The CherOlxees.
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The CherOkeeS.


RcpteU Of Senate Document, No. no. 2nd Session


25h Congress, being the Report of The Cheroket


Commissioners, Gen X Jones, Lieut.. COL r. b.


IHason and Pierce NJ. Butler, Esq, appointed %


prosecute an examination into the causes and ertent


Of the discontents and difficulties among the Che


rokee Indians.


G. w.P.


review OF the report OF this rather extraordinary
commission, 1t is thought, will be useful for more
purposes than one. 1t will tend in some degree to
eucidate the condition of these unfortunate people,
now distracted and torn asunder in their councils
ana II viii enable more certainly, than in any
other Way, tn understand the relations OF oul
government to the Indian tribes and, possibly, it
may awaken useful inquiries, as TO the best remedy
tor our very defective Indian policy.


In order to proceed understandlngly, it becomes
necessary to recur somewhat comprehensvely to
history; for, notwithstanding the acknowledged
general intelligence OF the reading public, yet II Is
lamentaby true, that the people of the United States
are generally exceedingly Ignorant to the adj
vancement OF the Indians And prominently the
affairs OF the unfortunate Cherokees have several
tunes been brought before the public yet with the
Immediate causes of the excitement, all interest in
their complaints has abated.


The Cherokees are less powerful now, perhaps, than
they were when the illustrlous General Washington
appeared In person before his constitutional advisers
TN. Senators OF Thirteen States, and solcmnly
asked the ooperation of their council, as to the
most pac!c and Just means OF acting towards these
people; but nevertheless, they did not occupy less



led TO an additional cesson Of their lands, and
lemn guarantee of the residue within the boundaries
then prescribed. These simple minded people felt
every confidence in that guaranty and they would
as soon have expected that their rivers would have
flowed back to their sources, or their mountains
have become salt lakes, that their advance
ment in civilization should accelerate the loss
OF their mountain Businesses. But many elements
existed among them, the effects of which were not
foreseen. From their first discovery by the whites,
their women had shown more psrtallty to the pale
faces than the gentle sex of any. other tribe, And,
perhaps before the revolution with Great Britain,
more halt breeds could be counted among the Cher
okees, than all the Indian tribes combined During
that war, 1t will be recollected, that Georgia and
South Carolina furnished many open loyalists as
halt the thirteen States besides MANY OF them had
taken refuge among the Cherokees, who espoused
the cause OF the British Crown, and acted in good
faith TO their treaty, made at Westminster, IN 1872,
between George the First and the Cherokee Chiefs.
These tories knowing the deep hatred which exist
ed against them, after the revolution and the heavy
responsibility with which they had to answer the
many Indian barbarltes which had been perpetrat-
ed upon the infant colonies during the war, wisely
resolved never to return TO homes where severe pun
lshment and confiscation of property awaited them
They, therefore, in considerable numbers, Identified
themselves with the Indians by marriage and con-
tnued residence. Their example was initiated by
few ScotS-merchants, who, Tor like reasons, were
unwilling TO become members of the surrounding
and more civilized communities. Even at this ear
~ day, these marriages were with half breeds, II
not with those having less OF the Indian blood: lhe
effects OF these marriages had doubt been closely
observed by Patrick Henry, when Governor OF Vlr-
glnia, and dictated his recommendation tor their
encouragement as the best promoter OF civilization
among them. Patrick Henry had much to do with
this tribe before l769 and his correspondence with
them is characterized by greatdisplay Of kindness
and wisdom The same causes led to like reason
ing in the strong mind of VIM. III. Crawford, while
one of the frontier settlers of Georgia. He saw the
influence which the interfusion of the white blood
had upon the Indian character. And notwlthstand-
Ing that he knew that the refugee torres were capt
Tel haers OF their own race, yet, he believed ms
mixture better than none Patrick Henry and Mr..
Crawford were right. No matter TO what causes
We owe the light OF civilization; yet, when once It
shines upon the mind man cannot be as great saw
age as when lett IN his pristine state. The ties OF
Kindred will always invite accession. The first adj
yenturers who married Cherokees, possessing supe-
rior intelligence and skill, and the language OF their
surrounding neghbors found the acquisition OF for
tune easy. The mixed booded children had supc-
nor beauty and sprghtllness, and with few excep-
lions spoke the language OF both parents. The heavy
emigration to the frontier, had raised lands TO prices
beyond the means OF many poor and adventurous
young men; such were attached 10 the Indian coun-
try, as, by marriage and settlement there, land cost
nothing. Accessions OF whites thus every year
took place by marriages OF malcs-and by degrees
the scrupes of females were overcome, and Indians
with white wives might also be found.


The institution OF slavery seemed to be intro
duced as a matter OF course. During the revolution
some had been stolen from the neghborlng planta-
tions, others had been purchased, with the easy ac.
qusitIons OF the white traders; other runaways had
taken refuge from their more tyrannical masters.
As the discipline OF the red masters has always been
less severe than the white, the negroes became
more partial to the former, and their recovery, when
stolen or runaway, was almost impossible. AS II
taught by nature the negro acquires the language of
the Indian with much greater facility than the white
man; and as he thus stood interpreter between
his m ster aud the adventurous trader, he soon be-
came not only necessary, but great iavorlte But
with the increasing tondness OF the Cherokees tor
amagamation with the whites, has been dlscerni-
Bile corresponding repugnance for amalgamatlon
with the blacks. The negroes, like the whites,
brought along their superior experience In the arts