CHEROKEE PHOENIX

NEW ECHOTA, JULY 27, 1833

SUFFERINGS OF CHEROKEE LADIES.

About the first of this month, near this place, Mr. Dukes, the Sheriff of Coweta County, came to this place and took lodgings at a tavern of Wm. Tarvin. Next day he proceeded on his journey to look for a lot of land that he had drawn. On his way, he called at a house where there were two women. Mrs. Oosunaley and Mrs. Foster, both married women, and called for a drink of water. He alighted, and finding them alone, attempted the monstrous crime of rape on the person of Mrs. Oosunaley, who being in a delicate condition. Mrs. Foster laid hold of his heels and forced them apart; a second attempt was likewise defeated by the latter. Duke, (sic) finding his attempt frustrated, took from his coat, a pocket book, and offered his injured hosts satisfaction. They attempted to destroy his pocket book and contents, but failed. Duke (sic) held in his hand a heavy horse whip, which he used on these poor women, with all his force, until Algiers itself would sicken at the stripes he inflicted. Mrs Oosunaley presented herself to the Magistrate here for redress, and exhibited to him her wounds. But he being a proselyte of the new school, told her he was not the person to relieve her, and that no Indian testimony could be received. The honorable Sheriff has been here since but no justice for the much abused females.

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EMIGRATION

We are informed by the person who has been acting as linguist for an enrolling agent, that the President has again opened emigration for those Cherokees who may wish to join their deluded brethren west of the Mississippi. After giving the Cherokees a respite of 8 or 9 months, and a failure at a treaty, the President has, after discharging the Mississippian warriors, thought proper to remove and add to our oppression by sending some pests, and nuisances to our society. It is needless for us to advise our brethren on this point. Improve your lands, educate your children, inculcate in them religion, and morality, it will attain for you felicity unknown in the western wilds.

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COMPACT BETWEEN U. S. ' GEORGIA

Thirty-two years have elapsed since this famous compact was negotiated and concluded between the United States on the one part, and the State of Georgia on the other. In this instrument the General Government made its bounden duty, to the latter, to extinguish the Indian title to all the lands within the limits of Georgia, as soon as it could be done peaceably and on reasonable terms to the United States. In the execution of this compact, the Federal Government have steadily and successfully to the year 1830, with large disbursements from its treasury, extinguished for Georgia many millions of acres, all the lands of the Creek's within the limits of that State. With the Cherokees, the Government has likewise obtained fairly, about one million acres of excellent and valuable lands, now comprising the counties of Gwinnett, Hall, and Habersham, affording at this time the most valuable gold mines in the United States. The remainder of the lands of the Cherokees within the limits of this State, unextinguished, is computed at five millions of acres. The United States have entered into treaties with the Cherokees, in which they have guaranteed forever to the Cherokees all the lands not ceded. The Supreme Court have decided on these same treaties to be the supreme law of the land. The present administration of the Government, with all the combination of schemes the wit of man can invent to enable it to accomplish an object pending between an equal sovereign have, after placing the Cherokees in duress and unexampled oppression by the State of Georgia, successively failed in purchasing and extinguishing the lands we have before stated. Hence we are enabled to state and repeat what we have before said, with the utmost confidence, that no treaty can be effected with the Cherokees for their removal west of the Mississippi. In the mean time Georgia has conveyed these lands and granted them to her citizens, or in other words, robbed the Cherokees of this large property, without any remuneration to the aboriginal owners whatever. If the Cherokees refuse to sell, the Georgians receives the exclusive benefit of these lands. But if the Cherokees would treat, then, in this case, the President is wiling to give them an indemnity for the property. The adjustment of the affair on the latter principle, is utterly impracticable. The best of these lands have been bought up on speculation from the fortunate drawers, by large and wealthy companies that have been formed in Georgia. The question now arises and it is respectfully submitted to the America people, whether it is to the interest of the Federal Government in prosecuting its policy towards the Cherokees to aggrandize the State of Georgia, or to put to rest by a definitive adjustment or compromise, by awarding an equivalent sum to the drawers and those who have purchased on speculation, and thereby enable the Cherokees to enjoy the land of their fathers, and the inheritance of their children. We believe the time is propitious, and an opportunity is now presented to the Government, to have this protracted controversy honorably adjusted without further oppressing the Cherokees, on the principles pointed out. We have conversed freely with those companies who have engrossed these lands, and have invariably admitted their incumbrance of the Cherokee title. This course, is, we think, inviting to the Government,-no purchase can be made of the Cherokees, it will be cheaper to the Government to award Georgia a sum. The Cherokees in this Nation are a small tribe, of 15,000 or 16,000 in number. They have been at peace with the white man nearly half a century, no detriment to the Government can arise from their local situation. Our rights are dear to us, and the property wrested is large. The door is now open whereby Georgia can be satisfied, justice demands that the Cherokees' rights should be sustained.

We shall advert to this subject again.