New Yesterdays by Jim L Wright - HTML preview

Chapter 22

John Quincy Adams stared at Secretary Barbour with those black eyes that seemed to penetrate right into the soul. The sharp, angular features under his almost completely bald head formed an expression of exasperation. His shrill, high-pitched voice seemed perfectly matched to his cold, aloof manner and carried well beyond the walls of his office. A notable diplomat, Adams was able to see both sides of the emergency facing his administration with clarity and a certain degree of detachment.

A transcript of the peace conference and the copy of the treaty written by John Ross had been delivered to him some hours before and he now sat quietly, listening to Barbour's report of the proceedings. He instinctively took in every gesture and nuance of the Secretary's voice and manner as he weighed each word and phrase. He well knew that Barbour was no more a proponent of the Indian Removal than he himself was. When the report concluded Adams seemed to consider his words carefully before asking for his recommendation.

"Every word spoken by Chief John Ross was true. Historically, we have treated the Indians in a shabby and high-handed way. We have expanded this country to our benefit and to their great expense. I recommend we sign this treaty with them ceding the lands that make up the current states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. I further recommend that we abide by the wishes of the Cherokee and Seminoles that the white settlers and plantation owners be removed. We should then recognize them as a sovereign, independent nation subject to their own laws and customs."

"I'm in agreement with you" said the President, "But you do realize this means war with Congress? I'll be lucky if I'm not tarred and feathered and ridden out of Washington on a pole! Nevertheless, I intend to sign this treaty and extend the hand of diplomacy to them as a neighboring country.

Get back down to Monk's Corner as fast as you can and present the treaty with my signature. When you are back, I will present it to Congress as signed and final. They'll still fight me on it; I may even be impeached. But that's a battle for a different day."

Barbour was stunned by the ease with which the President had agreed to accept the terms of the Indians and sign the treaty. His attitude and opinions of the native people were well known, but to give up such a substantial part of the union to them would be anathema to Congress as well as the majority of white people. He was certain there would be many more battles to fight before this problem was solved. It was unlikely to be settled in his lifetime.

"You realize, of course, that signing this treaty will set a precedent that will be invoked by every tribe in the country. Every Indian who has been removed from their native lands by our government will be suing for independence."

Barbour was concerned by the President's seeming lack of forethought in this matter, his own advice notwithstanding.

"Before we realize what has happened, we will be living as guests in Indian nations and in all likelihood will be deported back to Europe!"

Adams glared at his secretary, insulted that he'd been spoken to in such a manner by a subordinate. Quietly, deliberately, he said

"I don't believe that will happen. It is up to us to ensure it doesn't happen. This will go down in history as an isolated event to prevent war on the populated cities of the United States. The Indians that have already been removed are on lands offered and accepted by them and their occupation of those lands is bound by treaty."

A few seconds of tense silence followed the President's rebuke before he said "Now, bring me a pen and inkpot to sign this document and get it on its way back to Monk's Corner within the hour."

Barbour knew he had overstepped his bounds and quickly moved from the President's office to gather the writing implements that would reduce the United States' territories by nearly 210,000 square miles.

The treaty written and agreed by the Cherokee of Unalii, the Seminoles of Chuluata, and the United States declared a state of peace and amnesty for Cherokees, Seminoles and Americans for misdemeanors that may have been committed during the rebellion. After much wrangling, the United States grudgingly agreed that any and all ordnance situated in the new Cherokee Nation would become the property of the Indians as spoils of war.

Any purchases of Indian lands by white settlers who were to be removed from Unalii were to be compensated by the government of the United States and no white citizen of the United States was allowed, by law to enter the sovereign nations of Unalii or Chuluata without prior approval of the Indian governments. A tract of land was set aside in the Canadian district southwest of the Arkansas River for free negroes who may not want to live in the Cherokee Nation.

The treaty also provided for trade between Unalii and Chuluata and the United States based on approval of the respective governments. Slavery was also abolished in the treaty. Some representatives back in Washington were very dismayed by the slavery article.

There were no speeches before signing the momentous document. John Ross, the Principal Chief and Thomas McKenney who was Superintendent of Indian Trade, then an office within the War Department represented their respective governments.

The grim expressions worn by the white attendants gave mute testimony of their feelings about reducing the land holdings of the United States. Expansionists to a man, the idea of giving up lands they had fought hard for was a difficult one to swallow. Not one Cherokee or Seminole gathered in the town hall for the signing labored under the misconception that this piece of parchment would end hostilities between the two nations. But it was a beginning. A new nation was carved out of another new nation that had usurped an ancient nation. John Ross prayed that the Indians could now live in peace with their unwelcome neighbors and progress in ways undreamt of by his ancestors. The spoils of war included small factories and cotton gins, seaports and cities. Occupation of the new nation gave the Indians a giant leap forward. It was up to them to grasp the opportunity and move forward to take their place among the great nations of the earth.

Back in Washington, DC the Congress of the United States hotly debated the treaty shoved at them by the President. He was hugely unpopular before, now he was viewed as nothing short of a traitor. He had warned them that the treaty must be ratified in order to avoid all-out war with the Indians; a war that would, in all likelihood be joined by all the other Indian tribes. In the current undermanned state of the army the United States could be defeated by a concerted effort on the part of the native people. Many harsh words were spoken, fiery speeches were made, but in the end, Congress accepted the inevitable and ratified the treaty.

President Adams was rightly proud of his unpopular decisions, but knew he had no hope of occupying the office of President for another term. Nevertheless, he firmly believed that he had saved his young nation and at the same time avoided the extermination of a proud and ancient people.

When the white settlers sued for peace and the peace treaty was signed, new boundary lines were drawn to include the territories of the Seminole nation. This gave strategic seaports to the Indian tribes. The maps were redrawn to include all of the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida in the Indian nation. The white settlers were forced to move to areas under the control of the United States. It was a mostly peaceful removal in light of the recent humiliating defeats in the battles, but there were a few skirmishes as some settlers rejected the idea of being forced off "their" lands. By early 1829 almost all the whites had been relocated to areas of North Carolina, Virginia, West

Virginia and the New England states that were still owned by the United States.

The natives formed a militia to man the ramparts and apart from occasional battles, lived in peace alongside the Americans. During the removal, a few of the black slaves escaped their white masters and hid in the woods. After the removal was complete, they came out of hiding and applied for acceptance as free men in the newly formed country. They were accepted and offered citizenship, becoming full members of the tribes.

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