CHEROKEE PHOENIX

NEW ECHOTA, Sept. 1, 1832

'Lo the poor Indian!' In our first remarks on the Indian War now raging at the North West we said the sentence had gone out, and destruction and utter extermination must follow those poor people, who had taken arms in desperation, to defend, what they no doubt considered to be their rights. We founded our remarks upon the feeling existing in the community towards the Indians-the deep rooted hostility, which needs only a single pretext to arouse it to action. Although he knew that one Indian after another has been murdered with impunity, and such murders are considered by not a few as doing God's service, yet we also knew it was sufficient that only one white man was taken off in retaliation to arouse the whole country in arms, and cut off the accursed race from the face of the earth.

When we spoke of the sentence having gone out, we little thought that it had actually gone forth formally, and from the highest officer of the Government. We do hope and trust Gen. Street, the Indian Agent, has misrepresented the feelings of the President.- But if he has not, and he certainly meant his Indian hearers should believe what he said, then Gen. Jackson 'loves his red children' with a vengeance. Read the following, and weep and blush, ye who admire the mild precepts of your blessed religion, and religion acknowledged by your rulers and agents who will kill the Indians if they cannot reclaim them!

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An Indian talk was held at Prairie du Chien on the 22d June, by Gen. Street, Indian Agent, with the Sioux, who declined going any further in pursuit of the Sacs and Foxes and turned back, but leaving Col. Hamilton and his detachment with whom they started.

It appears that General Street demanded the reason of their leaving the army, and not receiving satisfactory answers, sharply reproves them. But that part of the 'talk' to which I wish particularly to call our attention is continued in the following extract.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After telling the Indians how much Gen. Jackson loves them, and how much he has tried to reclaim them, he says-

'He will now forbear no longer. He has tried to reclaim them, and they grow worse. He is resolved to sweep them from the face of the earth. They shall no longer trouble his children. If they cannot be made good, they must be killed. They are now separated from their friends and country, and he does not intend to let one return to trouble him again. He directed me no longer to restrain you from war.

'It was not that your Great Father wanted help from you that I told you to go to war. It was to give you an opportunity to revenge your slaughtered friends. Your Father has penned those Indians up, and means to kill them all; and had you remained, you would have seen how his white children rush upon and kill their enemies. He does not ask you to help him, but if you want revenge go and take it. This is what I said to you. And I now repeat, it you want to kill the murderers of your friends and families, go now and do it; for your Great Father has devoted these Indians to death. He cannot reclaim, and he will kill them.'

Let the people of this civilized and Christian land read the above. May they not tremble for our country, when such language is held by an authorized agent of the President of the United States?