.MiK.NEY] KEITNTON OF NATION 1839 185 



hiid rciuloi'i'd themselves outlaws by their own coiuhul. t>xteiulin<r 

 amnesty on certain stringent conditions to their coiit'("iler!it(>s. and 

 declarin<i' the slayei's i;'iiiltless of murder and fully I'estored to the con- 

 fidence and favor of the comnumity. This was followed in August by 

 another council decree declaring tlie New Kchota treaty void and reas- 

 serting the title of the Cherokee to their old country, iind three weeks 

 later another decree summoned the signers of the treaty to appear and 

 anvswer for their conduct under })enalty of outlawry. At this point 

 the United States interfered by threatening to ari'est Ross as acces- 

 sory to the killing of the Ridges.' In the meantime tlH> national party 

 and the Old Settlers had been coming together, and a few of the latter 

 who had sided with the Ridge faction and endeavored to ))erpetuate a 

 division in th(> Nation w'ere denounced in a council of the Old Settlers, 

 which declai'cd that "'in identifying themselves with thos(> individuals 

 known as the Ridge party, who l)y their conduct had rendered them- 

 selves odious to the Cherokee people, they have acted in opposition to 

 the known sentiments and feelings of that portion of this Nation known 

 a.s 01<1 Settlers, frequently and variously and pul)licly expressed."' 

 The ofiending chiefs were at the same time deposed from all authority. 

 Among th(^ names of over two hundred signers attached that of 

 "(leorge (rue.ss"' (Sequoya) comes second as vice-president." 



On July 1'2^ 1889, a general convention of the eastern and western 

 Cherokee, held at the Illinois camp ground, Indian territt)ry. passed 

 an act of union, l)v which the two were declared "one body politic, 

 under the style and title of the Cherokee Nation." On behalf of the 

 eastern Cherokee the instrument bears the signature of John Ross, 

 principal chief, George Lowrej', president of th(> council, and Going- 

 snake (I'iradu-na'i). speaker of the council, with thirteen others. For 

 the western Cherokee it was signed by John Looney, acting principal 

 chief, George Guess (Secpiova), president of the t'ouncil. and tifteen 

 others. On September fi. 1839. a convention comi)osed chiefly of 

 eastern Cherokee assembled at Tahlecjuah, Indian territory — then first 

 otficially adopted as the national capital — adopted a new constitution, 

 which was accepted by a convention of the Old Settlers at Fort (Jib- 

 son, Indian 'i'erritory, on June 26, 1840, an act which completed the 

 reunion of the Nation.'' 



THE ARKANSAS HAM) — 1817-1888 



Having followed the fortunes of the main body of the Nation to 

 their final destination in tli(> West, we now turn to review' briefiy 



'Rnyce. Cherokei' Nation, op. cit.. pp. 'isi. 295. 



■■^Council resohitions. .\ugust 23, ISi'J, in Report Indian Conunis'^iouer, p. 3>7, l.s;S'j: Royce. op. cit., 

 p. 294. 



'See "Act of rnion"and "Con.'ititutiim" in Constitution and Laws of tile Cliurokee Nation, 1S75; 

 General Arbuekle's letter to the Secretiiry of War, June 28, 1840, in Report of Indian Commissioner, 

 p. 40, 1840; also Royce, op. cit., pp. 294, 295. 



