Cherokee phoenix, and Indians' advocate. [volume], October 19, 1833, Image 2

About Cherokee phoenix, and Indians' advocate. [volume] (New Echota [Ga.]) 1829-1834

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and" additional stations- in connexion
with existing missions, are to be speed
ily established. By the missionaries
of the board, since the commcnecment
of its operations, four languages Jiave
been reduced to writing. The Scrip
tures, and other publications, all more
or less religious character, have been
printed, in twelve different languages,
to an amount of more than'6B,ooo,ooo
of pages; 1,27.5 schools have been es- |
tablished, containing 59,824 scholars;
27 churches have been gathered, con
taining about 1,800 native members.
The receipts of the Board the past
year amounted to $145,844,77, which,
added to the balance in the treasury at
the commencement of the year, gave
$152,522,41 of funds at the disposal ot
the committee during the year. Ot
this sum was expended in prosecuting
the ibjfecta of the Board, $ 149,906-,37,
leaving in the treasury of disposable
funds, a balance of $2,616, 14.
On Wednesday evening last, the an
nual sermon, before the Board, was
preached to a large audience, in the
Reformed Dutch Church, in Grown
street, by the Rev. Dr. M'Murray, of |
the city of New York. On Thursday
evcnin nP , before a crowed audience, in
the seventh Presbyterian Church, ex
tracts from the annual report wero read,
and resolutions offered, and addresses
made, on the subject of Missions, by
several gentlemen from different parts
of the country. On Sabbath evening
last, a crowded assembly attended at
the delivery of the instructions of the
Prudential Committee to the Rev. J.
Leighton Wilson, of South Carolina,
about to proceed to Western Africa,
to make arrangements for the imme
diate establishment of missions at Cape
Palmas, aud in or near the colony of
Liberia. Besides appropriate'sinVing,
a prayer was offered by the T|py >v Dr.
Beman, of Troy, N. Y. —the instruc
tions were read by the Rev Rufus An
derson, and an address was delivered
by the Rev. B. B, Wisner, Secretaries
of the Board, and a conducing prayer
offered by the Rev. Dr. Cayler, of
Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
The proceedings of the Board, and
of its Missionaries, are detailed in the
Missionary Herald, a monthly publica
tion issued by the Prudential Commit
tee; of which Messrs. French Si Per
kins, Booksellers, of this city, arc A
gents, and which also gives, from month
to month, a general view ot Protestant
Missionary operations throughout the
world.
INDIANS.
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE.
"It has been fecently commuuicated
to me, that a respectable portion of our
citizens residing in the counties bor
dering oil the Cherokee Nation, are
desirous that the laws of the State
should bo extended over the Indians
within our limits: and in compliance
with their wishes, I have thought it to be
rny duty to present the subject for your
consideration.
"As the act of Congress of eighteen
hundred and two, only extends to the
"regulating of trade and intercourse
with the Indians," it is thought ques
tionable whether any authority exists
to punish crimes committed within that
portion of our State to which the In
dian title has not been extinguished;
nor is it believed that there is authori
ty to enforce civil contracts. If this
view of the subject be correct, it seems
to me that the power of the State to
pass laws for the punishment of crimes
committed within its limits, or to coerce
the payment of debts, cannot be well
doubted. In acting upon this subject,
I am persuaded you will pursue that
course which Will best comport with
the rights and pnterests of the parties
concerned.
From the National Banner*.
The Select committee to which was refer
red, so much of the Governors Mes
sage as relates io tlu extention of the
laurs of the State of Tennessee, to her
southern limits, Report:
That in deliberating on the subject
submitted to their consideration, grave
and important as it is, they have chief
ly directed their investigations, to the
influence which the measure they pro
pose will have upon both the tranquil
ity of the State and the just supremacy
of her laws, and the comfort and hap
piness of that portion of the Indians
whoso condition it is designed to af-
The former it is conceded should
not be acquired at the expense of jus
tice- nor should blessings however en
during be harshly forced upon a peo
ple, who have not the capacity and in
telligence to appreciate them p -n lh "
cence and humanity lose half their
charms, when the recipient of unwill
ing favors, does not comprehend the
value of the intended kindness.
The peculiar features which charac
terise the relations, existing between
the Federal Government and the neigh
boring Indians the power and the
greatness of the one, contrasted with
the weakness of the other, ought like-
wise to admonish us, that magnanimity j
and forbearance, should mingle freely
with every act of the Legislature that
concerns their rights atul" privileges.
The law of force never has, nor nev
er should govern except in extreme
cases, emanating from their follies and
their pernicious delusions, leading as
they frequently do, to insufferable out
rages. The Cornmitte trust indeed,
that they would be among the last to
propose, and the firnt to resist any acts
of violence or unnecessary legislation
on the part of the State of Tennessee
and with becoming submission to the
opinions of others,, who may think dif
ferently, they do not conceive any ol
the principles here conceded will be
violated by the policy they venture to
advoeate.
In proposing as they do by the bil
herewith reported, to extend the an
thorityofour laws, over the whole o
tha acknowledged limits ot the State
;ind thereby subjecting to their juris
diction, the scattered, mixed and de
graded population, wl?o inhabit the
remnant of the Indian lands, they seel
to remove an evil, that has only beer
thus long perpetuated, by. a few de
signing chiefs, regardless of its unhap
py effects upon the miserable people
over whom they rule, and as is confi
dently believed, contrary to the wishes
of the largest portion of those who un
derstand their true condition. Motives
of state aggrandizement, will not they
Irust, under any difference of opinion,
lie urged as a reason for the policy re
commended. The territory in (pies
tion is not of value sufficient to ex
cite the cupidity of the most avaricious
jovernmcnt. There may bo extent o]
country sufficient to constitute one
;ounty and to make perhaps the one
lalf of another: but it is mostly broken,
nountainous and sterile, and without
iny of the mineral advantages that
rave of late given so much importance
;o lands lying a little farther East.—
Considerations of the most exalted cha
■actcr, (they repeat it) predicted upor
tndeniable facts (some ot them with it
he observation of individual member,
jf the committee) present indisputable
irguments in favor of speedy civil re
"orm in the condition of this people.—
Deprived of the blessings of law auc
Toverninent, and yet oppressed by theii
nost extensive outward forms, the)
ire held in abject and servile control
jy a few cunning and aitful men, whe
irbitarfly assume to themselves, eve
-y civil and spiritual station, and ir
pretended exercise of religion and jus
ice, make a solemn mockery of botl
—perverting both to the most selfisl
>f human purposes.
In such a state of things, as may
eadilv be conceived, whilst the weal
ire endeavoring to escape from, or te
jverthrow the strong, internal divisions,
nisrule and distraction spring up. Tilt
lominant party, unwilling to yield to.
>r to part from the wretches, who min
ster to their wealth, the;." Just and am
jition, enact the most sanguinary laws
igfiinst resistance or migration. It the
laked, half starved savage (such is the
:ondition of this unhappy population)
enrols himself for removal beyond the
Mississippi, where a contented and
lourishing half of his nation already
esidc, and where in a healthy, genial
ind fertile soil, thefe is abundant room
or the whole tribe, he is cruelly pun
shed with stripes. Should he consent
o cede any portion of the territory ir
juestion, his life is the forleit. Thus
t is by superadding "pains and peiial
ies" to the natural attachments which
>ind even the wandering savage to his
lalivc, uncultivated wilds, the artfu
'chief" of an ignorant band, maintains
lis usurpations ot the general govern
nent and against the best enttrcsl o
he deluded Indian; and hence, the
strange spectacle now too long: endur
•d, of a small community dwelling with
u our jurisdiction and within view o:
rur court houses, where anarchy, crime
mil violence pass unnoticed and un
finished.
The committee would respectful!)
submit in behalf of their citizens, whose
ots have been cast on the borders o!
