive in the minds of the American people that there is something good and great in the American Indian. Dec. 5th. 1885. R. T. HANKS, Clerk. L 0. BELL, Pr^ t Senate. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, CHEROKEE NATION. 1 hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of a Resolution, which was presented in and pass* ed the Senate on the last day day of the Regular Session of the National Council for the year 1885, and was sent thence to the Council Branch of the said Council for the action of said Branch, but was not reached before adjournment "sine die." In witness of the correctness of which Joint Res~ {, . I olution, I hereby sign my r.ame, and affix L. S. > the Seal of the Cherokee Nation on this ^ <> ) 2Oth clay of January 1886. W. P BOUDINOT, Executive Secretary, C. N. UJ 2 DC UJ Q W Z O O DC GENERAL LIBRARY - U.C. BERKELEY BOD0101D02