time my great anxiety for the preservation of the Union must be my apology for what I have said. I also enclose you a copy of a permit furnished me by M{r} Ross issued by said agent.--Indian Office, General Files, _Cherokee, 1859-1865_, O32. _Inclosures_ 1. John Ogden to John Ross, February 15, 1861. 2. John Ross to John B. Ogden, February 28, 1861. 3. CHEROKEE AGENCY, near Tahlequah, C. N. Isaac G. Freeman, a citizen of what was formerly the United States and a farmer by occupation has permission to remain with J. C. Cunningham near Park Hill in said Nation and labor for the said Cunningham for twelve months from this date subject to be removed by the Agent at any time for cause. R. J. COWART, U. S. Cherokee Agent. [Endorsement] A true copy from the original as taken by me March 1st 1861 WILL P. ROSS 4. Newspaper clippings, one containing the Choctaw resolutions of February 7, 1861, and the other this: Dr. J. J. Gains, (an old editor) dropped in upon us, last week, on his way to Little Rock, from the Indian country. His mission was one of peace, and not to "_incite rebellion_" as was telegraphed to Washington City, by some officious person. We were glad to learn from him, that our border friends are all right. [180] General Files, _Cherokee, 1859-1865_, C515; _Official Records_, first ser., vol. xiii, 491-492. [181] Stephens says they were almost equally divided on the question of secession [_Constitutional View of the Late War between the States_, vol. ii, 363]. [182] On April 20, 1861. [183] Stephens, _op. cit._, vol. ii, 375; _Official Records_, first ser., vol. i, 674, 687. [184] _Official Records_, first ser., vol. i, 686. [185] _Journal_, Arkansas Convention, 369. [186] The importance of such an alliance seems never to have been lost sight of. In his message of May 6, 1861, Governor Rector called attention to the fact that Arkansas was the most exposed state in the Union, because of the Indians on the west [_Journal_, 153]. In various ways, he emphasized the strategical value of Indian Territory [_ibid._, 156]. [187] _Journal_, Arkansas Convention, 183. [188] See page 183. [189] _Journal_, Arkansas Convention, 189. [190] --_Ibid._, 295. [191] N. Bart Pearce had just been created by the convention "brigadier-general of Arkansas, to command the Western frontier." [192] On the thirteenth of May, the Confederate War Department had assigned Ben McCulloch to the command of the district embracing Indian Territory. [193] _Journal_, Arkansas Convention, 369. [194] _Official Records_, first ser., vol. i, 691. [195] These resolutions are found in the _Official Record_, first ser., vol. iii, 585-587 and are as follows: