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I
^MNICAtCB'*N Ml
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isRORT 0-N CREEK INDIAN
AFFAIRS.
Comqf aletterfa**** Excellency, Otorga
JU, Troup, to JWpA Valtcnca Bevan Ley.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, I
Mu.lihosvii.le, (Jeo. 8ept.4»t,|lf25. {
8r*-Apposnt»d. by Ibo LwfitUture to
aatrobtheArctovn*** tb*,Stole.'WR-fi-—
«| tralbM it* History, you titty in tkfsrre*
be ibin to furnish the public with usOful doco
menttrj eviffeno*, connected, with the present
unhappy difference* wtoch *ub*i«t between
the U. Stafcvtb* State of Georgia, nod the
Indians: making known to yon the object
for ni.ieh they ire sought—their relevancy
or materiality *& depend on your own
judgment and dinordien, only asking thafa-
vnr of . yen to make Ike absttaeta from snetl
documentary evMeneexs little elaborate, end
tu give them in a* condensed a fofoi.a* puesi-
tie, accompanied-by any remark* .of yoor
own which may be deemed appdsileauduse-
fuL Very respectfully, ,
; _ G. M. TROUP.
J. y. B*v«r, Eei).7 - \ ,
REPORT OF MR. BEy.AN.
Savannah October^. 1825.
Incompliance will' your Excellency ft re-
quest. I bate the honor of transmitting to you
ail abstract of auch documentary evidence a*
it within my reach, touching “:the unhappy
difference* which sublist between the United
State*, the State of Georgia, and the Indent; B
always taking it fur granted, that you allude
particularly (o the treaty concluded by Camp
bell and Merriwethcr. Rut, previously to lb
doing, it may be as well to premise some
thing with respect to their unity as n people,
and to their character a* a nation.
The Muscogee* or Creeks came from the
west, originallyMl leant, so 1 was informed
by Uolly M’lutosb and other, friendly Cliiefa,
in the course of n couiui'cnoe which I held
with them during the last-summer; audio..
Col. Hawkins says, in hia manuscripts now
spread before me. They have a tradition a-
nmug them, that there are in the fork of Red
River, two mounds of earth;- that, at this
plaee, the Cowrtuhs, the Cussetuhs, and the
Chtchaiaws found ihdmaelves; that being dis
tressed by war* with lied people, they passed
the Mississippi; and, directing (heir course
tuatwardly, they crossed (he fails ofTaliapno-
ih above Tookauhalcho; sndmedo their first
settlement at Cowetuh, which is jult beloiv
the falls, of Chaltaheche .—and afterwards,
spread out from thence, to (lie Flint, (tie (Jhi-
mulgee. the Oconee, and (he Savauuab, down
to the sea-coast. The CuSF.Tl'ns cnine with
the Cowetuh* from the regions beyond-the
Mississippi and willed upon the ea- tern bank
nf the Chaltaheche, as the latter did upon the
western t—the Hilcheleea end the Uchees
were afterwards admitted among llieiii:—these
four and their descendetits compose what wae
formerly call,,) the JVllion of tile Lower
Crtskt / or aro those Muaeogens, who inhabit
a part of the present State of Georgia—Tito
Tookaiibatchee* have a tradition, that they
sprung out of the ground. But, the Cow*.
Tuna and the Cuuetuhi maintain, that they
were not iu the country, when they thein-
iclvcsfirst came into it; and say, that tliesr
acquaintance with the Alabama Indians was
farmed at a Ball-play, near a pond, and about
miiMsay between the Chatlahoche and (lie
TaApoosarivers; when aud where, they a-
tn&d to become friends.—The Simeuole
ciiuntry, is a Muscogee colony i 'flic mine
im\ioru, tint they are wild people; are so cal
led. because they left their old homes, and
niaileirregular settlements in their now coun
try ; where they were invited by the plenty of
game, the mildness of the climate, the richness
of the soil ,& ihetibundance of provender- They
have been considered In he entirely indepen
dent of the Creeks, however; and even M’-
Gillivray did not assume any authority over
them, though Bowles did.—To conclude then,
upon this head:—the Upper Creeke inhabit
37 town* or townships; the principal of which
is TookaUbMcliethe L'irtr Creeke have
Id, the head of which is CuwKTun; and there
are 7 in the Seminole country,
liaviug considered them ae e people, I
now (tfoeeed to consider them in their politi
cal relations .•—and I must premise, (but tin!
nature of the organized government among
these Indiana, ie misunderstood ; the com
mon idea, attaching-itself to the consolidat
ed form, whereas in ihet and in truth, it is
of the Federal or-* Aggregate kind. They
had neither national polity nor law, until
these were introduced by Colonel H uckint ,-
diubtless, for the purpose of facilitating his
awn plans of civilization, among them.—
This assertion is not only warranted by hie
manuscripts in my posaesaion;—lint also, by
the declsrationa of Affair, who lived 40
yen ray mong the Southern Indiana, -during
the period intervening between the Arat set
tlement of tliie State and the commence
ment ofthe Revolutionary War; and who
m dedicating hie book to Lachlan M’Qilltv-
tsy and John Galpbin, appealed to teatimo-
many, whose correctnesswe all recognize.
