The total number in the printed Minutes is set down as being 421,156, which is, 2,229 more than it should be. See Methodist Magazine, and Minutes of Conferences for 1828. Those who wish full information on this subject may consult the “Defense of our Fathers,” “Reviewer Reviewed,” and “Original Church of Christ.” The following letter from an eye-witness of these things will show how matters were conducted: — “The Choctaw country is divided into three districts, called Lower towns, Six towns, and Upper towns. The Upper towns form the western district. Colonel Lefleur was formerly chief of the Upper towns, and Colonels Folsom and Garland were chiefs of the two eastern districts; until at a great council, held in March last, at which a majority of the warriors of the nation were present, Colonels Folsom and Garland [both Christians of the Presbyterian denominational resigned and Colonel Lefleur [a member of the Methodist Church] was chosen chief of the whole nation. This council, it will be recollected, also voted to offer their country for sale to the United States, on certain conditions, and to remove west of the Mississippi. “The vote to sell the country excited so much dissatisfaction, that Mushulatubee, [the leader of the pagan party,] who formerly been chief of the Lower towns district, but had been deposed, availed himself of it to recover his fortunes. He placed himself at the head of his friends, and with the aid of Netockache, the leader of the Kunshas, a little pagan clan in the Six towns district succeeded in obtaining a temporary ascendancy in the eastern part of the nation. The followers of Mushulatubee went through the form of appointing him chief of the Lower towns in the place of Folsom, and Netockache took the place of Garland as chief of the Six towns. They then combined their efforts tried all means in their power to put down religion, and becoming gradually more and more bold, at length threatened to drive out the missionaries out of the nation, and if they were compelled to emigrate west of the Mississippi, declared that not one should accompany them.

They deposed the Christian captains throughout the two districts, and made use of threats, persuasions, and bribes, to induce those who had professed Christianity to cast off fear and live without God. It was now a time of great and almost constant alarm, and probably the only consideration which prevented the pagans from proceeding to extremities was the fear of Lefleur. At last, believing themselves sufficiently strong, they resolved ‘to break him,’ but in this they were disappointed, as will be seen in the sequel. “At the time of the distribution of the annuity for the two eastern districts at the factory, Mushulatubee and Netockache surrounded the building with their men, and resolved to prevent the Christian party from receiving any part of the goods. For this purpose they stationed guards along the road, and had collected a body of fifty or sixty armed men. But what was their surprise when Colonel Lefleur suddenly appeared before them, at the head of eight hundred armed warriors!

The truth is, he left home with the determination of settling the controversy. He had, therefore, made ample preparation, and on his arrival near the factory he sent to the pagans ‘a straight forward talk,’ and it was also a ‘hard talk,’ — ‘Mushulatubee must resign,’ and must make his decision in fifteen minutes. At the end of this period, receiving no answer, Colonel Lefleur, at the head of his mounted men, proceeded toward Mushulatubee’s quarters. It was now expected that there would be bloody work, but Mushulatubee had secreted himself; and Netockache, coming forward, offered his hand for peace and was accepted. Colonel Lefleur and Colonel Folsom, themselves unarmed, but at the head of their men, then pushed their way, in company with Netockache, through the guard, toward the body of the pagan party, who fled in all directions at their approach. Mushulatubee at length made his appearance, and, finding all resistance hopeless, consented to resign, and was told not to think of the office of chief for himself so long as Folsom or Lefleur lived. “Every thing,” says the letter, “has turned out well. Lefleur has raised himself in the esteem of thousands. He was very prudent, but determined. His cause was good. Mushulatubee and Netockache were usurpers and bitter persecutors, but Mushulatubee has sunk, and although Netockache is at present acknowledged as chief of the Kunshas, he is ‘to walk straight.’ or he will himself sink. Another chief will soon be selected in Folsoms district. The United States commissioners will probably visit the nation to treat before long. What the Choctaws will finally do, I know not, or what troubles are before them. One thing is pretty certain, that they are threatened with a famine on account of the drought. Many will have no corn at all, and others only part of a crop.”

It will be perceived that there was a decrease among the Indians of 2,089. This was owing to the troubles, heretofore noticed, accompanying their removal west of the Mississippi. There is an error of ten in the increase of preachers in the printed Minutes, occurring in the subtraction of the total number of superannuated preachers.

This result, which is taken from the Minutes, is produced by adding the number of traveling and local preachers to the private and official members, a practice not hitherto pursued, but followed hereafter. Dr. Fisk, though married, died without issue.

Since the establishment of the other papers before mentioned, there has been a falling off in the number of subscribers to this paper, while the aggregate number of readers has increased. Allowing twelve thousand to the Western Christian Advocate, and three thousand to each of the other five weekly papers, and twenty-six thousand to the one issued in New York, the whole number of subscribers will be forty-three thousand; and, allowing four readers to each subscriber, which probably is the average number, it will give one hundred and seventytwo thousand readers of these weekly sheets. Though this may sound large, yet the number is not by any means in proportion to the number of Church members, not being more than about one fifth of the entire membership.