Norwalk Gazette, Tuesday, April 27, 1824 · page 4

 

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INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The documents which we this day insert re-
lative to the claim by Georgia that the U- S-
shall remove from the confines of that state
the miserable remnants of the powerful and
lrziiiglity Indian tribes who. once held sove-
reigntv over this country, will interest the feel-
ing;5 ofgvery man, who does not think that a
lube series of past criielties and injustice to-
wardstlie red iiieii,-atitliorizes, whenev_er trite-
rest prompts,tlreir final 3:. total extermination.

Ofthe tone of the Georgia‘ tlelegauoii in
their letter to the President of the L. States,
we can hardly speak in terms of nioderation.
"We refer not now to the morals of the letter,
as regards the. Indians, nor to the treatment it
recotnniends to Cliristian and civilized men,
in respect to the forlorn savages; but to its
language, as froin the delegation of a sove-
reign state, to the representative of_ the sore-
reignty ofthe United States. It is rnarkeil
with an inteniperance antl discourtesy, well
calculated to bring into contempt the high
parties rising it, but not at al-l calculated to
produce conviction as to the jiistness of its re-
quisitions, or to inspire respect tor _a station
liable to such insults.—.'V'. Y. Jflrnerzcmz.

The following extracts from the N. York
Statesman will open the way for a better uri-
derstaiiding of this subject :—

It is iiecessary to prernise, that the Chero-
kce Indians own a large tract of land in the
western part of Georgia, of which they have
never been dispossessed. By the 4th article
of it convention between the U. States and
G°.orgi;r, entered _into on the 2d April I802,
the fi)l‘lllt’l‘ stiptilates, in consideration ._oflarge
tracts of land ceded by the latter, ‘ to extin-
guish at their own experts:-:,loi' the use ofGeor-
gia, as early as the satire can peaceably be ob-
tained, upon reasonable terms, the Indian title
to the lands lying within the liiriits of that
state.’ From the date of the convention to
the present period, it appears that‘tlie govei'n-
merit ofthe U. States have, from tiriie to titrie,
entered into iiegotiatiorrs, and spared no ef-
forts to comply with the stipulation. Under
that conviction, the sum of $7,735,243 592 1-2
has already been paid by the U. States, with-
out extinguisliing all the Indian titles to lands.
Thestate of Georgia, after waiting twenty-
two years, and growing weary of the procras-
tinatiori, comes forward in a tone of bold, ear-

and subject to every restraint which the policy
and power of the general government require
to be imposed upon them, for the interest of
the Union, the interest of. a particular State,
and their own preservation,it is necessary that
these misguided men should be taught by the
general Government that there is no alterna-
tive between their removal beyond the limits
ofthe State of Georgia and their extinction.
The government ofthe U. States will deceive
them grossly iftliey are led to believe that, at
this day, their consent is necessary to the ful-
filment of'ils obligations to the»State of Geor-
gia. Their will must yield to the,par'amount
duties of the general Governinent ftiiilsrlfand
to each member of the confede_racy. ‘~The
Cherokees allege (if, indeed, the representa-
tion made is inade with their autliority) that
they are resolved neither to leave nor sell the
lands on which they reside—|ands which be-
long to the state ofGeorgia; over which Geor-
gia did claim sovereignty until the adoption
ofthe federal coiistitution, and over which she
will exercise her powers whenever airy admin-
istration of the general Goveririiient resolves
to fix perriraiiently upon them any persons who
are not, and whom she will never suffer to be-
come, her citizens. 'I‘lre doctrines ofthe gen-
eral governnient, sanctioned by the higliest
tribunals, vindicate the claim of Georgia to
the ownership of the soil. The Indians are
siriiply occupmzfs———tenaiits at will—~incapable
oftransferiiig even their naked possessions,ex-
cept tliroiigh the instrtiineiitality ofthe United
States, to the State ol‘Gc-orgia. Aware ofthe
tenure by which their temporary possession is
held, their head tneir have sought,in many in-
stances, to secure from the U. States a title to
the soil itself. Stipulations have been entered
into by the general Government equally con-
tradictory totlie rights of Georgia; and the ob-
ligations of tlieU.St2ites ; stipulritions,liowever,
which shew that the general Government have
the acknowledged right to transfer the posses-
sion ofthe Cherokee lands to the state of'Geo.
The power which takes from the Clierokee
tribe :1 portion ofsoil to confer it on a Cherokee
c/tic;/', under a iliffeient tetiure, can riglitfiilly
take from the Cherokee nation for the benefit
ofa State.

