with the year 1808.
19 ETH— 01 8
114 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.ann.19
in council, but subsequently made submission and was reinstated. He
was afterward one of the detachment commanders in the Removal, but
died while on the march. 1
In this year, also, John Ross became principal chief of the, Nation,
a position which he held until his death in 1866, thirty-eight years
later.'' In this long period, comprising the momentous episodes of
the Removal and the War of the Rebellion, it may lie truly said that
his history is the history of the Nation.
And now. just when it seemed that civilization and enlightenment
wcic about to accomplish their perfect work, the Cherokee began to
hear the first low muttering of the coming storm that was soon to
overturn their whole governmental structure and sweep them forever
from the landof their birth.
By an agreement between the United States and the state of Georgia
in L802, the latter, for valuable consideration, had ceded to the general
government her claims west of the present state boundary, the United
States at the same time agreeing to extinguish, at its own expense,
but for the benefit of the state, the Indian claims within the state
limits, "as early as the same can be peaceably obtained on reasonable
terms." 3 In accordance with this agreement several treaties had
already been made with the Creeks and Cherokee, by which large
tracts had been secured for Georgia at the expense of the general
government. Notwithstanding this fact, and the terms of the. proviso,
Georgia accused the government of bad faith in not taking summary
measures to compel the Indians at once to surrender all their