128 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.ann.19 



evident design that, wlien we are ready to remove, to arrest our people, and on these 

 vile cla.inis to induce us to compromise for our own relea,«e, to travel with our families. 

 Thus our funds will be filched from our people, and we shall be comjielled to leave 

 our country as beggars and in want. 



Even the Georgia laws, which deny us our oaths, are thrown aside, and notwith- 

 standing the cries of our people, and protestation of our innocence and peace, the 

 lowest classes of the white people are flogging the Cherokees w'ith cowhides, hick- 

 ories, and clubs. We are not safe in our houses — our people are assailed by daj' and 

 night by the rabble. Even justices of the peace and constables are concerned in this 

 business. This barbarous treatment is not confined to men, but the women are 

 stripped also and whipped without law or mercy. . . . Send regular troops to protect 

 us from these lawless assaults, and to protect our people as they dejiart for the West. 

 If it is not done, we shall carry off nothing but the scars of the lash on our backs, and 

 our oppressors will get all the money. A\'e talk plainly, as chiefs having property 

 and life in danger, and we appeal to you for jirotectiou. . . .' 



General Punhtp. iiicoimiiatul of the Tenne.ssee troops called out to 

 prevent the alleged contemplated Cherokee npri.sing, having learned 

 for himself the true situation, delivered an indignant address to his 

 men in which he declared that he would never dishonor the Tennessee 

 arms by aiding to carry into execution at the point of the bayonet a 

 treaty made l)y a lean minority again.st the will and authority of the 

 Cherokee people. He stated further that he had given the Cherokee 

 all the protection in his power, the whites needing none.'^ 



A confidential agent sent to report upon the situation wrote in Sep- 

 tember, 1837, that opposition to the treaty was unanimous and irrecon- 

 cilable, the Cherokee declaring that it could not bind them because 

 they did not make it, that it was the work of a few unauthorized indi 

 viduals and that the Nation was not a party to it. They had retained 

 the forms of their government, although no election had been held 

 since 1830, having continued the officers then in charge until their gov- 

 ernment could again be reesttiblished regularly. Under this arrange- 

 ment John Ross was principal chief, with iuliuence unbounded and 

 unquestioned. '"The whole Nation of eighteen thousand persons is 

 with him, the few — alxmt three hundred — whoniiidethe treaty having 

 left the country, with the exception of a small niunber of prominent 

 individuals — as Ridge, Boudinot. and others — who remained to assist 

 in carrying it into execution. It is evident, therefore, that Ross and 

 his party are in fact the Cherokee Nation. ... 1 believe that the mass 

 of the Nation, particularly the mountain Indians, will stand or fall 

 with Ross. . . ." ' 



So intense was public feeling on the subject of this treatj' that it 

 became to some extent a part}' question, the Democrats supporting 

 President Jackson while the Whigs bitterly opposed him. Among 



1 Letter of June 30, 1836, to President Jaekson, in Everett, speech in the House of Representatives, 

 May 31, 1838. 



^Quoted by Everett, ibid.; also by Royce, Cherokee Nation, op. eit.,p.2.s6. 



^Letterof J. M.Mason, jr., to Secretary of War, .September 25, 1837. in Everett, speech in House of 

 Representatives, May 31,1838; also quoted in extract by Royce, op. cit., pp. 286-287. 



