cabr, frank m. texas cherokbes . • 7760
TRANSCRIPT
CABR, FRANK M. TEXAS CHEROKBES . • 7760
r*TEXAS i&HROKEES
1820 - 1839
"by» Oarr
Bartl-esvilite ,
i I
775, FRANK M. ' .TKJC&S CHEROKi-fiS. - ' " . j 7 7 5 o 1 8 / )
Alans -^.MoDowellReeearph/Fiald, Worker -" • ; . ^Washington QTounty • * ' . • , ,I rid && pioneer History, S-149September 10, 1937 . , " t
^ •-•- i~~ — • — — ; - 7750 • —
i d . c r ' o l l • ' - : " = " '. '••; • . „ . • %- ' . . *. • V •• •^ .' . . .\ 181
., : ^ . l i e ;•*'**-.«•. '. ' =:.-
'-hea Texafa ".:u: kno^n as t! o "fexac *ionubl: 8,
the Ohorokee In.i:;ns h i s e t t l e • "ffcero. .Tfcope _
'
t! cti.-b ; t ;D ioubti'iil i r tl-o aoousat' ln ho- any
•foua.iii"i;:r:'ii -n- f a o t / Forever, the ^horo>©Ge
notlfiott tt-at t\<?y cuet prepare to abaft-c t^-crfr
t r n s i n tho v lley. of the Anfrellm -to Uecbes
• "rivorc ."in, leaver f he/acantry •.ii the fol ic^in* •
"aatwin." *t:en tho Severnn-en* lekmrni'tho -JioiC
tbay. fc8iaanrt«j an. iM-©v ate
or*the Jherokeee- CrAa'fM roniniw-^f tfc*
. the -:nthorli :c8 oi tb,» ronn^l ' o . , .
ii-ifloitiator1 :atta6ltoii by a i^^-oe ,ci'. -rosas t r r ^ y
an., in t«o orVTa^enents, Jalf¥ l^;.an(» 16", 1BC51-,, t r
. ?»©r0; .iofoaton ani. -trivea
... they rojoinea.'t.^j?" r a in boay o^ ih4 t;ri"bo.5n the
' in t h e Ina^an
- . • ' '
?(ie vJhoroJtoeB r,B to tfcfc
6*. *«£*»» give i*8r, tfc'o isii0C
;ia
to a-n t-er. JA/
of- a l l of ohorokee- an h ocuntios
r--o f L — / f l t o - 2 y
s Cor .th oi-.r. Inn*?, '*n- eont
ixl'.ft 'onn ^aa i r t o -.'neh^a^tcri, . : v t o oo».'-
i.t- t i ' . r .^jCfrjjc. Is^o \:.in>r '6.•.' •**•-io-he
j4 .v.sj».jnr*cn,-an- t h i s ou i t l ay . in -r i i t in/* Cor
6 y e a r s • • . . • •. • ' • ' " '-V
In l£ll> the }borokdoe hir©•••*• seorpe V
" Atoi' r,t an a t torney at k l -hara "Oity, to-tkkff
th;iu o:'.8e« I ^tis appoints, ae. a r-oir.bor «%J/
the -eswoutive ooir»n»itt$e t o represent tb©
of ii t_ ' •©aseo, ' V.3.?boi -a',
o
CARR, m N K ' M , . '. TEXAS GSHROKESS* . ???0
• /3 :.;.;
• I ^ont to ij<i\tn\i Val ley t Fane
.."inMUidi a i '-JJ^ov: py broLh^r* T»«
tho t r i p ' f o r t^oor^e *:>iol*&; ho ~.a£ ^:i
t'o aot af:. roprefontci t iva v J " l ' u 7OA
•'ni*car.'- a t .on for our
-creyOC hoirs l a t h s ..'ir. „ '' C ,:>
•suit. Tho so. 'ilivlm tate baok to
.riven out of Texas,
he >.llowittp is tbo 1'eocrji of
/1QIS8 BQoure.-for tho
tho 'e ta to o:C
nation onst ha-/ o w K ^ t
K a n s a s SPerritc-ry," bot^eeii the ir'^ani
> ' t e r i v o r c . John BO^lc^, a- ohief, • J a
'l'Ar?*e number frarf Hunninr; "^.t^r To«»o "on'tV.o
tu^(3i shoals ef th6 TenaosVee. haa lo f t in
tho year-of..xy94 anu emipratou t o the'. {3t« " !' • * • «
;. River Country in Southea&t ^i^O'ari*
i1" of'18X1*12'this branch •.
Ctffi, WUJ*.H. • •• - . . . . ^ . - ^ . ' -
> *
Were dfwsioiloi ant I I a atirvey of the Cherokee .
Nation, Arkansas, ^a.e ra.je toy $.he" tins ted st^'t"
Gdvornrnorit, in 1«1^ 3n aoooran.noe *rith the p^n-
visions oJ the t reaty 'of 161?»
>^ Bodies* village -ac loon>te-a bot^osn -.he
an.. ^fetitSo^n Oreok, rn- the south ei-.te of the*
Oborokoe Territory. On aooount of this faot a
in oonolianoo with the wishes of his i'ollo-Grs. .
tc looato In the Spanish •Perritorjr^ he, -itfc his
gixty'far.iliee, ml»ratea in the winter of .l?19-r
t: the territory thn.t «a» olaimea to have
ore i'sea theL by the repropentativer of the
ioft of ^;>ain, on the .-^bine Hiver TSU extetuine.
fror the Awtolina"*o the Trinity Kivera.ifc tF.e
l , « north of g ,ithon ah dxpanso of maste'ana ra in , the result of .
"Tiai 's mgea between the <*werioan cmJ fapanieh
forces* of ;,bng aoa ?ero2« ^ffee oliciatip oonultlorrs
fayorabio t o the pursuits of. agriculture*
£ an- huiiting* the i r aar.bore wer©
1. .
augment oil oaoaoionally. by reorults SVQP: t*c|tr(
brethern in, ^rkansiie ana.-ot-hor trib.oe of' • v . ' , • _ * - • '
in tho United Statoe* • .
por on© H30I0 year tho Jhorokeoe I 've
in >oaoc an brxppineee unaor tVo roof of the
^paniaru, *~hotf er t\ 0 t i t i o tc the
Qft t e atv ^>o^a|>iBu bjr them ?ae 'j? , .
prescription r 'fetits, ' the Inaian rod© of ooou ^.noy
or,.in fee f.-or-- the nonaroh of ^-pain, ie i ' - a t o r i a l ,
thojF *oro tl-ere; ibeftr r ights uni.isoUtea , un-i >r tbe
tboy ha i a
fhe LQsio^ijas-r^eU' authority enanatinf? *ror
^i th apaaieh eugeraint^ over this
oertion of ;,atint teerioa, adoptod iraetio n
iomn..Tj thrr-inf* off the Spanish po\o9 \
By the ^laa @r i$uaia, aiiontoci by the
revolutionary governnGitt of kexieo, February 2
1* ,1, tho Kesioans publisbod t o the -cr ia that
' a l l inhabituntB of Hew ^pain, without d is t inct ion,whother ^uropoane, AJfrioane or Indians, are*olt<sens
of tho..tqGnarohy, ^I th .a r ight t o b© employed in
' TEXiS CHiP0KliJS3, ' ' 7750
any .post, ad3'oruirt?< to their*norit ami, v i r tuee; '. '
ant that<v "The porana on.« riropojf.t f %( every '••'•*•'"
o i t i s e n ^ i l l i>«• "rbn?oote. aa l protected oy t t o
go"?ornniont'.;" The
i-4, 18M, an*..• the
Ox September t 8 , 18^1, rea.ifirr.Ov th<
'ef the °lan of Jguala;. .Meo .the decree
i?ebr"«ar.v ."4, 18:-£, by wKioh "the> sovei'e
of i;.QX.ioo doolaxce tbe equality c£
B to a l l free inhabitants of tho
,'whatever ' ay b© their o r i f i^ . ln th@
four cuartsrs of the ear th ." ' leo the Secree* - i
of Anrll. 0, 18L3, nhioh
of tho Plan of ipuala;.-v3s-i - 2.
.2* The a;
of a l l >ex*o<in& of
.lecree of teptembor 171 18^-,-^lth % vlsr* t r
Rive effeot to the la th a r t i c l e of the ^l^a
.of Iguala, aeftlaro^ t ! at olaseifioation oft *
d • *
the inhabitants *?ith regard to theSr origin s
, shall be oaitted. The foregoing eolesin' d«olara*
tions of the »politSoal ©O OXL of th : government
X .
•'•']-•
M.
had th'o ©ff -lr." of xrrfeutin'jjth
• • % • - . ' ' ' . '
^t 5 '
( f
iOttiaily*n,s ba the -• • • • , ' • •
oT l"»! ."£•.•?£*&!-.eYtib© r'i* t h e I'ni.t's • <.£•
fv,- vefipT '•- n i l V '"cl1 ^erc( f.e r : t !
* /•_ ?*rt f r tVe o^.'-frfcitot"-n en _
•lie - V"MJ7 no r*0t4.netinn ^tic' >-a. c bet^oon
J^.*nr*;' "avHr rj-:!;te of cit5i<one!'i»? an., t"
r-.n
3- n
"Q- c,no5 n t icn -*
»>4 \ r.w
At sttc
I - _ ~ . .
/I"*fts, ?.*.;**!i* ba seen '.•ur-in^ "hip. t
' x-ar o .' ir: .tfee noli t ia . i l affairs of th-•» of*!m
t*. •? .ibsro^o'fe bpro *h5 ' o ^ ibe .^epal'lio of L ,
. to. t* . s
e thereof• The first-f
A
')
188
of .Jiriy- attempt o& .aot-.u^rJn^ l.dr'il - t i t lo to.
• • • /
r
Tt-od :•;
t.J;;4' ; T
ajl.B, -bett
e'of-
or k-
t - s r ciJT
• •
.0".:* r:
I:..;l
us Tii
« us- i
February l^t IB
I ^lol- to f i l l at- ^ous: feet _tfn.«
- x• u+*r\i:jt must fto ,-one with >ats ooor
r th^;'pan Jet*
ftii. +•?&.'"'iah ycu ' tq sou ue th.e
9 o ooroass so-*. »
xecrsnt OMi'^elvee !>e£otfe y^.1 in a- s• " •
oor.'ble f.n r -r. t.r»Xents» If. ^c prcrent oar-
y y« u t o y*-*4*
aw* Jar Intoc^tiops rxTQ.Ro.of. tr-^-i^u the
&& a 8h3of of tfcft -3
." ' Kiofcaatf Fields*
V : ' ' • ' '"•-•'. ' : 189V• ._, • 7 • y
. I t appears, that thip
>x but was for^ar.«0ii to %hQ.Governor
of ti-o •."Tovlnoe of fexae at Boxar .'or wn.
h& mtabi 0 t « t i e . or uiiqia^et'. ono<V
.xik'-t of ooouoaaoy **ae -eelreu. on t\ e. r part-** • • - . . • #
Mith ty->r!*b(]'Ct in v ie - , a del^patloa reni i re
tr> i3exir art* .on November 8, lQJ,ii, "ti' agreement
into b.et 'O Gii th'o v
Tres^ilaoioa, Governor of tho Province
pr for tbo Hepubl'O Qf.Lexioo, ;
of &£?r©orient 9 ".a.i6ifcafiu ©ritero*-: .
between Oaptalq. Elcharrt {?),el.s) of:the '
, ana the Gov.ernfr r*f tho
"Artiole i . / r t a f tjie.eai^. Otytaln hiobarfi
^ s . T ^3th-fivo thora of hte t r i S e , Jiador*-;"-.
panied by Lr-e \ntonio ksxia, anj \-nioniq ' o l f e , •
who aot as intorprGtors, 'may -^roaeea tc vexloo,
' • to ' trout viith-bie I rper ia l Lajeety,- roIatSve to• . . • • : • . • • • • • • • - - . • • . . • . . • ,
.tteii.-BiOttleraent'whSob SA"S« "Ohlef wishes to rake . ." * * ' . • ' . " • • • . • • , . • • . ' •
for. th-osp fit has t r lb^ "tip are alreiuy" in tfc© -;-••-. ". .-• v • ; . • / • • • " , • • • • « . - ' . . \ffho-. a r t i • ;'
' ".Territory -of Toxas, anu also for thoeeAn the '."-.
"Krtiblo. £.« '?h:>t + Ho-other-Inrt.ft.ns In.• " • - i • '
tbo oi1;yt ^ho .JO ..not aoaot pin^r the before
.lonplotia i, ' " i l l ro ta rn t^ t.l-elr v l l ' t r o_3n -
the" Vioin'ity'oT UHQOF •v-ohoa,; nn d^rrurjfo-t
t r •h<vo W-.o i ro 'it sill v i i r \ v e t -V a te2" 6?
'-r i5- i i i-'-roor ent*'---rticlo' ,;>• ^i «.t *'• ?»rty *: « rr^tyje o
.tat;ee, t'-- .-arevent_ otolsn. rml? a le frcr b©;nr
p\rrio3?T ! i l l «trf 'in • to .anWicoben. *ut. -pnnlrh
t'r c;:o ovil i " e"or.o >
a88Q'i'blrw*oef an t\h'nni o n t h o b'*riKS of the
^I th io tbo t e r r i t o r y 6£ ^oxue*11 :>rtioie :4. |fbat tbo InuiancHio retjorh tc
t 'eii". tr n8 «; jT fT^o-jnt ae tloir oh;.r€t tbo..* • •
In-;isn. 0aot ;*n 6alle« -rnnetan-j, alias.r%c>npr
Tur*'Ui, tc1 «* or a oo^y c* t t ie-^rrroe e ; t w I l ! ^
. bo •priye.n,. > r tbo eatist ' iwtio ' . • f-tboeo r i - n &
• tr ibo^ an-. In &ra«r t'b;t. ih^x mny f u l f i l l i^R
stliiulationt.# ' • • . • • . . . • . ' . • "
- , ... 'Art icle i/»;That r-iwtt^hiio, nr»u u n t i l .'
,b© approval of .tbo ^u^rece Gowrnwent ' is • ' " •
, , * v « . * " -
' . ' • . • " • • ' . • • . • " 1 9 1 -
oMaincu, thorny
so'"" tKair "oro'js.in i'r.oe am ^oao'eful
" . That th*o B*i.i i 0 f c _
dlatoljf. BttbjootV.to" t-ho-ln-e of
tho &»piro7-48 .^D 11 as others . »ho tr©a^ her
nollt anrt'.theyr«iU '-ale© -^ike ua'arme id fef eaao
of the nat ion, if called o
V s ta l l , be
loans, arii dnt l t lou. to. ' f i i i . tbo
aroteotioa,. sfcoula i t become nooeesary.
-•v-x :>!"^.»%rf;iGi0 gft «phat thoy oad injmouiately
oornnenoo tr^je ^ i th tho other inhabit nnte of
the provinoe, ana with the exosption of arms
-i amrunitjons of' w , ^Jth the tribos of
«»ho roay'be "friendly'**ith Us. - .
, "oonprieirwr .the ei^fet> . . . "
, ' * • * . ' •
'proceeding art Sole By has- boen -.ex^oate« in t i e
prespntie of t«ont;7-»two Jherokeo Inaiaasjcf the.-' -Baron do Sastropj who has been ploased to.aot .• • ' • . • ; , . ~ " • •
as. interprot'-erj o.C two of the .^untamietttb', a.nJt-Q.offio^ra.ci! t.hie Garrison. " ; .' •
J3axar#- 8th - .iloveraber, 18^2
- ' Jose ^elix frospalsolbs . &1 Baronfce aastropj ^l i*anuei Jturri aaati,j.0 g. ^loreo - • Jturri allabor^illarreai .'• • -• . Franco a© oaetan*3o
Fields (X> hie k
-\ in pursuance.of this agreement' Governor
Trespalaoios addressed the\ following communication
to Don Gaepar Lopez, Commandant of the Bastern
internal Province, sending, i t by Lieutenant Don :
lgnao±o Ronquillo-;- - '--"- : ";-•-
' "Oaptain Riohard {Fields') of the-Cherokee
Nation, with twenty-two more 'Indians that, aooompahied
him, visited me to ask parmission for a l l belonging
to his tribe to settle.upon the lands ©f this
province. .After I had been informed myself
through foreigners, who are acquainted with
this nation, that i t i s the more industrious
and useful of the tribes'in the United states,s a i d •• ••
I entered with/Gaptalrv into an agreement, the •
.original of which I send you..- This arrangement
provided that Oaptain Riohard and' six others of- .
his nation,"with two interpreters, esoorted by
Lieutenant uon.Ignaoio Ronqttillo and fifteen
men of the Yisoayan, shall proceed
^head quarterLS_and_, if_lt_ meet- ponr approval,
thence to the coart of the Empire,
. . CAHRV KUU& M. TEXAS- CH&tOKKSB. . .- 7 7 6 0
"The Cherokee. Nation, according, to their .
statement, numbers J.6,000 souldj. but there'.'are
within the borders of Texas only 100 warriors^
and 200 women ana children. They work for
their i£ving7 and a'r.ess in~oattoni.oXoth, whiohy.
they themselves manufacture. They raise cattle and
horses and use firearms. Many of.them understand
the English language. In my opinion, they
~ftwtna«7~f or ~they - r
immediately became subjegt to i t s laws, and I .
believe-will suooe«d in putting a stop to oarry->
ing stolen animal^to the United States, and in
arresting th6se exilrdoers that infest the roads."
Prom the foregoing agreement and communica-
tion, it *dll be,seen that-.the matter of proouri^if
t i t l e wasonly partially and temporarily realized.
While oooupatidn dr prescription rights we/e .
aooorded.by the authorities, they were also
xe«>gnized as Hispaho-Ajnerioans and were olothed
with judioial as "'well as polibe powers, pledging
their unqualified support in time of war. They
were recognized as agriculturists, manufaoturerB
• s \ \
and- stooli>rai8er8:and were to apprehend and'"' •i - ' ' . . - ' ' . • • •" •'•'.-. > ° > ' - ' ' '• -
t«y pffead'ere. agair^st the laws, of th^ Bmpire*_ Not being aatiBfie.S withoonditi6rif3 as'
' . ' " * ' ' ' ' ' . * . < * • .
io'laud t i t l e s , it'was* their extermination to
push their- olai^a for a more aati'Bfaotory •
agreement • Repairing to Sal t i l lo , headquarters
of the Oommandant Qeaeral, they were sent, early
in December, on their" way to Me ioo City, where
of1822« The oon- 4
ditione of the country were ohaptio. The throne
of finperor Iturbide toppled and. he r as suooeeded
by Victoria, Bravo and Negret'e on Kiaroh 30,1823 , -
>ho.'.held the reitt-s of goTerniBsnfe, eXQroising.a -
regency* • . '. " - •' '
During the progress of affairs', f ields *" r
ing.the'decision of the geveriaMk* T e Minister
of, RelAtiohe ga.ve notice that the agreement - *"' " . ' * • • • . . . ' , " • ' • ^ & ' ' " •
entered, into between f ields and Irespalaoit>B(
would be recognized, pending the passage, of
a general colonization, law; The Minister of *
Relations, iuoas Alaman, in,the new provisional
* • •
, wrote^to jpon.Felipe .de/la
the BixoceeBOr .of iopoz, as 8ommandant General
of tho aaaitern Internal provinces, aa follows;
; "The Supreme iibceoutive power has been
pleased "to re solve^ Wat Bid&ara: I ' i e i a s r ^ i e f ;
of the Oherokee Iribe of Indians, and his oo.m-
panions, now In this Oapitol, may ireturn to
their oountry, ,'aad that they be supplied with
Therefore, ttheir .Supreme Highnesses have
directed me' to inform you that, although the ,
agreement made on November 8t 1822# between
Kiohard fields and Oolpnei'Feiix Trespalaoios, f;
Governor of Texai, remains provisionally in J
careful and vigilant in regard to their se t t le -
ments* "endeavoring to bring them toward the
.interior, and at plaoes least dangerous; not
permitting for the present, the entranoe of any
- new families of the Qberoltee tribe*, until the .
