| 1054 a wampum to the Delawares, signed by seven different nations who had suffered injuries at the hands of these same Indians, and who wished a council to determine how to right themselves if these things continued. The agent also said that the Sissiton Sioux alone had done all the mischief.
The calumet was again passed round, and then Mr. John Ross again addressed them upon the importance and good effects of annual general councils, which, being attended and participated in by the United States agents, brought them into more frequent and direct communication with the United States agents, brought them into more frequent and direct communication with the United States government, and thus gave the latter a better knowledge of their wants, as well as of the best mode of attending to them. He said the Indians only wanted a close intercourse with the government to learn how truly they were their friends. He also spoke of the importance of these meetings in influincing [influencing] the red men to live in peace with all the world, that if they did not soon give up their old habits, the different nations would soon cease to exist, because, while in their present state, everything tended to destroy them. He remarked that the Pottawatomies at the last council had seen what civilization had done for the Cherokees. It had made them men in all respects; that they were rapidly improving, while the other nations, who still clung to their ancient habits of life, were retrograding, and, like the leaves of the forest in autumn, were passing away.
He warned the Pottawatomies that they too, if they would continue to exist, must adopt the habits of the whites; and referring to the patience, and energy, and judgment for which their tribe had been remarkable for untold ages, assured them that those were the national characteristics likely to make them most prosperous if their attention could be turned to the important work of civilization. The speech of Mr. Ross upon this subject was marked throughout with sound advice and good feeling, and evidently made a deep impression upon his auditors, who, notwithstanding their characteristic stoicism, appeared deeply touched by his arguments, showing the importance of saving their nation by strenuous efforts to adopt the habits of the whites. After he had concluded, the pipe of friendship was again passed round the council, which then broke up; the Pottawatomies rising, and passing around the circle, each shaking hands with every other person in the room.
(->) We like to read the moves of the red men,-it shows that the great day of Israel is at hand, and that God has respect to his word and people.
THE EXCITEMENT IN THE CHEROKEE NATION.
The papers from Van Buren, Ark., by last night's mail, says the Missouri Republican, mentions several cases where lives have been destroyed by the National Police. Joseph Swimmer and Stoain, Cherokees of the treaty party, were killed on the 20th, by a party of fifteen mon [men]; the first was shot five times, and the latter stabbed twice through the heart. On Friday night, the 14th ult., Tom Watie, a Cherokee, was killed in a barbarous manner, about twelve miles north of this, in the Cherokee nation. The circumstances are thus stated in the Van Buren Intelligencer: A police party of Cherokees came to the house of Arch Gurtrey, where Watie resided, about the time he was going to bed, and one of them told him he was their prisoner, and that he should go with them; W. replied that he wished to dress himself, and then he would go. As he raised himself in bed he was shot dead, his head split open with a tomahawk, and his body horribly cut and mangled with knives.
It is added that great excitement exists in the Nation, in consequence of these acts of atrocity. The Intelligencer invokes the interposition of the State, or of the United States, to stop these proceedings.
On the other hand, the Cherokee Advocate, avows, that these proceedings have nothing to do with politics, but are the ebullitions of popular feeling, irritated by a long series of outrages, and maddened by the perpetration of one of deep enormity;' and that paper counsels the pursuit and arrest of the outlaws, five or six in number, who have done so much mischief and caused the recent enormities. The Advocate says:
Major Bonneville, U. S. A., arrived Evansville, some time last week, having been dispatched from Fort Smith, by Gen. Arbuckle, to inquire into the State of affairs in that section. Col. McKissick, U. S. Agent for the Cherokees, and Captain Boone, with from thirty to forty Dragoons, are also at the same place, or in the vicinity. Captain Boone was ordered from Fort Gibson, for the purpose of preventing any further effusion of blood, and to afford protection to any person that might desire it. We are glad of their location on the line, under the command of Capt. Boone, a prudent and gentlemanly officer, as they will prevent any unnecessary officiousness from beyond, that might otherwise occur.
But even in the absence of the troops, the citizens of Arkansas have nothing, whatever, to fear from the Cherokees, in their vicinity, as they would under no circumstances, perform
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