114 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [f.th.ann.19 



ill couiuil, l)ut subsequently- mude subiuission and was reinstated. He 

 was afterward one of the detachment commanders in the Removal, but 

 died while on the march.' 



In this year, also, John Ross became principal chief of the Nation, 

 a position which he held until his death in 1866, thirty-eight years 

 later.'- In this long period, comprising the momentous episodes of 

 tlie Removal and the War of the Rebellion, it maj' be truly said that 

 his history is the historj' of the Nation. 



And now. just when it seemed that civilization and enlightenment 

 were about to accomplish their perfect work, the Cherokee began to 

 hear the first low muttering of the coming storm that was soon to 

 overturn their whole governmental sti'ucture and sweep them forever 

 from the land of their birth. 



By an agreement between the United States and the state of Georgia 

 in 1802, the latter, for valuable consideration, had ceded to the general 

 government her claims west of the present state boundary, the United 

 States at the same time agreeing to extinguish, at its own expense, 

 but for the benefit of the state, the Indian claims within the state 

 limits, "as early as the same can be peaceably obtained on reasonable 

 terms." '^ In accordance with this agreement several treaties had 

 already been made with the Creeks and Cherokee, by which large 

 tracts had been secured for Georgia at the expense of the general 

 govcriunent. Notwithstanding this fact, and the terms of the proviso, 

 Georgia accused the government of bad faith in not taking summary 

 measures to compel the Indians at once to surrender all their remaining 

 lands within the chartered state limits, coupling the complaint with a 

 threat to take the matter into her own hands. In 1820 Agent Meigs had 

 expressed the opinion that the Cherokee were now so far advanced tliat 

 further government aid was unnecessarj-, and that their lands should 

 be allotted and the surplus sold for their benefit, they themselves to 

 be invested with full rights of citizenship) in the several states within 

 which they resided. This suggestion had been approved by President 

 Monroe, but had met the most determined opposition from the states 

 concerned. Tennessee absolutelj^ refused to recognize individual 

 reservations made bj- previous treaties, while North Carolina and 

 Georgia bought in all such reservations with money appropriated 

 by Congress.' No Indian was to be allowed to live within those states' 

 on any pretext whatsoever. 



In the meantime, owing to persistent pressure from Georgia, 

 repeated unsuccessful eft'orts had l)een made to procure from the 

 Cherokee a cession of their lands -within the chartered limits of the 



1 Personal information from James D. Wafforrl. So farasisknown this rebellion of the conservatives 

 has never hitherto been noted in print. 



2See Resolutions of Honor, in Laws of the Cherokee Nation, pp. 137-140. 1.S6.S: Meredith, in The 

 Five civilized Tribes, Extra Census Bulletin, p.41.1K94; Appleton, t^'clopedia of .Imerican Biography. 



■' See fourth article of "Articles of agreement and cession," .\pril 24. 1S02. in American State Papers: 

 class vin. Public Lands, i, quoted also by tJreeley, ..American Conflict, i. p. 103, 1864. 



<Royce, Cherokee Nation, Fiftli Ann. Kep. Bureau of Ethnology, pp. 231-233, 1888. 



