had no such rights. But the colonel finally discharged Mr. Payne from
custody, and the very foolish proceeding was condemned by a resolution
of the General Assembly.

In 1835 two parties had developed in the Cherokee nation. One was in
favor of removal to the Western lands, and the other was opposed
to removal. John Ridge headed the removal party, and John Ross the
opposition. In February of that year these men went to Washington at
the head of deputations, and entered into negotiations with the General
Government. After a great deal of talk, excitement, confusion, and
trouble, the Cherokee people finally concluded to hold a meeting at Red
Clay in October, 1835. There was a good deal of angry feeling between
those of the Cherokees who were in favor of a treaty of removal and
those who were opposed to it. Major Ridge, John Ridge, and David Vann
were impeached for holding opinions contrary to those held by the
Cherokee authorities. On the other hand, many of those in favor of
removal met, and passed resolutions, in which they declared that their
people could not prosper in the midst of a white population, and that,
while they loved the lands of their fathers, and would leave the place
of their birth with regret, they considered that it would be better to
become exiles than to submit to the laws of the State.

At the Red Clay meeting, arrangements were made for discussing with the
United States authorities the terms of a treaty of removal. The Ross
party was still violently opposed to removal. John Ross, the leader of
this party, was only one fourth Indian, the other three fourths
being Scotch and American. Ross was very shrewd and thrifty, and had
accumulated a great deal of property, with the prospect of accumulating
more. He had many sympathizers and admirers in all parts of the country.
It seems to have been thought a wonderful thing in that day, that a man
one quarter Indian should be able to read and write English, and make
political speeches. When everything had been arranged for the final
treaty, and while negotiations were going forward, Ross and his party
put an end to them, and went to Washington, where they hoped to delay
matters. But the Ridge party met the United States commissioners at New
Echota on the 21st of December, 1835, according to appointment, and on
the 29th the treaty was concluded. On May 23, 1836, it was ratified.

By the terms of this treaty, the Cherokees, in consideration of the sum
of fi