his anomalous empire, if the mischiefs
w which they are daily subjected pre-
argument in favor ol the iiieas
u-fs now recommended? Have they
10 claims upon the protection and inter
ference of the legislature? Whilst
sympathising for acts of pretended vi
ilcnce, perpetrated on the "Indian,
ihall it be forgotten that the "white
nan" too has some rights: and if he
las, shall he be any longer postponed,
n order to gratify the insatiate averice
ind ambition of a few lawless "chirls"
vrannizing over an ignorant horde'
flow long is it to be endured, that this
sanctuary of vice, and crime shall re
nain open, a safe refuge for the old
iffender whose multiplied enormities
mve nearly betrayed him to the ven
reance of the law, or as a school whith
lt the young beginner in depravity
nay repair to learn the most sueeess
ul lessons of moral turpitude;
It is tinre that the evils here advert- I They had petitioned their Great h ather
ed to, should be arrested, and the pro- |to release Black Hawk and the e'" cr
tecting influence of government felt, j prisoners, and he has now sent them
where its shadow only has existed be- ! home to enjoy their liberty. Ihe Great
I fore. It is too late," the committee i Spirit has changed the heart ot the old
! verily believe, for any false notions of i Chief —gave him a good one. and sent
] humanity now to interpose, and arrest ! him back to his friends. Let the past
! the just exercise of legislative authori- be buried deep in the earth. \» 1111 st
ty upon this subject. All the states his heart was wrong he had done many
bordering on the Cherokee tribe, have very bad things, but, he hoped, now,
extended their laws, and taken juris- after having travelled through many of
diction with tlAir several chartered lim- the big towns, where he had been be
its. This polVy, though debatable in fore him, he could see the folly oflns
its incipient sj*ges, has now become past conduct, and would know how to
the settled usage, -of the country —and govern himself in future.'
in our action upon the subject we are Ke-o-kuk then advanced, with folded
only left to inquire—what shall Ten- arms, sedately to the tent ol Black
nessee do, in view of the circumstan- Hawk, shook hands and took seats in
ces surronnding her, to preserve her the tent; aftei which, the line moved
own internal tranquility? slowly forward, ft each took the Hawk
To forbear longer, the committee by the hand. Not a word was spoken
believe, would b« to invite every spc- until all had presented themsehes.
cies of aggression within our acknowl- Ke-o-kuk then broke silence, and each
edged limits, and to proclaim to all the commenced congratulating the other,
lovers of disorder and misrule, that an There were many among them wlio
asylum was provided for them within i had lost friends and relations during
the jurisdictional limits of one of the the late war, and when they called to
sovereign states of the Cnion. 1 his, mind that this old warrior had led them
the committee believe, would be as un- on to the battle field, on wnich they
wise as it would be unjust', and finally had perished, it harrowed up their
tend to the overthrow of the Cherokee souls, and created within them feelings
tribe itself. .National honor and the of painful remembrance. The tear ot
progressive, improvement of society de- sorrow was seen to steal dotvn their
mand indeed liberal and generous pro- cheeks, and the throbbing ot theheait,
visions of law, and that the statute book plainly evinced the painful feelings of
i should go more, for the requirement of the mind. Here were those who had
obediencee in the "white man" than affectionate relations and kind friends —
rhc exaction of "dues" or duties" who had heard related the painful story
from the "red man." of their death—and before them sat the ;
In further elucidutioh of this subject, Chief who had led them onward to the
tha committe state the fact to be, that glory scene. For their departed friends
not less than ftitee of this tribe have the tear of sorrow gushed from their
been by special acts of the legislature, eye-lids, the palpitating heart throbbed
admitted to all the privileges of citizen- with melancholy sympathy; but not a
ship in the state of Tennessee: one of a word of censure, or a whisper of re
whom is, at this time acting, as post proach was cast upon the old Chiet.
master under the authority of the gen- For he too, had cause to lament, hot. 1
eral government, and all of whom are the loss of friends and the loss ot pow
now residing, within the limits of the er. . ,
country, ove« which our laws are pro- Time was wharf he stood high in the
posed to be extended—a negative preg- councils of the nation—where lie could
aunt at least that they reside within call around him his Braves and War
the jurisdictional limits o£,the state of riot s, (among whom he was chief,) and,
I Tennessee. at hrs nod, led them onward "to the
Of our constitutional .right to take tented field and battle gore. T ? u '
jurisdiction of crimes and contracts, now, how different his situation. How
as recommended in the Message of the changed his circumstances! Thrown
Governor, the Committee entertain no from the lofty summit ot his greatness,
doubts: it were useless, (if they pos- without rank and without power, plac
sessed the ability) to elaborate a ques- ed under obligations to those chiets
tion of power which has already distin- (whom he could never recognize as
sjuished the pens of some of our most equals) even for his liberty .—and then,
eminent Statesmen. As the best and the reflection that so many of his brave
most conclusive argument at their com- warriors who had fought by tus side
mand, and one «hich it is believed had foil in haul*,- and whose bones
speaks the Sentiments and opinions 01 now lie bleached on the rugged eart
the present able and popular adminis- without a mound, and with nought bu
tration; the committee have concluded the canopy of Heaven trtr a covering,
to accompany this report, with a dis- must, and did, produce withm him,
cussion which appeared in a Northern feelings of the deepest mortification
Journal, in the winter of 18, then and andhumiliation
ever since attributed to a Gentleman,
whose talents and integrity have gained
the confidence of the nation and his
Government. This paper with other
documents and "A bill" are respect
fully summitted to the wisdom and con
sideration of the House
From the' American Daily Advertiser
BLACK HAWK'S RECEPTION.