/ publication of the General <Jol6nination te*t
'•' whioh * i i l establisn the rules and regulations'
Jo be observed, although'the benefitfs to .i
y
M . . :.
from i t . cannot "be extended to. them, i.n relatIon. • * . ' . •• • . ' • " ' • - f
to all of which,- tffcteir Hlghn«"8:6eB intend to- " • "
ooneult the Sovereign Oongress. That whilp >; ;,
l;hisitf©ffacting, the families gilready settled^
shotad.be well treated, and the other ohiefs also,
treated with suitable oonsideration, provided .
that those -already within our territory respeot #
our laws, and are submissive, to our.authoritiea: .
^and^-iaal~lyT-Their~H4ghne8B5S-orderr,L±hat^^ —
future neither these inedans, nor.any others,
be permitted to oome to.the. Oity of Mexibo, (
but: only sand t-heir petitions in ample form,
for journeys simiilar to the present are of no
benefit ana only create unnecessary expense to
the-state. All of .yrkicth, 1 oommunioate to you
for- your information and fulfillment." .JThat the ^ legat ion regarded their land
tifieB-sftOure, i s apparent* They returned home
seemingly satisfies with- their ao^omplishments.
Yiotoria, BraV« aod iregratiB^throttgh their
, Minister of HelationB,, had oonfirmed the then
existing contract until such time that a general
tcolonization law was enacted, implying that
t i t l e s would be mom securely vested under
suoh a .law* ' • • * • • • . -
r ""About a year later, fields proposed a
union, of i l l the Indian tribes in Eastern Texas,-
proposing to exadt a piedge from them of
fidelity to the government• In pronto]gating
this , he ftave a summar^jif his aooojip3rishments
in Mexico Oity and of his plans for the future.
On March 6, 1824, he wrote to the governor at
San Antonio, as follows:
. "It was my intention, on my return froui
&exioo, to-present.myself at San Antonio, in
order that the authorities there mighf/examine
the. papers which I received from the Superior S
* Government of the Nation; but it, was impossible
t.o do so, because a~party of Gomanohes had prepared,
an.ambush on the road. However, I had the good
fortune to escape them;~ #
"The Superior Government has granted me
in this
iaf^pant of the tribe of Indians dependent.
198
* «on me to,sett le-on, and'also a commission to'
command a l l the. Indiana tribes and nati|ms\that
are. in the four eastern provinces.
. *i pray your honor to, notify a l l it he***** ' • • J '
Indians within your territory, and particularly
the llpans,' that on the 4th. of July
I shall, in compliance with the ©£i^S^o| the
Supreme Government, hold a feneral ooundil of
all the Indian tfcibas, at my house in the
ranoheria. of the Oherokees, twelve miles .west
of the Sabine River. At this oounoil, I shall
propose a treaty of peace to a l l Indians who
are willing to submit themselves to -She orders-
of the gqvernmeflfe-<t in oaBe t here should beany who may not wish to'ratify whatl I propose,
I shall use force of arms to subdue them.
"I be " you to notify the commandant
at San Antonio thafcHa© steal-, for the satiflfaction
of his people, send, some trusted person to aid-.
• in the treaty of peaqe and see how the affair .
i8 managed, v * . /
204
wrested^ from them, they began to prepare to
maintain their holdings fteacesbly " i fposs ible i
but by. fore©, bf they must. Touching these events,
Stephen ]?•• AUBtin wrote the QOmmander of Texas,
September 1X 1826, in part,as follows;
"There is reason -to fear that the delay
of the measures concerning the peaceable tribes,
has disgusted them; and should this be the oase,
it would be a misfortune, for 100 of the Oherokees
are wofcth more as warriors than 600 Oomanohes."
Hunter, pictured in the story and glowing
language the gloomy alternative, now' plainly
presented to the Indians, of abandoning their
. present abodes and returning within the limits
of the United states - or preparing to defend
themselves against the whole po^er of the
Me«ioan Government by foree of arms . -—-—"
John G» Purnell wrote to Fields from
Saltil lo, on^October 4, 1826, as follows;
"when I last saw ^ou in my house at
Monterey, I l i t t l e thought in so short a
time you would have commenced a war against
200
' . • * • • - • " • " . " . ' • ' •
see and understand theBe presents ? That the.
iexloan Nation of fore to%foreign©rsj ?'to
• ooni'e to establish themselves within its , .
territory,, seourity for their- persona.and
nroperty, provided, they subject thers»lves
to'tne laws of the oountry, etia#"ana for
this purpose, the legislatures of 'ill the
states-"will, as soon as possible, form ooloniza-
tion laws,, or regulations for their'respectivec
states; oonforming themselves in all things to
the-oonsti tut ional aot, general oonsti tut ion, •*
and the regulations established in this law, eto."x Ini.pureuanoe of the foregoing, the state
of Ooahuils and Texas passed a oolonizatioa law
Maroh 35, 18E5, the "first article of which reads;
- """All foreigneru who, in virtue of the
general'law of August 18, 1824, nhioh guarantees
the seouritV of their persons and property in
this republic),* shall *rish to emigrate to any o fr
the settlements of the State of Ooahuila and
• ' are permittel tp #b so; ana the eaid s ta te in-
vites and <mll8 ^ilMR^ Jeopnd -"Those who shal l
, BBAHKML' * ' • ~ TiD&S C H i ^ O : ^ . ' 7750 ,
thus^eniigrate, far from being molested, shal l
be admitted by th-e local authori t ies of said,
settlement's, and permitted by the same io freely
engage in any hottest ptireuit, provideu't'hey
respeot the general "laws of the republic, and« • * . , » •
the laws of the s t a t e . " «
.." I t i s notioeable t h a ^ t h e provisions of-
the three consecutive colonization la^s , the
word'fforeigners" acd the phrase "those who shall
thus emigrate" would apply to those who arrived
after passage, the f i r s t , the Imperial, decreed
ihe 4tK, of "January, 1823. For the sake of
clearness, i t ^ i s .deemed advisable to re i t e ra te
that the Ohs^okees'-wer© Kexioan oit iaens and had
been prior to the passage of .these laws, .as muoh
so as any others who emigrated to Tessas and were
so mad* by statute or oonstitutional enactment*
Possibly, owing to the abBttiS^/of the
locomotive, telegraph and o.ther modes of t ravel
and conveniences of communication, many of the
early -settlers of (Peacae did not know, of the" • " , - •
passage of these, laws, or whether "the vested
CAJ®, IBANK Jb •. . . T2XftS CHEHOICfiES. - . 7 7 5 0
r . . ' . . * ' • ' 2 0 2
rights of the Oherokees were purposely ignored
on the part of the author i t ies , i s immaterial*
>3?he authorities^of Ooahuila and ^emas, s i t t ing
at t ia l t i l la , made divers and sundries grants
of lands. These embraoed^portions of Cherokee
terr i tory , and among the donors vere ")avid G.
fiurnet, vinoente P i l i so la , Robert leftwioh,"
• Pros b Thorn and the EdwardsNprftthers. ^his
aot so inoensed the Oherokeos', that a oounqil
^as soon after^convened* Pster Bll is
raported to Stephen P, Austin, that Fields *
andressed the oouncil "substantially as follows;
. "In my old days, I traveled £,CTC oilesr
to the Oiby of-^eacioo to beg some lands to
settle a poor orphan tr ibe, of Ked people, ^ho
looked to me- for protection. I was promised
lands for them after staying one year in Kexioo
and spending a l l I had* I then came t o iuy
people and waited two years, and then sent
Mr. Hunter, after Belling my stoolJjbo provide
him money for his expenses, ^hea ho got there ,
he stajred his mission to the government. i1hey
203
they ]|nflw nothing~of th is Rio hard f ie lds
• and treated him with oomtempt.
"I am a Red Man and a man-of hojior and
'aan*t be imposed on this way. ^e^will l i f t
up o.u tomahawks and fight for land with al l
those friendly tribes that wish land also.
If I am beaten, I will resign to fate, and
if not, I wil l htld lands by the foroe of
my red warriors." • . "
John junn Hunter, a 'Vhite man, had
oome among the Oherokees sometime during the
year 1825. Through his intervention, hope
was held out that the agitated question of
land title., would be amicably settled. *?ith - -
this end in view, he was dispatched "to Lexioo
.Ci ta to plead their oauB.e. He arrived at the
seat of goveriwant March 19, 1826, and returned
in September, after fruitless-attempts at a
settlement of t i t l e .
Seeing their lands taken possession of
by newcomers, their homes and firesides so
long established, what they considered wrongfully
wrested, from them, they began to prepare to
maintain their holdings jpeaceabU/ " i f possible!
but by forea, K they must. Touching these events,
Stephen P. AUBtin wrote the Qdmmander of Texas,
September* U,, 1826, in part,as follows;
"Tirere i s reason -to fear that the delay
of the measures oonoerning the peaoeafrle tribes,
has disgustod them; and should this be the case,
i t would be a misfortune, for 100 of the Oherokees
are wo*th more as warriors than 500 Qomanokes."
HunterA. pictured in the story and glowing
laagaage the gloomy alternative, now plainly
presented to the Indians, of abandoning their
. present abodes and returning within the limits
of the United states - or preparing to defend
themselves against the whole power of the
Me«ioan Qoverament by foree of arms.--* "
John G. Purnell wrote to Fields from
Saltil lo, on .Ootober 4, 1826, as follows;
"when I last saw you in my house at
Monterey, I l i t t l e thought in so short a
time you would have oommenoed a war against
your American brothers and the Mexican Nations' • , • ' * * ,
"more particularly a man like yourself who is/
acquainted with the advantages of civi l ization,' X ' - *- ' ^ v J
If-yoar Claims for land were act granted at a time
when the government was not firmly established,
that should net be a cause of ^ar. Asirland—it
wil l be given to you; t h i s nation has always *-«
felt friendly inclined toward yours, and * am
"sure i f you oease h o s t i l i t i e s they wi l l enter
into a treaty with you by which you wi l l obtain
more permanent Advantages than yru can by being
at war—--A.'—."
On November 10th 1825, F# Buroy, also
of S a l t i l l o , wroteft to Francis Grapp, a w*ll
.jinown Indian trader at Nate hit oohes;
"Knowing the weight of your influence
with a l l the savage nations and also the
asoendanq^jb^at you have over the character
of Mr, Jpields, your son-in-law, 1 think that
no one could stop better than yourself the
great disturbance which i s abftut to be 'raised by
the Indians, whom you understand better than I*
CARR, ERAHK.M-. ,;, TEXAS CpROKEES. ' / • > 7 5 0 r . ^
206
I say that you^oan distinguish yourself for
ihe welfare of humanity in general, in making-
the savages understand the "evils which await
them in following.the plans of jmr. t£61ds, ~ *
and likewise causing Mr. Sields to be spoken
*" to by his brother,'who oan prevail upon him * *
(le 'determiner) to afeanddn' a plan which will
" have no other end than that of destroying
himself and al l those who shall have the
misfortune to follow him." * "*
Hunter's mission to Mexico City failedA
of i t s purpose. The Edwards Brothers, who
had been granted territory on which to set t le %
« 800 families, diteoovered that their claim of
titJTe conflicted .with others originating under *
the Spanish regime. These landB also over-
lapped the Cherokee cessions. They had con-
sumed large sums-of money, time, and an
enormous amount of work in the United states
arranging for the introduction of the 800
families called for by the terns of the- • * * •
empresario oontraot with the Mexican government.
* . . • . (
ERAJK M# . * TEXAS «CHEROKEES, 7 7 5 0
Finding themselves in dispute over their lands,A.
almost the same as their neighbors, the (Jherokees,.
affairs were rapidly reaching % c r i t i ca l stage
in that portion of 5ezaSw
,, The Mwardses, highly inoensed at the
prospects of looing their a l l at one f e l l
swoop, determined to fchrow off Mexico sovereignty"
and thus declare Texas a free and independent
nation, under the name of the Republic of
Fredonia. . " • --* ,*
Fields and Hunter oonoluded to confer •
with this embryo government on future plans. *
their arrival at HaeogdQohes, they fouad
a l l excitement aod chaos* A compact was
entered into by Fields and Hunter., on the .
part of the Red people, Harmon B» Mayo and
Benjamin w. Edwards, as agents of the Committee
of Independence, culminating into a Solemn
Union, League and Confederation in peace and
war to establish and* defend their independence .
against Mexio a•
The oompaot entered into , follows:
CABR, SR&KK M« -, I'iXAS CHEROKEE . 7760•808
, Thei Government of Mexicanw
United States, have, "by repeated insults, .. '.
treachery and oppression, reduced the ^lite
and Red emigrants from jbhe United states of
* North America, or living in the Provinoe of
" Texas, within the territory pf said government, ../
whioh they hawe Wen deluded by promises solemnly
mad©, and roost.iasely broken, to the
alternative of either submitting their
necks to the yoke of the imbeoile', lin-faithful,
and despotic government, miscalled a Republio,
ot of taking up arms in defense of tneir
inalienable rights and asserting their independence;- -" " ' • . '. '~'.'- * '
theyt'- v i i ; The .White emigrants now assembled in
the town of Naoogdoohes, around the independent .;
standard, on tlie one part, and the' Red' emigrants
'. who have espoused the same Holy Cause, on the _
other, in order to prosecute more s-peedfly and
effectually the war of Independence, tHey have
mutually undertaken, to a'successful issue, and.
to bind themselves, by the ligaments of reciprocal
interests and obligations, have resolved to form •a treaty of Union, League and, Oonfedoration.
GAHR, BU>.!K1I# "*•• - / . TEXAS C B & 0 B M 8 . ' ? ? 8 0
' 209
"For t h i s ill&striouB object, Benjamin'
w# .Edwards and Harmon B» Mayo, A.gants of the ,.
"Oommittee of Independence, and Richard F.ieIds
•and John I), Hunter, the agents of .the Red
people, being respectfully*furnished tfitbl.duo
powers,have agreed to the following a r t i c l e s :
, . "1 . The abowe named contracting parties--
bind therriselveB to a s61emn Uniou, league, anu
Oonfederation", in pe&oe arid vfa.r:, to establish
and defend their mutual independence of the
Mexican United states*
"2. The contracting par t ies guaranty
. mutually to the extent of the i r power, the
integrity of the i r respeotive t e r r i to r i e s , .
/ . . as no« agreed upon*and described, v iz ; The
terr i tory apportioned to th% Ked people * .
*-'"-" shall .begin at the Sandy Spring, "here Bradley1 s
- . road' t&k'es off ff-ouii the-r'oad leading from
" Naoogdoohes to_.the Plantation of Joseph DuBt;
. . from thanc-e west t o t-he oompase', without regard"
to variation, t o the ftio Grander thence to the ,
head of the Rio Grandej thenoe to the nruntairte
jj&i IB/.HR.Ik TSJttS GBBROIKI& . TOO• ; ' , : v • • • ' • " 2 1 0 '
r • • . 3 0 • , . • -
"to rthe head^of the Big Red River; thenoe north
to the boundary of tn)p United states of Amerioa;
thenoe to the same line to the mouth of Sulphur
Fork; thenoe in a right line to.t^e beginning,
^ "The territory apportioned to the ^hite
people shall comprehend al l the residue of
the province of ^exas, and of euoh other portions
of the ^Mexican United states, aa the contracting
parties-, by their mutual efforts and resources,
may render independent^ provided the same shall
not extend further west than the Rigr Grande. „
"3. The contracting parties mutually
guaranteetbe rights of Smpresarios to their
premium lands only, and the rights 'of a l l other
individuals, acquired untfer the Mexican Govenpett
and relating or appertaining to the above described« - •
territory-, provided the said Empresarios and
individuals do not forfeit the dame by an
opposition to the independent* of the said
territories, or by withdrawing their aid and
support to i t s accomplishment*
7700
: ; 4»*'irfe 16 ulet inotly unaer&tooa by
oontratititifT. p a r t l y , that th<& tarrltwjfe .^
ap'?ortiori®»l to the Hod poonle lo
n.n woll for tbo benefit of thod*
In'tho t®rrit*ory np'ftertSonofl to tho
• tur r i tory . ami that^it An Inounbont unon tho
imrtloo fnrt&f .Hoct'^^pio to nff^r. .
tho oni»i trlb©n n part Jal*patlon 1n. tho mino..
•"• ._"-C. It lo nleo mutu^l^jr mtroact by. thr
o ntraotlt.fr partlwv.-^'f'nt ©yoi r laiUviaual^ ,
Or *1Ut«, «ho Xitw mt\(io twprovenionto within.
.Wo o.aia©', ehnXX have tx
\ bi®&X.Q oi a aoatJon of'Xtmu, •inoXualng h i e '
tho prot©atl»tt of tho
fh« oomt^aoiJirrg parti«o mutualifv
, th-it aXl roacit^, naviipbXo ^troame,
of odnvnyano© within
. nhnXl b® op«n an«3 freo to the
of th©- inUbit&bttt 6f the othor.
PARR, JRANK M» * ' , WXAS CHEROKEES.
. "7* 5fe-contracting parties mutually
^ f they'll 11 diroot aXl^tKelr.
resource to-the prosecution""of the" Heaven-- • . • • • / • «
loo^ired oauBe ^hicrh hae given birth to th i s
solemn tTnlos> league and Oonfeiderationv^itwi• * * '
. . . . ,<*M ,
telymg uson thei r united a i f ^ t e , ^ and the
srfcromr *&.rirs of Hoaven for BUOOGSS. ^ •
faith, ^hereof, tho \goate<of the
oQntraotinR parties hereunto affix
tjielr oamee. , • - _ , , ' •
"Jone In the*.town of Kaoogdoohesft th is "
the twenty-first day of yeoei5b0rt> in th.6 year•4-
of our '.qyd, one thousana eight hundred, ana
" John Hunter V . B.B»&ayov
Wwe the 9oujinitt.ee of Independence* ami the
O'onihittee of the Hod Jjeoplo, do rat i fy th© above
Treaty, and .o pledge oureelvee to maintain i t in
prood faith* ' • - "'' ' -
" ^ Done'on th i s da«y a*nd date above mentioned.~"~->;
-iUohard fielde _ Ouk^fo^Kah B#J.Thompson.John J . Honter Hayden Edtsardo JOB A# Buber
John ^prowl . B#B.Kayo -Martin mrmer, Br©Bid#nt.
oiati, sum B. • • • . fflstts OHEBOKBSS. _' • ino
those thing© <«ere transpiring in
and around Haoogdoohes, the koxioane,
their ohiof allies^Stophs'n F.» ^uetio and
Kills Bean, were e t i r r ing up a iBsa i i r fb
at.ong tho ifredoniano, both lieu ana ^hite pdb?le*
fo forestal l any further preparation© on the
par,t of the infant revolutionary govormnent#'
Bean, on ^ooerabor 16 ik arrived with t h i r t y
five r.,oxioaai.8oi.ciiors from Jan /i.atonio» On , «
learning of th© feeling that perv;a4ed the
Fredonians, he re t i red to a pojnt west of .
Haooguoahe8 to analt reiaforoeniGfite, i i
hie for-oos were inado^uate to auca^ssfully-9
the revolutionary foroee#» &bout
. of the eame^aonth, 200 strong
Oolonel Katoo Ahuraadat wit'h banners fljting, th©
•glit tering of s tee l and the olanklng^ojf arms* •
raarobed ^ut-tff ^an A,ntoniot bent on thQ oonquest
of Uaaogdoofeoe. ?hie oonting-ent v>&& aooompani©^
by Jose Antonio Sanoeao, th© Poli t ioal Ohief, in
full charge of operations*
' On January £2nd« 18£6t Austin
the H©xioan._pao|)le i a t©risst as
7780
-214
"To the inhabitants ,of the Oolony:
"The persons who wero sent on from^thie
ooxony.by the, Polltioal Ohief ana Military Comsr ;
). to off @r poaoe to the sadafu oi
, hare returned - returned without ' ,
haring affooted anything, Yhe olive branch, of
peaoe whloh was held out to them has been insult*
ingly returned, and that party have denounced
maseaor© and desolation .to this oolony* Thpy are
, trying toerciie a l l the ilortherii Indians to jBurder
-and plunder, and it appears as though they have
n'o other objeot than to ruin, and plunder this
country. They openly threatened us withNnaseaers
and the plunder of our property.