It is with deep concern that the necessity is
felt of pressing upon the general Governnient
the coiisiileratioiis that are due to its cliarac—
ter for good faith in its contracts with a iiieni-
ber ofthe Union. Since the year 1309., ini-

Desb Hllll l"’P‘,"'l““‘"‘3 l“3'“0“5ll'i‘l“C°a flemilnfls 'plicit reliance has been placed in the general

ing of the United States a prompt fufilrncnt
of the stipulation.

'I‘lie iiegotiaioii commenced this whiter
with a llt)l€‘il(l(ll'c'S5(3tl to the Preside-iii of the
U.States by the Clieroltee dclegatioii atIVasli-
jngion, criiisistirig of John Ross, Geo. Lowry,
1‘s‘lajoi1{iilgo, and Elijali l‘IlCltS,Clll€fS of that
tribe. In their coiiiiriiiiiii,-atioii they advise
the President of their intention not to cede a-
way airy more of their lands, and i'c-qirestliis
interpositioii with Congress, on behalf of his
red children, that pl'()\’lSl0ll may be made lry
law.io aiiiliorize an adjustiiient betweentlie U.
S. and Georgia, for releasing the foriirci' from
the existing coiupar;t,so far as it relates to the
extiiiguisliirient ofCheroltcc titles to lands.

To this tiote the Secretary of \Vtil' was di-
rected to reply, that it was incoinpatible with
our goverrinrent, for an independeiit and dis-
tinct people to r'ein:iiii within the territory of
a szate; that the i.-xainplc ofother tribc;: and
the fate of their ancestors for two centuries,
warned them of the coriscqiiences of a resi-
dcnce in the vicinity of their white bri:-tliren ;
and that the U. Stair.-s ofl'ci't-(l tlrern the alter-
native ofa liberal coinpeiisatlon for their ter-
ritory in money, or a fair cxcliiinge for Iuiids;
beyond the Mississippi. \‘-'ll(‘l't3 they could live
unirrolestetl by the whites, and more in accor-
dance with their habits anil pnrsiiits. ,.I‘llt‘,SP.
overtures, the deli=;;:rtioii promptly and in a
spirited manner i'i.-jecteil, suiting that they
held their lands by a solemn treaty with the
U. States; that they could not be riglitfully
dlSp0SSt‘S‘~‘.8(l of tlieiri ; and that‘ an extent of
territory twice as large, west of the Mississip-
pi, as the one now occiipied by the Clieroliees,
east oftliat river, or all the inoney now in the
Colfevs of the ’I‘re:i5iir_v, would be no llltltl(.'L‘-
merit for the nation to excliange, or to sell
1h.;-iv tiountry.’ Tlieytake a inelanclioly rc-
trospective view of the histoi'__v of their race,
and the wrongs which they had endured from
rlieir white brethren.

Tire Stif.'.l‘Cldr)' of “Int was tllt‘eClr:(l to en-
close ibis aiiswer to Gov. Tronp of Georgia,
requesiiiig his views, as to what course coulii
be takcir under the existing state of tliings.——
His Excellency, in reply, under date of llll'
ggm Feln-u:ri'y, after expressiiig his s:-rtisfac-
tion at the efforts of the Executive of the U.
States, to fulfil the. 4th article of the conven-
tion, states his full conviction that such arran-
swer would be received from tlicClicroliee tia-
tion. He intimates that the chiefs of that
tribe are the mere instriiineiits of Lefitllll in-
terested white iritlividiials resiileiit ainong
them, who from motives of self—aggrarit'lize-
merit, iiistigrrie the Indians to a i'cl'iisal of any
terins t.~ti'ei'ctl by the U. States. Gov. Troirp
recoiiinicntls to the U. States to impress the
Itidians with the nt-t-essity of accepting one
of the alternatives oft'er‘eii by the Secretary of
Vial‘, and to st.:t-~: to them, that ifthe_v peruse-
vered in the i'«-ji:t:tioii, the consequences are
iiievitable :—~lst, that the government must
assist the Georgizrus in occupying the country
which is their oil it, and whiclr is unjustly with-
held froiii them ; or, fldly, in resisting the oc-
cupation, to rriake war upon, and shed the
blooo’ of their brothers and friends.

Next in order to this comniiiiricatioir stic-
ceeds the following documents :—

flcfdrcss of flu: Grorgia Ilclcgaliort in Congress
to the l’rcsr'dcril oft/re United States.

