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In answer to the foregoing I received a communication from the Cor. Secy to which the following is a reply, dated, Brainard Sept. 5 1836.
Rev. David Greene, Dear Sir I had the pleasure of receiving last week yours of Aug. 3, and while I attempt to make a few remarks in reply, I hope, Sir, you will not think I would need only increase your labours, or troubles, or act the part of a stubborn boy, always determined to have the last word. But doubtless relief to your own mind as well as justice to the course of truth requires me to say something in reply. And First, you remark "Your view of the allowance to the Board in the light of a tax &c, seems to us to be wholly a distorted view, and if you talk with the Cherokees in that manner you may be sure they will soon murmur." Now, as to conversing freely on the subject as stated above, I have not mentioned it to yourself to Mr. Boudinot and Mr. Ridge, and doubtless to some missionaries, though I do not now recollect. I told Mr. Boudinot, in a letter to him on the subject, that I said but little about it except to missionaries, and such Cherokees as were in favour of removing, as I should certainly desire to assail producing any unnecessary excitement against the treaty. Second you proceed "Nor ought the Cherokees, or you to say that the nation will receive just so much less than they would receive if nothing were to be paid to our Board." I presume I am to understand by this, that the above is a truth not to be told the Indians, but to be kept concealed from them. Were it possible to obliterate this truth from their minds, by any words of truth. I should desire to speak with the voice of thunder, and say, "Tell it not in Gath?, publish it not in the streets of Tskalon? - probably Ashkelon, Israel" But it is not possible. From the very force of the treaty, everyone must see, that every Dollar, taken from the five millions, for any purpose whatever, leaves that Dollar less to be paid the nation at the West. The Cherokees know this without our telling them of it' and every attempt to deceive them in this matter, would only bring upon ourselves additional disgrace. Third. Your letter proceeds, "We do not now make them pay us for what we have done for them. The United States pays them, and pays us?? Dear Sir, though I would be slow to speak, yet as I live on the ground, and therefore must be acquainted with some things unknown to persons in Boston, you will doubtless permit me, to state some of the reasons why I have spoken of the Cherokees as paying for mission improvements. First. I have satisfactory evidence that Mr. Schermerhorn stated positively, last fall, that the Cherokees