The Cherokee Nation of Indians. (1887 N 05 / 1883-1884 (pages 121-378))Royce, Charles C.
History
The Cherokee Nation of Indians. (1887 N 05 / 1883-1884 (pages 121-378))
Royce, Charles C.
Cherokee Indians -- Government relations; Cherokee Indians -- Treaties
During the council a delegation of the intruding settlers presented
themselves but were not allowed to attend the deliberations, being
advised by the commissioners "that it was not in contemplation to make
a new treaty but to carry the treaty of Holston into effect; that
we did not expect much light on this subject from the Indians; that
we should form our decision from the instrument itself and not from
interested reporters on either side; that all who were on the Indian
lands could not be relieved by us; * * * that he (Captain Henly) and
most of the deputation lived on this side of the line of experiment,
and that they had informed us that that line was merely to ascertain
how the citizens could be accommodated and _on this side of the true
line_ intended in the treaty; that to accommodate them a new treaty
must be had and a new line agreed on, and, in our opinion, at this time
it could not be effected; that the Indians were much alarmed for their
situation, and viewed every attempt to acquire land as a violation of
the solemn guaranty of the Government; that we need not expect ever
to obtain fairly their consent to part with their land, unless our
fellow-citizens would pay more respect than we saw they did to their
treaties.
Following this conference with the Indians, the commissioners proceeded
(examining the country carefully en route) to South West Point, at the
mouth of Clinch River, which they reached on the 6th of May, and the
journal of Colonel Hawkins concludes with this day's proceedings. It
is learned, however, from an old map of the line now on file in the
office of Indian Affairs, that the survey was not begun until more than
three months after their arrival at South West Point. From another map
in the same office it appears that the line as surveyed extended from
a point about 1,000 yards above South West Point in a course S. 76° E.
to the Great Iron Mountain, and was known as "Hawkins Line."[86] From
this point the line continued in the same course until it reached the
treaty line of 1785, and was called "Pickens Line." The supposition
is that as the commissioners were provided with two surveyors, they
separated, Colonel Hawkins with Mr. Whitner as surveyor running the
line from Clinch River to the Great Iron Mountains, and General Pickens
with Colonel Kilpatrick as surveyor locating the remainder of it. This
supposition is verified so far as General Pickens is concerned by his
own written statement.[87]
From the point where it struck the Clinch River, the line of cession
by this treaty of 1791 followed up the course of that river until it
struck Campbell's line at a point 3 or 4 miles southwest of the present
town of Sneedville. From this point it became identical with the
boundary line prescribed by the treaty of November 28, 1785 at Hopewell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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