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To the Members of Chickamangah &? Amohee Districts flourish image

Head of Coosa CN Ap. 28. 1832

My friends, By the last mail I received a letter from Mr John Ridge, one of our delegates at Washington City, an extract of which I have deemed it my duty to communicate to you, that the people of your respective vicinage may be apprized of the reprehensible conduct of John Walker Jr & James Starr who accompanied certain Cherokees of Arkansas Territory to Washington City in the course of the past winter, by misrepresenting the true feelings & dispositions of a large portion of the citizens of Chicamangah, Amohee & Amohee Districts, to the President & the Secretary of War, with the view of encouraging them with the idea that a majority of those citizens are favorable to a Treaty being made. Consequently you will, As an act of justice to yourselves, as well as towards your country, take such suitable steps as you may deem prudent and proper, to counteract the foul aspersion cast upon your fellow citizens by those men; and to guard these citizens against the intriguing artifices of those who may be disposed to co-operate with them upon their return home, in forwarding the policy of the President for our national ruin. The Supreme Court in the case of Worcester & Butler vs. the State of Georgia has determined the question of our national rights as fully as can be. The decision is final & cannot be revoked: but the course ? of legal proceedings is necessarily attended with tardiness, consequently should the authorities of Georgia, refuse, as they have done, to release immediately those much injured imprisoned gentlemen, and continue still to arrest & oppress our citizens, we should not be discouraged; - because the President, out of his disappointments, may still pursue a political course? towards us, under the hope that by withholding from us the protection of the government, a Treaty may yet be effected previous to the time when it shall become his imperious duty to act for the enforcement of this decision of the Supreme Court. The conflict is now between the United States & Georgia. The final issue ere long will be seen. Should Georgia prevail, the Union of the States is dissolved: but should the United States regard the constitutional liberties guaranteed to their citizens, Georgia must submit to see the Cherokees triumph over their oppressions under her usurped authority, therefore, let the people endure patiently to await the final result. We have gained a great point and they should be watchful over the conduct of such disappointed traitors as may be found amongst them. Thro' the false impressions made by them upon the Government, our sufferings have been prolonged, and protection withheld from us. Our country is again full of surveyors who are engaged by the authorities of Georgia, to run out a large portion of our Territory into small lots. This illegal proceeding can have