"To arms then, my friends and fellowbitizene/
aod hasten to the standard of our oountrj • ' '
"The first hundred men will maroh on the
26th. Heoessary orders for mustering and other** . . . . »
purposes will be issued to commanding offioera.
Unipn and Hexloo.
* S#P.Austia»
msans* . . • m ^ cast'««*&. ' mo
San P#lip« de Austin,
January 27th 1827. . }
The authorities and leadinr oitlaens of
Austin's aoiany lost no time in -fomenting dis-
eension in the ranks of the Fredoniane. Prom the
oapitol of his oolony, Austin hurled a l l the
epithets at his command against hie liberty-
loring American brothers* writers of T.exan
history condemn hin for the course taken in
this instance.; A oareful perusal of the oonpaot
entered into by the Fredonians wil l not disclose
an iota justifying his denunciations in Buoh#
terms, in his proclamation to the colonists. .
The compact was to tKem nfeat the immortal document
of 1776 was.to the Americans during the gloomy
days of the American Hevolutiomi^ii- was their "
divorcement from a weakf unstable and vacillating
rule, i t was the forerunner of the glory of
San Jacinto, theclimax that-thri l ls the heart
of .erery loyal lexan and freaoaii throughout
Doomed to failure it was,' andif
perpetrators suffered the consequences.
>CABR, HU03K.M. " . ^lOfcS tJftJkcIOES*. ' 775
« - f
propaganda W»B successful* Bromisesof laud.aticTother preferments by Bean and Austin
detached large numbers of the Fredoriians, learing,
the lo^ral in a hopeless etato,» Bb??4®3 and Mush,
of the Qhorokoas, were among the detaofted, *bue ~"
to their maohinatlons, fields and Hunter were*'
- foully murdered by men o.f their own people• Tha
Edwarde oontinfent was' dispersed ani fled," to
Louisiana, and other portions of tfte United States.'
. For hie servioe in having Fields a*tf Hunter, put
out of the viay, Bov?44s was invested with" a oom-
mission as nominal Ooionel in the Mexican army,
as was also "peter Sllis%Bean« The s*»edbnian
.... afiair was terminated* .
Affairs in this portion o£ 5exas wefe.
restpred to normaloy, with.the exoepjrioa of the
mooted question of land t i t l e s . To further
oomplioate matters, the legislature made "a
division of the territory in question between
David G* Burnet and Joafph Y»|p.8in» ". . - ;
5ae aot* of April 6tht 1820% prohibiting
the future emigration of %eriaatis into
' i.
ISAM VU TEXAS CH1SR0
-General
of the Eastern interior States^ determined to
perfect t i t l e in the Oherrikees, to lands so
long opoupied by them, and on August 15th ;
1831, vjrote to Letona, Governor of Ooahulia
Texas*
"In compliance with the promises made
by-tho gupromb gpvcrrESieny=:::fo~^he Ohegokee
Indians, and with a view to Ihe preservation ^
of peaoe with the rude tribes, I caused them to
determine upon some fixed spot for their se t t le -r 7
ment, and .having selected i t on the head, waters
of the trinity artdthe te-nks of - the Sablne, I M
pray your IS»oellenoy may be pleased to order
that possession be given to them,, f i th the corres-
ponding "titles, *?ithffcfep understandinig that i t
4ill .be expedient j that the commissionere-*—
-•ppointed for this purpose, should act in con-
9.J°function with OoloneL^osQ de las spieclJfas# com-
manding the military force on the frontier of
";~!PeranVs' sjiggestib^that the t i t l e be
3/
oonspmated wae.a i^frsaUy aoncurred In
the authori t ies . .j,iarX 22, 1832, Governor
Letona ordered the po l i t i ca l ohi0f~~to--fuilnish
Oornmieeioner PiedrasrVitbrbhe necessary documents
in dae form for'"Uiat purpose* On the eve of "
preparations tc/oarry out /euoh orders, he/ o • \\ u
y an uprising of
Americans.. Soon aftervraras, Teran pommittocf
suioide and was succeeded lin office, by Vinoe^jbe,
Pilisola?who held-an impresario oohtraot in t^is
JKTO name. This appointment was detrimental to the
•interests of the ^herokees in the extreme, because
his qontract embraced a .portion of t he i r lands.
Governor i^fcooa died o£ yellow fever and was.
succeeded bjr Beramendi. " "* <
The attempts on the part of Meaioo to •*
grant t i t l e , ended with these transact ions.
- On July 20,- 1833, <2" delegation headed
by Oolonel Bow|%sf repaired to San Antoafco and
petitioned the po l i t i ca l Ohief for t i t l e - t o ,
their laoa«#. They ^e-re direoted io Monolova," ' • • • ' • f ' / < v ' i
of the pr,0yino$ of Ooahuila aad Teacaa,
CASK*
'where they-were,given assurance that their
claims would receive due consideration* But,
in as inuoh as David $« Barnet.'and Vinaente ~ '
ffilieola haa immatuted colonisation contracts -
which were expired1 December 21st 7 1635, a l l
-land t i t l e , he maintained/must of necessity;
be held in abeyance for> the time being, lowever,
'on March 10th ,1826, .the Political Qhsfcf wrote
; to title iSupreme.Government-,/adaonisfced the
authorities that the oherokees be not disturbed
in their possessions until the oentaal govern-; ment at -Mexico -Glty o\uld finally1 pass on the
questioai s
* On May 12, 183C, the 2,egislatur© of the
State of Ooahuila and Texas passod the following* * • '
resolutions - ,. • /
"Artiole 1# In order to secure ihe peade
and tranquility of the State/the government i s -:
.authorised to select,, out of the vaoa'nt lands
o.f 5?eacas, that land whioti/iaay appear most appro*
priate for the looationof the peaoeable and
/civiliaecl ietk&tmtwhich may have been introduced
into f exasw ••.'••
"Artiole 2* \ It shall establish.with than
a l i n e ofdefines along the frontier to secure .. . :
the state-against the incursions of barbarous
tribes." :: - '• •> / •
5!hi8 was the last utterance of the
Mexican government *in reference to the Oherokie
claims* .,
n.At the beginning of the dieaffeotion of the
Americans, the aommititee of Public Safety, the
perm«n«nt Oounoil, aria the Consultation, success-
f^Sj^Skd deemed i t just and<prudent to arrive _
at some Understand ing with ihe Oherbkeee and
ot her India ns o one erni ng their land claims.
5?he state of affairs at this period ,
existing between the Geataal Ooyernmeafc at
Eexioo tfity and the State of Ooahuila and lejtae ^
was exceedingly cr i t i ca l . On the 19th of
September, 1836, on behalf og the Oommittee of
Safety, Austin addressed the people of Texas
in part: '^hat every district should send
members to the (Jeueral donsultation, with ful l
powers to do whatever may be necessary for the
good of the country*"
CARR, 'IBANK '<!.' . TJJSOVS CHlsROKJfiJiS. ' 7 7 5 0 . <\
• . . - • • • . ; , . . . • • . . . • y — - 2 2 1
The General Consultation convened on. . -
October 16, 1005, but adjourned for want of• . • • . « •
a quorum* It reassembled at San tfelipe do-
\ustin on Bfovember 1st , bat-nae unable to
dlspatoh bjtslneBB unt i l the 3rd , when a quorum -
appeared. Dr. Branch T. firrrher of^Brassofia,
formwsly Speaker of the House of Delegates/
in the Virginia Legislature, was unanimously
eleo'ted president. Thi.$ was the third dolibera- -
t ive body authorized on the Amerloan plan, super-
seding the conventions of October 1, 1832, and
April 1, 1833. In an elaborate epeaoh to the _^—^"^^
oonventidiji, Resident Aroher rejiBsred^tfieoon-, • . ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ • . :
diti^n of affairjj-of^ciie! country and reoommended
plaa«r^pon which-Texas'was to ereot autonomy
and at the same time contest upon the f ie ld of
battle for a long-cherished independence. Among
other things impressed upon the members of the
Oonsulation, wore the need of establishing a ' .
provisional Government, with a Governor, l i e u -
tenant Governor and Council tpxfce olothei with
Legislative and executive powers; and that
CABR, WS& Iff. - TEX&5 CHEROKE£S. 7W5O' '
"There- are several war lllce and peaceful trlbea
of lad lane that claim certain, portions of our land*
LO oat ions have bean made within the limits they*
olaim, whioh has created great disBatisfaotion
amongst them* Some of tfcfe chiefs of those tribes
are expected hare in a few days, and i deem i t
expedient to make some equitable arrangement to\the
matter that will prove satiifaotory to them.?
^^^_On^the_7th_2^^ NoTemHe'r, 1835, the Unanimous
Dedlaration. of the Ooaanltation was adopted, i t
deolared t,hat\ "General lope* de santa Anna and
other military chieftaiaft have, by foroe of arms,1
overthrown the federal institutions of Mexioo and
dissolved the sooial oompaot whioh existed between
Texas and other- members of the Mexioaa Confederacy;
Jjow, the gopd people of Texas, availing themselves *
of their natural rightB, Solemnly Declare • 1st .
That they have taken in defense of ..their t ights
and Liberties, -—--»••"
Infureuanao of thik Declaration of Independenoe^
a plan or Constitution for a Provisional Government" ^ ^
was drawn by a oommittee/ headed by^ Henry Smith,
CABR, mm «• ;. TKXiVS CHHB0KEL3
223
. reported to that .boSy on November 9th. , but
not adopted as t t e organic aot un t i l the 11th ,
at whioh time i t was enrolled and signed .. A
proTieional Governwsint was thus»orea.ted. Among
the prerogatives or duties imposed upon the
Governor and ^ounoil were to hypothecate the
* . publics, lands and pledge the publio faith for
• a loan not to exoeed one million dol lars ; t a* • •
impose and regulato imports and tonnage duties -<*--<*
and provide for the collection of the same;
treaWith several tribes of Indians in reference
to-their land t i t l e s , and, if possible, to secure
their friend^hjp; establish post-offices and
post-roads; regulate postal rates and appoint
a pqst-master general; grant" pardons and hear
admiralty. c'ase^» '
Adoption of1 this" plan and the ejection
of officers to^k place on November 12tL ,.and^ ^ ^ -—-
the foirowing day* Henry Smith, opposed by
S.P.Austin, xms duly elected provisietiftj,^ Governor,
cumtma
while #Mnes T7. Robinson of Naoogdoohes yras elected
Lieutenant Governor* '
prom the time of the conception of a
spparat.ion of tfexas from Mexicot i t was deemed ^* * » • *
advisable to 'conciliate the Indian tribes within
her border?, and this could best be brought about ;
by entering into a treaty of friendship and neutrality,
and'at the earae time guarantee to them the t i t l e to
Jrhe lands occupied• The Qheroiees were peacefully
dominoiled in east central Texas and were regarded,
and justly so, as agriculturists, manufacturerst* f t . ^ -
stock raisers and the f&llowers of other pursuits
that Bell placed them out of the savage or hunterclass and compelled the f i t t ing appellation of,.
several hundred soldiers or warriors who were
iapert riflemen.
On November 13th. } 1835, the day of the
- .Oe'ni-
stltuti-on of the Provisional Government, the.
following Solemn Declaration was unaalmoasly •
adopted and sij^aed by the entire"body of' fifty-four
members. • '
"Be i t Solemnly Dooreea^ That we, the •
chosen, delegates of the Constitution of th8- * >
people of a l l Texas, in general 00nventiori« * #
assembled,, solemnly declare that the Oherokee
Uadiaos.and the i r aseooiate bands, twelve
tribes in number, agreeable to the i r la'st
general council in Texas, have derived their
iust claims to lands, included withi'tf.the bounds ~
hereinafter mentioned, from the government of
Mexico, from whom v?e have also derived our
rights to the soi l by frant and oooupanoy.in^e solemnly deolare tha t ' the boundaries
of the claims of the said Indians to land
qn f^Tlnrn, ,tn Mt" Tying n^rth th the San"Antonio road and the Heches, and west of the
Angelina and sabine Rivers, ^ffe.BOlomnly declare;1 u , , *
X
that the governor ana General Council., immediately
on itB organization, shall'appoint 0ommisal oners
to traat isdth the. said Indians, to establish the
definite boundaries of their territory,,and secure
their oonf denoe and friendship.
CARB, .ifffcJK M. . ' TKXaS CHhKOKxjSii'. " - 7750
' . '. .. . - •. " ^ • • 1 2 2 6
"We solemnly declare that we wil l guarantee
ko them the* peaceful enjoyment of thej r r ights to
their lauds, as we d4 our o™n; vre solemnly declare,
that a l l greats , surveys and looations of lands,
hereinbefore mentioned,, made after^the settlements* «
of saiu Indians, .are , and of right ought to be,
utterly null ana void, and thnt the commissioners
iBsuing the eane, be ai d are hereby ordered,
immediately to recal l and cancel the same, as
,having bean made upon lands already appropriated
by the Hexioah Qoverscent. ' ' .* , . - . * + *****•
urrfe solemnly deolare th'-t they,are entit led ,
to our aommisseration and protection, as the just '
owners of the so i l , as an. unfortunate race of people*d-fih t n bn^fl a a - friftyidfjLt_flnj_jferfla.t w i t h
justice; ,jLeeply and solemnly impressed with these
sentiments as a mark of .sincerity, your committee
'respect |fully recoinnend the adaption of the*v •
resol-ut i on i r7—*—i—-^.:c _ „_ „. 1 _ _ .
"Resolved, That the members of t h i s convention,
present, sigh t h i s aeclaration, "and pledge the
public fai th , on the part of the people <>f Texas. •, /
CARR, ^ H K M . • » CHBBOKKBS. 7750
"Done in Convention a t San Fel ipe de Austin,
th i s 13th day of J&nremtter, A.D.. 1836. •
.{Signed) B.T» Aroher, president ,
John A, ~harton, Meriweather w . Smith, Sam .Houston,'
William ifienfiee, Ghas.~ ^i^son, mra.kH. Sig ier , James
Hodges, "•&". "?• .Hrr-ington, John Bevil , "%. S#j?isber,
Alex. Thompson, J.G.J7-. pierson, J .O.Barret t , R#J[ones,
Jesse Burnam, Lorenzo de Zavala, A. Eorton, Ed^in
^al la r , Daniel Parker,' <%. P. Har r i s , John s.i).Bypoin;
"ta. "Fhitaker, A.G.Perry, ^
t Olaiborno
mrker, J .S .Les te r , ^Geq. vt, -Dtvis, Joseph L.Hood, A
A.B.O. Johnson, Asa Boxey, La r t in parser , Asa.
],;itohell, L.H.Everett, R.M.wi>liaffison, Phi l l ip 'Ooe,
R.R.Royal, John 7. Moore-, Ben3. Fuga.,- Sam T. Allen,,wyatt -Hanks , James's, Robinson, Henry Mi H a r d , Jesse
Grimes, A*p.Hard£n, ^yly Martin, Henry Smith, David
A.. i'Tacomb', A»-Houston,. E .dol la rd . % * .
P.B. Jexter., ' ^
Secretary ." •
• -.. .:•::..'.l^edgAag the public f a i t h on t h e par t of ' the'
p.eople of ;4^i;^s-8-~arnong other" thinfcs thei "Solemn
228 *
ueolaration ",after defining t.he boundaries of
of -the*0he,r?p.k.ee8 enunciated "that we
enjcyment
w@ dtQ tfur
Iooa_ii6os of lands J^wi^h-in t.ljfe bouncts hereinbefore
''-* JBenti'ojned, made after^.t^j8 settlement ofr.sal* Indians,
are, and of"fi'ghj?.ought;^o/be,"ttt*erly null at d* *, ' • . - • . . . . ^
voi<if and that the oomraissioners'.i§suing the*"same
be and are hereby prdWed iroinexllately*"to# reoail*
and oanoel the same, as having been ipatfe upb'flr^ *
lands already appropriated by the M<aent."
*» After the'passage of jbhe^Odlonizatfon x'
gi"v£ng to the respective .states*the right*to-.make.* ' • , < < • - . . • . ' . '
disposition of the* vaoant laix'ds within jbheir' :;*- - * • ; • . . . • .
boundaries, i t will be Teweabeyed that David G
Burnet and ofherswere awarded oontra'cffcs«5.f€eot«)
ing lands within the boundaries desoribed :.
partiaaiy.in the Oherokee Ration.' \ '
^ a n • t he. Coitsv| tattori..was publi shed to-- * ,"i - T. " " " ' ' ' • v ' •
. the woriav i t wass then just a l i t t l e ovejr ao- •• ,, ... • n
J '
2)39
nionth' unt i l the date of fh© expiration of the
oontraots of Burnet and.Filasola, which f e l l
on December 811 1835,,'"And a l l grants, surveys
and locations of lands within the bounds here-
inbefore mentioned| made after, the.settlement
of said Indians, a re , and'of "right ought to be^
null aaJ void." . * ' .
As has been said,- the -Oherokees sett led
•oa these lands inilMfwinter of 1819-1820, while
the contracts of Burnet bear date December 22,1826.
All the acts of the Consultation were the basic
or organic laws of the lana and jfef any act i s to
be accepted ae saph, these oontraots must oertainly
have keen annulled, since the i r provisions bore
uir-eetly upon la'n^s already appropriated by the "
Lexican Government and so recognized by the
Consultation and the provisional Sovernment of
Texas. "Language could not be made' more plain or .
obligatory than yks t h i s guarantee to these t r i b e s . "
Among the several ac ts of th i s body, a
Major Genera^ <*&© was to be Commander~in»'6hief. <*
of a l l the Military goroes, was elected by that body.
. . . ... '- - 2305* - ' : ' . / • - : • • " '
- • • " ^
Sam .Houston was the unanimous ohdioe* HisVaom-% ' • '
mission •foj.l'ows: ^
jo sam Houston, Esqilire?;/ .
"la the name of.the people of Texas, f»ee .
and scift7o reposing spaoial truot and <
in your pa t r io t i sm/va lor , oonduot and, f ide l i ty , do
by these presents consti tute and appoint you to be
Kajor General and Goirmiatfder-in-ohief of the. armies
of Texas and a i l of the foroee now raised or to be
raised by i t , and of a l l others who shall voluntarily .
offer their servidos and^Join the army, for the defense
of the constitution ana l ibe r ty , for the repelling
every hostile invasion thereof; and you are hereby"
. vested with full- po^er ana mrtt iori ty^o aot~ae you-
shall think best f,or the ^ood and welfare of the
s e r v i o e * . . . ' • ' • $ • *v
. - • . ' - ' •
"\tid we Vio hereby s t r i c t l y charge, and require
a l l officers and soldiers under-your command to be
obedient.Jio your orders,, and diligent in the exercise
of their several duties . '
231
"fe do also .enjoin'you. to* be oar'elul in
executing the great: t rus t reposed- in you, by-
, /causing s t r i a t discipline and .order t o be oj)serveu,
in the .array and 'that* the soldiers be,Jdulfy exercised
am •provided with a l l convenient, necessaries". ;
"Xnd you are t o regulate your conduct i n_ ' „
.every respeot by the rules .and discipline of war
•'•* adopted by'the Unite'd States of North America, or
suoh as may be hereafter adopted ^ y tlhis govern-
.ment; and part icularly to observe such orders and
directions, from time "'to time, as you shall reeeive "
-tram th i s or a. future government of Texas*.
' uO? is commission to continue in forae .until
revoked by this , ox a future government •* • » *
r j a n FCLXpr'ae~;Anatto,' on th'o fourteenthS
day of November, eighteen'hundred and th i r ty - f ive ,• '* *
, '* Henry Smith,
Governor* • • *
P.^/^e^rter , Secretary of, ' * ' • • -
prAvis'ional Government*" v 'On November 14th> , the aonsul ta t ion ceased
. . . . • ' ' • * • * . ' ; • " " ' " . . . - . , •
i t s "labors* Q6vernor sanith immediately convened
CAER,' FRaNIC M. . TEXaS CHiSROKiaSS. ^ ' 7 7 5 0
. . . . : . . • 5 Z , • •
the Council for the government of the country.
upon the organization of the Council, Governor•. that . "
Smith addTefesed./itac body'the' following letter.
relative to carrying into effect that portion
of the Declaration touching the Cherokee claims:San'Felipe, December 18, 1835.
