NET Playhouse; The Trail of Tears: John Ross

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . Excuse me how much is that? Much fifty cents a night hair? Oh. Three and one-half years later, on the Line Road outside of Cincinnati, Arkansas, where it crosses white rock creek. The same day, June 22, 1839, 5 a.m., the house of John Ridge at Honey Creek near the Niosha River, Arkansas. The house of John Ridge at Honey Creek near the Niosha River, Arkansas. Now, therefore, be it known that I, Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, having seen and considered the said treaty between the United States and the Cherokee people except ratify and confirm the same.

In testimony where I have caused this seal of the United States to be here unto a fixed, having signed the same with my hand, done at the city of Washington this 29th day of May in the year of our Lord, 1,836, and the independence of the United States, the 60th. Sir, you must know you are being denounced across the country. The treaty is called a fraud. No treaty at all because not sanctioned by the main body of the Cherokee nation. Reverend Sharmahan's conduct has been called a betrayal of the country's trust. The north is in an uproar. Perhaps it's their turn. I have here an irate memorial from 20 citizens of Rowe, New Jersey, as you can't read it.

I have also been denounced by Ralph Older Emerson. At what is east in the vision, Cherokee agents are Tennessee. 9 a.m. May 17, 1838. The staff of the newly arrived commanding officer assembles for their first briefing. Lieutenant Colonel W.J. Wirt, Acting Agiton General, Chief of Staff.

Gentlemen, General Scott. Good morning, General. Major General Wimfield Scott newly arrived from the Seminole War, charged by the President to cause the Cherokee Indians, yet remaining to remove to the west according to the terms of the Treaty of 1835. Such is newly elected President Van Buren's respect for General Scott. It is said he has been allowed on this assignment to write his own orders. Well, gentlemen, the duties devolved on us here and on the district commanders are of a rather critical nature. The Cherokees, by the advances they have made in Christianity and civilization, are by far the most interesting tribe of Indians within the territorial limits of the United States.

We have 12,000 of these people to remove. They have six more days in which to emigrate voluntarily. A thousand or more have gone, perhaps. But a good forphiths remain, and they are opposed to the emigration. They will not go voluntarily. Now, none of these are in actual hostilities with the United States, or do they threaten the resistance by arms. But it is as certain as we sit here together this morning. Our troops will be obliged to cover the whole country they inhabit, to make prisoners, and to march each and every one of these 12,000 people in. Now, considering the number and the temper of the mass to be collected and removed, it will readily occur that indiscretions or acts of harshness or cruelty on the part of our troops will lead step-by-step to delays in patience, exasperation.

And in the end, through general warfare and cottage, a result in the case of these particular Indians utterly apparent to the generous sympathies of the whole American people. Now, if some parties here and there seem to hide themselves, they must be punished and insisted to surrender. But they must not be fired upon, unless they should make a stand to resist. It cannot be doubted if one gets possession of the woman first, the outstanding members of the same family will readily come in with the assurance of forgiveness and kind treatment. If you wonder about this, I carry this implement with me always. This is a United States Army issue, Tomahawk, issued to the soldiers for scalping Indians.

It's a device they learn from the British, the British authorities used to pay their soldiers 20 pounds for the scalp of any Indian in a tribe. It also paid 10 pounds for the scalp of any Indian child, any tribe, either a boy or a girl. General Scott is building 12 camps, stock aids, concentration camps, if you will. They're open camps, open to the weather, and that's where our white brethren are putting us. And then, when we're all collected, and the whole nation is collected, say those who've gone on before us. We're to be marched, a thousand miles, we're to be marched. There are five thousand men coming in now to round us up, soldiers, militia, guardsmen, volunteers.

They form in a small groups of two or three in a group collecting Indians. They've been instructed to approach quietly, at neal time, for example, General Scott suggests. So in this manner, they'll take us entirely by surprise. In this considered way, your countrymen plan to remove the entire Cherokee nation. By total surprise, remove them to the west, while we sit down to suffer. . .

Did you know that Cherokee's call me chicken snake? Chicken snake, chicken snake, general Jackson now. Cherokees.

The President of the United States has sent me with a powerful army to cause you in obedience to the Treaty of 1835 to join your brethren already established in prosperity on the other side of the Mississippi. . My troops occupy already many positions in your country. And thousands and thousands are coming from every quarter to render resistance and a skipper like hopeless. All of our troops, regular and militia, are your friends, receive them and confide in them as such.

Soldiers are as kindhearted as they are brave. It is the desire of every one of us to execute our painful duty in mercy. . . Think of this, my Cherokee brethren. I am an old warrior and have been present at many scenes of slaughter. Spare me, I precede you the horror of witnessing the destruction of the Cherokees. .

Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Give me your knife.

Turn around. Turn around. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one.

Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one.

Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one.

Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one. Number one, number one.

