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of reprefent*tf»efl■ «* i followt"*
M »mi*on«»PP“'">'“ ° t " , h ne ja ««ctc 1
United State*, P“' fa s aio , that tbe
of'our trtaiy «' t [ ic Boundary j£‘ A _
«‘>°g **** TJiVheVefiitory of itiAj nited
'SKJSSS-Vn^;
fer f<- j*«w
by n^S^ ia ii ofroops, 0 froops, gartifons, or fct
either party in the territory
dlh'e other ; that is, whether when the
Spanish garrisons withdraw, * they are to
leave the works Handing or to demolish
them, and until, by an additional article
to the treaty, the real property ot the in
fcibitanrs (hall be fec.ured, and likewise
until the Spanilh officer* are sure the
Indians will be pacific. The two firft
queliictas, if to be determined by nego
tiation, might be made fubjeds *
*■>• foi y' a “> sfeta t« tb ; “Lie,
»n obdatij (o rti e ifie treaty
'
TO remove thetfwj l have
drummed r d J >to the difcre.ion
°‘W ofi C e r , of ‘hi Catholic Majesty,
f hen th 'y *ithdrtf his troops from the
tout wickln the territory of the United
States, eitner iu WL. _ Us stan d.
ing, or to deraolifh them. And so re
move the second, I (hall canfe an affur
anse to be published, and to be particu
larly communicated to the minister of his
catholic majesty, and to the governor of
Louisiana, that the settlers or occupants
of tne lands in question, (hall not be dif
tufbed in their pofildlons by the troops of
the United States, but, on the contrary,
that they (hall be protected in all their
lawful claim*, mJ a*
every doubt on this point, it merits the
Confide rat ion of Cong refs, whether it will
ndt tfe expedient immediately to pass a
law, pving positive assurances to thofc
inhabitants who by fair and regular grants,
or by occupancy, have obtained legal ti
tles or equitable claims to lands in that
country, prior to the final ratification of
the treaty between the United States, and
Spain, on the sth April, 1796.
This country iv rendered peculiarly va
luable by its inhabitants, who are repre
footed to amount to nearly four thousand,
generally well ef&Aed and much attached
to the United States, and zealous for the
«ft|blrfhment of a government under their
authority.
I therefore recommend to your conCde
ration the expediency of erecting a go
vernment in the diftrift of the Natchez,
similar to that eftabliihed for the territo
ry north-weft of the river Ohio, but with
certain modifications relative to titles or
to claims of jurifdiftion of any individu
al state.
JOHN ADAMS.
Vtittd States, June rz, 1797.
REPORT
! OJ Vhe secretary of state, to the President
of the United States, of the proceedings
ts Atomttw Ellicott, Esq. Com
rn’.lfioncr for running the boundary
line between the United States, and
East and Weft. Florida.
DVf altment of State.
k June 10, 1797.
I The secretary of state refpedfully re
ports to the President of the United States,
the substance of the information received
the Bth inst. from Andrew Ellicott, Esq.
the comraiffioner of the United States ap
pointed to run the boundary line between
their territory and his Catholic majesty's
colonies of East and Weft-Florida.
Although Mr. -Ellicott left Philadel
phia, in September, 1796, to proceed by
the Ohio and Miffifiippi rivers, to the
Natchez, the place appointed by the trea
ty w ith Spain, at which the commimooers
of the two governments were to meet,
yet owH'g to the lownefsof the waters of
the Ohid, he did not reach its mouth un
til the rath day of December; two days
after which, both the Ohio and MiifiCiy-
V were almost frozen over. On the 2id ,
their ftoie boat arti 1 * ft sos the Nrt -i
M KCetved ofbis PP and fotne
1 that
might be left a6W.i_ «o«th of
Pierre, afligoing for his reason,
.u tvs*y unforefecn powers
Wr'cvented.* -With this request,
of accommodation, Mr. Elli
-1 Bayon Pierre is about 60
miles above the Natchez. /
On the 24th February, Mr. Ellw/l
reached the Natchez, immedf* \
by a letter, acquainted governor \
of his arrival. The governor ay T \
day returned an answer a ° 1
day following they had anurto p l(,ceC '
fixed on the 19th of M^{ v iUe> neal
down the river to would c° {X '“
which it was fuppofed/*
me n«. g „ era| Q(
'uary 2 7th f (fiV commiffionernam
l lffurr of S[ain, for afeertai nmg
..<*Tx>undary line, to inform him ts his
k arrivalat the Natchez, as the commrficner
of the United States. The baton's an
swer (No, 4.) dated March tft, wa< re
ceivedthe 9th, and on the fame d«y go
vernor Gayofo waited on Mr. EUiiotr,
and informed himthat the Baron, in con
fcquence of interesting concerns baow,
haJ declined to attend, and (hat the
whole business has devolved on hin. Mr.