4
Gentlemen of the Council: »»*. J — I further have t-
suggest to you the propriety of appointing the Com-
missioners on the part of this government to carry
into effeoirthe-iMian treaty as contemplated by.
the Convention. I can see no difficulty ^hioh can
reasonably occur in the appointment of the proper
* agent's on our part, having so many examples and
•The
.universally sent their most distinguished military
officers to perform such duties, because the* Indians
generally look up to and respeot their authority as
coercive and paramount. I would therefore suggest
the propriety of appointing General Houston, of the __ j_* ' * •
army, and Co3^ John-Forbes of JuaoogdocheQ, who has ^
rfV.
ERAHK M. TEXAS CHER0KEE3. . / 7750
233
been already oomm^Bioned as one of my aides*
(The 0 otnmiesioners would go specially instructed,
so that no wrong could b© jjommiited ei ther to
the government, the Indians, or our individual
citizens. All l^pitmate r ights would' b.e respected,
ami no others. . I/am well aware that \e j iave no'
rifrbt to t»ansoena the superior order, and I^eolara- -^
tion maue* by the convention, 'and, if I reoolleot .
that airfciple r ight ," the outjine of external boundaries
«as ti marked within Which t to Indian t r ibes alluded
to , sh6uld be located; but at the samejfcime paying
regard to the legitimate r ights of the c i t izens
lin tjfce sans l imi t s .
"If these Indians have introduced themselves
„ in good faith untfer Irbe Colonization j.a^s of~t*re ~ ~
Government, they should be ent i t led to the benefits
of those laws, and comply with their conditions.
I deem i t a duty whioh we owe them to pay a l l due* » * *
respect-to their r ights and claim their^oo-opera-
' t ien in the support of them and a t the same time1
not to' infringe .-upon the rights* of our countrymen, '
so' far as tjhey have been jus t ly founded.. ' •"•
1 < * • - • ;
m; "These agents going under proper instrudt'lbas .
would be enabled to do r igh t , but not p0ym4.ttod"'t;o
do wroogj as the,ir negotiations «?ould be-subject
$o Investigation and ra t i f i ca t ion by .the govern*
ment before they became a. law. ^
I am, gentlemen,
Your Obedient Servant, ^..
Henry Smith,.
• s • t"Governor•"
. / Resolution appointing Oonfimiasioners to
treat, with the 3herokee Indians, e to .
"Be i t resolved by the General Council of
the provisional Government - of Texas[ That Sam
Houston, JohnJ&orJfees and Eohn Oameron be and
^ r e here by ap poJl
the Oherokeo Indians, and ttieir twelve Assoo-iate%
Baads, under such instructions as may be given«
them by the Governor and Oca-noil, and should i t
so happen that a l l the Commissioner^ cannot attend",
any two of them shall have power to.oonolude a
treaty and report the same to the. General"^ouaoil
of the provisional Government, for i t s approval and
1 * • " * ' _ > , "
. t " ''Be i t further Resolved, eto. That said .
Commissioners be r e t i r e d to 'hold said treaty
' so soon as practicable, . . *1 "passed, December 22d - 1836.
Janjes ^» Robinson,
• Lieut»Gov» ana ex-cffiooi1
Secy* to General Bouaoil, *
Approved, £eoember £Bt 1836*
- "V"* • # Heary Smith, Governor*
0.J8; atewart,
, Seo'y . t o EaR©autive."
' • Resolution for instructing Commissioners
appointeu to treat -with the (Jherofcee Indians ana-f
their ^
"Be i t resolved by the General Oounoil of
the provisional Government of SJexas, That Sam
Houston, John Forbes and J^hn Oameroa, appointed
Commissioners tp t raat with the afr-esaid Iadiane,
be and they are hereby instructed to proofed as soon
as praotioable, to jraoogdoohes; and hold a* treaty
. . . - - • • 2 3 8
vdth th.e Indian^f aforesaid, and that, they skfell .
in no wjse transcend the Jeolarations ma^o by the
Consultation of November-, l a s t , in-any ofAiveir
art icles of, t r ea ty , •- ' ' ~ * ' •
"i;0o. £•? Be I t Further Resolved, eto.
That they are. required in all things to pursne
a oourso of justice and equity toWarJ the Indians,
and to protect a l l honest olaims of the rrh-ites,
agreeable to itar suoh laws, opmpaots or treaties,
as the t.aid Irslians may have heretofore nade mith'
the Republic of-Mexico, ana that the, (said) Gommis - ,
i&ioners be instructeu to< provide in said treaty with
the Indians, that they shall never alienate their
lands, either separately or colleotively, except
to the Government' of Texas, and to agree that the
said government fell at any time h^rea'fter, purchase
all their olaims at a fair and reasonable valuation.
^ "sec. 3. Be It Further.Resolved, etc... That
the Governor be required to give tc the Gommisejoners •
such definite and particular instructions as he may
think necessary to carry i\to effect the object of
the foregoing resolutions, together wjth such.additional
G&RH, M K M . •" 'x-KJC&d CHJiiKOKiiiiJJ. 7750
: - - si
instructions as will seoutfe" the effective oo~opera-
tion of th*e Indians at a time when i t may be
accessary to oali^ a l l the effective fordes of Texas
into the £ielu, anri agreeing for' their services ' in
a body for a speoified time. * ,
Sea. Am Be It Further Resolved,, e to . , That
the OommiSBioners "be'authorizecl and empowered to
exohange other lands within the l imits of Texas,
not otherwise appropria te^in place-of the lands
claimed by said Oherokee Indi4ns ana their ussooiated
iiands»
"passed a t -an Felipe de Austin, oeo* H6, 1836.
James % Robinson,
Lieut-Gov* ana ex~offioio -^es t of 9.0,
Henry Smith,Z*K*Pease, ,
Governor.seoy of General Oounoil
• . *,
O.i.Stewart, seo'y of Exeoutive,
f^WIUpBiBtwettn the Oommissioners on Behalf of
the provisional Government of fexas and the oherokee
Indians aud Twelve Assooiated Tribes:
"2?his t rea ty th i s day made and established
CAflR, JHAMK M. ^ TEXAS CHflROKEES, ' 7 7 5 0
between bara Houston an>i John Forbes., OotimJssJ oners
on the part of the provisional Governmout of Texas,
or, the ono oart, an.; the Jhorokeea anil their as\ •
ban is aov ros'uiuf: in Texas, of the other pnrt,
Shfiwnoelp, 'ela^ares, Kia)rapoos, ::uapawa, Ohoota^s^
Boluxlea, Ja'vanles, 41abacias, Joohaties, Oac ioes,of
tho lloohss, "ahovoatiakoe and Unatuqous by the
. .ohiofs an<t head men art warriors of the ^hero
. ac old r broth ore and r.eprosentativoc of a l l other
binds,- aprrboable to thnir last Oouaoil. '"hie treaty
ic naao in (ooaforr.ity to the doolarntion made by
tho last elnorp'1 oonsultatipn. a t . ^ n £e,l£be and
'datoa the l k h o£ NovsmbTf, 1B36. ^ ^
tj\rtjlcle i# mhe parties loolaro t>-nt- there
\ • .
shall be a\firm ana lasting poao^ forever, and
t h t friendly intercourse shrill be preserved by
tho people belonging t c both part'ies* .
".'vrtiole •") It is agreed ana declared that
tho befoie-msntionou" tr ibes or bands shall form
one oonanantty anu th t. they shall have ami possess
the lands within, the following bounds# to-»^it: Lying
west *of the aft 4ntonio road and beginning on. the
i f*h Z3V) tit}? fi3V $£ *" *?*ltVA fit </>U5?tJAllrtfi«<3 19 (fitA *
• • , - « ' 839
the*west at the point where the roau oroeraes the
\ river Angelina and running up said r iver unt i l
Tit reaches the f i r s t large creek below the great
ihawnee Village emptying into said river from the
northwest: th.enoe running with said creek to i t s ,
wain souroe, and from thence a uue northwest course
. .tc'the babine r iver , aha ^ith &aia r iver west, then
starting ^here the.iian Antonio road crosses the
- Angelina Hiver,' and with the said roau" to a point
where i t crosses-the Heches River, and thence
running up to the east siue of the said* river in
a northwest uireotion.'
"Article 4, I t , i s agreed by a l l part ies> • • • , , • *
that the severil bands or their tribes named in this '• \ • \ • - • ' • . - .
treaty shall a l l remove within the limits or bounds
as above descr ibes *;* " . - < • • . . -• ^_•' -
"Article 6, It i s agreed, and declared by
the parties aforesaid that the land lying and being,
within the aforesaid l imi t s , shall never be1 sola
or teaienatod to any person or persons, power or
government whatsoever than the government of Teaas,
anu xhe. Oommiaaioners on behalf of the Government •
ofWexast bind" t¥emselves to prevent in thre -future —
£40
; L ( 1 • -
ail persons frotr intrUuin^ on saia bounds. Ana
it id agreea on'the part of the Jhorokees, .or
themselves ana their younger brothers, that no
other tribes or banau of itiujane ^hatBtover shall set t le
within the limits aforeeaU , but thoce alrea .y
nan;ed in t h ^ treaty aoj no ? resiain- in Tuxae.
"..rtiqle 6. - It is aealareu tb&.t no inaiviJual
person, r.embor of the tribes before nan.e>, d
have po^er to. se l l or lease lanu to any p
persons not a member or members of tbis oonanunity
of Indians, nor shall any oitizen of wexas be
tc lease or h\x$ 1- ad froir.'any Indian or
?• '^hat the Inaiane•. shnll
by their o»n regulations an.. laws, «»ithin:
their*own terri tory, not oontrary to the la~e of
the Government of Texas* All pro isrty stolen froir.
the citizens of Texas, or from the Indians shall
be reatorea to- the party frwn'whotu i t "»ns taken
arit tho- offender or offenders shall be punish d by
the party to whom h'e or thej[ belong*
r*
"Jirtinl© 8« Tho Governnent of Texas shall* *
have the power to ' regulate trsye an. interooure©,no tax chaH, be laia o^ th© trauo.of the Indians*
"Artiolo 1C# The.'parties to t h i s t reaty !
9 that as soon as Jaois ctecle ana ;aBmel Beag'e
.shall abandon their improvements witft^ut th© 15rite
of the before reoiteJ t raot of country an.i TGIDOV©
within the sane - that they shall be value a'ana
: " paiu for by the Ooverrament of Texas - tho said
Jaok steolQ finU Samuel Benge, having unt i l the
Eonth Qf Hovopiber, nosct suooeeding froir th > dif®
of th is t r ea ty , al).6~eu them to rerrove wit I in the
limits before uesosibeiu \nd that a l l the lanas
iru improvements now oooupieci by any of the before
nan8.u bands or tribes-not lyin«? *»lthin tho l imits
before ^escribed, shall belong to the Government
of (Texas am subject to^JLte disposal.
"/irtiol© 11 . The part ies to t : i s t roaty
aprreo anu etip'ul^t^tha't a l l the bands or t r tboe t
as bei r© rooited (exoept steele and gengo) shall
remove within the before desorlbsd l imits0
rr.onthB from the date of th i s treaty*
CAhR,
- " /"" - 242
"ilrtiol© !£• " The partiee to -this t r ea ty
agree thvt nothing heroin contained ohall effeot
the relat ions of the neighborhood thereof, unt i l
a General Jounoil of the several banus shall tak-e
plaoe an,, the pleasure of the aonvontior of Texae
be kncn .
"Article 13« i t i s also deolarea, '"hat a l l
the t i t l e s issued to lands aot agreeable •£& the
eolaration of the General Oonsul^»tt on of the people
o£ a l l !S?9Xa8t date* the thir teenth day of November,
eighteen hunuro^ ariu th i r ty - f ive , within the before
reoite.i lpni^s* anu * eclared. voici • as w e l l -s a l l
or-iors anJ surveys isa.ie in relat ion to the sacie.n one at Oolonel Bo^la* Yilla^s on the
t^anty-third uay of February, 6i>hteen hundred and
thir ty-eix, ana the f i rs t ' year of t\s
Opvernnont of-Texas,'
Eignecf;< \
• v *
Sarn Houston
hie • J6hn Forbesj?ieiu8 his ' .
mark , Ool, {X} Bowlicafck .
CAHR. "SRAHK M. • TEXAS CHEROKKliS. . 7 7 5 0
his-Eenry fcillard • ' . Big (X) kaeh
markjoseph jurat his
viarouel (X)k* Hortbn . . raark
• hiBGeorge « Case * Oozovta ( s
markKathiasa . flingham hie
Oorn (yjGeorge V. Hookley r:ark
hie3eo?y of Oonuniesion The (;:) ;
•markJohn Bowl
yja s hisTannete© (x)
• ' ' mark
Oommiseiouers 6am.KouetoQ and John ^
en the part of the Provisional Government of Texas,
reported as follows to the Governor:
"-ashington, February E9, 1836
To His i2xo611enoy#
Henry suiith, Governor of Texas*
Sir:- • - ^
In aooordanoe with a oommieafton issued by.
your Exoellanoy dated on the 26th day of jeoomber,
1035, the authorised oomiaifi lQnerB, in the absence
of j hn Oameroa, Require, oae of the com&iesionere
named in the above ratntioned instruEent, most
CABR, VBAWL HU - * f f f l ^ 3 CHBB-.lDfilB. TWO
244
respeotfnlly report that after sufficient ftotioe
being giv< n to the, a i f for eat tribes natiea i,n/the'
, a-treaty was held at the house of
John ; . . one ,of j:he tribe of jherokee,
Indians- • - • • • - • , The OossmiddionerS*
aiso 8Ugg«8t to your EjKQ.oJLlenay that t i t l e s sh ^
be granted to suoh aattial settlere as are now
the designated boundjri©et andjfcbat they should receive
a fair remuneration fcr their improvemente and the
expenses attendant upon the exohan^e In lands or
eouivalent*
It will also he remembered by your r£taellettoy
that the surrender by the government of the lands to
whioh the Inaians may have had any claims i s nearly
equivalent to that portion no^ allotted to them
and we must respectfully suggest that they should be
especially appropriated for the use of the government*
They also cal l your attention to the follo^rinfr remarks,
viz: "The state of excitement in which the Indians
**ere first found by your oouanissioners, rendered i t
impossible to commence negotiations with them on the
I&--NC U. ?iT&J CKtu K-,i-i. ' T7C0
day set apart for i t . . n the-day succeeding, the •
treaty was opened. aor.e' tfiffioulty then occurred
relative to the* exchange of lands, rchibh the
Commissioners proposed ciakin,* for ti-cs_>e no^ oooupied
oy than, t hiah me promptly rejeoted, "*he boundaries'
were those ostablishod as designate. in the troaty
above and that suoh measures shoul i be adopted by
your iSsoellenay f©r their security as ciay be deemed
necessary- • - « - • - • - • « 7he oommissi oners ased
every exertion to retain that portion- of territory
for the use of the government, bat an abheronoe to
this would have but one effeot, viz; That of defeating
the treaty altogether."
"Under these oiroumstanoes the arrangement was
as mm reported in t ho aoooEpanying treaty* '"hey
d also suggest the importance of the salt works
to the government and the neoessity that they should
bo kept for the use of the government.
"The Commissioners also endeavored to enlist
the ohiefB.of t t s different tribes in the oauae cf' * ~ *$&*
the.people of TeacaB and sttgges^j the anrolliaent of
a foroo from tbeta to act against our common
CAKH. fihJRCUm ?' Tiitkij *€$£H £&&*# . • TWSO
! • 2 4 6
in reply'-to ^hloh thb^ informed ne that tho subject
had not feoforo been BW$fbeta,i to than, but a general
ehoula bo*h'eld in the oouree of the tjreeent
., when their determination will bo made fcno*»ru
"!Phe expanses attendant upon the treaty are. • - - • '
light9 a statement of i»biah will be.
furnished tt> your Sxpel3enoy« *' * • - • - " . ' ' 1 ^
""All of - hiqh .is most respect fully BubEitted#
\ bar: Eouston.. / / / . '
• . ^ ^ . , John Forbes."
After about sixteen'years "the ambitions of
the iherc&aes to- aoquire nndieputea t i t l e to their
lanae ^ere4at last re.allaed# Their boundaries «ere
definitely established^ they were in a national
"existenoe^JmlSi-n^ their lands in ooiomu ity or in.
oocanon, living unuer 3a^s -of their o*?n rjalfing,'« - > * • >
exeottted by th^ijr own officers without outaiue• r . v . ( • " • ' . " • • " : . .
interferenoe, living under the. orpteotlon o'f the ;.. ' ' ! - - - " ' • " ' • - - • " , - • ' "
•Government itof Texas with one or mbre-'a^bnta anrong^'..
t h e m . • ' -• - ' * -. \ '"'•:*.• ' " • :- _,,,..... •
* • * " ** ••Without <ioubt.#"
itfee main ieiSj© bets»ee6 th^ta .-.• ; . • • • • * • • • • v •< . ^ •
and the Spanish a&2 Liexio/in author it ios ^as that the
CuJffl, Fil^TC M. . • " - „ * — T J C X A ^ C E J t - . - K i i ^ . 7 7 5 00
Oherokees aosiroa the i r lands iu oomnon, *vhioh was
their raothou in the Uniteu s t a t e s , ^hile .thin
.polioy/><&s»uu]:ttQwn to the tyro regimes .snentioned
ana oontrary to the Oauoaeiaa nethov of oonveyiog
t i t l e . However, their settled olairrs ^*ere held
in abeyance unt i l f inally sett led luicior the terms
of tlyj "Solemn jeolaration" ea Hovember 13f 1836,
the foregoing treAy,^
Darned la te ly following the eubmlssioti of the
anor report, Gener 1 ,w>am HrTuBtori..repai^e^
to aau took'oomEjana .of the away on iiar^h 11,1836#
on Laroh p. - tt© oonvention assembled and
aaopteu the .ealaration of Independenoe of
"n the following day, sa&e ^ae signed by the
two members present; l a te r six others appeared ana
eu, making the t o t a l ' fifty-6ight» ^he arr ival
of provisional Governor ^ i t h \ the ; ieuteaant Goireraor
ana the remtait of the Council and the submission of
the foll'ovinj? re^oit by tbs provis-ldnal Governbtf
raark?8u the olos^ife days-of the "•rovisional Govern*
Kent ana the institutiom;&£?& new oraer*
CABR, SRAHK M, ' TEX&S CHEROKEES* 77C0 -
"To the r e s iden t and Members of the Convention of
the ? eople of Texasj '
"Gentlemen: Oalled to the gubernatorial ohair by
your suffrage at the test Convention', I dtfem^it
a duty to lay before your honorable bocty a view,' • ' ^
or outline of Bhat has transpired einoe your las t
meeting, respeotia: tlie progress and administration
of the c°Veriai::(3l:1^ plaoeu umier ny oharge, as oreat'ed
and oontemplatea by the org&nio law.1-.. "The Oounoil, whioh was oreated to oo~operate
wit\\ me as the dovisors of ways ami me^ne, having
oomplieci ^ i th a l l the uuties 'assigneu to thsp^ 5by
the thira ^r t iole of the ©r^mio La*-s, was adjourned
on the 9th ; of January; laBt f unt i l the 1st of •
the sresen- month. . .. * '•. • ' . • -
"The a^dnte aprointed by your body,.to theri
Unite-. J ta tes , :;ito contract a loan an-! perform the
uuties o^ agotfts generally, have been dispatohed/ •
ana are now actively employed in irhe discharge bf
the3r fanotiorisff in oonfcrmity r i t h t he i r inrtruotionss
ana, while at the .Oity of*-a loan under oartain etipulationn, *nioh together
CARH, URAtX VU TK&S -CHidc *JCb. -*. 7 7 8 0
24967'
with their correspondence on that subjeot, are '
herewith submitted for your information - - • •
" «..«•.«». » • « » « General Houston, Ool.
