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this extraordinary meeting of the fifty four towns and villages on this occasion, was held in consequence of the agitated minds of the Cherokee people Template:Unclear to the appointment of Gen Jackson and Gov Mr Minn to hold a treaty with them for the purchase of their country and their removal west: that the lower towns were in favour of removing and following the chase in the wilds of the west; that the upper towns were for adopting the habits of civilized life and continuing upon their lands where they were. By these facts (statements) Mr Schermerhorn would persuade you that the designing few wasted the whole power and authority from out of the hands of the Chiefs and Warriors and placed in the hands of a Committee of thirteen. Permit me here to remark that this is altogether a mistaken idea. This new arrangement did not transfer all power from the hands of the proper and rightful Chiefs and Warriors into that of the Committee and whilst it defined the powers the Chiefs as well as the Committee, it did not impair or take away from the Warriors any of their rights, as Mr Schermerhorn would seem to suppose. This change being the voluntary act of the "proper and rightful Chiefs" in conjunction with that of the Warriors, you will clearly see that no power has be wasted from them by the designing few, as has been stated. Mr Schermerhorn would seem also disposed to view it as criminal in this Committee, that "even the annuity" should be placed under it super intending case, because, as he says, it had always been paid to the Chiefs, who distributed it among the people. And now, from that day, to this, there has been no more division of the annuity among the people. If Mr Schermerhorn is in full possession of all