sir: Your communication of yesterday, dated from headquarters, Indian expedition, camp on
Wolf Creek, under a flag of truce per
Dr. Gilpatrick, has been duly received; and in reply I have to state that a treaty of alliance, under the sanction and authority of the whole
Cherokee people, was entered into on the seventh day of October, 1861, between the
confederate States and the
Cherokee Nation, and published before the world.
And you cannot but be too well informed on the subject to make it necessary for me to recapitulate the reasons and circumstances under which it was done.
Thus the destiny of the people became identified with that of the Southern Confederacy.
There is no nation of
Indians, I venture to say, that has ever been more scrupulous in the faithful observance of their treaty obligations than the Cherokees.
Allow me to further appeal to the history of my long public and private life to sustain the assertion that my policy has ever been to preserve peace and good feelings among my people, and the observance of law and order.
[
550]
The horrors of civil war with which this beautiful country is threatened are greatly to be deprecated, and I trust that it may be averted by the observance of the strict principles of civilized and honorable warfare by the army now invading our country, under your command.
I cannot, under existing circumstances, entertain the proposition for an official interview between us at your camp.
I have, therefore, respectfully to decline to comply with your request.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
