JACKSON ANDREW Autograph Letter unsigned as President to Sec

Sale 2413 - Lot 142

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EXERCISING INDIAN REMOVAL POLICY IN NY JACKSON, ANDREW. Autograph Letter, unsigned, as President, to Secretary of War Lewis Cass, recommending a demonstration of confidence in Indian Commissioner [John F.] Schermerhorn by sending him to assist Governor [Henry] Dodge and appointing him to negotiate with the Native Americans of NY. 1 page, 8vo, with integral address leaf; seal tear with minor loss to lower left of address leaf, folds. (TFC) Np, 10 July 1836

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"I see the white Whiggs [sic] have opened their batteries of abuse and slander against Mr. Schermerhorn. To show the world that we have full confidence in him, if there should be any one wanted with Governor Dodge, it might be well to add him to it, if needful, but not otherwise. Let him be appointed to the New York Indians and those, if any, in that section that it may be necessary to form treaties with . . . ."
In December of 1835, with Andrew Jackson-appointed Indian Commissioner John F. Schermerhorn negotiating on behalf of the U.S. government, a minority faction of Cherokees signed the Treaty of New Echota, agreeing that the Cherokee nation would peacefully relocate to what is now Oklahoma. This treaty was executed without the knowledge or consent of John Ross, the duly elected chief of the Cherokees, or his thousands of followers. In accordance with the dubious treaty, the Cherokees were forcibly removed from their land and sent to Oklahoma as the last of the five tribes to march down the Trail of Tears. In the following year, Schermerhorn continued to carry out Jackson's Indian removal policy and began negotiating with the Iroquois in NY, but the Senecas refused to sign any treaty he offered them. The Buffalo Creek treaty, according to which the NY Iroquois were relocated to the Kansas territory, was offered by another commissioner in 1838 and signed under dubious circumstances.