John ForbeB and :#. Oameron were commissioned on
tho part of th is government to treat with the
Cherokee inalana and their associate binds, in
conformity with the Declaration of the ^onyention
ia Noveiaior las t , who have perforrnea their labors.
as far as oiroumstanoes « ould petniit, whioh i s also
submitted to the consideration of your body, our
naval preparations are in a state of forwardness•
?he sohooners of war. Liberty and inrinoible, hare
been placed aoderthe acrassand of effioient officers
and are now on duty, and the schooners of war,
Inuepenaenfce aai Brutus, are daily expected on our
oqast from fewvOrleans, which wi l l f i l l out our
navy as oontamplated by law» rur agents have
also maae arrangements for a steamboat, feioh may
soon be expected, oaloulated to run between Hew
Orleans and our seaports, and operate as oiroum**
stances shall direct* ^rrangemoats have been made
by law for the organieation of the iailitias but
2501*
with very few exceptions, returns have not been
made as was contemplated, so that the plan resorted
to seemav to have proved ineffectual .
"The military department has been but par -
t ia l ly organized, ana for want of means, in a
pecuniary point of vier% the recruiting service
has not progressed to any great extent, nor aan • -
i t be expected, unt i l that embarassment can be
removed,' - . i *' * • \
"Our volunteer\anay of the frontier has
been kept_ unaer continual excitement arrl thrown
into confusion owing, to the improvident acts of
the General Council b* the, infringements upon
the prsrogatSsas^of the Oommand er- in-chief , by -
passing resolutions, ordinances, and making
appointments, etc*, ^hich in their practical
effect , were calculated in sn eminent degrea to
thwart everything l ike systematic organization
in ttiat department - « - - • - • • - .
"The offices, of &«a!ttct-pa<2 controller
of public accountants have some time since been
created and f i l l e d , but what amount of claims
have- beetL-passeA &gainstLJt?h$ _ governme nt , 1 hain, -
251
1 1 ' - • . •* s
not advised, as no report has yet been made to
my office; but of one thing I am certain, that
rcany claims have been parsed for which the :
government f in justice, eh uld not be bound or
ahargeabie. The General aouljoil has tenaoiouely
held on to a controlling po^er over theae offices,
and foroed aoeounts through them oontrary to ^ ,*
justioe nnd ^ood faith, &w for whioh evil I
have never yet been able to fintf a remedy; and *
if suoh a state of things shall be oontinuefi long,
the publia debt will soon be increased to an
OLcunt beyond a l l reasonable oonaeption.
"ITith a fervent and anxious desire thnt
: oar deliberations may be fraught with that unity
of feelinp and harmony of action so. desirable, and
necessary to culefc and. set t le the disputed aoo
'disturbed ana distracted interests of the country,
ariu that your final ^onalusioas may answer the ful l
expectations of the people at hoiae ana abroaa.
"I subscribe myself with sentiments of the
highest regard and consideration,
March 1 » 1836 . Your obedient servant,Henry smith,
CJ3R, SK&iJ£-fii»— _^_Tjs3kS% Cli^aUCbxiJ . / • 7750 •
252
Executive Department, Washington
March 2ncV 1836.
Fellow - Citizens of Texas':-
'a?he enemy are upon-us, A strong force
suprounde the walls of the Alai6of and threaten/ . %
the garrison with the sw,ora* f Our country law/
periously demands the service of every patriotic armf
and-longer to continue in a state of apathy
be .criminal.* Citizens of Texas, descendants
Washington, awake, Arouse yourselves.
"^he question is now to be decided, are
we now to continue free man, or (bow beneath tvie
rod of military despotism? Shall we, without a
struggle, sacrifice our fortunes, our liberties
and our lives, or shall we imitate the example
of our forefathers and hurl destruction on the
heads of our oppressors? The eyes of the worjLd
are upon us* All friends of liberty and ihe rights
of men are anxious spectators of our conflict, or
are enlisted in our cause* Shall we disappoint
their hopes and expectations? Ho, Let us at onoe
fly to arms, march to the battlefield, meet the
foe ,
the
and
and give renewed exidenoe. t o the worid that
arms-.of freeman, upl i f ted i a defenoe of , l iberty-
r ight , are i rree i s tab le# ffow i s the day, and
now i s the hour, when T.exas expeots every man to
do h i s duty. Let us show ouBselyes worthy to "be
free , and we shal l be free. . - •
-~-~_ "Henry Smith,
Governor."
Lacking, a quorum, the Qounoil met from
day to day only to adjourn. On the 11th. f
General 3?hos. J. Ruak of Haoogdoohes ln"5Oduoed.
resolutions in the plenary oonvention, relieving
Governor and Council of .the duties conferred upon
them by the Consultation of Bfovember 3 - 1 4 , 1835.
It actw beeamttthe duty of the oonvention to ins t i tu te
a new government.
5?he"oonvention proceeded with utmost.
decorum unti l the 16tK , when by special en-• • m • •
aotment a government a^ interim was created
for the republic until a regular government
ooujbd be provided for* The ad interum govern-
ment consisted of a pretident, Vice-president
The President was clothed with a l l but
powers. On the 17th, a constitution for the\republio
was adopted and later submitted to the people for
ratification or rejection. The oonventioji eleo$ed>
the first President anu Vice-president.
The lafct day of the session f e l l upon
March 18thf 1836. , The government ad interim
elected as officers David G. Burnet, president, and for
Vice-president",' Lorenzo de zavala, the Kexioan who
espoused the cause -of Texas. A full complement of
officers was elected, including the re-election of,
•Sam Houston, as Commander-in-chief• The labors of
the convention ended on the 18th, and on the £lst .
moved to Harrisburfc. Its members thereupon dispersedt
Some joined the army while other's made haste-to
reunite with their families to remove them to
places of safety.
At the head of the. Texas army stationed at •
Gonzale8, General Houston wrote the following
letter to Golonel flowl/.Ohief o^ the Cherokee
Hat Ion. under date April 13, 1836:
U~/ '• " • • " . - •
My JTieM Ool dBowl:
I am busy and wi l l only say, how da do< to
y6u# you, w i l l get. your land as. promised in our
treaty, and, you, and a l l ray Bed brothers, may rest
satisfied that I wi l l always hdld you by fclie hand,
anil look to you as. Brothers and treat you as such.
"You roust give my best compliments to my
sis ter , and t e l l her that I have not worn out the
moooasins which she made* me; and 4 hope to see her .
and you ana- a l l my re lat ions , before they are worn
out. . * •
^ "Our-army are a l l wel l , and in good s p i r i t s .
In a l i t t l e "-fight"the other day. several of the
Mexicans were t i l l e d and none of bur men hurt.
There are not many of the enemy now in-the country,
and one of our afci$B took on^of the enemy1 s and
took 300 barrels of f lour, 250 kogs of powder and
much property - and sunk a big warship of the enemy,
which had many. guns>n " .
The struggle'for Texas Independence culminated
in the Battle of San Jaoiato on April 21s t . ; 1836j
tf83 IDeacane against the fenvjot Meaioo, oommanded
256
the .President and Dio%*tor, Santa j
upward of 1500 men, General Houston gained a
decisive victory, capturing the president and"
dispersing his army»
"tiile these things were transpiring, the
Oherokees were living in auiet and peace on their
land in East Texas where they had been domiciled
for upwards of seventeen years• True to form,
they had placed implicit faith in the Treaty of
February 23, 1836. This treaty had been reported
to the provisional government., as per instructions,
on February S9th, 1836^by General Houston and John
Forbes, the commissioner8. en March the 11th. the
Governor and Council surrendered a l l the offlcal
documents to the Convention. This treaty and
report without doubt was among them. If the Govern-
ment did not avail i t se l f of this opportunity to
ratify the treaty as was doubtless the purpose of the
Consultation, there .appears to. be no record of i t .
However, the Texas Government and aasmy were in a
precarious state. The former was moved from plaoe
to plaoe for convenience as weliTas^Torsa f et y ,
*•
• ' . , . : - 1 7 '
while tfi© army wac continually on the march eluding
the strong Mexican army,- headed by i t s president#W/p'
vfSi$ in pursuit. •" > ^
The Neutrality, on the part of the Oherokees
was sought ajid obtained at the outset, ^his was
very, essential at this stage of affairs, an3 i f
it was ever the intention of the government to v
fai l or refuse to ratify the treaty, this, eon Id
not be hazarded at this time*.
Under the provisions of the new odnstitu-
tion, the govextnment ad intettttl passed out of ,
emistenoe^—^n eleotion was held the f irst Konday
in September, 1836^ for the purpose of electing a
full set of officers* Sam Houston was chosen the
first president of the Hew Republic, vhile fcirabeau
B. Lamar was elected as Vice President* On October
« they were inducted into office at Colombus,
'4»afe of the government.
In Becember^ifi^S, tne Ohefokee Treaty was
forwarded to the Senate for consideration, president
Houston., oojaipenting in part, as follows:
" - - - . - - - - « • In considering this treaty
In aind the Yery great
A «
CAER, J8ASS M« , . TEXAS CHSHCKSiS. ma
258
necessity ibf conciliating, the different t r ibes . * " " • • ' /
of Indians Wio inhabit portions of our country
'almost,in the canter of our settlements as well
as those who extend along our borders*" *
ffo action was-t.afc.eri at t h i s session,
kt the next session a committee ~as appointed
to investigate the' report• A repost was made
October 12, 1837, abojit ten mont&s after i t s
f i rs t submission to the senate, as follows:
/••' "Resolved by the Senate of the Republic • .
. of Texas that they disapprove and u t te r ly refuse
* .to rat ify the. t rea ty or any a r t i c les thereof,
concluded by 3am Houston and John Forbes on the
£3rd day of February, I83£, between the provisional
Qovernmcni: at Texas of the one part and the
"Eeau chiefs". Head Men and warriors of the
on the other part* inasmuch that said treaty was
based *on false premises that did not exist and that
the operation of i t would not only be detrimental'
to the interests" of the Republic?'but would also be-'. * • * *
a violation of the vested rights of many oitizens
• - • . . . % >
CJ3R, i'HiviiK - I . . T.cX:._» CftifovKtui^i • • •- 7750
859
During.his tenure of office as first President,,
made no further attemptr to seoure
its ratification by-the Senate.' That the failure of *• *
the Texas Government to ra t i fy rendered i t invalid
oantfot be accepted as jus t . In suimnadriziiig, i t '
will be seen that the provisions for i t s mating (
were instituted and oarried into effeot by the
Provisional Government. The same was reported t o
the governor and Oounoil and lay dormant auring
the existence of the government ad interim, but
was finally resurrected and placed before the senate
in December,1836. Ho action was taken unt i l cotober
12th , J.837. only to be rejected primarily on the
grounus that the t rea ty "was based on premises that
aiu not exis t . " This took place during the fourth
'government of the country, while during the f i r s t
i t was necessary under the then exist ing conditions,
that the Oherokees be treated with and iB*£he language
of provisional GoveocaD^S^rh, "the commissioners
'-ould. go specially instructed, so that no wrohg could
be committed, eto»- - - - - . " If the "premises did
not exist" i t certainly must have been presumptuous
CARE, mm M. TEX/vS CHEROKKES. 7750
->to-
for the government, ed i t s vary inoipienoy, to so
assume and ac t . The'"Solemn' declaration" was
published to the world ,by the Consultation un-
solicited ,by the Onerokees. The t rea ty oommis -
5loners tfcpeared unheralded at the vi l lage of
£OW$6B* Houston remarked in his report , "The* r- * '
* i
state of excitement in which the Indians were'
fir«t found by your Qommissionere rendered i t
inpossible to o&mmence negotiations with them,
fete- • ' - - . U
The "Solemn «olaration had been passed, *,(
adopted and signed vby a l l of i t s fiftyrfour
members unsolicited and Anbeknovrn to them. The
treaty negotiations were held and concluded ona l l Ohertofcee s o i l . That the t rea ty should have
jDeoaivQd ra t i f ica t ion seems to be the chief
argument, especially for present day writers to
expostulate in endeavoring to just ify Texas, for the
ignominious expulsion of 1839.
le t us briefly review a* few precedents in\
reference to theaon- ra t i f ioa t ion of t r ea t i e s by
the embryo government of the United States pf
V
%\
If
Nofth America ana note their effect,
jArom the jeolar^vfcion "of Independence unt i l
the adoption of tne Oonstitution - from 1776 to
1*789 - the»e was no national administration, Oongress
had no power to levy taxeep* but ,ooulu simply .moke
requisitions on £he s t a t e s . Opngress, therefore,
oould oolleci no taxes, oould enforce no law against
ani individual c i t izen of a s t a t e . Our present'
Oonstitution was devised to remedy these very
defects* I t aid, ' I t established a Rational Govern-
ment to make la^s and to execute laws throughout the
whole United States. From the years 1770 to 1789
U dtsd States Government ra t i f ied nine t r ea t i e s -
the various t r ibes of Indians, among them the
Oherokees. '"here, ^ s no competent authority at* the
time to rat i fy them. They r»ere safcredly kept by
the contracting parties and no subsequent government
ever attempted to retiew them for either, ra t i f ica t ion
or reject ion. The French treaty of 1778 was among,
those entered in to . This/meant the success pt the
American colonies in the i r struggle for independence.
. 262
Washington early recognized the necessity of .the
formation of treaties with the powerful ,indiaa
Tribes ,and so prevailed upon the ^authorities so
to do.
In urging the Council to,appoint Commissioners
to treat with the Oherokees in conformity to the
acts of thefConsultation, Provisional Governor,
Henry Smith' said: "I can see no difltcoilty which
can reasonably ooour in the appointment of the
proper agents on our part, having so many examples*
anu precedents before us. The United states have
universally sent their most distinguished military
officers*, etc. » • - - • - - - - . - . » • •
Very l i t t l e haad transpired in the. eastern
portion1 of Texas to disturb the tranquility of
the Cherokees ^?ith the possible exception of
Oordova, a Loxioan military officer, who attempted
to stir up a rebellion against Texan authority.
Emissaries fciraole and Flores had ^een apprehended,
aad on thet* persons were found dispatches from
Mexico .City, to the oherokee authorities, solicit©
ing their aid in a war to reoover Texas; If these
asa, *»&&«• \im % . feu; cfeiv/K^-s. rsreo
dispatches ever reached thei r destination, there i s
no record of i t . suffice i t to say, if they aid,
they fe l l up'on deaf ears , beoause the Cherokees
did not attempt to espouse the i r cause. Af teV a
battle «dth the Kiokapoos, General Rusk discovered J
the dead body of a Cherokee upon the bat t le- f ie ld l
ana complained to Shief Bowles. The Chief answered
Ms attempt to plare any blame on his people by
pointing out that t h e individual ^as a renegade
member of his tribe,and that whatever his ac t s ,
diu not render them a national a f fa i r .
Notwithstanding, t ha t , under- Article five
of the t rea ty , the !?exas Government bojihd i t s e l f
"to prevent in. fftture a l l persons from intruding
within the said Iwmiid?, and that such t rea ty
was made in conformity to the "solemn jeolara*
tion", members of the Killough and ^ilhouse
families were alleged to have met death at the
hands of unknown persons within the bounds of
the Cherokee Hat ion. Ctel^ Bowies' immediately . ,
ordered the bodies delivered to the settlements
without Cherokee t e r r i t o r y , explaining that roving
C*M, i W K u. /££X»ii CiuutuKiiiii. 7750
264
bands of prairie Indians were responsible for
the deeds. The efforts of the Mexican representa-
tivee to prop ore the aid of the Oherokees and
the .murder'.of member's of the Killough and ^ilhouse
families seem to constitute the entire grounds onr
the part of the Texas Government to remgve thew
from their homes so lonff ooaurcied,- long oefore
auy iLuerioans touohea l1exa& tjoa.1 in quest of a
home where fpeaoe and happiness*might be their l o t .
She !3ad obligated herself to perfeot a
surves of oherokee Terri tory. To oarry t h i s into
effeot, president Houston, in the l a t t e r part of ,
1838, ordered Alexander Horton to make suoh survey*
The south sioe,f ™hich i s marked by the San Antonio
road, was run, but i t does not appear any further
effortw&*made on the part of the government to
complete the survey. However, suffice i t to say
the three remaining siaes are natural demarcations,
namely - The Angelina, Heches and Trinity r ive r s .
On October £8, 1838, Ool. Bowles wrote Horton,
which i s indicative of his a t t i tude towards Texas,
as follows: " "
OABR, E&ANK K . .
265
"Llr. Horton: * '_;
Dear s i r : I have accomplished my desire in
raising my men to guard and aia jrou Haile. you
are running the l ine . Insomuch,I "understanci that
some of the ^?hite people are against i t , I am sorry
tc hear that for we wish to do right ousselves and• • •
>?e hopeu that white people wanted to no the same.
h$> for your disfputes among yourselves, I have,
ordersu my men to have nothing to do wi th ' i t . Liy'
express cruers to my iaeu ar-e to guard you and your
property fror. the enemy. .-
. ' I hope that rou will be particular t^ith us
"in consequence of us not unuerstanding your tongue
•*and .also we will pay that respect to you. I hopef , • • ' •
v you will le t us know when you iaeed us and where and
X " i l l be at your service.• ^
" I will uetain Gayen t i l l I get a line from
you. as he may read our writing.
I have twenty-five volunteers to send y<ou.*
So nothing more,t *
Only ycur friend,
Bowl."
o&m, JH«n: % „ TEX^S. CHKRO
Under the wise and able guidance of
president Houston, the government under the new
'republie was a complete: success, order had been
restored within her boundaries, the national debt
redudad and ,' in the main, had well taken her ;
place among the sovereign nations of the ear th . *"*
Immediately uoon the induction of the " -
seoona administration under presidant liir,abeau-
B» i.amar into power, the policy "of exterminating
al l the Indians in Texas was a4>opte |anci closely
adhered to as will be seen* lamar had been private
secretary to Governor froupe of Georgia, durSngit i
whose administration the Oherokees were forced to
abandon the homes occupied by them from time
immemorial and see& a olaoe of abode in the wilderness
west of the Father of "raters,. This act of Georgia
well places that state in the l i s t of e l igibles
for a plao© in Helen Runt Jackson1 s "'Century of shame."
Eretexfc after pretext was sought in order to
•find some excuse for the unpardonable sin the govern-
ment was about to commit'upon an innocent people.
The act of Cordova appears to have been distorted
into the long tfish«3 4£G3p-<pretc«t. This incident
am,
was the ohanoe for the Secretary of ^ar ir& give
vent to his feelings against the Oherokees and
to further put into effeot the policy of extermi-
nation. Ei8 letter of April 10$ 1838, to 3ol©ne*l
Bowl follows:r-
'V
"The preeident grants peaoe to them but is
not deceived. They f i l l be permitted to cultivate
undisturbed as lon# as they manifest by their for-
boaranoo from a l l aggressive aots and their friendly
bonduot the sincerity of theii" prefessa onsNs 1 until
Jonffross shall adopt such measures in reference to
thenfas in their wisdom they-may deem proper, "'itha clear viev of all matters- oonneoted with their
vfeelings and interests it should not surprise the
Oherokeerfe t o learn.- that such measures are in
progress under the order of the l*esi'dent>s vrill
render abortive any attec.pt to again disturb the
quiet of the frontier nor need it be any.oause of
alarm to these'who intend to- aot in good faith.
All intercourse between the friendly india/ns ani "
at ^&v ^ith Texas must oease. The president
, , . • • • 2 G 8
direota that you will cause the contents of this '_
oommunioatiou to be made known to a l l the ohiejfs
rho were present at the oounoil."
