account of the refusal of
the state of Tennessee to sanction the grant. 3 In the same year, by
arrangement with the general government, the legislature of Tennessee
attempted to negotiate with the Cherokee for that part of their unceded
lands lying within the state limits, but without success, owing to the
unwillingness of the Indians to part with any more territory, and their
special dislike for the people of Tennessee.*
In L810 the Cherokee national council registered a further advance
in civilization by formally abolishing the custom of clan revenge,
hitherto universal among the tribes. The enactment bears the signa-
tures of Black-fox (Ina'li), principal chief, and seven others, and reads
as follows:
In Council, Oostinaleh, April IS, 1810.
1. Be it known this .lay, That the various clans or tribes which compose the Cher-
okee nation have unanimously passed anit so happen thai a brother, forgetting his natural affections, should
raise his hands in anger and kill his brother, he shall be accounted guilty of murder
and suffer accordingly.
::. If a man have a horse stolen, and overtake the thief, and sin mid his anger be
so great as to cause him to shed his hi 1, let it remain on his ow n conscience, bul
no satisfaction shall be required for his life, from his relative or clan he may have
belonged to.
Bj order of the seven clans. '
Under an agreement with the Cherokee in 1813a company composed
pf representatives of Tennessee, Georgia, and the Cherokee nation
was organized to lay out a free public road from Tennessee river to
the head of navigation on the Tugaloo branch of Savannah river, with
provision for convenient