CHEROKEE PHOENIX

NEW ECHOTA: FEB. 2, 1833

The following account of a massacre of two white families, by the Cherokees is taken from the National Intelligencer, and on the authority of a rumor by the Augusta Courier, the gentlemen of the Intelligence (sic), sound it to the world as lamentable. We are sorry that these popular editors, should have uttered the sentence at the head of the article, destitute of facts as they must have been, where with to allege the barbarities of the Cherokees. Although the words spoken are but few, it may be productive of immense injury to the Cherokees.- It awakens the prejudice of the whites, and strengthens their hatred to the Cherokees, for supposed offenses having as we know in the present case, no foundation in truth We will briefly relate the case which is blazoned to the world, and for the facts of which it is our aim that our relation shall be strictly true.

A white family of four persons resided at Saloquoyah ten miles distant from this place, Lawson Bowman, wife, child ' mother-in-law. Bowman was a young man brought up partly in the Nation and lived 3 or 4 miles from any house. The week preceding Christmas, two Indian boys passing his place, found that the house had burned to the ground with the occupants of it. The boys made it known, and many Cherokees proceeded to the place to make some discovery whether this painful loss of lives was occasioned by murder or otherwise. It appearing the house had been burned four or five days previous, and a heavy rain, no circumstances appeared which would justify the conclusion that it was a case of murder. Nothing could be found of the remains of the persons, but small pieces of cinders. An out-house contained some property undisturbed. In the mean time, Bowman's relations had charged the perpetration of this crime to the Cherokees, and the Guard were sent for, to arrest them. The writer of this article advised the Indians to submit. They did so. The Georgia Guard rushed to the Indian settlement with the spirit of Samson when he went down to Askelon, or like a lawless storm, frightened the poor women ' children from their homes in the cold days of Christmas and chained fast together 8 or 10 Cherokees. They were kept in this condition for several days; we saw some driven along the muddy roads to some magistrates for examination, but in the absence of any testimony whatever against these men, they were all released. This is the only case that has occurred where the loss of lives has been charged to the Cherokees, and so far they have proved unfounded.

The authorities of Georgia not being satisfied with dipping their hands in the blood of George Tassels and Ahcayaley, we hear that the guard have arrested an Indian named Took, of infamous character, of whom, as of the others, the sight of Georgia justice may be the penalty of death.

The Cherokees are not such savages as is so liberally lavished on us by the Courier; our readers are therefore informed, that women and children are ever exempt from the violence of the Cherokees. In conclusion we would enquire of the editors of the Intelligencer why have they not applied the same language to Georgia for robbing us of our lands, and the nullification of our Treaties?