A dark and threatening oloud be/sran to gathers
ana envel'op the skies*- This portended the great
an s -oBtruotive oonflagration that *?ac to s^eep '.
over the nnz of the unof^encUnp Cherokeee«
Kajor B»J»^atere, early in <fipril,1839> ^as "ordered .
to construct a military post on* the? Great Saline
within the limits of the 3herokee Nation. Ool,
Bodies mobili_25ed his forces anct ordered iiajor\
Waters to ret i re frorn^Cherokee aoll , ^hioh he
diu# consiUering h.s forces inadequate to cope
with his adversaries. This act.of Ohief Bowles
in protecting his domains from intrusion, aroused
the ire of Bresiuent :,amar» He 'vrote Ool# Bowles
as follows: ' , , • ' '
~ . -:Yoa assume to be acting under a treaty
negotiated at. your village on the twenty-^bird * '
aay of"February, 18^6r with aommissioners' appointed
by the Brovisional Oovetrnment of Texas «"- - • - •;
n
?750
2 6 9
He ooncludGd: " I , therefore, feel i t my
duty ae the Qhief Magistrate of t M e Republic,
to t e l l you in plaitL/languag© of slacarety
that the Qherokees wil l never be permitted to
establish a pertoaneat. and independent- ju r i s -
" diotion '&rv the l imits of th i s government -
'—that'the poli-tioal ana fee simple olMme which they
set up to our" t e r r i to ry now occupied by them will
never be allowed - arid that they are p«Bmitte4
' ' . a t present to remain where they are only because
th is government i s looking forward to the time
when some peaoeable arrangement oan be made 'for
removal without the necessity of shedding blood;
buiT that their f inal removal is^ contemplated is
oertain artf t hat i t will be, friendly negotiating,
or- by violence of war, must depend on the Oherokees.
themselves.n
If-the Mexican governmeufc desired to place on
foot plans for the recovery of Texas i s not a
matter of speculation or discussion here. . ^hothor
or not they desired the assistance of the Oherokees
and other t r ibes of Indians i s no^material. There
CiiBH, IBAHK VU . TJEXfiS^CHEEOKLKS. ., 7 7 5 0
• is no evidence that these Indians espoused the
Mexloan oause or mat'o the sl ightest effort -in
that direction <?hjLle on the* other hand, indioa-
tioris are that they were heart i ly I n aooord with
the T'exan authori t ies , -If the "Texan 3, Mexicans
or other t r ibes of Indians ciesireci to*trade or
oarry on interooarse, there -?s nothing in the 1
treaty with'^QXaB, the"SoloKn'!)9plaration," or
in their o«n la^ra or-regulations to present i t . '^ • * , '
Hho ma .n point i s , did the Iherokeajs-- govern-• * * * * *
ment aotna^ly o^mmit any overt aote of war? -mhen
• .(id the atfeimts of the jrexiaan emissaries to
gain their «UT>oort in a ^ar against fexas, con-
s t i tu te cause sufficient for the 7exaa Govern-
, ment to conclude tha t a ^tate^of -tTar existed . .
between^the Oherokee lat ion and the-Republic
of Texas? • ^
Let 's pause for^a mpmfcnt and indulge 'in a
retro-active glance into the past» ^n the f i r s t
Uoriday in September, 1638, Mirabeau B» ;aniar was
elected tfi^eeoond presiueat of the Republic•
v during the^ years of 1831 - 32 when the celebrated'
H R , SB&HK
"V.-
oases of the Ofierokee Nation ve« Georgia and.
^oroestsr vs. Georgia wore tr ied in tiie^sjupreine
Oourt of the unitea irtatee, t h i s satoe ^amar wa8-
.private-eooiJetary to Governor Troupe of tha t s t a t e .
To eay that the aota referred to weiBQ oopressive
ana unoonsoionable i s not exaggerat4nn to say the
leas t . Miy i.amar left Georgia i s not Jcnown'but
on hia entrance into Texas, he fouid a~well'organized
state there., governed by a portion of the same pfcople
he kne ? years^be^ore in Serrgia f enjoying the oon-
fidenoe of the constituted authori t ies ana wa'eld ~
ing a large influenoe over sdrrpunding t r i b e s .
His antipathy towaras them must have been well
matured anu rQaoh^od.the point o^. over flow. That
his polioy df the oomplete' extdrmliiliti^ OjTthe
Indians with'in Texas borders was weir known and0
"that the boundaries of t h i s Bepublio^ shall be -
• raarkea by the. sword" was oarried out aojorcrlng"
to sohedule as we shall see. , ~'*
" -Tofurther the well-ecta-blished polioy of "• > * •• * *
his ohief, on May 30th ? 1639j the-aoting Secretary
ofr'state addressed^fehe following letter to the
9Z-
,Texan Minister a t "*aehin#ton: -
- ^ lopartment of o t a t e f '
Houston, May 30, 1839.
Boru Hiohard Q» :mnlap: - . ^ ~ ^
I am requested by the pre'siuetri; t c
transmit-.you t ha aooo}c,panyin^.. iooiUF:Gnts, mar/ed
oapture-a fror. a ;nrty of l-.exioans, a£s yon '"i l l fl'rul
a ia the oooy cf report of Jo l . .'urleson,
oi* ""ar, herewith transmit tea an V marked;/ • *
y '"PI.is government has long b ^ n in possession
of-teetincny suffioient to justify t-her. in adopt-
•• - ing /the dost somrary an-i imperative nieasures' towards/ / •/ / the ;LorokGeD aru other bandB of northern
i rosri^ent in'Texas* ""fcejr unauthorised emigration '•/ . • • • * ' ' * ,
ana protraotsa stay in thk ooun^ry has al^-ays been• * * . ' . - •
a- sourbe of ui^quie^uae anu; anxiety to the oivilized/• population mX their renewal Has long' been i
/ iut the ?resi.jQnt, aotua^e'1 by Poolings of humanity
i. towards ; p^o^le who have been too muofe aooue%omed
to profit by anu abuse similar inuul^enoe, haB been
? to reeort to foroo to prooure their expulsion
. c. its •r.«. iu TvT.s o
while a hr.pe could be entertained that their with-
drawal might be effected by peaceable,means« That
hope has been founded on the application heretofore
made to the Government of the V lited States relative
to this interesting subject* Those applications
appear to have been ineffectual thus far, while the
humane forbearance on the part of th i s government
toward these intruding Indians, has )>een productive• • !
, I
of many disasters to our frontier settlements, and
if longer continued might result in irreparable
injury to Texas. The most enduring patience may
be exhausted and must yield to the duty of self-
preservation, ^hen i t s ©xeracise evidently gives
encouragement and aggravation* to the hostile
spirit of the-offenders« Such is our present con-
dition relative to these immigrant savages; and *
the president has resolved to put an end to the
repeated aggressions of the Oherokees by compelling
their departure from out territory. You are at liberty
to make known this fact to the government at Wash-
ington, and to request that suah measures may be
seasonably adopted by the government t as will fulfill
C M * , . i 'WK.. : , , J J X I O CKI&0KEE3. • \ , ' , . 7 7 5 0 -
o>
the. provisifcns of the 33rd a r t i c l e of the t rea ty
entered into betweea the XJnited otates and Mexico
on the 6th of April, 1831, and will effectually
prevent the return of these savages to our t e r r i to ry•
"Our right to eject tbeae Indians can soarcely
enter into your correspondence ^5th the government'
of-the United States; but should i t be incidentally
alluded t o , you will find i t .clearly suggested in
the l e t t e r of Hr# Porsythe to 4!r» Cast i l lo , aha
de Affa|tes from Mexico T?hich i s transcribed in
dispatch No. 42 from youfc predecessor to t h i s cepart
ment. . ^
"Yoa will notrhowever so l ic i t an elaborate
5n on this subject or any other connected
with the obligations of.the United s ta tes and. Mexico;
for a protracted discussion &s seldom desirable and
may be productive of inconvenience, <*f not of i l l -
Zee-ling bet^efin parties.., which we would very sedu -
lously avoid. . • '
"5fhd j^resideat ocnceives that tt© government
of the United states has franfcly/«nd justly acknow-
ledged the r i ^ i t s of 2exas to the beasfite of that
CARIt, •PB&ft'K M, ' ' Ti<2&S CHH8G&EE3. 7 7 5 0
. - , ' . ' • ' '275 •
treaty, appeoially in deference to the 33rd
art ic le whioh Has a direct t e r r i t o r i a l relat ion
to th i s Republic as now* organized; and lie cannot,
imagine that, any objection will be raised or
ioulty ooour on that ground. You w i l l ^ ^
confine your' communications, unleas constrained-
to take'a^widor range, .to the faot of this intended
, expulsion .of the-Oherokeee arrl such other of the
immigrant bands as may prove to have been or may
hereafter be implicated in the late antrocious
attempt on ths part of t&e Mexican authori t ies to -
* employ the Indians of the United s tates in desolating
our frontiers* These .maohi'nations have been Irno^n"
to us for some £Ame, but ar*e now.so fully,developed- •
\ in relat ion to the Oherokees that longer forbearance
towards them i s ut ter ly, inconsistent with the f i r s t • ,
duties of this government* If, in the progress of
your correspondence it shal l he assumed as has been
suggested by the Charge de Aiffaires here, that the
government of the United States i s not boundt t o
receive or t o restaain those Indians and tfce .
ill-advised t rea ty partially*made with them on
UE, HUM SU . ' . fiSX&SCHlHOKBEa. 7750
the 23rd day of February, 1836, by Commissioners
appoin1;e~ by the late Provisional Government of
Texas, be alleged in, support of this position,
you oan present conclusive.refutation of that
assumption in the fact that pretended tresty has never
been ratified by any competent authority on the
part of Texas, fnthe- contrary, when i t vas first
' submitted to the Senate of the Republic, which *»as
the only power to confirm i t , it was rejected by a
• decisive vote ,-en that body;' and no subsequent act iron
- pf the government has been had upon it» Indeed •
shoulct this matter be pressed upon in euch t&rms
as to indicate a determination on the part of the
. government at Washington tp avail itself of that
treaty, as absolving i t from all obligations touch-
ing these Indians (whjch oan hardly be possible)
you can further disclaim the validity of the treaty
ground that the Provisional Government itself
whose authoritysthe treaty purports to have
made, was acting without the sphere of any
legitimate power and* oould not in any matter so
extraneous to the avowed purpose of i ts creation
as the alienation of a- large itj&'mUtfblt portion
0AHB# fUm If* ,
of territory impose any rnor&l or political
tions u-pon the independence ami separate Govern-
ment of Texas* You 17111 recollect that the Troyis-
ional Government passed i ts brief existence anterior
to the Declaration of Inciepenuenoe ana - as organized
'miner the Mexican Je-eral Sonstitution of 18.\4 -• 9 * '
that although i t s orfranizat-ion was in .are.ot -
Violation of t hat Constitution, anu nay fer"bons i*'ereu '
" a8' ?arfc islly revolut ionary, it s aaaumrrfc iovLfi* of
power -we'fd no. more obligatory upon the *inae-}er
government of Texas than they ^oulu YI--YQ .been
the ?e-JBral (rovernment of Isiexiao haa tb'-t ft
rneht been re stores aa.-. Texas l?e turned <£o" her . •
previous atti tude, ' By the. ver7/ constitiitioa of
tfe&t foveVnment, Texas, as. such, ^as competent, -
t-c make t reat ies . She ^as but a uenartir.ent of
the coi^euerate stat.' of Coahuila an.i -Texas, an:t.,
in her conjunction state capacity 7as also pre-
cluded fro? entering into t reat ies Vith- foreign
' peters.. X suggest this as an ultimate ol-tp, of ?
argument to be-pursueu but not to bd resorted,
to ^c?>ept in case of strict, necessity. You are
278
a^are that the lines aesignated in tihe treaty•4
r'ore run by Col. /ilex Horton some time in the fal l
of last year at the instance of General Houston,
<*ho t?as then exeroising the funotions of this
government, ?his fact., .too, may be a.'.uuoeu
against you; but you ^ill'-fino no ,~reat oiffioulty•
of divertiife i t of any serious oonyi-ier'ation by
surn;estin@ tKh?.it the apt of Oo£»,Eorton j
authority, iho Tesiient having no rip:h"f,
a treaty &nt<i effect anterior to or in,<eppm ,ent
of the nation ox the -enatre on suhh .treaty. In .'.
t\ it* iastaiioe the assuipeu risht wa's oxorcifeed in
irost ot-ntrartction to the a.ivioe of the senate
ana every f\ot so .;one ^as. an absolute nullity, am
. impost no legal,or moral0'obligations on this
^hbula the government of the Uitited
otates aecline to tender you any satisfatit&sjr
assuranoe oonoorninr tbo future return tc our
t err it tar y 'of* the ^horokees'aoT about tc be ejeoteo
froE; %t, this government "'ill be oompelled to
. resort to i t s orm energies; ana a protraot'ed war
may ensue between 5?e3cas anu,<fche' northern Inuians
8£ M . - 7750
279
within her borders, ^e fihoula greatly depreciate
suoh an event, for it cannot/escape an oruinary
ciisoernmont that it ^ould be more than likely
to enlist a portion of the origina]L_triboB frj
;ruuing bands have been recently
renoveu to the west of the Kissassi-ui by the
.Government 'of the Unitea Jtates, It is also rore
than probable that ouoh a contest ^'ula involve
the Governojant of the Unites states in an Indian
•*?ar of greater magnitude fh'aft &ny they have
- heretofore sustained
"It is not intended' to impute err-s^-to
• that government in the congragating o# so many
(sic) tribes of savages on*their remote'western
frontier/ for they did so in the exercise of
inai.sputable right* But while we fully acknow-
ledge th^ abstract right, we cannot but perceive
leeply regret that i t s practical operation,
been already .eminently injurious to Texas
may possibly -inflict s t i l l more serious ev;is
upon her. ?he migration of several bands of
very tribes to our territory wag a uireo.t ana
CA8B,l?WtK M« TEXAS CHflROKEES. 7750
liatural aonaequenoe of their removal from their
habitations , anu their location in our vicinity
by that government, ^e entertain too profound
a confidente in the magnanimity of the fovern-
menjt of our fatherland to believe for a'nome'nt
tint they s t i l l omit to frjve to thir fact all
the oont:ideration that an enlightened sense of
propriety ooul,, suggest; or "that they fail to
fina in i t , a<vi.ition/i] reasons for observanoe
of the- treaty of 5th of April, 1831, heretofore
referred to . No government to act on the bene-
ficent principles of Ohrist'ianity. ^ i l l perr'dt -
itself tp prosecute 'a course of doynestic ooliojt
the evident tendency oj^which is'destructive of
th& peace ana happiness df a neighboring nation.
It will either abandon the policy or shoulj i t s
Gorrkinuanoe be of paramount importance, to i t s ,.
own wefcl-being, i t ^ i l l so r.o:iify ani restrain
its pernicious results that the neighboring Deo-
pie may -suffer no serious detriment froci i t . In
previous instructions fronj.this governnient you
will "flna the Ooshatties ano the Buloxies mentioned
.• 7760
«
I'to f . • ' * • •
In qonnootiem vj th tho Jhorokeee^atia cth&r northern
tr ibes* fheeo *QW^B have hson tr: , 1OQ/T r ee i ;
c£ Texan (I bolieve they ec.I«ratcM tro" tv o ."J
-. nv i a** "t he ^©rio-n rlevOlutlon^ to. bo inolu.i>2 in
tha l i s t o£ intru-iors fro, fhe unite . t^tce» You
•-.11 not, t'herei*ore, proL%ther u.cn tli • a t t en t ion
u£ tl-'it p>vor*&!>:'nt in your iui'ure c r r p e ^ti .or»oe
r^ : Q u" torr" tor.v, an. ;u* -hor. ™e a1-, jl-iin. "'bo
J'. j.'S'iec^. v*io>'4 H:OB ftrji- Ju>v ^es a3?Q tho frost nurercus
#m. f'oct obnos.ii«iB of tl GBC. an It i€ t%o£t roo' 11.. - \
by thG Lfiitui- v-»-t©t" w-"ioh ^ e '.r-i-t -ir >.cntiy ^ t - j r o ,
tm t^ VY'QY --Q are olo . ' i r ly s h f i l © . « - « * • . - "he
•YQei $r:t i s A t i t o -n.t&spffcs©-t but I t r u s t ^31i be
i b o u t a - i t o i n * fe-" .Ay^« •
Vory : .es.:)ootfull ,v, •
' I K';ve tho«honor «tr i»s,
% Your 'be.iiont . e r v n t ,
avi.. J a iiurnet,
\at i n.-- . dorot *iA*-
MK II . v . TiiXAS CHKS0KES5. 7780
-281
in ocmneatioa t*.ith &h® Jhoroko^e an... other
tr ibeg* 'JJhoso bnnuf? have been t^' lf»nft ro»«l i
• of Texas {I bulieve tJSe.7 «*•!prati-" iC.ro* tv 0 Jreoks
mrin* .the:.Aft.erlo-'n Kevolutir.n1 t< bo ?nolu)«^ in
the l is t" oC intru'<ore iVv the utiit'.\ . t ^ t ec* You
'" i l l not, the re fore , ;)r«* B t ier u'A,U i\. a t t en t ion
. of t'nat. goverrBflpnt in your /ut-ure <rx\roe^;
s a u . j.-« uoe& 'H-Q \be b u i - e t h .t h"
^ o»*r terr.; tor;:, an,- oi* -hor- we ar». p
'r^J:e©B» ,Floka.>oo8 ar>; Ja..". r-ee ar« tho r?;
: r.ost o'baqxiotiB of tVofte, <m. i t I s tfceit rW-11
by the^Unlt«c^. t^tee^Wiah: «»e r.oi*t -ar tcritly Efbir©,
an. to «h-;dh ^ a are' olo^rly e n t i t l e ' . , - • * • ' « -
-ent i e y i i t e n spoee-.. bat I-tru&t -311 be
•about af-f^h) i n
the honor tr hs,
'bo.iicnt ..e
\dtinr . eoretary
••*
. . In order" to c)arify/jg*» tec ants
in h^ the high state' oJfiGlal^t" the Republic in
the foregoim% it io ,\$xt proper to reiterate
that .the f i r s t au* hentiff'-reo'r , *i Jherokee er4~
gration-tn Tex^s it> ourin-* the "inter of- 18X9-J Po
Tbj3 first-\nerio »n, 1 oeec ustin, firtjt s •.- tb?
oountry fully ten r.ont'hs rjftear-arws, :ID
?
inp* in p^rfeotia" olaner-tc. procure
oontraots fc-r Xiods .on ^ ijh to" r^ke ".set"?."
•.•eith overt coir him on June 10th, 18^1, ^b
h^re.. Hie-..yinr injunction ^^B that his .e
'*• '.ustto t prooeeti »itb the oirryinp out .of *bip-
ox ;"^erioan set^leiient »\s ra :e on
in '"h*it it
The Jhorokees p®r? anontly sett leu n;*ir
about t«"O yorirs before the' f i rs t As-erioan se t t le -
mont «a. started*
Theee "intrujin^ ift*iaae
>»*
i .by ttie Spanish authorities aha t*sr© later
happily domiciled unuer the'nae'vly insti tute^
government, *felah jsa ie thein
• • /
283
•'?•"
/ r •
't' i;
i f- •If , ' *" '" ' " 1 >"*
I
} yi
of
if »*y t t i r fcm bft'.tfco• ; • * . -
v 2H4
f t.'f»
f *"-i*i 1 n
f" ^ 1 *•
t •" t
- t n r ^ > t » > S j < , b?r
- t
^t.e> i<mionn t>t;*toi por»It the .Iftffirn'r
reel 4n> f»ithin<i.hoir ter?Itnr|ptfe te .onmr^'t,
OABB, WANK M. TB3tt8 7760
* •£•%
t
1
f rrfr it
i f
**• thin.
*••
^ 1 n ' • t *"n
•*
• • • "»
>•*'«-> * hi 11 C-
&xc th
'.*: to | . or
S
(JAHB,
.1
# captive priBon©t,s m o by fha in'imp.
' • " ' • ' •
"t tlie tir^o nf the f^rnnti^n *'>? t> ir* tro»f.v, ^
But r-rw•}i;ii- -* a?«r^"4'» <?. rv* in'a* «> t • *v*ft ! + * ^
rA* t*-vT"
rer* ;n in-onfta^nt rwt-1 f-
t- prevent ''nljl .ho'stllitiep '•«
'
the korliion. of ma ainar 'cij• v • • • *-." ..
/'
in
r AT
if .-r".-
•• * ' -
h " , Tot*'* <• V-> "Iff.
