244 CHEROKEE NATION OF INDIANS. 
under direction of Governor Miller,in compliance with instructions 
given him for that purpose on the 4th of March, 1823. A year later! 
a delegation of the Indians visited Washington to complain that the 
boundary had beenrun without notice to them and in such a manner as 
to be highly prejudicial to their interests. It was also urged that the 
quantity of land included was largely less than the quantity ceded by 
the Cherokees east of the Mississippi. 
It would seem that in the survey of this western boundary Governor 
Miller, through a misconception of his instructions, had caused the 
line to be run due north and south, instead of in a direction parallel 
with that of the east line, as was the evident intention of the treaty of 
1817.2. The effect of this action was to largely curtail the Cherokee 
frontage on Arkausas River, where the Jands were rich and capable 
of remunerative cultivation, and to extend their fiontier on the Upper 
White River, toward the rough and comparatively valueless region of 
the Ozark Mountains. It was also admitted by the Secretary of War 
that the quantity of land within these boundaries was probably less 
than that to which the Cherokees were entitled.’ Inquiries were ac- 
cordingly again made of the several State authorities as to the area of 
territory acquired by them through the treaties of 1817 and 1819, 
the replies to which, though partially estimated, aggregated 4,252,216 
acres.t Directions were therefore given to Agent Duval® to propose to 
the Indians the running of a provisional line, subject to such future 
alterations as the official returns of the quantity ceded in the States 
should render necessary and proper. It seems, however, from a report 
of Agent Duval, that the Cherokees in council had expressed to him a 
preference to adopt for their western boundary what was known as the 
“upper” or Governor. Miller line, and to run thence down and between 
the Arkansas and White Rivers for quantity, ignoring the line run 
under the treaty of 1817 by General Rector, the effect of which would 
be to give them an extension of territory to the east instead of toward 
the west. This proposition called forth directions from the Secretary 
of War to Governor Izard, in the spring of 1825, to open negotiations 
with the Cherokees upon the subject of an exchange of territory with 
them for an equal quantity of land lying to the west of Arkansas and 
Missouri, and for their removal thereto, but that the matter must not 
be pressed to the point of irritation. If, through the aversion of the 
Indians to entertain such a proposition, it should be dropped, then, if 
the same should be satisfactory to the citizens of Arkansas, the proposal 

1 March 3, 1824. 
2 Indian Office to Cherokee delegation of Arkansas, March 13, 1824, and Secretary 
of War to Governor Crittenden, of Arkansas, April 28, 1824. 
3 Secretary of War to Governor Crittenden, of Arkansas, April 28, 1624. 
4 Indian Office to Agent E. W. Duval, Little Rock, Arkansas, July 8, 1824. 
> July 8, 1824. 