There is, perhaps, no subject so mel
ancholy interesting, or more touching
ly sublime, than the meeting of long
absent friends. There are a thousand
receptions crowding upon the mind at
the moment—the scenes of other days,
when all was calm and sunshine —the
anxious hopes and fears for each oth
er's welfare—and, finally, the pleasing
delight of meeting once more togeth
er.
We have witnessed many such meet
ings—we have seen the parent St child,
after a long separation, greet each oth
er on their meeting—and we have seen
the faithful'and affectionate spouse re
ceive the partner in her bosom, and
welcome him home, in smiles and tears,
in joy and anguish:—But, we have ne
ver yet witnessed any meeting ot friends
more fraught with melancholy intellect
than that of Black Hawk and the Sacs
and Foxes.
On his arrival at Rock Island, the
ex-Chief had his tent pitched on the
bank of the Mississippi near the agency,
—and on the next morning Ke-o-kuk Si
the other Chiefs, with a large party of
their young men arrived, for the pur
pose of receiving him. They encamp
ed immediately infront of Black Hawk's
tent on the opposite bank of the river.
Preparations were soon made ou both
sides for the meeting. A number ot
canoes were lashed together to convey
the Braves and the Warriors to the oth
er shore, a flag was hoisted, and the
sound of the muffled drum was heard,
which was a signal of their departure.
Ke-o-kuk and the chiefs, moved slow
ly, in front,—and, on reaching the
shore, formed their young men into a
kind of hollow square. Ke-o-kuk then
made a short address to his people. He
said:
"The Great Spirit had been kind to
them—He had listened to their peti
tions-««He had granted their requests—
and they ought all to be thankful.—
Rock Island, August 1533
From Flint!® Indian Wars of the West.
INDIAN ANTIQUITIES.
Among the second class of Indian '
antiquities may be classed the idols, >
vases 7 and culinary utensils, of which 1
such numbers are found in the western j
country, as that they are no longer re- 1
garded as curiosities. The beautiful '
threeheaded idol, the most remarkable 1
specimen of Indian pottery and mould
ing that has yet been found, was taken
from a mound in Tennessee. It con
sists of three heads proportions of con
siderable accuracy, representing coun
tenances of different expressions and
ages. The whole workmanship is sur
prising, when viewed in reference to the
common notion of Indian art. Wc
possessed a beautitul and perfect speci
men of Indian pottery in the shape of a
drinking gourd. The aperture repre
sented the mouth of a squaw, which the
thirsty drinker would naturally kiss with
a degree of eager appetite. In digging
a ditch round a garden below Saint
Charles, in the forks between the
Mississippi and Missouri, we came
upon great quantities of fragments ot
this ware. Much ofit in fine preserva
tion has been dug from the chalk banks
below the mouth of the Ohio. It is
found in fact every where between the
Pittsburgh, lake Superior, and New
Mexico. The material is clay, with a
considerable intermixture ot sand,
sometimes flinty, sometimes calcarous,
but generally of a snowy whiteness.