The Secretary of War has addressed to the
gentlcincir (,‘t)ltl[IOSlll§_', the Georgia tlelegtrrioir
to Congress, tzopies of the extr'aoi'diiiary docu-
ments fiiriiislied by persons who are calleil the
Chcrolrce Delegation. As this is believeil to
be the first instance in which a tliploiiraiic cor-
respoiidcrrce has been held with f)Idia7lC/lit;/:9,
and in which they have been atltlresscd by ilrc
])t‘,p.'il‘llll€trl of War in the saute reriiis with
u,.,t_-e u:w.(l to the Iii)/.‘)‘C.9(??lf(ll'l'Oll ofa .b'lalc, it
bet-.oiiies Li spbjcct of inquiry in whiit. light the
Clieroltces are at present viewed by the Gov-
erninciit of the U. States. Ifas an itidepi.-ti-
dent nation,to be treated with by all the foriiis
of tliplornaiii: t‘ex'p(.‘CI, the ircgotiation with
thrill) slroiiltl he ir:rirsfei'i‘c(l to tiii-- I)(:[l'rIl'l||‘:L*i||
of State, and will no doubt, be preceded by an
ex-iirriii;it‘:oii into lllt:il' authority tospmili for
flu: Cltftltllttitt tribe, on iriatiers :ifl'ei:iing its
ptwsperity and existence. Ifio beviewcil as
other Iru,/itms; as persons sirffercd to reside.
within the tcri”itoriul limits of the U. States,

Government; and the jitst expectation has

been indulged that, in the execution of its

high duties, the Executive adinitiistration

would carefully and steadily pursue the object

for which the faith of the Union was pledged

——the peaceable extitrguislrtrrcrzt,,on 1'c.'.'3011ablc

terms, ofthe .f7l(f‘lt(n title to all the lands with-

in the territorial limits of Georgia. In 1817,

the public declaration of the Presitlcnt to

Coiigress,tliat air ai'raiigcmcnt had been tirade

by which, in exclrange for lands beyond the

Mississippi, a great part, if not the whole, ol«
the laitds pirssesseil by the Clrerokcc tribe

castwzirrl ofthat river in the States trfI\'.C:ii'-

oliira,’I‘cimi-ssee, and Georgia, and in the ter-

ritory of Alahunia, would be soon acquired,

gave ajiistcxpectzitiori that the natioiial pledge

givcii to Georgia would be rcdeeined. In

the 8 years which have Sl.l('.CC€(l(3(l, these anti-

cipzitionsof the Pri.-.sideiit have been realized

every wlrere but iir Georgia. The sticizessive

ptircliases tirade, sincctliat period, have crow-

ded the Clrerokees out of Teniressee, N.Car-

olina, aiiil Al.:bama, almost altogether into

Georgia: and the tertris upon \\'lllClr iliey have

been made, have created all the dilfiiziiltirs

now encoiinteretl in the }’1(fi‘lCf_’fll.f acqit.is-iliotr,

on 7‘t'(lSO7l(1f)fC terms, ofthe lauds upon which

the Clierokees are now perniitted to reinain :

difficiiliies which are every hour increasiiig.

froin the policy pursued by the gen.Gov’nieni.

It is with all due respect a suliject of seri-

ous iiiquiry, what produced the extraoriliiiary

change in the wishes ofthe Cherokee tribe, as

éxpressed in the treaty of 1817? How it hap-

pened that the Cllt'l'(ll{t?.(.S ofthe upper tow us,
most of whom were without the limits of Gen.

and who desired to be per-iiianeiitly fixed on

the lands upon ivlriclr they their lived, were
induced, in lt:l9,to abandon their designs and

many of them to become ll’lll¢ll)llftlrlS of the
region beyond the Mississippi, while the Che-

rokees of the lower towns (most oftheiii willi-

in the State ofGeorgia,) aiixiotisly desiring to
remove in 1817, were, in 1319, tempted to re-