Number one, number one. This summer has been the driest anyone can recall. There is no water. The food issued is rancid bacon and flour. 81 people have died so far here. Measles, cholera, dysentery, confinement, and water sanitation. This is but one of 12 similar camps. And so on July 20, 1838, the National Committee and Council of the Cherokee Nation holds its last general counsel in and on their native land. The National Committee and Council of the Cherokee Nation

have been the driest anyone can recall. The National Committee and Council of the Cherokee Nation have been the driest anyone can recall. They prepare a resolution proposing to General Scott that the Cherokee Nation itself undertake the whole business of removing their people to the west of the Mississippi and General Scott agrees. Skyter points, John Ross, a superintendent of removal, which causes for the first time a feeling of unanimity among the people. It further means, for the first time, the honorable Wilson Lumpkin of Georgia is out of work. I am unwilling to go down to the grave

with the impression resting on any portion of the public mind that my life and labor has been prejudicial to any portion of the human family of whatever complexion or origin they may happen to be. It has been my desire from early youth up to this day that at the close of my earthly pilgrimage, it might be said of me in truth. He served his generation with fidelity. The earth is a great island floating on a sea of water, suspended at each four of cardinal points hanging down from the sky vault, which is of solid rock. When the world grows old and worn out, the people will die, the cords will break,

letting the earth sink down into the ocean and all will be water again. Originally, when all was water, the animals were way above beyond the arch, but it was very much crowded there and they were worn in more room. The water beetle offered to go to the water bottom to see what he could learn. He dived to the bottom and returned with some soft mud, which began to grow and spread until it became the island which we called the earth. The animals were anxious to get down. So they sent out the great buzzard,

the father of all the buzzards we know now. He flew all over the earth, low down to the ground, and it was still soft. When he reached the country here, he was very tired and his wings began to flap and strikes the ground. Wherever they struck the earth, it left a great valley. And wherever they went up again, there was a great mountain. But when the animals above saw this, they were afraid that the whole country would be full of mountains. So they called him back, but the Cherokee country

remains full of mountains to this day. There is another world under this one, one that's just like ours in everything, animals, people, plants, save their seasons are different. Tomorrow, tomorrow we take a walk. A long walk to this other world. We are fortunate. We shall know two worlds. Most people only see one. We are fortunate.

We lost three wagons now. We had to pay $40 at the Walden Ridge toll gate. On the Cumberland Mountains, they fleeced us, 73 cents a wagon and 12.5 cents a horse, one third of the Cherokee Nation, 4,500 human beings,

ought to die on the trail of tears. We're burying four or five a day now, exhaustion and exposure mostly. These terribly heavy winds and having to sleep on this cold wet ground, half these people don't have real shoes, and their moccasins just dissolve in this weather. All I can do for this child is make her as comfortable as possible, and that, in point of fact, is not possible. We can have come halfway yet,

and it's December already. I rode alongside the Cherokee during the Creek War. That was nothing compared to this. I've never seen such human hardship. The game's all gone. The contingents ahead have taken everything. So along with everything else, we're going to get damn hungry, and that damn short while. Now they're all going to have a better afternoon. .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . state, and history in its curious fashion repeats. For the sovereign state of Oklahoma decides, the Cherokee schools and hospitals, even the

Cherokee and Sanosalam which has one inmate, do not belong to the Cherokee, but rather to Oklahoma. And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again.

And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again.

And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again.

And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again. And so all that they have built is taken away once again.

And so all that they have built is taken away once again. Long before man, long even before the first pre-humans, there were the redwoods. One hundred million years ago, they flourished throughout the northern half of the world.

The last great stand of Sequoia Semperviren survives in a narrow band of forest in the fog belt along the northern California coast, no other living thing in the world grows as tall, few trees live to be as old. The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs. The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs.

The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs. The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs. When my dad first settled here, there was hardly anyone around, of course, everything was wild and virgin, and all you'd probably run into a black tail deer or a grizzly bear,

maybe a mountain cat or two, but no other living soul. It's hard to believe that now, it's hard to find a place where a person could go off by themselves and be all alone and away from the world for a while. The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs. The Sequoia Sempervirens, the enduring redwood, are living linked to the age of dinosaurs.

My dad was a logger, in fact, he logged these redwoods until he died, and even though he cut them down, I think he had great respect for those trees, 300-foot tall, the old ones average, 16 feet on the stump. They've been some, around 350-foot tall, that he'd put a saw to, but that's tall and the city block is long, even higher than a 30-story building. You know, it takes more years and man can imagine to grow that tall, 800 years on the average,

they've been some, it was 2,000 years old, alive before Christ was born, makes you wonder how many forest fires, and how many storms and floods that it had to go through to survive for 2,000 years. I think John Muir said it right, he said in timber, rarest timber, the redwood is just

too good to live. Back in the old days, a 300-foot tree, 12-foot across, would take 2 men, right around 3 days to fell, because they used axis and crosscut sauce. They call them barbed wire

scratches or misery whips, but that's no longer, quite today a man can rip through a tree in about 1 hour. You know, I doubt that my dad ever dreamed that there'd be an end to these redwood someday. It just seemed like there were too many trees for that, and it just took too long to cut

in the 1860s, they cut down 1,300 acres of redwood for us to year. In the 1900s, they cut down 5,000 acres of trees a year. In the 1960s, they cut down 13,000 acres of trees a year, 1,000 redwood a day, 300,000

redwoods a year, 3,000,000 trees a decade. In 15 years, the lumber companies will have hardly any more old-growth redwoods to log. In 15 years, the lumber companies will have no more old-growth redwoods to log in. In 15 years, the lumber companies will have no more old-growth redwoods to log in.

In 15 years, the lumber companies will have no more old-growth redwoods to log in. When I was a boy, people still regarded this area more or less the frontier, but in my life, I have seen all that change.

Well, this country has no more frontiers left, I guess it's only the moon now to conquer. From some of those pictures that I've seen of that, it looks like we've already long built this thing. . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .