ments than are now made to them will be useful, in clearing land and maki improvements, and would soon enable them to support themselves comfor ably and I believe that this process would improve their condition mo than the annual division of small sums among them for an indefinite perio The latter practice is injurious, as well in conséquence of themode in whic the money is generally applied, as by preventing the Indians from depen ing upon their own exertions. I enclose you copies of communications from General Clark, respecting claim of the Panis to a tract of country which has been assigned to th Delawares. This subject you will investigate, and if you find the Pani claim correct, you will endeavor to make such an arrangement as will b satisfactory to them. The suggestions of Major Dougherty are entitled t weight, and the plan proposed by him is referred for your consideration The measure intimated by Major Cummings, of concentrating the Delawar Indians, is also worthy of your notice. It is important, in the permanen establishment of the Indians, that the tribes should not be broken into frag ments; but that the portions of each should be brought together. You particular attention is requested to the existing difficulties between the Dela wares and the Panis. A part of the mounted rangers, recently authorized to be fraised by an act of Congress, will be ordered to repair to Fort Gibson, to attend you in the execution of your duties; and the commanding officer at that post will be directed to comply with any requisitions you may make upon him with respect to the distribution of the troops, and the furnishing of such facilities as you may require, during your continuance in the country. The Government has for some time had it in contemplation to display a force, and particularly a mounted one, in that region. Such a measure cannot but be useful: the impression it will make will be salutary and perma nent. The assistant commissary at Fort Gibson will he directed to issue such supplies of provisions to the Indians as you may demand; but it is not thought that these need be very extensive, as it will not be expedient to collect the Indians from a considerable distance at that point. General Clark, superintendent of Indian affairs at St. Louis, and the different Indian agents upon that frontier, have been instructed to afford such aid as you may require, and they can render, towards the accomplishment of your mission. Your compensation will be eight dollars a day for every day employed upon this business, excepting, however, the time engaged in travelling, during which you will be allowed eight dollars for every twenty miles of travel. A secretary will be appointed: five dollars a day will be allowed for his services, and five dollars for every twenty miles of travel. These accounts will be adjusted upon your vouchers, stating the time and distance, and certified by you to be correct. Should you find it necessary to purchase provisions or presents for the Indians, you will take bills of parcels therefor, regularly receipted, and you will accompany them with certified abstracts, showing 'the distribution of the property purchased. Enclosed you will receive a copy of the regulations which have been recently adopted. So far as these regulations apply, in the execution of your duties, you will please to observe them. You can employ such interpreters and other persons, to aid you, as you may find necessary. You may draw upon the department to the amount appropriated by law; but your expenditures, including your own compensation, will in no event exceed that sum. You will keep a full journal of your proceedings, in which you will enter all your speeches, messages, and addresses, to the Indians, and their answers to you From the information before me, I am inclined to think "the Perpetual Outlet," as such, useless; and that, in your arrangements, it will be expedient to include the reservation so called in the tract you may assign to one of the tribes, the consent of the Indians interested in the outlet being first obtained. You will please to examine the condition of the several agencies you may visit, and report whether any reduction of the number of officers, or of the amount of expenses be, in your judgment, practicable. If you have opportunity, you will also please to inspect the schools established on the funds of the Government, and report a plan of management and instructions, and such improvements as may occur to you. number of medals and flags, for Indian chiefs and warriors, will be sent to the assistant commissary at Fort Gibson, to be placed at your disposal. Col. A. P. Chouteau has been, for many years, a resident in the Indian country, and is intimately and extensively acquainted with the condition of the tribes, their mutual relations and habits; and the Government places great reliance in his integrity and general intelligence. I therefore recommend to you, on your arrival at the scene of your operations, to consult freely with him; and to avail yourselves of the information he possesses, and will cheerfully communicate. He has been written to upon this subject. I have the honor to be, &e. LEWIS CASS. DEPARTMENT OF WAR, To the Cherokees East of the Mississippi: MY FRIENDS: Your great father, the President of the United States, has recently been informed that a change has probably taken place in the sentiments you have heretofore entertained on the subject of a removal to the country west of the Mississippi, and that propositions from the Government, having that object in view, would be favorably received by you. Satisfied as the President is that this measure can alone secure to you permanent prosperity, and lay the solid foundations of your future improvement and civilization, and prepared, as he has always been, to make you offers which shall be not only just, but liberal; he has instructed me to address you upon this subject, and to make known to you the stipulations he is willing to grant, so far as his authority extends. I have therefore to request that you will take the matter into your serious consideration, and communicate to me your ultimate decision. The President is willing to enter into an arrangement for your removal west of the Mississippi, upon the following general principles: 1. That a country, sufficiently extensive and fertile, shall be distinctly ma ed out west of the Territory of Arkansas, for you and your brethren, wh they now are. 2. That this country shall be conveyed to you by patent, under the p visions of the act of Congress of May 28, 1830, and that it shall be for e without the boundary of any State or Territory. 3. That you shall have all the powers of self government, so far as may compatible with that general supervisory authority which it is necessary Co gress should exercise over you. 4. That you shall have the privilege of appointing an agent, who sh reside at Washington, to communicate to the Government your claims a wishes, and who shall be paid by the United States. 