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292 authenticating the fact, either by the signature of some of their people, selected for that purpose, or in any other manner, is left for the Commissioners to determine."

 From this you will perceive the commissioners cannot treat with any Executive Council & National Councillers & Committee but only with the Cherokee people, assembled in General Council, according to their ancient usages & customs, as chief, head men, & warriors. You will now perceive to whom the communications of the Commissioners are adjusted for their consideration & action. And if the general council are now prepared to enter into negotiations to settle the details of a Treaty, on the basis of the five millions, they may if they please; and they are hereby requested to appoint a committee of their own number to confer with the commissioners and agree upon terms to be submitted to them, in full council assembled, for their concurrence & ratification. 
 The commissioner has also to observe, for the information of the General Council, that the Cherokee Delegation who visited Washington last winter, consisting of Messrs John Ross, R. Taylor, Wm Rogers, Danl McCoy & Saml Gunter, who were authorized by a full power of Attorney, as your Agents, to settle all your difficulties with the United States, and enter into a Treaty for the cession of your whole country, did agree to sell the same to the United States for such a sum as the Senate of the United States should award. The Senate fixed the price at Five Millions, and when the President called upon them, through the Secretary of War, to submit propositions as to the manner in which they wished the amount paid and dispersed of; for the purpose of embracing the same in a Treaty, they declined; and proposed that the matter should be referred to the Cherokee Nation, in General Council to deliberate & determine on the subject, in order to produce harmony & good feeling among themselves, -- and to prevent any unjust imputations or prejudices, against themselves or others. In accordance with these views, the President of the United States has sent Commissioners to the Cherokee Nation, with full power & authority to enter into negotiations & conclude a Treaty, on the basis of the Five Millions; & therefore he