Ellicott, exprdTed his fatisfattioi, be
cause he expected that he, governq/Gayo- .
so, would be immediately ready'to pro
ceed. The governor anfweredv- 1 * No
time (hall be loft, but I fear I nail not
be ready by the 19th, and although the
Baron declines admg on account of the
business which demands his conftmt at
tention at Orleans, be is nevertheltfs de
sirous of having an interview witlyou,
and for that purpose has ordered a galley
to be fitted up for your use and accom
modation to New-Orleans." Mr. Eili
»» ~AJ- - . J -1 —a -j*. __ ■_a .i* .1
treaty with Spain, required the cotrnmif- (
fioners for Tunning the boundary line to
meet at the Natchez ; and that being
then at his poll, it was his duty to remain
there, until the Spanish commissioner
ihonkl be ready to proceed with him to
the place where the line should commence
—and therefore he declined the Baron’s
invitation.
On the 27th of February, Mr. Ellicott
encamped at the upper end of the town
of Natchez, about a quarter cf a mile
from the tort occupied by the Spanish
troops j and two days after hoifte-d the
flag of the United States. Upon this be
received a verbal meflage from governor
Gayofo, by his aid, major Minor, de
siring the flag might be taken down,
which Mr. Ellicott declined doing. The
request was not repeated. Here Mr. El
licott began hisaftronomical observations,
and found the hill on which he was en
camped, to be in latitude 31 o. 33. 46.
or about 39 miles north of the fouih boun
dary of thedJnited States.
In this Situation, Mr. Eliicott was told
alarming ftorics about the unfavourable
disposition of the Indians, under an idea
that the United States were meditating
their deftruftion. The whole settlement
was for some days swarming with them;
and they frequently went about his camp
with drawn knives. For his own fafety
he frequently itTued provisions to them.
Thus critically circu'roftanced, he, on the
1 ith of March, wrote to governor Gayofo.
the letter No. $, to which he received
the answer, No. 6. But in the mean
time, Mr. Ellicott had sent an express to
the commanding officer ofhisefcort (con
fiding of only 25 men) which, in complai
sance to the governor’s firlt requelf, he
hnd left sixty miles up the river to come
down direflly to the Natchez.—And be
ing determined not to countermand this
order, he, on the 13th, wrote to govern
or Gayofo the letter No. 7. proposing
Bacon's landing, about a mile below his
camp, for the Itation of his escort.; bu:
before this letter was sent, he had an in
terview with the governor, who under
took to provethe propriety and neceflity
of the whole party from the United States
going down to Clark’s place, and closed
his reasoning by observing, that if the
«ftort did laud at the Natchez, he (boo'd
f offered to the kioj 1
-Lit * »'*J; then telling the
h latter. J M r ' E ' U 'fend M® ‘"“"V
• error, that he Iho'or oMct ,ed,
dSj an anfwcr co nftant!y m»-
I t J, t desire eAl* «« £ phc ' (the
irriro draw hrrtr from ro t. iaii
MM app««d «'[ e treaty between
».¥«r trf -ri£nd the United States
1 his fiohc tnajefty a . . commif
as Lace of ?****£Should re
-1 floXaitdtlieiefore, ini*®".
; j ,* 4 hira mm iflioner V’o which the
untile «omn«ui u * .
> tcftju the you either tmU
t/pr&t d jailing* or I have expressed
/"inpZctY badly. Ido not want you
Cleave this place, but on the contra
\i r V , I* m desirous for you to take up
, J our fcfldence in my hotfe ; you wi
£ vC riere much mcrc oon^ th ®. n
‘ Jent.” Mr. ftlicott said, that his
r . Js much more agreeable than a pa
| \ for in his camp he enjoyed an in
lienee charafteriftic of the nattdnhe
\ Jj/e honour to represent. The next
\ n :*ng Mr. Ellicott sent Iris letter No.
I 7- 4 the fame day received the gover
nor\fwer No. 8. exprefling his entire
| fa / ,s/ 4ion with Mr. Ellicott’s fenti
( twofs,)as uniformly agreeing with his
l owi, iv cver y thing which could com
bi e the ti.utual interests of'the two na-
titns.
The evening following, (March 15th)
Mr. Ellicott’s escort arrived at the land
ing, ami the next day went down to the
plxc he had proposed for their fiation.
The officer of the escort having found
in<the settlement a number of deserters
from the American army, took them up.
This occasioned some verbal communi
cations between governor Gayofo and
M., BiiUuit, »i«, i'uunti ucfiring the de
serters might be difmifTc'd. -Mr. Ellicott
thereupon proposed this -arrangement:
That fucb deserters from the army of the
United States as oame into that country,
and took the protection of the Spanifli
government prior to the time fixed by the
treaty for the evacuation of the pells,
should, for the present, remain unmolcft
ed; but that such as had come to that
country since that time, should be liable
to be taken and detained.
*- w ——- -*— •*! ■■ m &/!■ ■ ITUlnnliV
arrived, the principal part of the artillery
was taken out of the fort and carried to the
landing, and every appearance made of a
speedy evacuation ; but on the 22d of
March, great induflry wasufed in carry
ing cannon back to the fort, which were
immediately remounted. This gave great
alarm to the inhabitants of the diftrift,
who generally manifefted a desire of be
ing declared fubjedlsof the United States,
and at once to renounce the Spanish jurif
dittion. In order to quiet the minds of
the inhabitants, nnd to be able to give
them some reafor.s for the governor’s
conduft, which now began to be consider
ed as hostile to the United States, Mr.
Eilicott on the.ajd of March, wrote the
letter, No. 9, which was followed by a
note, No. 10, to which he received the
governor's answer, No. n. This an
fver, containing information that the im
portant business of running the boundary
line Ihould soon be commenced, and an
aflurance that nothing could prevent the
re’igious compliance with the treaty, Mr.
Ellicott expre fifed his fatisfaCiion in his
letter to the governor, No. 12.
It being now reported, that the Ame
rican troops would be down in a few days,
the governor fer.t by his aid, to Mr.
Ellicott, an open letterfrom the governor
direded to captain Pope, who, it was
said commanded those troops, informing
him, that for sundry reasons it would be
proper, and conducive to the harmony of
the two nations, for himfelf and the de
tachment under his command to remain
at or near the place where the letter ihould
meet him, until the polk fhoul! be eva
cuated ; and as every preparation was
maktng for that ptirpofe the delay would
be but a few days, when he would be
happy to fee him at the Natchex. This
prdpofal to captain Pope, the governor,
in his letter, No. 13, defied Mr. Elli
cott to second. Upon reading the letter,
Mr. Ellicott observed to major Minor,
that it was impcffible for him to join in
the governors request to captain Pope, as
it was well known to him, (Mr. Ellicott)
that instead of evacuating the polls, they
were making them more defenftble.
