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2.  John Ross, et al, to James Monroe, 19 January 1824

Father,

    The Delegation of the Cherokee Nation have taken their Brother the Scry of War [John C. Calhoun] by the hand, and have had the honor and sattisfaction of being introduced by him to you.  And we have grasped your right hand as the Great Father of all the red as well as white children within the limits of these United States.  We now take occasion to communicate a part of the business on which we are instructed, believing the subjects embraced, requires your immediate attention, therefore have thought proper to present them directly before you.  A communication comprising the other objects of our mission is made thro' the Department of War.

    Father.  The ignorant and wretched condition of your red children makes them in some degree inferior to their white brethren, but as a Parent, you have not despised them on account of their unfortunate situation, but you have sympathized in their misfortunes and have endeavored to relieve them in some degree of their unhappy condition.  Your magnanimous and benevolent exertions have not been in vain, as respects the Cherokees, education, agriculture, manufacture, and the mechanic arts have been introduced among them, and are now progressing as rapidly as can reasonably be expected.  the liberal encouragement given by the nation for general improvement, cannot fail to accomplish their complete civilization.  true, there are as many who have been raised under the native habits of their ancestors, who cannot be expected to abandon wholly the favorite customs which have been imbibed in their youth, their partiality and pre3judioces in favor of their Fathers are naturally strong, but under the present aspect of improvement, they will not fail to encourage their children to adopt the prevailing habits of industry and civilizations; therefore as the old stubbles disappear, the new sprouts will flourish under cultivation.  Father, as the prosperity and future happiness of the Cherokee People rests on the magnanimity and fostering care of the governemtn over which you preside.  It is the only source where we can present our grievances for justice & redress, therefore we will speak with candour and truth.  The Cherokee nation labour under a peculiar inconvenience, from the repeated appropriations which are made for the purpose of holding Treaties with them for lands, this circumstance has been productive of much evil to the improvement of the nation in the arts of civilized life, as it cannot be denyed that it has retarded its progress; by unsettling the prospects of individuals.

    The Cherokee Nation have now come to a decisive and unalterable conclusion not to cede away any more lands, the limits reserved by them under the treaty of 1819 is not more than sufficient for their comfort and convenience, taking into consideration the great body of mountains and poor lands which can never be settled.  It is grattifying truth, that the Cherokees are rapidly increasing in population, therefore it is an incumbent duty on the nation to preserve unimpaired the rights of posterity to the lands of their Ancestors.  We have told you of the decisive & unalterable disposition of the nation in regard to their lands.   Father.  We would now beg your interposition with Congress in behalf of your red children the Cherokees, so that provision may be made by Law to authorize an adjustment between the united States and the State of Georgia, so that the former may be released from the existing compact [of 1802] so far as it respects the extinguishment of Cherokee title to lands within the chartered limits of Georgia . . .

John Ross                         Major Ridge (X)

Geo Lowery                     Elijah Hicks

 

2.  John Ross to James Monroe, 19 Jan 1824, in Gary E. Moulton, ed., The Papers of Chief John Ross vol. 1 (Norman, OK:   University of Oklahoma Press, 1985), 59-60.