They were all moulded by the hand
without any aid from the potter's wheel
The shapes of natural objects were
happily imitated, and they were har
dened by the heat of the sun. Sculp
tured and inscribed rocks are among
the most common of Indian antiquities
On the side of a mountain in Tennessee,
are the marks of the footsteps of men
and horses in the limestone, in great
numbers and as though they were the
i tracks of an army. Some of the tracks
t show, as if the party had slipped in
i miry clay. All have the appearance of
being an actual impress in soTt clay,
> which afterwards hardened to stone, re
• taining a perfect impression. Charac
ters of grert freshness of colouring, are
- marked upon many of the high bluffs,
that impend the western rivers. In
scriptions of this sort are found in
Missouri, on the Illinois, and various
other places. A remarkable track of
human foot was found in awsolid block
of limestone, on the bank of the
Mississippi, at St Louis. The most an
cient traditions of the west do not touch
the origin of these mounds or charac
ters." "The recent excavation of the
Louisville and Portland canal, afforded
an impressive display of ancient re
mains. In the alluvial stratum immed
iately above the compact bed of slate
limestone, and from nineteen to up
-1 wards of twenty feet below the sur
face, brick hearths were brought to
view, with the coals of the last social
domestic lires still visible. The bricks,
as we have heard them described, were
hard and regular, differing from those,
of the present make, in being propor
tion to their width aud thickness. A
long with the organic remains of ani
mals, similar to those found at Big
Bone Lick, were skeletons of men in
great numbers. Among others, was
that of a mail standing erect in the
earth, one arm raised to an angle of
forty-five degrees with the shoulder,
and holding in the hand a seiji-globular,
or rather elliptical stone, striated with
gay colours, beautifully polished, and
of the size of half an orange."
The Cherokee Lands.—The Cherokee
Phoenix says, that large land companies
have bought of many individuals the
lots of land which they drew in tho
Georgia Lottery; and that it would now
be much cheaper for th« Unite States
to redeem all these possessions given
by lottery, so that Georgia citizens can
no longer claim them, than to purchase
the whole territory of the Cherokees.
The title of Georgia to sell tTiese
lands might indeed be thus extinguish
ed, but this would not exclude her from
extending her government over the In
dians. Would the Cherokees consent
| to become citizens, and abandon their
1 independent government, and would
Georgia entitle them to all the privileg
es of citizenship, this might be the best
way of giving Goorgia an indemnifica
tion, and settling all e'xisting difficulties
Georgia having divided the lands to her
inhabitants can claim no more that the
U. S. shall extinguish for them the In
dian title: and the United States might
purchase and restore the whole to tho
Cherokees probably for three or four
millions of dollars.—Philadelphmian.
An Extract from a letter of Judge Clayton, to a
Committee who had invited him. to a celobration of
Independence on the 4th of July; declining their
invitation*
As to myself, I take this occasion
to own that 1 embrace the doctrine of
the Virginia and Kentucky resolu
tions, name and all, atid I speak advis
edly when I say upon the truth of
which you may rest fully assured, that
the leading federalists of the Worth,
and all politicans of that order now in
Congress, consider Mr. Jefferson the
father of Nullification, and openly, ac
knowledge that the resolutions of '9B
clearly go to avow and maintain that
doctrine; while we of the South are
trying to show they mean no such
thing—by which there necessarily re
sults an implied admission, that their
success was wholly undeserved; that
they put down very unjustifiably the
answers of the eastern States, and with
thc.m the Alien and Sedition laws. I
not only go for these principles, but I
prefer the name they bear, because it is
the christening of Mr. Jefferson, and
under that title he achieved for the
Republicans his great victory over the
Federalists. Because it is the name,
under which our much abused sister
State, South Carolina brought th,c
General Government to a sense of jus
tice, while fighting in the battles of the
whole South, and while the States
around her, who were equally oppress
ed, had complained as much and threat
ened more, stood trembling at her no
ble daring. Because under that name
the Tariff question has been settled, and
its proud advocates have been forced to
yield acknowledged compliance with its
demands. —Because under this name,
and these principles, Georgia "obtained
her lands in '25 as well as in '33. Be
cause under these she enforced obedi
ence to her laws, from a set of fanatics,
backed by a powerful combination of
religious and political intermeddlers.—
Because under these she maintained
her criminal jurisdiction over the Indian
tribes within her limits, against the au
thority ofthe Federal Court. And be
cause it is these principles and this
name that will protect us from the gath
ering and coming storm, designed to
overwhelm our slave property, and to
wrest from our citizens the landed estate
' with which they have recently been in
vested by the Legislature of Georgia.
The question has been made up a se
cond time between the Republicans and
Federalists upon this name, and there
fore upon this name I am willing to.
TESTOR.
GATHERING STORM