25th Congress, 
 3d Sessio7i. 
 
 Doc. No. 224. 
 
 Ho, or Reps. 
 War Dept. 
 
 CHEROKEE INDIANS IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 LETTER 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF WAR, 
 
 Jn reply to a resolution of the House of Representatives of2l3t ultimo^ 
 calling for information respecting the number of Cherokee Indians 
 now residing in North Carolina, ^-c. 
 
 February 27, 1839. 
 
 Read, and laid upon the table. 
 
 War Department, February 26, 1839. 
 
 Sir : In an^w^^r t^ the resolution of the House of Representatives of 
 the 21st January last, calling' upon the Secretary of War for information 
 as to the number of Cherokee Indians now residing in North Carolina, 
 their means of subsistence, &c. ; I have the honor to submit the report of 
 the Commissioner of Indian AflFairs, dated the 23d instant. 
 Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, 
 
 ,1. R. POINSETT, 
 Hon. J. K. Polk, 
 
 Speaker Ho. of Reps 
 
 War Department, 
 Office Indian Affairs, February 23, 1839. 
 
 Sir : In relation to the resolution of the House of Representatives of 
 the 21st January instant, referred by you to this office, and requiring in- 
 formation as to the number of Cherokee Indians now remaining in North 
 Carolina, &c., I have the honor to submit the following report; 
 
 The operation of removing the Cherokee Indians was in the spring of 
 the past year committed to General Scott as a military service. That 
 officer, in pursuance of his instructions, collected these Indians, and 
 despatched them, from time to time, for their destination west. This 
 office has been informed that the last party of Cherokees, under the direc- 
 tion of John Ross, left the rendezvous east, on the 4th of December last; 
 and, in consequence, it has been considered that the Cherokee emigra 
 tion was closed. 
 
 As it relates to the Cherokees now in the State of North Cdroliua, 
 this office has no specific information. A part of those Indians are pre- 
 Thomas Allen, print. 
 
2 Doe. No. 224. 
 
 sumed to claim the right to remain in their present position, as reservees, 
 by treaties previous to 1835, and are supposed to be embraced in the 
 last clause of the 8th article of the treaty of 1835. No measures have 
 been adopted for the removal of Cherokees in North Carolina, other 
 than those prosecuted for the emigration of the whole nation. 
 
 I have to add, that this oflBce has no data upon which to state the num- 
 ber of Cherokees in North Carolina subject to the treaty of December 
 29, 1835. 
 
 In relation to the expenditure, and application of the money appro- 
 priated under the act of last year, I have the honor to state, that the sum 
 appropriated for removal and subsistence remains on the books of the 
 Treasury as undrawn, but is subject to drafts to reimburse the general 
 fund for carrying the treaty into effect, on the settlement of agents' ac- 
 counts; out of which latter appropriation, a sum equal to that appropriated 
 for removal and subsistence was advanced. The moneys drawn were 
 placed in the hands of Captains Page and Collins, military disbursing 
 agents, by whom advances were made to other agents, to be applied in 
 payment for supplies and expenses. The larger portion has been turned 
 over to the authorized individuals of the nation, in conformity with the 
 agreement entered into with the Cherokees, by General Scott, for their 
 removal by agents of their own appointment. 
 
 That part of the resolution requiring " how, to whom, and for what, 
 has the money appropriated, under that act, for subsistence and removal 
 of the Cherokees, been expended and applied," cannot therefore be 
 answered until the accounts are all received and settled ; these will be 
 voluminous, and, when received, will require much time and labor to 
 complete. 
 
 Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, 
 
 T. HARTLEY CRAWFORD. 
 
 Hon. J. R. Poinsett, 
 
 Secretary of War. 
 
 m.