tiiaiu, and filled with the desire of a pertii-.i-
neirt esttiblishrnent there? The satire exer-
tions wliicli producctl this, can effect arrullicr
change; can induce the remnant still in the
liiriits ol'Georgi-.i, to follow their bretliren to
tlrc~.West, to a territory which the general gov-
ernment can rightfully bestow upon them as
a temporary or permanent property, witlioiii
iiitei'fei'iiig with the right or encroaching tip-
on the sovcreigirty of airy State. Argiiment
is not necessary to show, that a power which
iiitcrposes obstacles to the accoinplishment of
its own promises violates its fiiith; and that,
to plead the impossibility to perform aneu-
gagenient, when that impossibility is produ-
ccd by those who engaged to perform it,w-oiild
be equally dislioiiorable and lrypocritical. The
Piesiileiit is probably not aware that the U.S.
will be liable to such accusations, ifthe pres-
ent moineiit is suffered to pass witliotit a full
coinpliaiice on their part, with the obligations
of the treaty of session of 1802. VVliat has
created the strong desire ofthe Cherokee In-
dians to remain where they are ? The policy
of the general government; the pretended
guarantees oftheir possessions; the atfempted
clianges in the iiattire of their t-itles to them;
the lessons received from their masters in the
arts ofcivilizetl life ; the acquisition of prop-
erty and the desire ofcxtending and securing
it ; a policy jtist. and generous to the Intliaiis,
but solely at the expense of a member of the
Union ; at war, not less with the i'igltts ofthat
rnenrbor of the Union, than with the solemn
promises ofthe general government. Tire U.
States liave the satire right to colonize a tribe
of Indiaiis frotii the Coluiirbia or Red River,
in Geoitgia, as they have to pursue a system
of policy wliose aim or end shall be the perma-
nency ofthe Chct'okces within that State.

If the Clieroltces are unwilling to reuiove,
the crittscs of that iinwilliirgncss are to be tra-
(.'t,’.tl to the U. States. Ifa pcacealrle purchase
cannot be tirade in the ordinary ino(lc,nothing
rcinains to be done but to order their reinoval

Georgia, and giving air ample eqir'iv'.ili:ot for
the territory left by them, and air ample sup-
port to the territory giaiitetl to them. Anor-
der ofthis kiiul will not be ilisiegarded by the
(.3|t(>i'olteo tribe, whose interest will be essen-
tially promoteil by a compliance with it,(wli:it-

to a tlesigiiatetl territory beyond the liirrits of

j men, who seem to consider their own r'ntcres_l
as separate and distinct from that of their
brcthren,) as it must be obvious that a tranquil
and undisttirbed possession of a permanent
_property can alone enablethem to acquire the‘
arts of civilized life, and to secure to them its
benefits. - I - ~ '

Our duty is performed by remonstratz'ng a-
gainst the policy lie.-etofore pursued,by which
the interests of Georgia have been disregarded‘
to the accomplislrment of other objects ofgen-
eral interest, and a compliance ivitlia soletnn
proitiise‘postponed, for the acquisition_ofter-
ritory for the general government; and by in-
sisfirtg, as we do, most ea.rnestl_y, upon an ini-
rriediate fulfilment ofthe obligzitions ofthe ar-
ticles of session, concluded in 1802, as the on-
ly tne‘an's-"b'y' which jttstice can be done to the
State we represent,‘ and the character of the
general governmeiit be vindicated. . .

J. Elliott, JV‘. Ware, Senators.-—.Ioel.0bbol,
Geo. Cary, Tilt. IV. Cobb, W. Cuflu'rcrt, Jo/an
Forsyllr, Wiley Thompson, Pteprescntatives.

Waslringtou, 10th March, I821-4.

REPORT 0I"TIIE SECRZETARY 01-‘ WAR.
Department of War, Jllarclr 29, 1824-.

Sir: In obedience to your order, directing
me to furnish a staterrietit ofthe facts and cir
cumstances connected with the execution of
the 4th article of the convention between the
U. States and Georgia, ofthe 2d April, l_80'2,
in wliich the foriner stipulates ‘ to extinguish,
at their own expense, for the use of Georgia,
as early as the satire can be peaceably obtain-
ed, upoii reasonable terrris_. the Indian title to
the lands lying within the litnits ofthat state,’ l
have the lioiiorto make the following report:

By the convention above rel'eri'ed to, Geor-
gia ceded to the U. States all the lands lying
south of the state of Teniressee, and west of
ilie Cliataliouclie river, airtl alirre drawir from
the rrioutlr ofUchce creek direct to the Nico-
jak, on the Tennessee river. In considera-
tion oftlris cession, the U. States stipulated to
pay the state of Georgia $1,250,000, and obli-
gated tlieinsclvcs, in the manner above stated,
to extinguish the Indian title within the limits
ofthe state. The convention also provides
for the adjustmeiit of the Yazoo Cl'dllllS,WlllCll-
were afterwartls proviilt-d for by the act of
Corrgress, approved March 31, 131-4.

