| OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 23 day, and endeavored to draw with them all the other bands. These maehina-tions at length resulted in a battle, at which their former agent, with the entire rebel band, were exterminated, with the single exception of one old woman rescued by ?V Shawnee chief. The Cherokees, prior to the rebellion, were the most numerous, intelligent, L6 wealthy, and intluential tribe of this superintendency. For many mouths they steadily resisted the efforts made by the rebels to induce them to abandon their allegiance to the federal government, but being wholly unprotected, and without the means of reaistanee, they were finally compelled to enter into treaty stipu-lations with the rebel authorities. This connexion was, however, of short dura-tion, for upon the first appearance of United States forces in their cotzntry an entire regiment of Indian troops, raised ostensibly for service in the rebel army, de~erted and came over to us, and. have ever since been under our command, and upon all oeea~ionsh ave proven themselves faithful and e6eient soldiers. In February last the national conneil of the Cherokees was convened at Cow-skin Prairie, and the following important bills we1.e passed: 1. Abrogating the treaty with the l'Coufederate States," and calling a gen-eral convention of the people to approve the act. 2. The appoiutment of a delegation, with auitahle and instructions to represent the Cherokee nation before the United States government, consisting of John Ross, principal chief; Lieutenant Colonel Downing, Captain James MeDaniel, and Rev. Evan Jones. 3. ~ u t h o r i z i na ~g eneral Indian couucil, to be called at such time and place as the p~incipael hief may der)ignate. 4. Deposing all officers of the nation disloyal to the government. 5. Approving the purchase of supplies made by the treasurer, and directing their distribution. 6. An act providing for the abolition of slavery in the Cherokee nation. An official communication, infolmi~~mge of these important acts on the part of the Cherokee authorities, will be found among the accompanying papers. Their importance, as affecting the status of the only part of the nation whose rights have not been clearly forfeited by treason, will he generally appreciated when I mention the fact that for many years the Cherokees have had a regu-laxly organized government, a printed code of laws, and have conducted their politid a5nirs with a good degree of the order and system of civilized commu-nities. A Until the autumn of 1862 only about three hundred of the Cherokees, and they mostly women and children, had taken refuge in Kansas. In the early pa.rt of that season from fifteen hundred to two thousand others, also in the main women and children, and claiming our protection, made their way to a point on the Cherokee neutral lands, about twelve miles south of Fort Scott, h s a s . Like all the other refugees, they were almost entirely destitute of all the necessaries of life, and required immediate assistance. Arrangements were immediately made by Snperiutendent Coffin to provide for their wants during the ensuing winter, so far as the limited means at his command would permit. These arrangements were scarcely completed when, without consultation with |
