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Cherokee Phoenix and Indians' Advocate
Wednesday, March 10, 1830
Vol. II, no. 47
Page 1, col. 4b-5b

From the Western Intelligencer

 The attention of the public have lately been directed to the subject of transporting and opening the Mail on the Sabbath, and to the case of the Cherokee and Creek Indians:  It was judged by the inhabitants of Tallmadge a matter of sufficient importance to call a meeting for the specific object of petitioning Congress relating to these two important subjects.  The meeting was held on Tuesday, the 19th of Jan. instant, and was well attended.  But one sentiment pervaded the whole assembly.  All evinced a laudable zeal in remembering the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, and in their honest endeavors to remove the load ofguilt that presses down this nation by authorizing a breach of this holy day by Law. A lively sympathy was also manifested in respect to a nation weak and defenceless [sic], and but just emerging from a state of barbarity and heathenism whose rights are threatened to be annihilated.  A petition was then framed, praying Congress to repeal so much of the law of the United States respecting the transportation and opening of Mails, as authorizes the transportation and opening the mail on the Sabbath, which obtained a very respectable number of signers.  After a concise but lucid history of the proceedings of Congress and the State of Georgia with the nation of the Cherokees was exhibited, a memorial was drawn up entreating Congress to continue that friendly protection to the Cherokee Nation, which former treaties warrant them to claim.  This was signed by nearly an hundred respectable inhabitants and the following resolutions expressing the sentiments of the meeting were unanimously adopted.

 1. Resolved, that in as much as the Cherokee Indians have been the possessors and occupants of the lands wherein they now reside, from time immemorial, therefore they are the rightful owners of the soil.

 2. Resolved, that in as much as they have never fallen under the government of any State or nation either by conquest or treaty, they are in all intents and purposes an independent nation.

 3. Resolved, as the sentiment of this meeting that to dispossess them of their lands by oppressive measures while they are peaceably pursuing their several occupations,giving no just offence to surrounding States would be an act of the highest injustice.

 4. Resolved; as the opinion of this meeting that the article in the Constitution of the United States, which guarantees to each State the prevention of the existence of any independent government within said State; must relate to setting up government in future and cannot look back to that which was in existence when the constitution was formed.
 5. Wherefore resolved, as the belief of this meeting, that Congress will have fully complied with the spirit of the constitution and with their engagements to the State of Georgia to purchase the right of soil, when they shall have used their utmost endeavors to purchase of the Cherokees their lands at a fair price.

 Tallmadge. Jan. 22d. 1830.