[Letter] to the cheifs [sic] hedmen [sic and] warriors of the Cherokee Nation, 1823 Jan. 20, Cherokee Agency / Duncan G. Campbell ... [et al.]

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Cherokee Agency
20th of January 1823
To the Cheifs Hedmen [Chiefs Headmen] & Warriors of the Cherokee Nation
Friends and Brothers
You have been Informed some time since that Commissioners had been appointed for the purpose of meeting you at this place on the fifteenth day of this month: We the undersigned met according to appointment & have been in waiting for five days Two of us derive our authority from our father the President of the United States and the other two from the Governor of the State of Georgia. We all have been commissioned and sent here for the purformance [performance] of important duties. It is the custom of many nations to transact their business by Agents. This is the case with the United States and State of Georgia. We understand that your Custom is different and that when any publick [public] matter is presented to you that you consider it necessary that your Convention should be General. We assembled at this place therefore under the full expectation that we shall be met in a punctual and friendly manner by at least a majority of the Chiefs Headmen and Warriors of the Cherokee Nation


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The reasons of your declining to meet are in part known to us. In any light in which we can view these reasons we consider them insufficient. All nations which are at peace with each other find it necessary and of advantage to regulate their intercourse by treaties and compacts to which both are parties. If it were not for this such intercourse could not long exist neither could peace be preserved. We know of no instance of Powers at peace with each other refusing to meet for the purpose of treating. The United States and the Cherokee Nation are at peace and they acknowledge the same father the President. It becomes the duty and and [and] it ought to be the pleasure of all the Children of this common father. To conform to his wishes. And to obey his commands. his wishes and his commands will both be set asid [aside] and treated with contempt by a perservereance [perseverance] in the Course which has been adopted by the Nation. Friends & Brothers you say you will not meet the Commissioners because you say you have no land to spare and will not sell one foot more. How is it known to [word omitted: you ] that this is the object of our mission and that we came for nothing else. We assure you that other matters are intrusted


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to our charge and that we cannot consent for them to be defeated by your failure to meet us. As respects ourselves we have no particular in what we have to lay before you; but acting under the authority of higher powers we must not leave here without doing something definite and final. Meeting us is one thing and [deleted text: treating ] entering into a treaty is another. To meet us we consider an absolute duty and to make a treaty will depend upon after considerations when you have heared [heard] what we have to say. We have to give an account of our actings and doings to our father the President. He would be hurt and would have a right to think very strange of the Conduct of his children if he were told that they would not meet and give to each other the right hand of friendship when he requested them to do so. And had made every provision for their support and comfort. This must not be the case -- It is true we are anxious to proceed quickly and close the business which we were sent to do. But our convenience is not to be attended to by ourselves. We are in the service of the United States and State of Georgia and must attend to their requests and rights to prevent the mischief which


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might follow neglect. Friends and Brothers we rejoice in your prosperity and happiness and acting in the name of our father we should be far from insisting on measures which would weaken our friendship or lessen your means of enjoyment and comfort.
We are assembled at this Agency where everything is in readiness to receive you. We shall remain here under the full expectation of a general convention with as little delay as possible.
In behalf of the President our father we assure you of his desire for your welfare and as individuals acting as his agents we join him most heartily in his good wishes

With sentiments of esteem and respect We are your friends & Brothers
(Signed)

[Signed] Duncan G Campbell
[Signed] James Meriwether United States Commissioners
[Signed] Thomas Glascock
[Signed] James Blair Georgia Commissioners