5. That, if Congress assent to the measure, you shall be allowed a delega to that body; and shall also, when your improvement and other circur stances will permit, and when Congress think proper, be placed in the rel tion of a Territory. 6. That all white persons, unless specially authorized by the laws of th United States, shall be excluded from your country. 7. That you shall remove to your new country at the expense of the Uni ed States, in either of the following modes you may prefer: First, by commutation to be allowed to individuals or families. Second, by person to be appointed and paid by the United States. Third, by an arrangemen to be made among yourselves, by which some of those who are competent t the undertaking, may remove all your people at a rate to be fixed. 8. That subsistence shall be provided by the United States for the term o one year after you reach your destination. 9. That an annuity, proportioned to the value of the cession you may make, be secured to you. 10. That all the improvements upon the ceded territory, which add real value to the land, be appraised and paid for. 11. That ample provision be made for the support of schools and teachers; and of blacksmiths, &c. for the supply of steel and iron; and for the erec tion of mills, school houses, churches, council houses, and houses for a few of your principal chiefs. 12. That a rifle and equipments be given to each male adult; that a quantity of blankets be allowed to your families, together with axes, ploughs, hoes, wheels, cards, and looms. 13. That your stock be valued, and paid for by the United States. 14. That the annuities due to you by former treaties, be paid to you west of the Mississippi. 15. That provision be made for your orphan children. 16. That protection be guaranteed to you against the hostile efforts of any other Indians. 17. It is the wish of the President that all your people should remove; and he is therefore unwilling that any reservations of land should be made in the ceded territory. Still he would not make this an indispensable condition, but would agree, should it be found necessary, that reservations should be made for a few of your people, in situations and under circumstances rendering such a measure proper, and within the scope of his legal authority. But your people must distinctly understand that those who remain will become citizens of the State in which they may reside, and that all the relu tions between then and the United States, founded upon their previous circumstances as Indians, must cease. These are the general terms I have been directed by the President to of fer to you. They form the outline of an arrangement, which can be filled up when you are prepared to enter into a negotiation. The details, and any other stipulation you may ask, will more properly be discussed and determined when your views of the matter are known, and the ultimate mode of proceeding adopted. If you are prepared to assume these propositions as the basis of a negotiation, you can appoint your agents to come on to this place, clothed with authority to act, or the President will appoint commissioners to meet you in counsel, and to conclude the affair. I can not but hope that you will see, in this frank and liberal offer, full evidence of the desire of the President, that the difficulty of your present situation may be removed, and your future destiny placed beyond the reach of those causes which have occasioned such misery to the Indian race. Shut your ears, I entreat you, to bad counsels, if any such should be offered to you. Whatever may be told you, it is impossible you can remain where you now are, and prosper. And if you persist in the effort, the time of regret will come, but will come, I am afraid, after the most serious injury to yourselves. Your friend, LEWIS CASS. IN GENERAL COUNCIL, CONVENED AT RED CLAY, To the Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War: Sm: Your letter, bearing date the 17th of April last, containing certain propositions as to the general terms upon which the President is willing to treat with this nation, has been received through the hands of Elisha W. Chester, esq. It is with much astonishment we learn, from this letter, the President has been informed that a change had probably taken place in the sentiments this nation heretofore entertained on the subject of a removal to the country west of the Mississippi, and that propositions from the Government, having that object in view, would be favorably received. The subject matter has been fully considered, together with the peculiar embarrassments that now surround us, and, in compliance with your request, we proceed to communicate our reply. In the first place, we wish to call your attention to the decisions of the nation on farmer occasions on this subject, and to inform the President that the true sentiments of the Cherokee people remain the same; that the basis of his prepositions is objectionable; and that the nation is placed in duress from the illegal proceedings of Georgia, in assuming to exercise jurisdiction over a large portion of our territory, and by placing a military force, with other officers of her own creating, in our country, for the purpose of oppressing our citizens. She has also introduced a great many of her citizens among us, to intrude on our lands; and, further, she has surveyed those lands, and vested in her chief magistrate the power of drawing a lottery for the ocupation of them. And in this peculiar state of things, the protecting arm of the President is withheld from the enforcement of the treaties and laws of United States, made for the protection of our national rights. And, m over, divers agents of the General Government have been commissioned the purpose of enlisting our citizens as emigrants for the country west the Mississippi; and, in the prosecution of this business, some of them h been seduced under circumstances calculated to create disquietude, and agreeable feelings. But let the President remove all the difficulty aris from these unjust measures, and afford us that necessary protection whic solemnly guarantied to us by treaties, and then the exercise of that privile which is so essential to the enjoyment of freemen, would place us at libe to reflect, speak, and act, freely, on the subject of our nationa interest a welfare. In conclusion, we would respectfully call your attention to the freque complaints which have been made to the department against the numero intrusions on our lands bordering on the boundaries of the several adjoini States, and to urge the removal of the intruders. Joseph Vaux, Very respectfully, Your friends and obedient servants, RICHARD TAYLOR, President of Committee. Richard Fielding, Exec. George Lowry. Council. |