At the date of the convention, the Indians
owned,within the limits of Gcoi‘gi:r,£25,080,000
acres, of ivl-iicli 19,378,890 acres belonged to
the Creeks, and 7,l59.,l 10 acres to the Cher‘-
okees, which tribes owiietl, besides, a consid-
erable extent ofcountry in the states of Ala-
baiiia, ’I‘e-nncssee, and N. Carolina. Between
both of those tribes and the U. States there
were subsisting treaties, at the time ofthe
date of the convention, iyliicli, ainong other
things, fixed the limits of their respective ter-
ritories, and gllill"rtlllt.‘(‘(l to tlieiir the lands
within those limits. In ftilfiliiierit of the
stipulation of the 4th article with Georgia,
there has been held seven treaties with the
Creeks and Cherokees, by which 15,744,000
acres have been coded to Georgia since the
date ofthe coriverition,iu fiillitrrieiit ofits stip-
iilutions. In art-quiring‘ these cessious for
the state of Georgia, the U. States have al-
re:id_v paid .untlcr the convention, $7,735,243
5:‘. 1--1, which d\.'C3 not iiiciiidc airy portion of
the expense of the Creek war‘, by which tip-
warirs of seven millions of acres were acqtiir-
ed to the state of Georgia.
The U. States have ever been solicitoiis to
fulfil, at the earliest period, the obligation of
the convention, by the extiirguisliinerrt of the
Indian titles within the limits of Georgia: a
lllO$l5klIlbldUl(JI‘_}' proofof which may be found
in the ituiribcr or treaties which liavebeeii held
for that purpose, the quantity of lands which
have been acquired, and the price paid. In
fact, such has been the solicitiide of the gov-
ernnicnt, that but little regartl has been had
to the price, whenever it has been found pos-
.-rble to obtain a cession of lands to the state.
The price given has far exceeded that which
has ever been given in other purcliases from
the liit.liaiis. I’revioirs to the late war, the
four most powerful and riutneroiistribes ofln-
diaiis, the Creeks, Cherokees, Chickasaws,
and Clioctaws, lay contiguous to one aiiotli-
er, and were situated on the weakest portion
of our frontier. They contained, at the peri-
od referred to, a population of between sixty
and seventy thousand, and could raise atlcast
15,000 warriors. During the late war with
Great I3r'itaiii, great anxiety was felt in rela-
tion to those nuineroirs and powerful tribes,
and, although all, except the Creeks, remain-
ed at peace, it is believed there was a strong
teiidericy towards hostility among some ofthe
other tribes. The Creeks cnirrinencetl hostil-
ity at a critical period of the war, and created
a powerful diversion of our resources, both of
men and money ; btit, by a vigorous prose-
cution of the war, they were reduced, after
inzriiy and severe losses. The treaty of Fort
Jackson followed. They were a conquered
people, and treated as such ; and such terms
ive.e imposed as cousitlcratioiis ofpublic poli-
cy dictated. The advantage that would
result by separating those powerful soutliern
tribes from one another, and from the terri-
l.()r_y ofFlorida,at that time a for'cign<,proviiice,
were among the most obvious dictates of po-
licy, as it would effectually guard against the
possible future coinbiiration of those tribes,
and prevent the liability to hostility, which al-
most invariably results from the intercourse of
Indian tribes with it foreign terr'itory. The
Creek Indians were required to make the
cession of lands to the U. States, in such a
manner as to‘effcct these important objects;
and, accordingly, the U. States acquired a
large ccssion in what is now the state of Ala-
bama, which separated the Creeks and Cher-
okees froni the Cliickasaws and Clioctaws;
and a cessioir, iii the southern part of Geor-
gia,wliicli separated the Creeks from the pro-
vince of I<‘loi'ida. It was not conceived
that there was any thing in the stipulation of
the convention with Georgia, which prevent-
ed the U. States froin pursuing those views of
national policy. The obligation of the U. S.
extends only to the purchase of lands wiiliiii
the liririts of Georgia, so soon as it could be
done upon ‘ peaceable and reasonable terms.’
The lairds were acquired by conquest, and not
by purchase, which left the nation at liberty
to ptirsue those vicivs of policy which lravi:
been stated, and which, it is believed, has
tended strongly to give security and strength
to the most vulrierzible portion of the country.