V: «*»
/
J' t h o -
i.le*. ft.
t\m. te** patent4
t r ibes ha." Rf>
; 288
3AtQ-> i h "
^ with i
"tjp«at with
j * <• - • > > . * ; r . ( " * » • < • • • h "
.(*>••?'• \ .
-
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Cot-ifco ef»ttle«iont
f »-'h. ) • ' • ' 77tifJ .'
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tr- f
i t
f t • * » » •li* i.\v?
^a,itl«3ra onto in
• '£ • " , . i t
CAftB, M. TKlDlfi'nHBPOKrBKS.
390
the
it." ^
Jo.ial Tor
by ,%.^*
a
nn - • ' •!*<
by the r^lAfc'itrtt. iHieT t^ --"it th<»"
If AH.
' «,©i-r:»i a n - ' r
title, tli
t At ^
her
CM1H,
if
mt< her l ibo r t ion w r e ciuiepenti 't u^on a m o t '
unequal an \ wonfc unjust *»art- r^n»a « very ©olern
)<><nly o' T O U' i i l l ,'jf?nto f purveys* n r
p nf X'n ,.••,. *>'V In ttf e boun-e horo-nbetforo
^ m?» « n f t e r the eet')f»>«nt «£ tli«s f?-i^
t- l \ -Vn
the }
it, , ©t.tl»
"iiarton, 'a
fc, Henry .'•ni
r i tohall in—^X
it»
\
of Jtfaa.
of the-
themcolTos to that'uroly they
TOO
292
•iiu riot iatmfci to uea t iw the laa&naby thus/ • ^ ;
*? their aeairal l ty unt i l tfao.•<ra*>a8••%*•
oyort ^hon they, gavin,- n••^.Zurther aeoa of thewf
««f>uXvi dobloro thai -tbe Xnjj *une, tw... uo t i t l e , either
Tegal vtsr 'equitable* ut\m sixty nation that t i e
Consultation hi nc • vor tc :-aie saah r>lou^e is
pre :rsterouB» ?he fc-oorittrs or I t ha... pr---er to
aJhore to £?e 'jonBultation of 1824 or to
fric i t i t?.o -lusembly ^ao organic*• Tirir
revoiationary« Treaty or th i r ty tvhousan • people
«?ero uofQtfcii'or the;, a-olvot; againsfy^ji^ht millions*
They met, hy thglr roproBentatiyes, r«r pro tier *a
oonault.'ition* ""liegr fcwnd a action of la? lEuae* in
thoir mlU8tf aiivt-.noed Ift-olyilization hm\
influence ovor otl.er trib@e« ^hsoo
caoapied^ the ooust*y firs?t -.nn-1 i t
to ocnoiliatd'thc?;* "'h.is^as onei by
*>iven. I t i6 a rule irx ethias thai tbe f-
ic bourn by Hh t hs ^ollevoi the orordiie. aruer*»
ojjjeotioa oan avoid t h i s moral ooaslaev on»
it>ors all•'whloh*. tbo result ie th-vt -?5reai^iat l i a r ' s
• • . • • 2 9 3
message, in t h i s r espso t , t e .uaeu.opcrtod .
h i s to ry , as by the' roc,; £i,,i5 c>f Voxno toward
, -n.the other Uanvt, it- Wi
'that tbs Ir j ians ihcuiu have ;in
within tL^t or ?«S;OG« "hey n*
oor-e un"..ar the TOX E> 1-^t I B
o i t i a ens . ' 7be ^roat'ob'.jeot of • »any •^uj tr, s
a s . fcr ' t t -ey v?er© looated -i^.a fine
, v io l a to r s ' o f the pieuga of 1S3S* "The irife
' saarooly >s2*y o^ the pt^er ^ h e n ; l o o ^ o r s ?JI ; • 'x survayors were seen i n ' t a ' e i r - f o r e s t s ; an\ t1 l e f
^ t o, fto*6»»itUstana2 wg the •Jonau3.tation* by t h e ' -
uagree o^ November 13^1U3fct ha . orti-orod euoh
locat ions ana* surreys to. oo&ee nil over Tesfjis#
"But i t ie Egeleoti t o arfoll f a r the r
upon tiie sub'joot» The Jkerofcoes ^-ere oharmed
with the plui^aer JUI> nurueor of r.auy of t h e -
,-. inhabitantB resi^inp: airong thea ' inS ' in t h e i r t
Tbo KiHough 'f«w;iy v?ero orao-lly. * *
uj oftly'theea pr font ©soapea^ an;* they
CARR, mmt M. • " THttS CHsRtoiS. 7750
294
were brought ainto the sottlaments fcy tb.e Cherokee ,
*hr by' tfheir "ourmiar r ep rosen t i t ion" , iBEjrfc the
secretary of ~&rf oh.arre- these aote uoon tfre
( pra i r i e i n - l i n e , an., tfru treao*:ej">Tis J-.oafi»':m»»
To prevent t-uch 'oourranaee, :.ajor '^tprc hrA..
been ordered ^iV l;v»< o • ns.aloi:- t : 4j-3<*upy the
•ec he is ^a l ina , net :nl: ' tv*> -'"^tch 'ts-e -JVier'- aus .* * *
but to out : f f tVoir ibteror-nrs© v i tb tLe "Uv3r
of the prair^st»» Bow3os, tbs O\isrokd© JMe*
notifioi; I'ajoir "latera t h i t he **oula reoul "o;
Xosoo Biioh oooupatioa o'f the ^:iliae» A. tbs
. ajor'is force ^ \ c too sma'J t o q^rvy'out'^.^
orucus, he eatabiisjheu h ' e n^r-t on. the
batik or the* ??«ohos* o-'t of t he v3?
Oolonel 3ui*leson9 «*b -as? than
a iMroc on the jo'lorn r> t « r.-oorate ri >ai
i-.'m, s%.' H.8 to be reiiiy on t i e f'ht>rtes?t no
to out or ih@ .Jh©rc-lfec t a r r ' t o x y t In t h e mean-*
time the go¥©rnr.*0n,t o&R.e in to pcp8*o©Bion of t,U©
papars of Kaau«>l Moree , inaXaoitu? those t o the
* . _ ,» ___ _ i
CAHR, ffRASBC M ,
? *£ the ^
nn
•I4th d--,v
ri t i
v
f r e l r .i£U
OHKROKEEB*
, On i''«rf r
1 M'.ir*^*"1- h J
0
* ? ••
t.
».ny fCor •*^- r '- a 'f"
f?60
t-
t
t i i^c•
<
j r
if our .'en*'or l'
*.cth o;* tTiilyt fll'i fart!-or ntt^i
295
Indian
^ ^nt h-c. tr^o^R-in "motion* ""'he
tae about five mlloB beXow
"t©n the TeKane arrived theri, th®
29b
nbout ??>! le e '
in. g i ^ t *">!' fehoa; -at;
, •» rav ine <%-v t l icj^^t *? th
the loft*
the o-nn prair ie no
l* The
t< tl-.o
in. ^
i- m; tl- a loft
T
u . ?h© fexams
The
t h i r e r >i l>of» an? ?5ve
pnnaet an<; the por rn t en^b-i ttt ni * l t e
•» tbfe tnoriiinr'. fit t h e L6th, t^ a
t h e t r a i l !.ai <? by thf> in^*
pr^vioufs* In the forenota", thoy
a In a ravine hfelf -fr^in
w*
<?> ( ' • *
I1"1
n " 1 f f c ^ p f t ^ «"'f^,^ ?•-I > f * * " ! ' T i f f v ' t * f * " V/>
t:| ft
ir» »-jo s^t'ir^l* "hup sm''*?1- t h t . n n n n I d t ^ f t,Y «?
K43.'io'^ *«n-' ^
t^o farmer «*HB, t Hoi r u ' e t iriprttl»h6t)
in the oStlQinl- ronort of tfo© aotion
298
/ was styled "the long-dreaded Mexican a l l y ,
Oolonel Bowles." In these.#wo oontests there
* ere engaged about t&VQ hunclrea Texans and— "• * . -
eight hundred Indians. •[-.+ ' .The t r a i l of the r e t r e a t ing Oberokees
" •. * • /
^as followed f,ar som© days* Several Indian,
villages were passed, their extensive corn
fields out down and houses "burned, nn the»
evening of the 25th t further pursuit being
usele.se/the seoretary of trrar, "who aooompanied
the exofcdition, directed the troops to be
maroheu to the i r homes and mut-ste'red out of
servioe. "For eighteen-months afterward' , -~"~7
says a worthy officer in the engagement, T'the
oame back in samll par t ies , and oommitted .fearful depredations upon the ' l ives ana property
of the people on the f ront ier ."
In the maroh- of Gensral Douglas, he passed
the villages of nearly a l l the divinized Indiaaa#
He says, '*the Oherokees, oelawares, dhawneee,
Oaddoes, £iokappos,-Biloxies, and Ouohies had
established during the past spring and summer
\
CABBf, ERWiC M. - TKXAS CHKROKEES. ' 7 7 5 0
smany villages and cleared and planted extensive' • " - • - • u
fields of. oosn, beans, peas, e tc . , preparing
evidently /for an efficient oo-operation ^itb the
Kexiimns i»u a - ar nitb ti»ie oountry#M It was
very natural to infer from thee© agricultural T
labors, thnt t'b© lw iane '"ere -preparing fnr a "
wir against Texas; but Neither their* clans nor
their crops were permitted to mature. Re speaks
also of the Indian Territory through whiob he
marohed'anct saye that, "in point of richness of
soil and the beauty of s*it#ation, w< ter and
prot«uoticn&, i t ^ould vie with' the beet portions
of Texas*" ^ ' ••* V
'Thus the vexed Question ^.ith regard to
the oivil.ised Inc::iana «as settled, nn\ there
oouli-i be no hindrance to survayors or settle*
ment>» on tbeir fine lanug, ?he previous adminis-
tration had endesfeored by treaties and presents
tc_ conciliate the frontier Indians; this hau.
nureued a sterner policy* • It hart, in a l l conflicts,
killed about, three hundred warriors^ leaving five ,
thousand mord al l exasperated ascainet Texas
OAHft.
heir* TTnww^i <t t b o m*iin nrvl uf ff»'° t "
'4 bofctm
1 M
y
Nat iona l Onnno.1 1 fliP.peTnli)^" £>lM>p>or1, <i
took iiati 'oii I n
in--- :>ri'! "*• / iv lp i^n of
wort ( ^ > « ^ n , /wor ' l fcs8th, 184(
db B i .amar, ' :
of '
aoi
any
n 1 .
• M «- t--) »v
hor> th^i- th* f 1 ^ ,l
\ \
nation In rnlation i
f
people now iq-ip«rBHt' 1 rer^r-^ft nrcm^r t«
assure >on, tli'if if suah <»f 'tb^ir ae uiy be
of fort Toweon, ttiDvfc th©
's of .that poet will be instr&otea to
iseue 8Uoh qaaati t^ odf provieione .
may be nooeeBary to wimble them to v$tvwti to
$ V.
i: n
i»i, n th . *- ;mrm, 18lO
merit for yomit
Kptl 8th - 1840, '
most serious injury frnn''th«" intrusive
nf the- OhercKee people, within tlie iin»-li;«
m ami torrltoyy*
position in
people, within our liraite is hostile;
we shoulu therefore bo greatly pieaeoa-to &ot tb»m
returtiecl to tlieir leg^i^'re tiome, iiaa a'gaia
cm, nuns «•
with their own people in the United s t a t e s .
. "The GheroJcee prisoners have been
dispatched to the post moat convenient to oar
command* An attempt to send them to Fart '
Towson would have bean no less hazardous to
them than the i r escort; our prisoners beinp
exclusively women anci children.ni»e t rus t that .within t h i r t y days from • s
th i s date, they <*ill be at .Poft Jessup (La.)
"I have the honor to be, w»ith great respect,
• " . Your obto Sub.
.B.^e Archer,
Secretary of ^ar.
By order of Hi's Sxcellency,
The Bpeeiaentf" ' '
The following appears on page 146 of the•*
19th Annual Report of the Bureau of American
ethnology: -
"Those of th§ Texan Oherobees ^ho did not
flee to the Indian f erritcry, drifted into Mexico
where some hundred of them are now permanently
ana prosperously domiciled far south in the
K.4
7750
• • 0
neighborhood j&f .Guadalajara and ifcake
oommunioation- being s t i l l kept up through
oooasional v i s i t s , am* attencianoe at a
°0oun.oils, ^ith. ifoeir kineirienin th©;; ' • '
States - 'fhere the .nation ha>; ooatiaued alnoe
- I t s expulsion fror Texas." **
^hon the1expulsion took niaoe, General -
HHuston ??as in the United otates on business•
'^n'his return to Haoog(ioohesK he audressed^the"
oitizfens in referenoe. tc sarae* r.n h i s f i r s t
,. attempt to vio so, he *»as met with hi^a^s^ CAt-
o i l l s ana threa ts of violence. He at last s #
suooeedeti in gaining an eininenoe when he pro-
oeeded to charge Texas v?ith, "bau faith on her
part aol thajfe the expulsion ahu the b i l l ing of
the 0he.iro&e4s on the field' of batt le^as unbecoRi«»
ing a oivilized aria Ohristian nation. His oommanq-
ing figure'ana ©Joquenoo triumphed on t h i s as
well as on aooasions formerly mA afterwards." .
Bresicient Lauar's Indian Policy attacked.
'-. (jSxtraot from a speech made, by Senator Sam Houston,
fn the United' s ta tes Senate, January 29-31, 1856s)
, TOAUK I*«
i n
•-'•'tit*
a i
years
y»-, A
/ > s
t '
t r 1 f'.
^n f rtfin ' f>b "•
In--J^nit i'ip. fi
ap-»ropri»it«-i ^i/feOf.^O
war© r^i^«fi» "I)?.! wai* tb©
polio;; *ba.r'ohfta$0'i i n the lnawim^^tidtt of the
fie anttouao<53 the «x t^mi»a t lon of tb©
Indiano. He marshalo-i h i s foroeo. g@ maae
9 .frletuily t r l b« wh> live*1 in
r»f our settlement*? whor^ th** a r t p t > r
. << art « rmrsine-'* b*r
an i t r a f fi J ^f each r>v~•?notions r ^ t h ' FK>J1 RR «
QVQ oonvenipnt * 1'hpr l ivf" by-'tr^ffi'? with
p «?nnoijj3ef- by' the cobine^ tb^1 they - o«3
l i o f f n o n s t o n ' ? rw»l: In^lanp*"- " * ^ 1 , s i r ,
y k i l l e d , a vorr fo^ <• 1! then, aex r% honorable
not be^n
have iioked tbR
not t he re ,"
the v-olnnteere* y
nrmy - «o- tfiff. Ih'i
«' oberokeei?* h«j' been very
i n
men
01' &an%a Atan-A, who' were sweep lop ofer
" l i ke a sixooon, they hV, aid.e«i our people,
i' elvea. them Buoodi" -•• ana' ihir . "Tir. tho reooia-
pease* They wer© Triton fromj&eir hoiooe aiift
loft aesolate . The^ t?#re fr i^en np amon^ the
What was the ooneocueno©?
•nil/-
n i-rftJT h^hM ' f i ^n tn r m-n f"»'
noon
^ beefcro© involve t in wUUone o.rt <J«bt,
* fliat
was in 3,840 Aat I t i » » i^of ttfitil tb« ya»3? of 1840
hadi with tb«n tha?ot%h
ftXfc8- C8SR0KBSS* fTfiO
-308
the pipe of pea,oe, the wampum and the evidence
of friendehip,"
On. page .57, Volurnnel of h is history of
Tan Zandt County, Texas, '"entworth fanning says,
"\f ter the Gherokees haa been- ariven. out of
Bast 3Sexas, the fight openeu uv) for the -Gralua&le
lands formerly occupied by them* jThe -reason v
for tbeir expulsion heo?v^e apparent airon^ the
"pale ^faoe. oontostants in a mad scramble of
possessing tli '^;territory from which they were *
& ispossessed was fierce to the Boho«"- -* *
On page 549, Volumnelv, Hohn Henry B^o^n's
History of Texast says t "The noble Travis, i n .
oomiaand at San ^ntonio, increased his force to
one hundreu ana f if ty men ant- prepared by every
iheans in his power to fiefead the' place to tV;e
last* Governor smith Icept couriers in the saddle»
dispatching.them to the coast, Uaooguoches, san
\ugustine anu elsewhere, with messages urging the
people to action** Houston (and Forbes under his
instructions) proceeded to t-reat with the powerful
Jherokees anu their all ies and secure their neutral- ..
ity - a matter of l ife and-4eath importance at that aou*»
CABR, FRANK M. t&JiS CHEROKIiES. 7 7 5 0
• Page 400 • sane volumne says, "This'"
. "iiolemn declaration" at a later day, as M i l
"be seen hereafter, became the sub^eot of
acrimonious Jisoutatione, but language ooald
not be made more plain or obligatory than was
th is guarantee to these t r i bes . "
Ho better evidono© oan be adduce'? as to
the oiroumsjranoes surrrmnillng the Expulsion of
1839, than the testimony of Texan statesmen and
writers quote i in the foregoing paseag:es» Jfo '
shadow of dbubt oan be bast upon.the statements
of the immortal Houston, Terrell> Yoa&um, Bro^n
and others of that day orrof '"ent^orth Manning
of " ' i l ls Point, Texas,.of today* The govern-
mont, *rith i t s regular a?ni volunteer armies,
was ^resent on the ba t t l e f ie ld . The highest
etat-e offioial to the lowest mil i tary officer
of the armies were present, dissecting the opera--
tion£-* No other than the renowned A.lbert JohnBton^
of la ter Oonfoderate^ faos, then the Texan secretary
of ™ar was on the f ie lu , as ^Q1\ as the Vioe
PresiUent, David G. Burnet, of the Republic,
fftftUK M. TKKM 0HER8KBES.
i n ra fe r^nao 1 *»
i t ^ ^»* I J S A t i l . if>
t\ e% ohernVepft oo<»upi*»«* t h e i r larvif*.
l o n e «xC tN> n b l ^ p t a o o w i e n ' e r>f th'o
kdn.fi AVfr- o r o n o u n n ^ " In /U'-ei'io-. ••.! rotifer*" , n«"
>*><* 15^? A t t o v r j ^ 1 HO*" 4 , i n
T[ou Auk m:, opinion of tho
t i t l e by ffoioh ^-® oherokee inttiaae'hel. *tho lanu&
lately poeeoseau by the to In. Bistern fexae, -n.uedply impr@88Qu with the magnituat? -of tho
ijatereet ia"<rolv©ut anu ...affaro of tho cieef exoltess$nt
» - • - . « . - . » • • »
oil
pi°rvftriftfl-±ha_publio mind on tha subject;:
I have endeavored to bring to i ts investigation
all the energies of my limited capacity.
question naturally- divides itself into
branohes,'corresponding to the two govern-
ments umTe'r-wiich the claim has-grown up#
The first of these being the Mexican Govern-""
ment, I shall first dispose of that branch of
the subject, .