Before the time of Colonel/Hqshkins, the
Towna were held to hi independent, the
®“e of the other, In apolitical point of
newand, Governor Walton haa left the
J-soertion upon record, that the Upper
hntekz never laid claim tn the right nfjiunt-
’JX.I'PJ" *he grounds of the Lower Cresifcs,
S™ * h ®“* the year 17(13 iwheni,- the cole-
Mated Chieftain M*Gilivray began to ao-
* 01 !! 0 ascendancy among them. I*
sepport of this, I often And in the old con-
fenee*. mention made of the people be-
•ngmg to the Thrte Ritert, and to those
■the Four Riven; as if their only ties
r ° those of necessity and neighborhood,
. Motnpting them to assist each other In war.
‘'me. of peace tomfirgls tn the ball-
. ®et, from the manner in which they
ta-* J?Pilated by their White oVer-
d ‘ ,Un «tien is in InttW times,, be*
. ”1 padually moremdmor* nominal-
on the otter, t proceed tn the ’next place,
to give yon n gtneral idea of their po
!it<f ! » t,A* apqottnt Riven, by
Colonel Mzwkina,—To uae an expression
of hbr dwn,—** the Towns separately, have
a government and cuitomq, which they, de
rive from i high source”; and, in the con
trol ofthese, tueir foreign fc domestic cop
eerpe appepr to bp directed, by theae,, whom
they iuHtfiferaritly ca|l Ckiifi. In bavil af-
fltira, the prihjeipil isthemifra,of the Creeks,
called by the white people King ; iftmilit* 1
ry matter*, the Great Warrior or Thet'ia-
nuggee THIucco is supreme: hut tf
below both, are regular and pnit.
micoo superhiteada all public «nit jd>
" - ifqprecdsiha,, sail pnbhp;
their talks; less thcc*
Town, and id return deii,vpt« It# nil
it always bhoseu from some one family; as
for instance, the micch of Tookaubatche
belongs to the Eagle tribe :—and, after lie
is ofausen, and placed on bis Seat, he remains
for life :-T-ii succeeded, on hia death by one of
hie nephews; or if unlit tor' the office, by
the npzt of kin ; the descent being always
in the Female line.—He isaseisted byeoun
sailors or Beloved men, who are coiiipoeed
of two classes t—the one comprising the
miceugte, there being several peraotis in ev
ery town called iniccei from some custom
boW ho Innger known; as in the instance
again Of Tookaubatche, there is one called
the lepocogee micco, frmn the ancient name
of the piece the other class consists of
warriors, raised to the rank nf Chiefs,, from
time to time; by roason of their several,
merits) they are those, who have been con
spicuous as War-leaders, and who although
at different grades have become estimable
through a long courseorpublic service; and
they are in fact, the micco’s principal conn-
seilurain many points of view, they ap
pear to have resembled the Executive coun
cil of onr State, in furmer times.—The per
sonage next in consequence to the micco, is
their TurtunnuggeeThlucco ; who is selec
ted by the council he has a atrange ex
tent of power, ho'lese than that of determin
ing upon war i and thie exclusive right of
ten causes great embarrassment:— aud,
should be persist, he aeta up the war-whoop,
which is repeated by all those disposed to
follow him; and. In this way, they ,are, some-
times'for one or two nights, marching off;
—for, (Colonel Hawkins exprpasly says)
it it eelilnm that a Teen it manitmiu, and
Ike -Nation never is; nay, within the memo
ry of the oldest (nan among them, it ia not
recollected, that more than one-half of the
nation have ever taken the way-talk, at the
same time.
3. So much for the iadividpal relations of
Jhe towns. When Colonel Hawkins asoemed
the agency, he carried info eAcct. the plan,
which had beep attempted without success by
M'Gillivray. In pursuance of his recom
mendation. (ho various Chiefs issemhlod to
gether at Tookaubatche, on the ‘J7tb of No
vember, 1799 ; when and where, they adopt
ed the three following regulations, as the
main principles of their fundamental law or
Conetituiionperhaps, it will he best to give
it iu the exact words of its author.
