Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1975 The Rhetoric of Cherokee Indian Removal From Georgia, 1828-1832. William Murrell Strickland Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Strickland, William Murrell, "The Rhetoric of Cherokee Indian Removal From Georgia, 1828-1832." (1975). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2853. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2853 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. 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Michigan 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 76.167 STRICKLAND, William Murrell, 1946- THE RHETORIC OF CHEROKEE INDIAN RBKVAL FRCM GEORGm, 1828-1832. The Louisiana State IMiversity and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1975 Speech Xerox University Microfilms,Ann Arbor, Michigan 4810e THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TBE RHETORIC OF CHEROKEE INDIAN REMOVAL, FROM GEORGIA, 1828-1832 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech by William M. Strickland B.S., University of Arkansas, 1968 M.A., University of Arkansas, 1969 At^ust, 1975 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOILSOGEMEIIT The author wishes to express his warm appreciation to Dr. Harold D. Mixon and to the other members of his committee, Drs. Waldo Braden, Burl Noggle, Stephen Cooper, and John Pennybacker. In addition he would like to ack­ nowledge the staff of the Louisiana State University Library. The author also expresses grateftil appreciation to his brother, Rennard, for his help and encouragement. Primarily he would like to thank his parents who have always made anything and everything possible. Also he would like to acknowledge Flossie who spent many hours on the dissertation. Finally, the writer expresses grateful appreciation to his wife, Ruth, and his son, David, for their understanding and sacrifices. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT............................................ ü ABSTRACT ................................................... vi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION........... 1 Statement of Problem.......................... 1 Justification ..... ...................... 2 Limits of Study ............................... 3 Methodology .............................. 5 Writing Indian History...................... 8 Authenticity of the Speech Texts, 9 Sources and Contributory Sources............. 9 Organization of the Study ...................... 11 2. THE HISTORICAL SETTING. ......... '.............. 13 Before the Revolution ........................ 13 1785-1800 ............................... 17 1800-1820 ..... 21 1820-1828 28 1828-1832 ...................................... 39 3. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT............................. 56 The Executive ................................... 56 Determining Time, Place, and Occasion . 57 Executive Spokesmen ........................ 61 Andrew Jackson................................. 64 Speeches to the Indians ...................... 66 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PAGE Jackson's Speeches to the Public, ..... 73 First Instaurai ............................. 73 First Annual Message to Congress.......... 75 Second Annual Message to Congress ......... 80 Special Message to Congress ............... 82 Preliminary Drafts.......................... 84 Congress........................................ 87 Founding Fathers...................... 87 D o c u m e n t s ................................... 89 Treaties..................................... 91 Couz*t C a s e s ................................. 94 Other Sources ........................ 94 Historical Examples ............... .... 97 A n a l o g y ........................................ 100 Desirability. ........................... 101 Contradiction ............................... 103 Ethical Appeal................................. 106 T h r e a t s ........................................ 108 Georgians Strategy............................. 109 The Public...................................... 113 Debate by Amendment ........................... 116 Conclusion...................................... 117 Supreme Court ................................. 119 Wirt’s Preparation............................. 119 Cherokee Nation vs Georgia— Sergeant’s Speech........................................ 124 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PAGE Wirt*s Speech................... 128 The Court Decision ........................ 133 Worcester vs Georgia ...................... 136 C o n c l u s i o n........................ 140 4. THE ADVOCATES FOR THE CHERCHEES.................... 142 Cherokee Speaking................................... 142 The Northern Supporters..................... 167 Political Rhetoric ............................... 178 Missionaries ..................................... 183 The Southern Supporters............................. 185 C o n c l u s i o n .......................................... 190 5. GEORGIA’S ADVOCATES....................................191 Georgia . ......... 1 ...................... 191 The Northern Supporters............................. 214 Political Rhetoric .................... 219 The New York Board ................. 223 Sam Houston.......................................... 226 The N u l i i f i e r s ......................................228 Conclusion . ......................................230 6. CONCLUSION .............................................232 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................... 248 VITA ....................................................... 257 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The purpose of this investigation is to examine the rhetoric of the Cherokee Indian removal from Georgia. This movement is of special interest to the rhetorical critic because the major weapon the Indians could use to defend their home lands was rhetoric. Thus, the Indian removal debate can provide insight into the use of speak­ ing when a minority clashes with an established power of the statiis quo. The study first discusses the historical settii^ of the dispute between the Cherokees and Georgia. Special attention is paid to the legal claims of the Cherokees and their advancement toward civilization. With this understanding of the historical background, the study focuses on the speakii^ in the Federal Government and of the pro and anti removal groups. The speaking in the Federal Government is examined by departments : executive, legislative, and judicial. The speakii^ of the executive branch, headed by Andrew Jackson, was used to advocate