"The Republic of liexioo, by legislative-
enactments of both'lier general and state govern-
ments,-invited the-Indian-tribet residing ^ithin
anci bordering on,her terri tories, to settle ?nthin
the limits 'of the Republic* The Oherokees, avail-
ing themselves of this invitation, seieotfsp the
section of country urider consideration of their
permanent resiaenoe# I have never seen any evidence
that they ever obtained a grant for these Tanas
from- the'government, but there is sufficient evidence
of several acts of the government authorities,
such as the ordering of intruders to be driven
off ijrom their lands, and others, which dearly
showed that the government recognized their ~
<U» | FRA82C «• ' tftTAP OI8»«B»!S#
settlement-right to the lands they occupied
This settlement-right ™asj3onBidered
Mexican lavs as the first or incipient stage
of t i t l e to the lands thus occupied. They
considered by those la^s as appropriate, and
no longer subject to/entry, location or settle-
iaent , by any other person or community, unless
abandoned by their first oooupantse fhs Cherokee
InUiaas baa, therefore^1 by, virtue of their settlej-
ment ami continued occupancy, unuor ite6 then
existing lan?s of liexioo, act uired an inchoate
right to the lanus on whieh they resiaed, .#i:ch
they.alone under those laws had the right to '
mature into perfect t i t le*
"Thus stoofl the affairs of the Indians
"/henthe first convention, usually uenominated
tne "Consultation", met at San Felipe, in October,
1835. This convention, by one of the most' solemn
acts recorded in the journals of i t s proceedings,
declared that the Oherokee Indians had "derived
" their 5»st claims to lands included ^
boundaries hereinafter mentioned, fror -the ,
«
*?gha.Vf? also
our rifrht t*» the BMX by arrant an«'
y . " They, moreover, solemnly it
th»t nT?e will jKuaranter tr them po^aeablc
en^o^nnOTit of f.hriv r t r h t e <c +.hoi
do ctur cr?at ?«v we elea^Q the public
for thr suo^ort >f the forattoinr
it to j*ivo s t i l i ooro-BOJLemniiy to the
aot an* m. c I t , 5,f poeaiblo, o'C'inf>re bindinr-'
, a l l the ra«aber« tf the convention separately
^Hhis pnaranty en > "pleure of the public
faith* v j t wonl. be ft'iffioult to conceive any
maaner in Hiioh a natiop eonK. b n;* i tself un^er
mor8 eoiepin obi Rations, or affix to i t s action a"
higher iftor^I eaftot#, n t tan le here aone« £h©
of th© Instinim^nt partafeos largely of tii©
ana u©ap feelings that marker the cr is is
at which i t **as put forth," 1 aannot well •imagine
la i?teat jssaaner laagua^D OQUIU be aoabiaed batted
Oaloulated to parodttc© wi th those to r?h-om i t was
j isj|5lioit ooafideaoe in i t s truth ant?
FRANK M, ' TEXAS'-^EHOKKHB. . 7750
314
o a pmint, ' h*B b$$n 'ueejtionml by Bom*)
*« but
t
x* no ©oil-' Connrt^tl^n frr nnoh *n
Tn th«3 Innpw&fr'1 r>a q ^wntloman, (t?*« )ftt<N l amen-
t e d talwnt«« t70* n •Blrfiwill, ^ t tnyno^ (}en^rrjS' n»" tbn
t l n n i n * QliKiidntiiMfi <"»=! f a h j p o t * : o f t
H
1 tho o
They aaeewtilon in;iQpon
of 0 t ?
n formerly cxiete , Y»n by thiia aet
victual"ky eevoret- an., sepsirnte fror- t i&.M
•Fh y ^ero the only politico i authority known to
the county for tha-ti«K» bainn ?»nd *»oto.therefore
nooacB&rAly ohar^tea wit.h the {Sutler &n at t r ibutoe
of ^oveyiaaent • ffe^ wave tho govorwm^ntoe faoto*
They 0sc©3?o$.$©cl th© prerogative o£ gov^mieiri;* m h ^
tben infbro© ana olos^Q the oourfca
9 mm. m • l a a c & s C H E R O I , rt&)315
of Justioe. Thoy ©i&otod laws and oaaeod them to
to© escepttted; aaa , f inally, , thcgr orgaaizea ^ pro*
visional ^ovornment for Tesati, intleponAofttl^r of
the other MexlOv a etatgtV
"fUese wore the purposes for ^lioh tklli -
bo iy oonvenetu Tbo oonetitutionsl gcverraaent
of • 18t4 t under the mil; am salutary iaflttenoe, of
the Anglo' *jnerlonn population batf been
a into the oor«ntr-yr haU baen overturned,
ana in i t s staaa a saiaitary"despotieai substi tuted-
ana a large a»sed force ^©nt into the ooantjcy to
redooe the ref«aotory Americans to obediono0# Jtt
thiu stat^vof th5rw;a anU for these onuses, - w
th© .aooreotlott of 1836 oalleu by "the peOole of
a l l Texas*11 ?he ueliberatioas of that; body
therefor© aeoesaarily torfc a witle range, embraoms
*i th ia if® legitimate scops, the fotieral inter©£^ts-
of th© then DeiftirtmetfOsjpws. This -aa tho
boay. which not only reoogniaed _the olaim^of ths
Oherokea laaiane to the laads in oueetion as
being «3erive4 froia th© tomreS Mexico, but whioh
also goaranteetl to t,feom "tbo. pcmoeable enjoyoent
^ guaranty
I " - ^ .- *
o l b
•j|2$0/ooam&tatloa ha#t in car opinion, ample authority
• - -fj
...., to.l^.tha luiiaae their* rights td.'iheia® la&ii'f,
'atitKo iitet' aB;' aQUlr' 'd t i e provisloaai governmeat,
whlah thjy orgaal2©at toja«ike a treaty t*ith them, aaft
4e8igaate their boua^ari©st whloh was ioa© In
anoQ.with tho authority aai lastraatlons glvoa by
the profieioaal goverameufe; and eoasecuentiy
Ing uponthfi govsriEaaetsfc arfci people of the
Bad not this guaranty aad plofig© of ti» publlo
faith beoa maa© to the ^jadiaae by the
the authority to gt$8& the laa^s l a
qusstioa to the. iaaaaas* " This body ^as layastefi
by th© caveat Ion with fall powers to ooaduot the
loii l igal affairs ot th© o6dn%ary».. f h # oombiaei
la that body the fuaotioas of
to*wit| th© Xi#glelatlv© aafi f$
I ' *" '•
It foia.o«f»# that haci.|li0WoaY«satioa ©ado any '
epooif 1G |yaat of thoeQ lana» to i;he IntUane»
the authority of th© BPotielomA Ooverai utJ to' x ;
so, whuia hate beea fairly dedt^ible -from thei
, r - - . - ' • ?
-r-r:• . • « • . M Y
317
trHloh.ifeat "frowsy «ao q£otlutiU
oxeroised a l l the attributes and fnmtione
from UovQrabor;1835, antifc ao&iottra©
in Maroa, 1836$ during vtiioh time i t W&Q th®
political aut&Grlty imom t s er
th© ootwtsys oonewentiy, a grant of any portion
of t&e publto domain by that fcocly woul have
voi<U To atoit th is faat anci to
of a grant ©ad© by th.e
orea^e4 the grovisicmal
frcns whiofct alone it-" derived i t s p
of the oreatat© fr^atsr than tbose of th©
* the authority of th^ a^eat superior tc
that $?>t,he prinpipal*'* fiad^tbe 0oiiV0i3.ii©&t
fra®©3 the Constitution gsraotea these lan<3s to
tb© ..%i&im& * o* fe&d tfeo" f i rs t
the oonetitution done
aay p«irsott# '^tt ta^opinloai the grant teom the
talld as if m&» by fch* Xciet oonvontion* I can
r- eftR*swtt* 318
»o aifferenoe in the legitimate powere
of th0 two (a*««ataie8» fhey w«?e ^ot
of ftfe# j»eo|>X« of a l l
fop tbe aome ft^eral parpoee ••»
from the same soure*, to*witt *
th© people f tha great fosS.t#fi^1l#M of a n politioal
power* They were both orgaalo in tboiz etraotura •"
radiaal in tbeir oharaater* QQO&I in dignity,
pleasry in their powers, aaiu sl»it3ar ia tha -
great ofcjeots of their ooavooation* I aan 8©« n©
reason, .thereforot why the aota of the one ^oaifi
not oe oonsidered ae binding ana obligatory upon—
the oduntry as those of the other# It hae been
argoS, how©Tert i s favor of the aats of the laet
Qonfemtion, that they ware submitted to the people,
ana by them ratified, ishioh.gave to the aote of
that ana va«^<writy and toroe superior to
those of the fonaer* 5?hie by so means follow
as & necessary Q^nsegaenoe* ^he only aot of the
lafel ooavention, wbiloh was cubmitteiS to the people
far their approvalt a& the ooaBtittttiea.* th^t
detignated as the fundamental, organic! law '
: GABR, EEt&HK M, ' TEJC&S CEffiROKEIS.' 7 7 5 0
L ': ' • ; . ' • - ' 319
of tfet4aa&* by whiph the nation was to be
^rpitA&lly governed * i t was thought
that i t should be submitted to the
of the p«op3.e» j am not prepares to eayt however,
thsfi th i s ittatr»li4«at woalcl not liaTo bsea of 4
equally bind lag authority trithoaf thlJe sufcrniesioni
jsoreorer, their© we^e ma ay and very important aote
of this Convention t?hioh ^ore not Btihalttea to thoj
p#»|0.ef but whioa have ovor einoo b©ea rooogais®^
ae valid by thQ aation# Bsen the ;. GO3aration of
Indepeaderiao, that great aot of national sovereignty
t&ioh forever: severed the bonas of politioal iinion m
between f-ssas BXL& Mexioo, m& never eatooittoci to
the people* That boay organised a governaeufe^
int®ria% f and eieoted a pra^ideisiLjaai cabinet,
. and &|& many other a<|tet ?»hioh were never direatly
/ratified by the people; aa^ yet their validity, «o
far a© i have J»Tardt has never been questiohea*
fhe true Question in a l l transaotions performed
by a delegated authority i s , not whether the aots
of the 4*legatQ havo b#en eubttequently aofencwle^god
by the primary authority, but whether the delegate
320
hat trawsaenaea the powere with *hioh
iat«etfldj ana If he hae aoted withia the eaopo
of authorityf ^ thpa t sttb tW % » - P - - . . - , r ' . » » , » , v . . - » . • . * /
and th is upon the wall e8tabiM0d**j?ilId df*
that thl» aots of the tsgeat are Iti^ftlift tipoia his• . -
priaalpal, unloae tho agent transcend the p
with whidh hs i8 olct&sd*
"Again, i t is argaa that
aot0d tinder th® Oonstitutiou of -X8S4J and there
' being ap aathority oXotfeed tdth power 1^ that
iagtromeot to grant Xande ssroept th©
of iexiao, or BOJSO, of the stages,
any grant ma^e isy them was nuXX &s$ void*
in my-Jndgeiaetxfc f i s not entirely a fa i t
of statiag the proposition* ?ho
ftojotiu hot hom hmn aon^eaad uador the
of *04t heoauss that hoOy
• •< *»»• • >
Saata Anna had, »by oa?4& of anas
the fed^a l aoastitatiaa of ,
the eooiaX oompaot t^iioh exisfcea
fescue and the otfe@r mmbw&.Qt ,th©
fe faxat i s no loafer morally or
• ino321
by the oompaot of tinioa\ the ooautitution of
* whion they #eolau?ea to bo overthrown,
they ooald not ha?s
that constitution «• butf !a»Utefey
'the peoplo of f«xaa# availing themcelvas of t beir
natural rights1 , oonv«n©a a gencsral Consultation n
of th@ paopleof &1 Texas11 with tbs avowoa
purpose «f prpTiding for the general welfare of
sth© country and org^aiairig a goveminent fir tfee
tiiae feding* It i s true this oonvontiaa aid not<
the donstltution of 1824f but they
i t to he overthrown by Santa /inna»
also raoogaiaod that.1 netrum©nt as oontain*
ing the fHe^ul)lloan prinai5^li.tf in th© inaioa*
tion ana mainte&mo© of. ^hiah VQX&B had taken
up anas; hut th^"nowhere mid that i t i s e t i l l
in foro« ana that $oxas i s govera^d by it» on
the contrary, a Y«ry l i t t l e att@ntion^toTtht"
history of that body ana it8 proocediags will be
»uffioient to oonTino© ?i»y oandia ralnd that the
pbjeot of i t s oonvooation wae to orlfl a govern*
meat eopwrats ftm and independent of the them '
WO
322,
existing go*eraa©nt of j&fcsioo, a«3 to plaoe the
30tt*it*7 in th© freet postage of a of ©no© to
the ena*oa0hm©fifc of 1fce govemc38r&t for
aiolar* tfesy *hoXd i t to to their
the a#aorganization of the foaorai oyatom, txnii
tfea rsiga of despotism to vithdraa-'&om the •
Union ** to establish an iaflopendsni; govern*
seat, eta*1 $rue, they bad deol&rea th«y haa
up &me ia defeae© of th© 'EoputOiaaa
of the'federal ooasrfeitatlon of 18.4»*' t .
priuaiplea were the ©nduring ^riaoitjl^s /
of a Eeptiblioaa gov^rawefj*, ufaiak guaraateefi to
the oltiaen the right to choose his o m represent a
tivos* whioh gttataateed to hid freedom of action,
i a l l politloai pov?or to
ia the |>eopl#i 'feese, aa£ ^uoh a^ these,fthe Hopulslioan primsiple© of ih$ aoaetltutioa of
ia defaaa© of ^ i o h the eonventiou of
they had taken up asps« B«t- had they
reoogn ixed the aonBtltutlon as s t i l l i a ferae
their aotioBs# they so»14
they
• . < . ' ' " •
-mo •
323
oouia not have organised a arovisional» *•
~ they ooulit not have raised an araytp.opjpoae the foroes of the - government of
' * • • • " • - • * » - * . . . . , .
Mexioo •» for there le no authority for any of
theaft stats to bo found in that GonetitutioG.
# . . »
# tfed3?«for©f dQOlared tfeat iaatromont
thrown by the military usurpers who then
powers in the H©public of iiesioo #
the faot' * that great oharter of the. • •*
rights of the oitlEcns haa he en overturned by
r ana upon i ta ruins^ a oentral rallltar;/
erected, eabversive of fho&e ttprinoiple®
of the Bepttbliam liberty" eoouyed to the oitijsens
of 1 10 republio lap that instrtatesnt of ooiapaot t
_ between the feaersl and state goverm|jente« Bgr
\ tfeds aot of ucarpatlon on the part of the federal
(?a"fornmontt the states were absolved from a l l
farther allegianao to the goiapaet of tuiioa. They
had an Inherent ana iniiofeaeiblo H^ht to retsiet
the inorcsujhmente of this 'isllitary despotism(«
?hia Twtae a$df at) an ititogral portion of the
Ooiof•deraoyj aa$ i t Is no argument agaiacrt her
04BB, E M M ,
S ' •
TS3&S CHEROI 7750
lif324
right a to eay that OecOmila did not unite
her in the mea&ure - for the polit ical bands
wfaioh Had unit ©a these ttro departments info
oft* at&te had foeea mssrras*
the f«ddral [email protected] aaa by
adhering to those «ho baa usurps the authority
aaf th© federal goferrase^* Moreover, a separat
state goyertaaent bail, b0.ea guftranteea to her by
the oonfltittttioa of 18041 and whan tho t ide
arrived for her to aeearn© this station in the
i it tms denledi her« fherefore, eh«
to eseert hor o?ai rights upon her
reepoaei^ility* for this porpoee was the
ttoa of 183S galled by 'the people of a l l
!?h$ authority with whloh the metabora of that body
were olothe4 esiainairea airootly from the people *>-'-
the ^reat aowree of a l l pol it ical power in a
oTers^enti am although they clid not
aoolar© an indepsnacat national govern*
aetfb# thfly oertsittly did aeeurae a aeparate pol i t i
oal fXiBteoae, They took upon thecaelTeo a l l the
attribtttia, and exeroioed a i l the funotione
325
to tho *Affb*et ^olitioal authority of a
or nation ••ana for th* time b»ing th«re
no otb»r govtrcwont or authority reaogai«dd by
MW^ffiV^V&d^* aaa their a«t» haw
«{u*atlonedi by the nation from that tima
there be any/ono attribute of the
more unquestionable than a l l otherst
ie th© right to exeroioo JuriBcUotloa over the
publio aojnaia of t h© ectnitry* fhis rl0ht fct
aovereignty over the «oil t has,from the first
inetitutioii of gororniD»nfc# been exeroieed by
the «x 1st Ing political authority of every oountry*
~ fne Oonretttion of whioh I am now epeakiog wae
tpt the time the.highest. * ima the ottiy political
authority reoognised la ffoi o.ouatry* """"ffeejr" did
-? ex«roie& thie right of sovereignty over the aoil< - • * « ,
of tts» ooaatry * they w i e attnary grants of, l«*a
to inOiviauali * theee gr^nte have never, within
'- lay knowledge been ^tte«tion«d to thle «ajr/ ^ y ^
then inottia thie gra«t to the Oherokeei? Indiana -
be queetictted more than other* in&ae by tho am* bodyf
was cumotsxa,336
right to the** lanSe v>ao giuirantfed by
th# «oat#utiott ia t»iffi)» ae etrcng and explicit
ooold a0n?«sr th»is» %>» «13l theea
, I aonoltide that the t i t l e of tbo
tcT the l iidft in ^n#«tioa
of the original Indian t i t l e
being disposed of, another
ediataly out of the deoicion of the
itcalf for oonaiderationt^is$
looatione and eorteya mde upon those
/prior to the Aot of Qongrene of 1540#
their o«rrey ana eale are to be
m legal, and ooneequentljr exempted
a oueetion of equal,importanos
of mtwh leae difficulty of »olution than
It ie a well eetabliahed priuoiple
to the existing lawo of
urn* cmioxja** mi
of jmah fora* and authority has this prinolpl*
fctei* **icgniie3 to be, that mm aa tnohoate right
to laudi Itgaliy ao<y*lr«(it Imt which has not flfin«i
i a groat or other jwrfiot t l U « t oannot Jm
by offloo foami t ^
Q oy tfce wcisting lawe of the country*i
HtSh9 Obtrokee Ind lane had settle <3 in the
ooootry, tnclor tfc» inritation of the Mexican
to tbs laws tljen ~•xistinf had oortainlfr aoquirod an inahoat© right
to th« lands they occupied* These 3&a4e« the retort,
ooulil not bt legally subject to loaation irhil«
in their posseBBiosa « nor tv<m after # without a
»*iiif«8t Tiolatioii of the above well ««ttle# rule
of law* fhere ie bat on* exooption to tbie rule
•Jjb th* lai9B ol »ith«« tlx«F aTeawaO oiri " •
l^islft of HexAoo r and that ie the prorieion o*ntaintd
in th* 30th / Article of the General Ooloniiatioa' . ' - , - * < * • _ _ _ . - -
when aettlor* may reaoHre to lear* the etate
i n * foreigi* sotmtry * i f
fhie• i
t\ist not vcXtuitarlXy abaa.Wi their 'y«tt .i
>l , -_ to tu ' i l i* Xuu'. t « VU^* '';4it5t •:/<•••'. cr
the
wa.1
t t
a. by th
l<:x&
t
Xoaatton t e i t h e r foy Id -- i'•••?: '*' i
tikb? the- .)k>F'lc<
\
$£ thhethe.
h to the imU f tr
iYar; survey
tho Oi
an a car
of
CAHR, BTtANK M. T1OO.8 CHEHOKMS . 7750
up to-
o£ the?
1036,
fcho «£
o nf, 4:!.
off tho
lttdovencient*
>« HO ft
ihl
tha oaf to
they
; i\u.,tir tho
that i i may thoir
tho
n %
&aoroiae ilourt, in
| o the ^
oifa war«i hie
of tfo®
1,1.1.0, .If W l --tO
329.
lX of.
-160- ??60
Notes - • ;."jMr« Carr tms a member of the executive oonimlt;-
tee to represent the Texas dherok«e¥ in a suft fileSby them In 191O» George V, Flel<l§»' an ottorney *tOltLwhoiao Oity»- wss hired \s; the oberokess to take theoases . ?*r. Oorr's brother of Wound Valley, Kaneaa,1-'-'*
.finfttroed'tbe t r ip to.Tennessee foy^Mr. Fields. He 'wee given power to cot as representstire of the Texea0heroke«'9 ond weo given acqees to the records,he rebeived thi& information.—-Field Worker.)
331
INDEX CARES
Bell, Lueien BurrB«ll FamilyMertin, JohnCourts—CherokeeCiTil War—Cherokee NationToim8i tes—CherokeeTahlequehFederel Relations—'OfrerokeeGovernment—CherokeeBuffington, Thomes U.;Elec 11 ons—Cher okeeShawneesChouteau., Fred * -Houses—Cherokee NationSocial Gatherings—Cherokee NationLivery SteblesFarming—Cherokee NationIceCulture—Cherokee NationTown Government—CherokeeVinitaStarr FamilyCollections