We herewith submit before the War Department a list containing sundry Cherokee Claims for property distroyed [destroyed], taken or stolen from them, by citizens of the United States , they were rendered in to us on the leaving eve of our leaving the Nation for this place, under a strong hope that we should have been enabled to have had them disposed of by the government together with those which are now and for many years past been before the War Department; The most of this property it appears has been taken by the intruders, such are the bad effects, under which the Cherokees labour [labor] from this lawless class of your citizens, they [unclear: chose ] are not only ravaged of their property, but every species of vice tending to demoralize the character of man, are introduced among

by them; as may naturally be supposed, its influence like a contagious disease, has in some extent prevailed among the lower class of our citizens; and it is with all the difficulties and exertion under which a skillful physician necessarily labour [labor] in such a case, that the Nation are anxiously striving to suppress it; but unless the Government under its solemn obligations establish a strict quarantine on the boundaries; The Nation can be but partially successful in preventing the obnoxious evils arising from [added: by] intrusions, from spreading—.

These claims may in some particular be found deficient of positive proofs but this is owing in a great degree to the peculiar disadvantage in which the Indians are placed, being ignorant of the laws of the United States and not having any other evidence than Indians, and likewise unacquainted with the necessary rules & forms by which to establish their claims, they can but go to the person most convenient to them, who can write, and there relate the circumstances attending their loss, and should the person who undertake to make out their claims, prove to be awkward and

and unacquainted with business, it is imperfectly done; under these such disadvantageous circumstances, has these claims been stated and rendered in to us; and which ought to be borne in mind by those who may have to investigate them; they were not rendered in to the agent, as is usual because the claimants apprehended that they might be laid over like other claims, for a long time before they would be acted upon; and as they had anticipated as we have already mentioned, that we should have been enabled at this time to have had them disposed of— We therefore now submit them with a hope that they, together with those which have for many [added: years] been awaiting the adjudication of the War Department may be disposed of as practicable—

We have the Honor to be respectfully
Your friends & Brothers

Jno [John] Ross

Geo.. [George] Lowrey

Major Ridge

his

X

mark

Elijah Hicks

Washington City May 24th 1824
Cherokee Delegation, East Mississippi .
Submitting sundry claims for property taken from the Indians by Citizens of the U. States .