However, Mr. Ellicott said, he would
write a letter to the officer commanding
the detachment, and requeued major
Minor, (as he was to be the bearer of the
ten* to •!* *** Hilb) to 1
Mite charge of K! >0 ht n 0 o |,. 1
* a ?i* n This' letter is No. 14. 1
)£ O„VTU of M«ch the go.e if . j
rpA the proclamation. No. ij>» bt • M
foed tnc p . 2 gih, and anot,® 1
the date o the Arae date, with t* 1
No. i 6» f quieting the minds of the
avowed o ec b ut t h e y pioduced a contra. J
inhabitao* 'f oon a9 the governor dis, 1
*&£red this, he requested two gentlemen- 1
of the settlement, to inform Mr. Ellicctt I
that he, the governor, had received di. I
redion3 from the General in Chief, the 1
to have the artilk- I
moved from the forts, which were imam. !
diately to be given up to the troopi of 1
the United States upon their arrival, 1
Great pains were taken to inculcate thir 1
report; biit it did not remove suspicions, 1
In order, therefore, to obtain a direst I
explanation,-—Mr. Ellicots. on 1
of March, wrote to the tU leU |
ter No. -17, inclofing two para*«&
No. 1 8, of an address he had recjSv e( |
from a number of refpeftable inhabita tJ
ot the drftrift. The governor’s anfw s
No. :i9» of the -fame -date, confirrm
every lufpicion, as it contained an expli
cit declaration, that his general had given
him positive orders to fuipend the evacua
tionofthe posts until govern,
ments fnould determine, whether the .
works were to be left standing, or to be
demolished; and until, r by an additional
article to the treaty, the real property of
the inhabitantsfhould be seemed; agree
ably to his proclamations, in which the
governor thought proper to tell the in.
habitants, that negociations were on foot
between his Catholic majesty and the U.
nited States, for the adjustment of that
and other matters—lt may not beimpro.
per to remark, that no fiseh negociation
has exited ; and that this is the firli time
that these objections to the evacuation of
the polls have been - heard of. This pe*
remptory declaration of governor Gayof#
requires no comment.
Mr. EUicott fays, that with the ex
ception of about eight persons, including
some officers, all the inhabitants of the
Natchez diftriCt (within the limits of the
United States! are desirous of coming un
der their jurifdiClion, and to have a go*
vernment established there, fimilarto the
north.weft of the river Ohis. Myt».
quiries enable me to add,--that the po
pulation amounts to near lour thoufui
fouls.
Mr. EUicott further informs, that he
has not only reason to believe, but ii
certain that many grants for lands in that
ditlridl, have been given out by the cf*
ficers of the government of Louiihni
fincc the ratification of the late treaty,
and that their surveyors are now execut* |
ing the surveys.
On the r.-t-th of April, when "Mr.'EM*
cott was folding up his dispatches, he re
ceived from governor Gayofo the letter,
No. 20, of that date, complaining of the
inlillment of persons in that diltrifl, a*
an infringement of the rights of his Catho*
lie majelty.j and -requeuing that the
perfoa; inlifted might be difeharged: To
which Mr. EUicott immediately return*
ed the answer, No. 214 observing, rhrt
the matter required inveftigarion; bat
adoring governor Gayofo, he would
be careful neither to infringe the right*
cf the fubjefts of his Catholic majelty,
nor willingly fuffer those of the citizen*
of the United States to be infringed.
The bearer of Mr. Ellicott’s difpaichr*
informs me, that before he left the
Natchez they had heard that two gun*
boats were preparing at New-Orleans to
bring up reinforcements; and since l->*
arrival-I have received information which,
connected with this detail of faCts, is en
titled to belief.—That about the tenth cf
May, three large boats, fall of troops,
besides a party by land, set off from New-
Oileans for the Natchez. It was added,
for the purpose of driving off the Conti
nental troops that bad taken poffeffi cc *
agreeably to the late treaty.
TIMOTHY PICKERING.
*j*<y o o o <> o o o o- o o *z*
NOTICE.
THE collectors of taxes for the ccon*
ties of Washington and Greene are
hereby notified, that John Y. Noel, EM*
is authorifed by the fubferibers to pay the
taxes on the lands in said counties, the
property of Pierce Butler and the heir*
of Roger P. Saunders.
PIERCE BUTLER,
Jas. LOV7ND3, Atfrnty for
the admr. of R. P. Saundiru
Savannah, AfrU 21, 1797*