“Tlio Creeks never had *lill (his year
(1799)n national government and law. Ev
" ery thing of a general tendency, was left to
the earo and management of the public
••ogenls; who heretofore used temporary
•• expedients only; and amongst the most
powerful and persuasive, was the pressure
ef Fenr from without, end Presents. The
Agent for Indian Affaire convened the Na
tional Council, and niado a report on the
“state of the nation to them; accompanied
‘ with his opinion of the plan indispensably
‘ necessary to carry the laws of the nation
“ intq.effect. The .Council after mature de-
“ liberation, determined that the safety of the
“ nation was at stake; that having a Arm re-
“ liance on the justice of the President of the
“ United States, and the friendly attention of
“his Agent for Indian Affairs, they would
“ adopt his plan. ' 1st—To class the towns,
“and appoint a Warriurover each class; do-
“ nominated the Warrior of the Nation,, to
“ superintend the execution of the law. 2d.
“To declare ns lilw, that when apian is pun-
“ ishod by the law of the nation, and dies,
“ that it is the law that killed him; it is the
“ nation who killed him .- and that mi mau urr
“ family is to be held accountable for this
“act of the nation. 3d. That all mischief-
>• makers and thieves of any country of white
-‘ people, shall be under the government of
“the Agent for Indian Affairs; and that ho
“ inay introduce the troops of site United Slates
“ to any part of thy Creek Country, to pun-
“ isli such persons; and, that when he calls
“in the troops of the United States, he is to
“call for such number of Warriors, es he
“ may deem proper, to accompany them, to
“be under pay:—that in apprehending or
“ punishing any white person, if Indians should
“ interpose, the Red Warrior* are to order
“ them to desist; and it they refuse, the agent
“ may order them, to fire, at the same time or-
“dering the troops of the United States to
“ make common cause.”—37 Cot, Jlawkint 1
J*SS.
4 According to this mode, (the friendly
Indians informed me) the Creeks continued
to manage matters, until the breaking out
of (he late ear. Whenerer there was any
occasion for t convention of the lower towns,
particularly, Tuetunnuggee flipoit, or the
LiUte Prince (probably ao called from his di
minutive sum,hut literally the Far-Off-fPar-
rior) as their oldest or most oohspicuous chief
presided; and in conference, acted aa tneir
mouth, tongue, or speakerTuelunnuggee
Tkiuced(tbe proper and not the official name
df.lhis Indian) or, the Big Warrior, stood, in
the same relation to the Upper Creeks, Af
ter the war, these tiyo chiefs surrendered up to
Tgetmtinggee Huiket, or the White Warrior
(for so M’jntosh was denominated) the exclu
sive control of allforeign business; and among
the Creek*, hi was familiarly called tbair Se
cretary of Wen—e terin, which by the bye,
shews that be.wa* little lets than a Dictator
among them; as that Department at Wash
ington City, ia particularly charged with their
interacts; end exareises habitually little late
than absolute power over every natioaof In-
e* diene within the United States, -ladeed, R enoestprs. Tli# Xrbple es'
• ^ ljr,uted ’•*?* “•
ev«rhad ht|yt
the-ashon, except he A
thimghthe foeeref Wa
cerdingly, whaoever dm natM.tea
opjmMy-aiattav offtmUofits gtoadzl interests',
oouneil
4r*PM,;Matti
ehet as heretofore t probably ,
pfoidniRy to Fort MitoheU, to which, the A-
ge|>ey was rmtored, ahout this Una. Since
the period 'of their organization by Colonel
(Inwkino, thn nntionel oooocil Iwlva passed a
number of laws; end, at the instance of Ge
neral David,Brydie Mltcholl. they were em-
hodkd as a.'oede by M’/ntoeh, in the year
1817 ; dho,caused allold'Custems end ordi-
i(dieo«M*d t ; aud thee revived or
wired c
otherst
, together, with such c
ifromthwe to time sinew, weed
•fo to writing, and such only, are
>y the Indians as of any futoe or ef-
. The whole comprise* about fifty or
sixtv regulations ; which look, Ifowdver, rv
tlier ((wards matters of criminal jorispradanae
and the-perihelion of a aystoin of police, than
to any oflier object of municipal -law.
There were, however, two eaMordinary
anamnlies in this system of goveiyrflot, which:
it wmiltl hews well that you should distinctly
understand. For instance, among (lie Upper-
Creeks, the town of HoilMeieaule (so culled
from Hoilhle war, and ienule to share out or
djyide) bad formerly the right to declare war;
which declaration was first seat to Tookau-
batcha, and thence throughout the nation.
