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Answer. - Cherokee Agency Sept 9. 1835.
Sir, Your communication of the 22nd ult.? adressed to the United States Commissioner and myself, was received today on our return to the agency and at his request, I proceed to answer it without delay. I am informed that Mr Stand Watie, one of the former Editors of the Phoenix, called upon Col. Bishop of Spring Place, and stated to him that in the absence of his Brother, Elias Boudinot & his family, you came to his house and had removed from thence all the materials belonging to the Office of the Cherokee Phoenix, in his possession, to the house of Elijah Hicks; and that you was about to remove them and the press to Red Clay, and re-establish if there; and that for this purpose a building had been prepared by you, and persons engaged to manage the same?, according to your own views, to subserve your own intents and mislead the people. He also stated that the Press and materials belonging to the Office, had been purchased by his Brother, with money obtained by him in voluntary contributions among the citizens of the United States; and that the same? was given for the general benefit of the Cherokee people by conveying to them the unclear & correct intelligence on all subjects; but especially in reference to their true interest and general benefits as a people. In this manner, it was conducted by Mr Boudinot and himself, until 1832, when they were compelled by you & your partizans to give it up |: because you would not permit them to conduct it in a fair, candid, and impartial manner, by giving both sides, those in favour of emigration and a Treaty, and those opposed to it, an opportunity to express their views and sentiments through the Phoenix; yea, that you would not even permit them to publish in the Phoenix for the information of the people, their justification of the course they had been compelled to pursue. You gave the press into the hands of your brother in law, Elijah Hicks, who was completely under your dictation; and it was prostituted to party politics among yourselves; misleading the common people & prejudicing their minds against some of the best and most patriotic members of the tribe, because they would no longer submit to your dictation. When they saw you leading them to ruin and destruction by your useless opposition to the measures of the Government, Mr Waitie observed that since their National Government had