165
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1830
in fourteen months, the sum of fifty thousand dollars," &c. &c. On the part of the Cherokees, this was complied with; or, if it was not, it was the fault of the Government and its Agent. In the 3d article of the treaty, (it will be seen at a glance) the U. States were to have the lines of the above cession run without delay, say not later than the first of October next, (1828), and to re- move, immediately after running the eastern line, &c. &c., all persons unacceptable to the Cherokees, so that no obstacle should m·ise from the presence of a white population or a population of any other sort. Now, not one iota of these stipulations has been performed, except the removal of some settlers on public lands; and these were to have been complied with and executed in Octo- ber, 1828, and the removal of the Indians was not to take place be- fore the month of August, 1829. Were not the stipulations of the 3d article of the treaty and their fulfilment antecedent to those of the 5th article? Yes, and running the line and removing all annoyances to the Cherokees were to be performed by the U. States before one Cherokee under the treaty was bound to leave his camp within the territory cede to the U. States, upon the con- dition that the lancl was to be run off and its lim-its defined ten months at least before their stipulated re-nioval. The lines are not yet run, though frequent and pressing applications have been made to the War Department for that purpose. It may now be asked, who have violated the faith of treaties, the U. States or the Cherokees? This question may aid somewhat in giving "the power to make truth triumph over error." I maintain, that the Cherokees have complied fairly with the treaty; but if they had not done so, their Agent was alone to blame. The Cherokees all removed by the 3d day of May, to their new homes, or to the Shawnee Nation. A few men remained to take care of their stock until it could be driven away, and they secured against lossEs. The Interpreter's family removed on the 3d day of May, and they were the last family of Cherokees who left the old nation. Now, it will be seen, that the Cherokees did not only comply ,vith the treaty, but anticipated a compliance by at lrnst two months. Now, for Tobacco '\Vill's party, of some ten families, settled on the Buffalo fork of White river. Their settlement lies about eighty or one hundred miles north-east of the old Agency, and is within the settlements of the Shawnees. The lines were not run, as stipulated by the U. States, and they may have supposed that they had a right to settle with any friendly tribe of Indians. But
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