248 CHEROKEE NATION OF INDIANS. 
As to their promised ‘“ western outlet,” the President was unprepared 
to say anything definite, inasmuch as that matter was then in the hands 
of Congress. 
From this showing it was made evident to the delegation, and no op- 
portunity was lost to impress the fact strongly upon them, that if they 
insisted upon refusing to arrange for an exchange of lands, instead of 
being entitled to a large additional tract beyond their provisional west- 
ern boundary, they would, in fact, be entitled to several hundred thou- 
sand acres less than had already been placed in their possession. In 
addition to this it was more than doubtful, from the temper of the Presi- 
dent and Congress, whether their long anticipated “western outlet” 
would ever erystallize into anything more tangible than a promise. 
With these facts staring them in the face, with the alluring offers held 
out to them of double the quantity of land possessed by them in Arkan- 
sas in exchange, with liberal promises of assistance in their proposed 
new homes, and with the persistent importunities of their agent and 
other United States officials, they yielded, and the treaty of May 6, 
1828,' an abstract of which has been already given, was the result. It 
was promptly ratified and proclaimed on the 28th of the same month. 
So nervous were the members of the delegation, after the treaty had 
been concluded and signed, as to the reception that would greet them 
on their return home, that the Secretary of War felt the necessity of 
giving them a letter of explanation to their people. In this letter the 
Cherokees were advised of the integrity, good conduct, and earnest zeal 
for the welfare of their nation that had invariably characterized the 
actions of their delegation at Washington. The nation was assured 
that their representatives had done the best thing possible for them to 
do in the late treaty.” 
Notwithstanding this testimonial, the delegation met with an angry 
reception on their return home. Their lives and property were unsafe ; 
the national council pronounced them guilty of fraud and deception, 
declared the treaty to be null and void, as having been made without 
any authority, and expressed an earnest desire to send a delegation to 
Washington clothed with power to arrange all differences.® 
In the mean time Agent Duval had been advised? of the ratification 
of the treaty, and Messrs. R. Ellis and A. Finney had been appointed, 
in conjunction with him, as commissioners to value all improvements 
and property abandoned by the Cherokees, and to sell the agency prop- 
erty as a means of raising funds for the erection of mills in their new 
country. 
Survey of new boundaries—The eastern line of this new Cherokee 

‘United States Statutes at Large, Vol. VII, p. 311. 
2 Letter of Secretary of War to Western Cherokee delegation, May 17, 1828 
3 Letter of Sub-Agent Brearly to Secretary of War, September 27, 1828. 
4 May 28, 1828. 
