MoiiNEVJ GENERAL WOOL's REPORTS 1837 127 



The delefialion taken to Washiiifrton liy Mr. 8chermerhoru had no more anthority 

 to make a treaty than any otiier dozen Cherokee accidentally picked up for the 

 liurpose. I now warn you and the President that it this paper of Schermerhorn'i' 

 called a treaty is sent to the Senate and ratified you will bring trouble upon the 

 government and eventually destroy this [the Cherokee] Nation. The Cherokee are 

 a peaceable, hannless pec>i]le, but you may drive them to desperation, and this 

 treaty can not be carried into effect except by the strong arm of force.' 



GtMioral Wool, who hud ])ooii phiocd in command of tho troops con- 

 centrated in the Cherokee country to prevent opposition to the enforce- 

 ment of the treaty, reported on Februarj^ 18, 1837, that he had called 

 them together and made them an address, but "it is. however, vain to 

 talk to a people almost universally opposed to the treat}' and who 

 maintain that they never made such a treaty. So determined are they 

 in their opposition that not one of all those who were present and voted 

 at the council held l)ut a day or two since, however poor or destitute, 

 woidd receive either rations or clothing from the United States lest 

 they might compromise themselves in regard to the treaty. These 

 same people, as well as those in the mountains of North Carolina, 

 during the summer past, preferred living upon the roots and saj) of 

 trees rather than receive provisions from the United States, and 

 thousands, as I have been informed, had no other food for weeks. 

 Many have said they will die before they will leave the country." ' 



Other letters from (Jeneral Wool while engaged in the work of 

 disarming and overawing the Cherokee show how very disagreea))le 

 that dut}' was to him and how strongly his sympathies were with tlie 

 Indians, who were practically luianimous in repudiating the treaty. 

 In one letter he says: 



The whole scene since I have been in this country has been nothing lint a heart- 

 rending one, and such a one as I would be glad to get rid of as soon as circumstances 

 will permit. Because I am firm and decided, do not believe I would be unjust. If 

 I could, and I could not do them a greater kindness, I would remove every Indian 

 to-morrow beyond the reach of the white men, who, like vultures, are watching, 

 ready to pounce upon their prey and strip them of everything they have or expect 

 from the government of the United States. Yes, sir, nineteen-twentieths, if not 

 ninety-nine out of every hundred, will go penniless to the West.^ 



How it was to be brought about is explained in part by a letter 

 addressed to the President by Major Ridge himself, the princi]ial 

 signer of the treaty: 



We now come to address you on the subject of our griefs and afflictions from the 

 acts of tlie white peoi)Ie. They have got our lands and now they are preparing to 

 fleece us of the money accruing from the treaty. We found our plantations taken 

 either in whole or in part by the tieorgians — suits instituted against us for back rents 

 for our own farms. These suits are commenced in the inferior courts, with the 



' Quoted by Royce, Cherokee Nation, op. cit., pp. 284-285; quoted also, with some verbal differences, 

 by Everett, speech in House of Representatives on May 31, 1838. 



^Quoted in Royce, op cit.. p '2st\. 



' Letter of General Wool, September 10. 1836, in Kverett, speech in House o£ RepreM-niatives, May 

 31, 1838. 