And again, the Cowetuh Towns have alone
the right to sell the lands ; a privilege, which
yon will perceive is must distinctly recognised
in the conference between the Guo-merchant
and Mr. Little; and of which you will find
an abstract below.
* ’ * * * * *
Haring now concluded my preliminary ob>
serrations, I will next take up the main sub
ject of vnur Excellency^ communication—
and, perhaps, your views would be better met
by my submitting the remaining documentary
evidence to you. in a chronological order, or
rather according to the several eras which dis
tinguish the history of Georgia.—[See Dock-
monte marked from A, to J. ineiuriw.)
I. Then, as to the Colonist era.—(Then
Oglethorpe landed upon Yamabrew BluV, in
thie year 1733. he foupd the present site of
this oily, nod its immediate vicioity, occupied
by a scanty tribe of Indiana under a micco
called Tiimo Chaci; who made the while peo
ple welcome, rendered them every kind of
fice, and permitted them to build the town of
Savanoah.
Meanwhile, the founder of this colony anx-'
ions to conciliate all the heigjiboriug savages,
entered into article! of friendthip and com
merce with them; and this singular record is
in the (pro; of a letter missive from the Trus
tee* to the dhieft Tbp first nrticle-cootain*;
a permission, for Traders togo into the Lower
Creek-Nation, which Sppears tn have been the
only consideration given for the land. The
3rd and 4tb run in the words following:—
[V]
“ Thirdly—The trustees, when they find
the hearts of you the saiahead-men and yiyir
people are not good to the people they shall,
send among you, or that you’or your people
do not mind this paper, they wiU withdraw the
English trade from the (own ao offending.
And that you 4nd yoiir |ienpla -may hive this
chain of friendthip in your mind* and flaed to
your hearts, they have made fast their seal to
this treaty. Mto
Fourthly—We, the head tiMVf the Co
weta and Cuseta towns, in behalf of nil the
lower Creek nation,-being firmly persuade^,
that lie who lives in heaven ami is the occasion
of all good things, has moved the liearls of the
trustees to send their beloved men among us-
for the good of our wives and children, and to
instruct us and them in what is strait, ini
therefore declare that we are glad that their
people are come here; aod though this land
belongs to ns, (the lower Creeks) yet we, that
we may be instructed by them, do consont
and agree, that t.hey shall make use 'qf and
possess all those lands, which our nation hath
not ocoasinn to use: and we make over Unto
them, their successors and assigns, ail such
lands and territories as we shall nave no occa
sion to use; provided always, that they upon-
use of ourselves, and the people of our nation,
such lands as shall be agreed upon between
their beloved men. and the head men of our
nation, and that those lands shall remain to us
forever.”
In the year 1739, and just before his expe
dition to 8t. Augustine, Oglethurpe went to
Cowetuh ; and there held his first format
treaty with the Muscogee*, as the following
document (with some unimportant omissions
of names) will shew :—the friendly chiefs told
me, that Cowetub was at that time situated
upon the Ocmulgae, near its conAuence with
the Paok-co-UubocAhet, or Big Sandy Creek,
being fhasame whereon the Indian Springs
and M’Intosh’s reserve are situated; but they
must be mistaken, for this tradition is altoge
ther at variance with the information afforded
by Colonel Hawkins- *
B.
“ Proceeding! of the aeeembied eelatee of alt
the lower Creek nation, on Saturday, the
eleventh day of Augutl, one tlwueani leven
hundred and thirty-nine.
“ By powers from his most saerrd majcslj
George the second, by the grace of God, kif
of Groat Britain. France and Ireland, b
Genera) James Oglethorpe being appointed
commissioner, was present in behalf of his
majesty, and upenod the assembly bya speech.
There was also present at the said assembly
of estates, Micco or chief king of the Coweta
fowo. Cbickeley ; Nenia Micco, of the mid
town, Malatche Micco,son of Bnm, late ees-
perorof the Creek nation, and the chiefs
-warriors of the Coweta town, nndsthe
Saranm
If W.
Ijtoa (feet head, vis-r
Validity ofiMalattl
“ Tthstthn
and 4a
. ..... ^..toftlwhain. bbiiMW
^ TTM'qaeattoasvi
and.lands from the river .misslntwr oa tkitbehalfef tie Crown, wheth
InUm nver St. John's, and all the t» Mr*. Bosomworth could sell the lends f
. Aomreres-Tbat the hhda ware Mrs. Bo
•etowovtfabi thnrahe Might cultivate them,
MS thM%er dotolMlraM phased with them.
