Cherokee Phoenix

From the Alabama Journal

Published September, 2, 1829

Page 2 Column 1a

From the Alabama Journal.

To the citizens of Alabama and Georgia.

We, the chiefs and head men of the Creek Nation, have very recently understood that much alarm and excitement have been produced in various parts of your country; we learn, that it is reported among your citizens that the Creek Nation is becoming hostile and unfriendly to the citizens of Said States; and we learn much uneasiness is manifested on account of it. All this we are extremely sorry to hear; and we take this method to inform the people generally, that there are no such views in contemplation among the people of the Creek Nation; and the report has been gotten up by some malicious person or persons to excite the feelings of the white people against us: perhaps for their personal advantage; and perhaps to arouse the feelings of the Executive of the United States, for the purpose of forcing us, contrary to our will, from the land of our great forefathers, which has been our inheritance from generation to generation from time immemorial.

Independent of all moral right and moral laws by which we hold the same, the Government of the United States has, by a solemn treaty, made and entered into at the City of Washington, by all the constituted authorities of both nations, acknowledged, recognized, and guaranteed to the Creek Nation forever, all the land we now hold, though that is but little; and we never can think of moving from it. Our children are near and dear to us; we must cherish and support them. We wish to live in peace with our white brothers; and we wish our children to live in peace after we are dead and gone. We wish to cultivate peace and harmony for ever.- We wish and instruct our children to adopt the manners and customs of the whites, as far as they are capable of so doing, as we find our neighbors, the Cherokees, are fast advancing in the arts of civilized life. This has convinced us, that we can do the same; and in the course of a few more generations, our old habits, manners, and customs will, we confidently believe, be fully and completely eradicated, and will assume all the arts of civilization.

Now, friends and brothers, we appeal to your feelings of justice and magnanimity for a co-operation in our cause. You are a great, happy, and magnanimous people. You understand how to appreciate free principles, free laws, and free institutions; and according to your honest conception of such laws, you will deal out to us all the right and privileges that we are entitled to and have been guaranteed to us by the Government of the United States

In closing this communication, we beg you, on the part of our nation and ourselves, to accept the warmest feelings of friendship and good will; and be assured that our nation never will spill the blood of our white friends and brothers, so long as the water runs or the grass grows.

SAMUEL SMITH,Interpreter.

WILLIAM M. GIRTH,

TUSKE-NE-HAU,

HOPITHLE-HO-LO, and fifty six others.