As far back as the year 1304, a delegation
from the Cherokee nation, their at the seat of
Goveriiriieiit, were inlorined by Mr‘. Jell'er"sori,
if ilie Cherokees, or any portion of tlieiii,tlio’t
proper to emigrate totlieArkarisas,tlrcy slioufd
receive as iiruch land as they were entitled to

 

ever iiiay be the effect of it upon a few clrt'r._-f

in proportion to their numbers, on the east or

the Mississippi. ‘Under the sanction ofthis
promise,‘ and tempted-by the abundance of
game,_einigration coptinucd from the Chero-
kee nation, in small parties, to the Arkansas,
until 1817.’ ‘The number being their consid-
erable, a commission was constitiited to treat
with the Cherokee nation, which was followed
by the treaty of the 8th July, 1317, wliich‘a-
tnorig other things, stipulated that a census of
the nation should be t:ikeu,and that a portion
of the country should be ceded to the U. S. e-
qtial to thativhicb those who einigrated to the
Arkansas were entitled to; that is to say, ifit
was found that orie-tliird had emigrated, orie-
tliird of the territory should be ceded. 'I‘o
carry the treaty into effect, Congress appro-
priated the sum of $80,000, in order to defray
the expenses that might be attendant on the
emigration of the Clierokees to the Arkansas.

The appropriation being finally exlratrsted,
a delegation ofthe Cherokee nation was per-
mitted to visit the seat of goveruinent,in 1819,
in order to close the treaty of 1817. It was
ascertaiiied that about orie-tliird part of the
n-.rtr‘on had emigrated to the Arkansas ; and
the delegation proposed to treat upon that ba-
sis, which was acceded to. It only reiirained
to fix on the portion of territory to be ceded.
With the view ofthrowing the land to be ce-
ded within the liitiits of Georgia, and to sep-
arate the Creek and Cherokee nations, the
government proposed, that all the lands lying
south and east of Etowah, one of the inaiu
branches ofthe Coosai river, should be ceded
by the Cherokees; but it was found impossi-
ble to inducethe delegation to yield to that
proposition, or to airy other, more favorable
to Georgia, than that which was adopted.—
They were fixed in their deterirriiiation, par-
ticularly, not to be separated from the Creek
nation, by an intervening white population,
and to cover their northern boundary by the
Teniressee river, which necessarily threw the
cession, made by the treaty, into Alabama,
Tennessee, and N. Carolina, as well as Geor-
gia. Since the treaty of18t9,two attempts
tiave been made,under appropi iatioiis of Cori-
gress, to open a riegociuriori with the Cher-
okee natioti, for furtlter cession, both of which
have proved abortive. A

It cannot be doubted, that nruch ofthe dif-
ticiilty of acquiring additional cessions from
the Cherokee nation, and the other Southern
tribes, results from their growing civilization
and knowledge, by which they have learned
to place a higher value upon their lands than
more rude and savage tribes. Marry causps
have coiitribiitcd to place them higher in the
scale ofcivilization than other ludiaiis within
otir limits. Lying in large masses, they do
not feel that depression, which is iiivariaibly
felt by small and detaclied tribes in the neigh-
borhood of the whites. In addition to which,
we rn.1_v add the genial nature oftheir climate,
wlricli enables them to pass more readily from
the I-iiinter to the Herdsinan state ; and the
fertility of their suit, and the value of their
staple articles, partit:ul'.irly cotton.

By the 14th article of the treaty of Holston,

in the yearl70l,it is stipulated, ‘ that thcCliei'-
oltec natioii may be led to a greater degree of
civilization, and to become lierdsmen and col-
tivators, iirstead of remaining in a state of
liuirters, the U. States will, fioiii time to time,
furnish, gratuitously,t|ie said nation with use-
ful iriipletireiiis of husbandry ; and, furtlrer to
assist the said nation in so desirable a pursuit,
and, at the same tiuie, to establish a certain
mode of comniunication, the U. States will
send sircli and so rriaiiy persons to reside in
said iration, as they may judge proper, notex-
cecding four in nuinbi:r, who shall qualify
iliemselves to act as iriterpreters.
In couforniity to the pl'O\'lSl0llS oftlris arti-
cle, the various utensils of husbandry have
been abundantly and constantly distributed to
the Cherokee nation, which has resulted in
creating a taste for fariuiiig, and the comforts
of civilized life. This humane policy ofthe
goverirment, since the terminatiori of the late
war‘, has taken, in seine degree, a new direc-
tion. Certain benevolent societies, in the
year 1816, applied for permission tomake cs-
tablisliments among the Cherokees, and other
Soutliern tribes, for the purpose of educatirig
and itistructiug them in the arts of civilized
life. Their application was favorably receiv-
ed. The cxperiiirent proved so favorable that
Congress, by the act of 3d illarclr, 1819, ap-
propriated 10,000 dollars, annually, as a Civ-
ilization Fund,whicli has been applied in such
a inaiiiier as very considerably to increase the
extent and usefulness of the efforts of benev-
olent individuals, and to advance the work of
Indian civilization.

