Memorial of Robert Armstrong to J.A. Bell, January 19, 1847

Transcription: Transcribed by Bivor Hada, Bryce Martin, Mazzie Adkins, Meran Paul

Cherokee Nation 19th January 1847
To the honourable committee of the Treaty Party now in session[:] Robert Armstrong your memorialist would most respectfully state that some four or five years ago previous to the death of James Foreman [killed by Stand Watie on May 14th, 1842], said Foreman came to the village of Maysville[Arkansas] with an armed force of about 150 men, and stated that he understood that J.M. Lynch[,] J.A. Bell[,] Stand Watie and others had made up a horse race for the purpose of getting him there to kill him. Myself and the late Robert Agnew[?] went to him and denied the charge and remonstrated with him as to his course and finally got him to disperse his company by my treating them to about $5.00 worth of Whiskey[.] sometime afterwards Johnson Foreman came early in the morning to said Town with an armed force as he said in search of Messrs Lynch, Bell, Cunningham, Williams[,] T.L. Rogers and others for having assigned some paper or petition[.] The whole population appeared to stand in awe of him and his force. Sam[uel] Tagert offered to let him search his house for them. I was the only individual who dared to oppose his movements. I ordered him to leave the Town with his mob guard. He crossed the line and cursed me and said if he ever caught me across the line he would tie me to a tree and whip me and many other tantalizing words and threats—some short time afterwards Andrew Foreman & George Drumgole shot into my house fortunately without injury—sometime after the above occurring my Store House and all my liquors Books, notes & accounts was set on fire and burned to the ground[.] I have always believed and still do that it was done in consequence of my course towards Johnson Foreman in defending of the aforesaid individuals and the Treaty Party generally, by reason of which burning I have been reduced to poverty and almost want I would further state to your committee that about the 8th or 9th of August 1843, Jacob West was taken into custody & on the 25th he was Executed and soon after his son John was shamefully abused, during the term the father and son were in confinement I assigned a petition to the President and to the Secretary of War—stating their conditions and the impending fate of the Treaty Party unless protected against domestic strife by the U states[.]

I provided a large number of names to said petition. I also addressed and represented to the Executive of the State the unprotected conditions of the Treaty Party and the frontier to which most of them had fled— I also addressed many letters of communications to members of Congress asking and praying for aid for the Treaty Party.— I petitioned Gen[eral] Taylor on the same subject also General Toole all without avail—when Gov. Tell was elected to Congress I sought and obtained a pledge from him to use his best endeavors to establish Fort Wayne and provide further aid for your Party— in short[,] long before I was connected with the Cherokee people I suffered no opportunity to pass without endeavoring to do good for your party - I saw they were oppressed and sympathized with them[.] My time, my talents, and small purse has ever been directed to the Treaty Party, ever since I have been in the country, since the 25 Jun 1845 I have been occasionally engaged or employed for the benefit of the said party. I have resided here since 1840 I have perhaps lost my property and much else besides for my devotion to your Party—I have rendered them and their cause all the aid I could to bring about a favorable termination of their difficulties[.] I hope the end is attained. I do not presume that it was
brought about by my exertions but I lent a helping hand, the foregoing facts are known to most if not all your committee—
Your memorialist respectfully submits his claims for remuneration at your hands, being fully satisfied that when you carefully examine the foregoing facts you will do me that justice which the nature of my claim seems I demand[.]
Grant my petition and I will ever pray… R. Armstrong

Cherokee Nation 30th Jan[uary] 1847
Before the undersigned [J.A. Bell] personally came Robert Armstrong who being duly sworn says that the facts stated in the foregoing petition is common with my own knowledge as just and true and so far as they are stated as coming through the information of others he believe to be true

J.A. Bell
Robert Armstrong

Gent[lemen]
Should you deem it necessary I can produce the evidence of A B Cunningham[,] Major A Cox and others who were appointed a committee by the citizens of the state & nation to meet and Gen[eral] Taylor and J.A. Bell Esq[uire] one of your Hon[orable] body knowing to this transaction as he accompanied them to Fort Smith and introduced them to that office[.]
Very Respectfully
R Armstrong”

Cherokee Nation Papers
Title: Memorial of Robert Armstrong to J.A. Bell, January 19, 1847
Name of Writer: Robert Armstrong
Name of Recipient: John Adair Bell
Location Mentioned: Maysville, Arkansas

Part of Memorial of Robert Armstrong to J.A. Bell, January 19, 1847

“Memorial of Robert Armstrong to J.A. Bell, January 19, 1847”, Retracing the Bell Route: An Archive of Cherokee Removal, accessed October 16, 2024, https://cherokee-bell-route.org/s/Cherokee_Bell-Route/item/164