' The question was then pot, whit mast bh-
odsno of the grant they bad given to Fxm
GrahaniiEsq. f •' '
AneWorLs-Tbaf tliey looked upon. It
(Vqrtli nothing, es the toads were before giVeb
lib j
between the
ir fit. JohnV, end *11 the
•aid rivets; sad froei th* $
tattWgil
islands.,
river S(. John’s to the bay of Appal
within wliieh-la the Anpalacbe Gld-todda; aqd
from the said bay of Appalache to thomoiia-t
tains, -doth by ancient right belnbg- to the
Creek natkm, w(io have maintained passe*,
•ion of the said right against all opposera, bl
war, hnd cMtkhow the hasps dT bonexoCthal
enemies, S|L» tor tbenvin defence oflbw'sri
‘ - Bhfe -
'nek ik ^
taction of the kings and qdeeirS’ of Eftglahd.
and have gone to war by commissions-fodm.
the governors, appointed by the said kings
end queans of England; artdfhatthe Spaniards
nor no other nation, have a right to any ofthe
said hinds, tod that they will not suffer them or
any other persons (excepting the trustees for
etteMiiUng the colony of Georgia in Ame
rica) to settle upon the said lands. And they
do acknowledge the grant they hare already
made to-the trustees, establishing thecolony
of Georgia in Amerioa, of the lands upon 8a-
vanoah river, es far as the riser Ogeebae, and
all the lands along the sea coast, as far as the
riser St. John’s, and as high at the tide fiows,
and nil the islands as for as the uid river,
particularly the islands of Frederica (meaning
St. Simon’s) Cumberland and Amelia, to
which they bare given the names ofhis ma
jesty, king George’s family, out of gratitude
to him. But they declare that tliey did and
dore.-.'-re to tlie Creek nation, the land from
Pipe-maker’s Bluff to Snranoah, aod the isl
ands of St. Catharine’s, Osabaw and Sapelo.
-And they further declare, that ill tho said
lands are held by the Creek uation as tenants
in common. -v
“ The said commissioner doth declare that
the English shall not enlarge or lake any
other land, except those granted as above by
the Creek oatioa to the trustees, and doth
promise and covenant that be will punish any
person thatehall intrude upon the lands whioh
the corporation hath roaerred as above.”
It may be proper to remark, that thie treaty
teat pubtieked fret at Cowetuh, and after-
ward* at Cuiietuh.
II. This brings ns to'the seconJ era; when
Georgia was placed as a Province under Roy
al control. A few years before the sun
der of the charter by the Trustees, 'a cle
■nan named Busbrnworth married an
woman of the Tookaubatche town, wj
acted as interpreter to Oglethorpe; and
through liar means, lie obtained from Matot-
mdn.of (As Cowetuh*) ay root of
the islands of Hussoope, or Ilussaha, Cowley-
gee or.St. Catherines, and Sappola; which
were cxpre-sly reserred by the Indiana in the
treaty al Cowetuh, in |739. The colonial
.government thinking that tlie conveyance
was fraudulent, and a precedeut altogether
dangerous, despatched a special agent into the
nation, with instructions to obtaiu the signa
tures of tlie chiefs of every town ; and, they
all signed the grant to the Trustees, with the
exception of Malatehi ahd the other chiefs be
longing to Cowetuh; in consequence of which
everything fell to the grodnd, nor was a)l
finnAu«j|ged until the accession of Mr.'
Ellis tnw^Hvernineot. The following paper,
drawn D^tog the time of his predecessor,
Will exlMPMi whole question in its proper
point of view; and it will be perceived that
although the Indians were unceasingly pres
sed (ogive answers favorable to the interests of
the Crown, yet (hey a* invariably recognized
tlie Co'wetuhs to be in fact the owners in
ffia-simple of the whole Muscogee country,
and especially of that appropriated by the
lower Creeks as (heir hunting gronuds.
[f]
.ibetract if proceeding*, at a conference, held
at Angutta, in the colony of Georgia, on,
Monday, the ISthdayof December, 1735,
between William Little, Eiq. a Commit-
tinner on behalf of hie Excellency John
Reynoldt, E*q. Captain General, and Go
vernor in Chief, of hit MyettyU colony of
setllingevery new town shall set out for the ( 4- r Qtergia, anfrVice Admiral of the name,
*'«<* “f -ismsIsm ii«» i* nF ^‘iuid the Head-Men and Deputiet. of the
Upper aod Lower Creek notions if lndiant-
Tim Gun-Merchant, Speaker on behalf of
the Indians, declared, that he had teen Gen.
Oglethorpe, who had entered into treaties
with the Coweta Town, as being the most
contiguous to the white people, without con
sulting them, (the Upper Creeks) because
they lived very remote from the white peo
ples’ settlements : but, notwithstanding they
were not consulted, in regard to such treaties,
yet they agreed to every grant uf lands made
by them, because, tliey looked on the Cuwe-
tuh Towns as die head and most ancient;
and for then; to pretend to countermand cr in
validate any granta of lands, made by them to
their friends, would beading like children.
Upon the conveyances said to be made to
Patrick Graham, Esq. on behalf of tbt Trus
tees. being-produced, aud the like question
asked—if they allowed the validity of that
deed—the Gun-Merchant replied :—
“ That they did sign thn said deed; bnt
Tore assent sras given, he called all the Heed
and Wanton together, and made the
enqi^^Lif any of them knew eny
_ about t-VPd Islands therein mention-
) that they ell declared, they knew nothing
about them, or thst they were possessed, or
elsimad, by any body; and,, as they were
down oo the sea coast, where none of them
had been, and could not go bnt in canoes,
when perhaps they might be drowned* he did
consent to give them, as being of oo vatae tn
them, a matter immaterial, and what they
left and
Mice.;
0 :W
chief men and warriors of .the said town, &c.
UC» &Ce
“ The jaM estates befog solemnly held in
fu|l convention, by general JaraeaOglethorpe,
oo befall of tlm truataes x>f the one part, and
the kipga, obieb, and warriors fiforeazid, on
the other part, according to tho forma, reli-
gion aod customs, transmitted down by their
•—““ •*«.- —declared bj
>0, that 1
*■ The next evetrfto which I propose to call
or attention, tar, thb Cott|res« which wae
Id at Augusta, in 1783, between the four
|outhem Governor*, knd (he five natioh* of
ithern Indiana; that ia to aay, Fauquier
'irginia, Dobb* ofMorth-Carolina, Boone
r outh-CanlM, and Wright of Georgia,
letd toward* the totter, end of that year,
4 the place abovemen.tio.rjd, n conforeuee
with' the Creeke, the Cheiokees, the Chic-
aaahe, the CKactaa, and thn Catawba*.—
When the runner returned ftom the coun
try-of the Lower Creeks however, (whither
lie had been aent to deaire their attendance)
he brought an objection ffroia them, and the
follnwing were assigned aa tbe reasons:—
“ We have heard, that the Governor of
Charlestown intends to hay onr lands from
ua, aa for far a* Ogechie, and aa high up aa
Brood River; ana, the Governor of Savan
nah intends to buy from ua, aa far as the
fork ofthe Alttamaha:; and the Governor
of North-Carolina intend* io buy aa for as
the Okoniee.” In reply, their Excellencies
aay to theni:—“ We have been informed of
the evil newe you have hoard, that the Go
tremors-intended to pnaeeaa your lands.—
We lake this opportunity to assure you in
the King’s name, that you have been misled
bv ignorant people, who do not know the
Great King’s intention, which has been
communicated to u>, his officers» and that
no such .intention ia harbored in the breast
of any 'of us. The Great King’s design, in
ordertngftiHtia Governors to Set in concert
as one man. And in Inviting all the nations
borderingnn these colonies, to hear hia Talk,
was directly contrary to what you have
heard; for, we tkaU there declare, that your
‘ will not be taken from you ; and thie ia
done before you all,, and not in secret,
no nation of Indians may be ignorant
hie gracious intentions, and of hi* fatherly
care of the red ee well as white ” Accord
ingly. tliey complied with the invitation;
tnd| after the Congress, had been already
opened, “ the Upper Creek* having.* de
sire to consult tho Lower Creeks,” request
qd that the conference might be poetponed
fur two Jays; which delay, (says the Jour
nal of the Governors) however extraordina
ry, as they were only to' hear, they were
notwithstanding gratified in. And yet, af
ter all, it ended iu a treaty ; by which, the
settlement* of the white people were exten
ded beyond the former contracted limits ;
above Auguste, as far aa Little River ; and
South of Darien, as for ea the Alntamaha.
In their letter to Lord Egrhmoot, the Gov-
arbors say, that—“ The Creeks had been
represented to be very ill-disposed; the
murders they had committed, were frequent,
and even subsequent to the receipt of your
Lorifehip’s letter; and even since the hold
ing ofthe Congress, though smply supplied
with provision, they have been accus
ed of wantonly killing the people's cattle,
yet thoir talks have been more friendly than
we expected, end their voluntary offer of an
augmentation of boundary to Georgia, up
on the King's forgiveness of all past injuries
being signified to them, supposing their pro
fessions sincere, and the Chiefs of conse
quence enough to act for the whole nation,
which they declare they do, ia certainly as
strong a proof as they cah at present give
nf their good-will. It will he necesssary,
however, to mention to yont Lordship, that
we have been privately cautioned, by the
leader of the Chicasahs, against confiding
in the Creek professions ; he Bays, he
knows them, that nothing done here will be
confirmed by the abaenUupders, in compar
ison of whom the present Chiefs are incon
siderable :—the Cherobees, in their intelli
gence, have gone still farthor; but, as they
seem on tho point of a war with the Creeke
their testimony ia tn be suspected.”—It was
probably tn this Treaty, that the Little
Prince alluded ; when he told Col. Camp
bell, not very long since, that one of them
concluded at Augusta, was not valid ; be
cause, it had not the signature of a Cows-
vuh Chief, attached to It
But, tliia was by no meant, the most sor-
prising circumstance attending tlie transac
tion. Warrants were no sooner located up
on these very lands, thus acquired, than a
portion of it was claimed by the heirs of S!r
Who. Barker; tbroagh e conveyance from
the Ionia proprietors of Carolina, made before
Georgia was settled, or an Indian till.- extin
guished!—and, upon argument before,-the
King io oouneil, after solemn reference to the
Board of Trade, these claims were •ustein-
ed! I
3. The next Treaty was also held at Au
gusta, io 1773 :—It contains a provision fov
tbe payment of debts owing to the several In-
dian traders; and I* remarkable for having
been the first diet mentions the foot of toy
mooied consideration being given for their
timOffiee.]
At a further conference, on Wednesday,
I7ib December, 4755, the Head-Men ware a-
gain nailed together, to make a more explicit
dec la ration of- their meaning, in regard to
Mrs. Bosomsr Orth’s title.
The Gun-Merchant, speaker oo behalf
the Indianilt'decUrod. that in regard to Ml
iworth’s land’s (ipeatifog tbe Istood* of
.Ithartoet, Sapftfo and Usftbn) aod "
tiodftftiftn Pipe Makes* Creak to
III.—We now approach the fire of tlie Rfi-
volution. At this period. Lothian M'Gilli
vray finding himself compelled to lake sides,
adberefi to the royal cause; and io tbe course
Of time, bond himself the prominent British
Agent among the Southern' Indians; with his
•on Alexander, as bis deputy. ' His situation,
long acquaintance, and address enabled him
to scours their interest, end to direct theiral-
OHwl undivided force against tb* whig portion
of Georgia. On this socouat, Ml the family
jfessftatinna within this state, were cuofisaaled;
«od an addUinnal neariofiof tool w*a demand
ftom th* Creeks, by way of ao^Mthm
tbair ravages:—i* wax grafted by enetber t re*'
, as 'ihiixf eon-'
.. • #f th. Friend.
u OmOm. ft,
. . _ v Se mawTtfofiftd' tftthq '
#****< V ,r - Hift'. ingratitude
which te wt* treated by thee* hotted
to, protect fore :: who re-
■named m the nation end partook (if
thfi general axteeaty, annoyed hifo (Very
tof oh concerning tbe pan tlm other had tA- ‘
ken in tUa tfeaty; ** will appear from (he
following mamorandoni ofthe Kingto prOno-
ants and compiainta. •’Tim Undfho aart)
wms gtreowteby him, aod thn i«ndsn£&
wHbfom. aa far,asthe main stream of (he
Ocome river, they eould only gkee wa i
own right, soft UmJaght y.-y&fZl&o
Jtorer <tor »prewBM> -I InitL^^. _
White people being contented wftfi that
wy great tract ofcoontry&m and kt*->*o-
9 1 ” h * d »«re«l to give thbinrf h* pas Berry
to nud the/ hod been ra«rkintf. Iind m far
ee lha waters of thp OctrolgefoiSvor.; Tiifi
hill between thore two ritrere i* wry high;
yet the white people bad ehmbed ov*r to;
and. ho cannot tefi whore they srouldatop,
Hft tkinfca it »ory hard that they should ia
obltged to gltrb up ao gnat e traetof coun
try, because mime of their nation had Iheelt
drawn inte n srartbatae farts ho canid
hear, Waaone that had ustnrbed aH ntttonft,
even that simple puceable people csilafi ih*
Dutch. Yet, be had given to the Oconee.
& was willing to establish itruf.far aa be
could in peace ; but, - the land was net lit t
nor was it for him to *ay to a man Of any
Town, wbo had nor ceded hia righto to' that
pound, you shall not cut a cane on that .
land, to dry your meat, or, you shall not kin
a deer on that ground. The great master of
breath made the ground for all, great «a
well aa small — and, it was bard for him aud ‘
hie friends, who hadalwaya hold their facca
toward Virginia, in thd darkoet arid worat
of dayv, te hear the hlamd of giving
away ao great a part of their ground.
Whet he would wish ia a remedy for
thfit, is. that a few preaente should Ife
provided, and all the Towno toaiteA^tn a
Talk ; anil the gift of that gmundijHffbft
confirmed by all the Town* to|to|k 'nation j
and then, be would not beaf^Se bletue
that after the Beloved umf cotyre -opt sod 1
settle* all matters re^ctihg tbs' Lands
with every Town, then aome nr hie head men
will come down, and go with some white
beloved moo* mod make i line' clean froth
the head ofthe Oennee to the piece where
the Cherokee* have given ap.*-»The fol
lowing is an accnont given of this eitraor-
dinary man, in 1799, by Col. Hawkii a —
“There Indiana (the Taleaon) were very
friendly to the United States, dartre the
KeVbluttnOary w*r | MtMk m WfSr'WW-
bnithle micro of tlie half-way home, (intpro-*'
perlv called the Talesee King) oonlff not be
prevailtidon by any offer- from the Agents of
Great Britain, to take pert with them. -On
the retiirn of peace, and the establishment of
friendly arrangements between the Indiana
and Citiaena of tbe United 8tates. this chief
felt himself neglected by Mr. Seugrovft (then,
the Superintendent); which lie resenting, ho
robbed and ininlted that gentleman, compel-
led him to leave hia house near Tookaubatche,
and fly into a swamp. He has since then,.
aa from a spirit of contradiction, formed • par
ty, in opposition to the will of the nation;
which has given much trouble and difficulty
to the chiefs of the land hill, he W bid a
solemn warning, from the national Council, tn
respect the laws of the nation ; or. he should
meet the punishment ordained by the law.
This ipirit of party or opposition prevailed
not only here, but more or lots in every town
in the nation, The plnioest proposition for
xmelioriting their condition is immediately
opposed : and, thie oppotilim continurt, ae long
at there it a hope to obtain fhesents, the in
fallible mode heretofore in utt to gain a
point."—(Hawkins’ mss.—)
IV—I am arrived now, at llift fourth era
in the history of Georgia; or that period which
intervened between the acknowledgement ef
our independence as a sovereign State, and
our adoption of the present Federal Consli
tution .-—and it ia now, perhaps, that the real
interest of this communication may be said to
commence.
1 In the year 1785. another treats was
concluded al G itphintom, by Gen. Twiggs
and the elder General Clerk, whereby the*
boundary line was extended tn the fobs of
the Ocmulgee and Oconee riven. But, the
article, as well worthy of oh-ervalion, as any
Other, ie the first; which provide*for the in-'
corporation ofthe Creeks,among a*, and which
accordingly look away from llift “ Confede-'
ral Govebnment,” (as it was then called)
all pretension as to jarisdietion over them t—
it is in the words' following,—“ The taid In-
“ diani for thtmafoet, and all the tribee
“ and town* within their reipeetive nation*,
“ within Uu limit» of the State of’ Georgia,
have been and now nre m tnher* of the tame,
tincc thbihia and data of the ConitUiUion of
the iiiiaawtteqf Georgia."
9. The following year, another was conclu
ded near the mentb ef Shoulder-bone Creek,
a branch of the Gcooee river: it war however
but a mere confirmation of that inade at Gyl-
phinton; to enforce all the proririoas ofWhiclL
the Miccoh of Cowetuh and Cufsrtuh were
demanded end delivered up as hostages, Di>
ring tbe conference, tb* following Interroga
tories were propounded to and the answers,,
given by the two Linguists employed by tb*
Coauniaaiooefi.'
;tD.j '
Copy of Deposition# taken before the
Board of Commiseioners, 90th October,17««.
The following questions were put to Mr.
John Galphin by the Commtaaionera— aod ,
hie answer* thereto
Question 1st- How far do yen think any
treaty made with, the Commissioners, fcy '
the Indiana now present, Will be binding on
the Nation!
A bower. I think they mayanvwer fur all,
the town* except the Tpckabatchca and ,
Hickory groumto. -fM'--
CJ. 2d. Whet number Ie you tfeink thoer’,
two towns contain f ”v.
A. The Tuckahatches about twohnfidred