In performing the high duties of humanity
to the wretched aborigines of our country, it
has never been conceived, that the stipulation
of the convention with Georgia, to extinguislr
the Itidiaii title within her limits, was contra-
vened. The goveriinreiit has been actuated
solely by a desire to perform the obligation,
wlricii coiisiderations of huinanity imposed on
us, in relation to these unfortuiiate people.--
Tlteir situation, at best, is wretched, and can
only be rendered tolerable, by the perpetual
exercise of that humanity, kindness, and jus-
tice, which has ever characterized the acts of
the Government, towards tlietn.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir,
your obedient servant, J. C. CALHOUN.
To the President qf the U. Slates.

Message from the President of the U. States to
built H ouscs o_j'Cong'ress.

I transmit to Congress certain papers enu-
merated in a report from the Secretary of
War, relating-to the compact between the U.
States and the State of Georgia, entered into
in 1802, whereby the latter ceded to the for-
mer a portion of the territory then within its
limits, on the conditions therein specified.-
By the 4th article of that compact, it was stip-
ulated ilvrt the United States should, at their
own expense, extinguish, for the use of Geor-
gia, the Irrdiaii title to all the lands within the
state, as soon as it might be done peaceably,
and on reasonable conditions.
shew the measures adopted by the Executive
of the U. States, in fulfilment of the several
conditions ofthe compact, from its date to the
present time, and particularly the iiegotiations
and treaties with the Indian tribes for the ex-
tinguisliinent of their title, with an estimate
of the rrtiiriber of acres purcliased, and stints
paid for the landstliey ai:qiiired. They show
also, the state in which this interesting cori-
cern now rests with the Clreiokees, one of the
tribes witlriu the state, and the iiiability ofthe
Executive to make any further inoveineiit
with this tribe, wiilrout the special sanction of
Congress.

I have full confidence that my predecessors

exerted their best ciideavors to execute this

These papers‘

compact in all its parts, of which, itideed, the

sums paid, and the lands acquired tluringtheir
respective terriis, in fulfilment of its several
stipulations, area full proof. I have also been
animated, sincel came into this office, with
the same zeal, from an anxious desire to meet:
the wishes ofthe state, and,in the hope that,by
the establishmerrtof these tribes lreyoiid the
Mississippi, their iirrproveineiit in civilization,
their security, and happiness, would be pro.
moted. ‘By the paper hearing date on the 30
ofJaii. last, which was coininunicated to the
Chiefs of the Cherokee nation in-this city,
who (.“ull'!C to protest against airy furtlier ap-
propriations of tnone_v for lrolditig treaties with
tlieiir, the obligation imposed on the U.States
ll)’ ‘lie C_0mp'<ict with Georgia, to extirrguislr
the Indian title totlre right of soil witliiii the

State, and the inconipatibility with our system .

of their existence as a distinct couiiniinity
“’”l’”‘ 3”)’ Slim‘-5 ‘Vere pressed with the utmost
earnestness. It was proposed to tlieiit, at the
same tmi'e, to procure anti convey to them 1”.
l'.Il'.Ul‘_V, beyond the Mississippi, in excliarige
tor that which they hold within the liriiits of
Georgia. 0? I0 pay them for its value in men-
ey. To this proposal, their answer, ivhich
bears date 1ltlrofFcb. following, gives air nu.
qualified refusal. By this, it is manifest that
at the present time, and in their present tern:
per, they can be removed only by force, to
which, should it be deeined proper, the power‘
ofthe Executive is incompetent.

