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Old News Stories
Gen. Scott Addresses Cherokees, 1838

From The Star & Republican Banner
Gettysburg, Pa.
June 5, 1838

UNITED STATES AND THE CHEROKEES
Official. From THE GLOBE.

Major Gen. Scott, of the United States Army,
sends to the Cherokee People, remaining in
North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, this address.

CHEROKEES: The President of the United States has sent me, with a powerful army to cause you, in obedience to the Treaty of 1835, to join that part of your people who are already established in prosperity on the other side of the Mississippi. Unhappily, the two years which were allowed for the purpose, you have suffered to pass away without following, and without making any preparation to follow; and nor, or by the time that this solemn address shall (illegible words) your distant settlements, the emigration must be commenced in haste, but, I hope, without disorder. I have no power, by granting a further delay, to correct the error that you have committed. The full moon of May is already on the wane, and, before another shall have passed away, every Cherokee man, woman and child in those States must be in motion to join their brethren in the far West.

MY FRIENDS: This is no sudden determination on the part of the President, whom you and I must now obey. By the treaty the emigration was to have been completed on or before the 23d of this month; and the President has constantly kept you warned, during the two years allowed through all his officers and agents in this country, that the treaty would be enforced.

I am come to carry out that determination. My troops already occupy many position in the country that you are to abandon, and thousands and thousands are approaching from every quarter, to render resistance and escape alike hopeless. All these troops, regular and militia, are your friends. Receive them and confide in them as such. Obey them when they tell you that you can remain no longer in your country. Soldiers are as kind hearted as braves, and the desire of every one of us is to execute our painful duty in mercy. We are commanded by the President to act towards you in that spirit, and such is also the wish of the whole People of America.

Chiefs, head-men, and warriors! Will you, then, by resistance, compel us to resort to arms? God forbid! Or will you, by flight, seek to hide yourselves in mountains and forests, and thus oblige us to hunt you down? Remember that, in pursuit, it may be impossible to avoid conflicts. The blood of the white man, or the blood of the red man, may be spilt, and, if spilt, however accidentally, it may be impossible for the discreet and humane among you, or among us, to prevent a general war and carnage. Think of this, my Cherokee brethren! I am an old warrior, and have been resent at many a scene of slaughter; but spare me, I beseech you, the horror of witnessing the destruction of the Cherokees.

Do not, I invite you, even wait for the close approach of the troops; but make such preparation for emigration as you can and hasten to this place, to Ross's Landing, or to Gunter's Landing, where you all will be

(rest of article not on microfilm)...

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