Letter to the U.S

Dear Sir,

            Your country’s interest in making life better for the Cherokee Indians has been noted and although your intentions come out as good, there are some elements that do not seat well with the people you are intending to help. Your country has promised to improve the living conditions of the Cherokee people but only if they agree to be relocated to the lands you have assigned for such purposes. According to the United States congress, “the country destined for residence of this people shall be forever secured and guaranteed to them”[1]. The promised country is to be located to the west of Arkansas and Missouri and it will solely be left for the Cherokee Indians.

            Although the promises your country makes may appear to be of good intent, the laws set make it difficult to accept them. One such law is that “such land shall revert to the United States, if the Indians become extinct, or abandon the same”[2]. This law goes against the promise made that the land allotted to us will forever be secured and granted to us after we relocate to it. How then can the land belong to us if there is a law regulating membership and conditions on which the land could be reclaimed by the United States? The possibility that the land could be reverted is an indication that the land does not really belong to the Indians but is rather loaned to them by the United States.

            Other laws assert that the United States will be involved in the formation of political communities in these lands. This is however a hindrance to the self governance that we would like to exercise in our own land. Instead of offering help on condition that we relocate, why not offer the same assistance in our current place of residence? Let us remain in our home instead us relocating us with the false pretense of offering us assistance.

 

References

Jackson A, (1835) “Indian removal: Extract from Andrew Jackson’s seventh annual message to   congress” retrieved from,            http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/removal.htm

Ross J, (1836) “Letter from Ross defending the Cherokees right to their land” retrieved from,             http://www.teachushistory.org/indian-removal/resources/letter-ross-defending-cherokees-  right-their-land

 

 

[1] Jackson (1835) “Indian removal: Extract from Andrew Jackson’s seventh annual message to congress”

[2] Ross, (1836) “Letter from Ross defending the Cherokees right to their land”