I have no hesitation, lioivcver, to declare it
as my opitiioii, that the Iirdiaii title was not
affected in the slightest circuiristaiice by th“e
compact with Georgia, and that there is no
obligation on the U. States to reiriove the In-
dians by force. The express stipiilation of
the compact, that their title should be extin-
guished at the expense of the U. Stales,\\'hen
it may be done peaceably and on reasonable
conditions, is a full proofthat it was the clear
and distinct understanding of both parties to
it, that the Iirdians li-ad a right to the territo-
ry, in the disposal of which they were to be
regarded as free’agcnts. An attempt to re-
move tlieiu by force would, in my opinion,
be unjust. In the future measures to be a-
dopted in regard to the Indiaiis ivithiii our
liurits, and, in consequence, within the limits
of airy state, the U. States have duties to per-
form, and a cliai'aeter to sustain, to which they
ought not to be int.lifl'ererit. At an early pe-
iiod,tlieir irnprovenient in the arts of civiliz-
ed life was tirade ati object with the Govern-
'r_i‘ient, and that lras_since been persevered in.
this policy was dictated by motives of liti-
ni.rnity to the aborigines ofthe country, and
under a lirin conviction that the right to adopt:
and pursue it was equally applicable to all the
tribes witlriti our limits.

My impressionisequally strongthat it would
promote essentially the security and happi-
ness ofthe tribes within our limits,iftlii=.y could
be prevailed on to retire West and North of
our states and territories, on lands to be pro-
cured for them by the U. States, in exchange
for those on which they now reside. Sur-
rounded as they are, anti pressed as they will
be, on every side, by the white population, it
will be difficult, if not impossible for them,
with their kind ofgovernment, to sustain or:
der among them. Their interior will be ex-
posed to freqtient disturbances, to reineily
which, the _interposition of the U. States will
be indispensable, and thus their goverinnent
will gradually lose its authority, until it is an-
nihilated. In this process, the moral charac-
ter of the tribes will also be lost, since the
change will be too rapid to admit their irri-
provement in civilization, to enable them to
institute and sustain a government founded on
our principles, ifsirch a change were compat-
ible either with the coinpact with Georgia, or
with our general system, or to become mem-
bers ofa state, should any state be willing to
adopt them in such nurtibers, regardirig the
good order, peace, and tranquilility of such
state. But all these evils maybe avoided, if
these tribes will consent to remove beyond the
limits of otir present states and territories.-«

Lands equally good, anti perhaps nrore fertile,

may be procured for them in those quarters;
the relations between the U. States and sucli
Iniliaiis would still be the same. Considera-
tions of humanity and benevolence, which
have now great weight, would operate, in that
event, with air augmented force ; since we
should feel sensibly the obligation imposed on
us by the accoinrnodation which they thereby
afforded tis. Placed at ease, as the U. States
would then be,the improveiiient oftliose tribes
in civilization, and in all the arts and usages
ofcivilized life, would become the part ofa
general systcni,.which might be adopted on
great consideration, and in which every por-
tion of our Union would then take an equal
interest. These views have steadily been priv-
sued by the Executive, and the moneys which
have been placed at its disposal, have been so
applied, in the manner best calculated, accor-
ding to itsjudginent, to produce this desirable
result, as will appear by the documents which
accompany the report ofthe Secretary of War.

I submit this subject to the consideration of’

Congress,under a high sense ofits importaiice,
and ofthe propriety ofan early decision on it..
This compact gives a claim to the state which
ought to be executed, in all its conditions,witl1
perfect good faith. In doing this, liowever, it
is the duty ofthe U. States to regard its strict
import, and to make no sacrifice of their iri-
terest not called for by the compact, nor con-
templated by either of the parties,when it was-
entered into, nor to commit any breach of
right or of lioniaiiity in regard to the Indians,
repugnant to the judgment, and revolting to
the feelings, of the whole American people.
I submit the subject to your consitlcratioii, in
full confidence that you willidiily w' 1b the

obligations of the compact with G1‘ a, its
import in all its parts, and the extent. r . "rich
the United States are botind tc : -" .- it.

Isubniit it with equal confident: I-..:. ~. ill
also weigh the nature of the Ir.i~‘:i_ur; rd -~>
territory within the limits ofany st ::-,i: -23. - -
stipulzrtions in the several treaties ti.-'
tribe, respecting territory held by it V‘. 4.'.;:.r
state of Georgia, and decide wlletlf‘-' .. .
measure, on the part ofCoirgi'css,is cal; :3
at the present time, and what such r-nc.-e
shall he, ifany is deemed expedient.
JAMES MONROE.__

rS'T1i‘EET 8; LQMES,

Have just received frorii Catskill and Albany
70,000 best Albany Shingles, (\Vi1l'l'tllli[C(l)V
50,000 do. Catskill do. do.

6,000 feet rnerclrt. Boards.

5,000 do. Albany count Boards-

2,000 do. clear BoardsSz.Plank, seasonctl
£2,000 do. niercht. Plank.

 

10,000 Pinc Sa.w’d Lath.