Newspaper Page Text
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FROM I'HE GEORGIA JOURNAL. c
Paper#*
Executive Defautment, Geo.}
MUledgeville, 6th Aug. 1825. 5
A letter purporting to bey hub, which
appeared in the last Georgia Journal, and having
every characteristic of an offical one, could no /
fad to attract my attention. Immediately there
fore on my return to this place, enquiry wa
made at the Department for the original, and 1
learned with surprize that none such had been
received, the proper means were then resort j,
ed to, to ascertain tne authenticity ot the pub- v
lislied letter, and having been satisfied dial the p
same was in your proper hand writing, 1 have
lost no lime to direct you to forbear lurliier in- ,
torcour-e with this government, 1
Having thought proper to make represents- ~
tions of your conduct to the President, I have t
ordered you to be furnished with a copy of eve c
ry letter written on your subject, and winch will
reach you in due lime. g
Any communication proceeding from the offi
cer next in command, in this military depart
ment will lie received and attended to.
(Signed) G. M. I'UOUP.
Maj. Den. E. P. Gusts, f
Commanding.
DEPARTMENT OF Win,)
July 21, 1825. J
Sin : Your letter of the 25tli of June address- t
f:d to Major Vandeventer, has been received, the |j
Hii-.wcr oi which lias been intentionally delayed p
till die result ot General Dames’ interview with Q
the Indians at Broken Arrow, should be received, y
as lli; President hud anxiously hoped m the ac f |
quiescence of the Indians to the treaty, to have a
touncl die neces-ily of replying to your enquirin' c
entirely obviated. Hut us die communications a
Irom tien. Dailies, recently received have entire-
ly destroyed that hope, u reply lias become ne- a
cessary, Ttie Indians to the number oi Io9t), \
including a large majority of their duels aim i
head men of the trite , have denounced the trea j
ty, as tainted alike Willi intrigue and treachery, t
ami as the act of a very small portion ot the i
tribe, against the express determination of ave
ry large majority, a determination known to the i
Coimm isioncra. they urge that to enlo'ce a .
comptian ;e widi an lustrum :nt tlms obis ued
would illy he one either the justice or the mag ,
iianimny of die U. States under wuicli tiiey claim
to lake shelter. Tucse are allegations present
ing a question beyond the cognizance of die Ex
ecutive, and necessarily refers itself to Congress,
whose attention will b; called to it on an early
day alter the nex annual cehng. Meanwhile
the President acting on 'lie treaty as thuugu in
validity hid not heen impeaelieil, finds by refer
ence to the eighth article of the treaty die iaith
of the Uniied States solemnly pledged to pro
tect the Cree k 1 idisns from any encroachment
till tneir removal in September 1826. lie there
lore decides that die entering upon and survey
ing their lands before that period, would he a
infraction of the treaty, whose inierpri . ion ami
execution, should it remain uncar I re a
bite confided to him. I am, diet one cted ,
by die Presid nt to state distinctly • i your Ex
cellency, that for die preaeid bead l t permit
such entry or survey to lie n tic
The pain the President list fell •• coming 1 - j
this decision is diminished,, by the i . .• iIU
that ’ll interferes with no didy inquu • • on your!
excellencv by the lawn of Georgia, disci. !
tion is given yon by the late law of th i’oi.v
lure in prescribing the lime when the l» id . m-i
braced by the treaty shall be surveyed. Unde
all the circumstances the President permits h.m
self to hope that you will acquiesce in his deci
sion. As Den. Daineg has been in communication
with you on this subject, anil as it is the wish ol
the President you sh uild he m possession ol eve
ry measure he may fi id him-elf constrained t.
lake thereon, 1 a n directed to enclose to you:
Excellency a copy of General Dailies’ instruc
tions of ibis date.
1 have i he honor to be, your ob’t. serv’t.
(Signed) JAMES BARBOUR.
His Excellency D, M. Tanur.
Governor of Georgia ,
1 certify the foregoing to be a correct copy
from the record of this office.
G VANDEVENTER.
liar Department, Jn>y 2d, 1821.
(COPY.)
DEPARTMENT OF WaH, >
July 2if<, 1825, 5
Sin —\ ours of the sth inst. lias been duly re
ceived with the accompanying documents.
I am directed by die President to express his
regret at the failure ol your efforts to reconcile
the Creeks to au acquiescence in the treaty made
at die Indian Springs, as il was his sincce de
sire to have seen it carried into effect. But the
determined opposition of the Indians to the trea
ty itself, on the alledged grounds of intrigue and
treachery, on the part of di- portion of the
tribe negotiating the treaty, as well as the small
ness of their numbers, from which they
its invalidity, and their aolemn appeal to die jus
tice and magnanimity of the United Stales, cre
ates such an obligation that we should, at least
pause before we proceed, or permit others to do
so, until their allegations can be thoroughly in
vestigated and their effect decided by the pro
per authority j the more especially, us the eighth
article of the trealy gives dll September of the
next year, before the treaty is to be carried into
i-ii ?i’ au ■ guarantees them from eiicroachmem
dll that tune. It is in this posture of affairs
Dov. I roup ms'sts that he will survey the land.
A cidhsioi, by overt acts between the Executive
of the Union, and tint of a state is so against the
t leory of the Conshtution, and so repugnant to
tin feelings of the President, that he would de
teunine only under a solemn sense of duty to d.
dneed, U lllCll ser ‘ uus a result would be pro
It Gov. Troup should however preserve in his
declared purpose of surveying the land against
the repeated remonstrances of tins Depar mem.
it will present one of the most unfortunate event
winch have yet occurred in our history. Its pas
sible occurrence Inis induced the President m
weigh with the deliberate circuinspec ion made
necessary, as well by its serious consequences as
its high responsibility. His decision thereon lias
been made ami transmitted to Guv. Troup in a
letter ot this dale, a copy of which 1 enclose
nr your information, and by which you will
earn the line ot conduct which the President
lias prescribed to himself.
H it still devoutly to be hoped that Governor
l roup Will abilam from any act that may make n
necessary to hive recourse to the steps suggest
ed ; yet should he persevere in sending p rsons
to survey the lands embraced within the Treaty,
you are hereby authorised to employ die militarv
to prevent their entrance on the Indian Territo
ry, or if they should succeed in entering the
country, to cause them to be arrested, and turn
them over io the jud cial authority, to be dealt
with as the law directs, i have only to add that 1
have transmitted to Guv. Troup a copy of this
communication.
1 have the honor, Btc.
(Signed) JAMES BAUBOUR.
To Uaj. Den. E. P. Gaines.
I certify the foregoing to be a correct copy
trom the record of this office.
C. VANDEVENTER, Chief Clerk.
IVar Department, July 23, 1825.
DOCUMt,j\ i VI annexed to the letter of General
Gaines to Governor Troup, published on the 9 th
instant.
Indian Springs, 20lh June, 1825-
Sin ; Enclosed you will receive a copy of a
letter of instructions from his Excellency the Go
vernor ol Georgia to us, as Commissioners in be
half i f the State, for the purposes I herein men
lioned. It is important to the Commissioner
that your answer to the application of his Excel
lency the Governor, to admit the Commissioners
to a fu 1 and free participation of the Council of
the Indians should be received as early as practi
cable.
Very respectfully Sir, we are your obedient
servants.
WARREN JOURDAN.
WM. W. WILLIAMSON,
WM. H. TORRANCE,
Commissioners.
Maj. Gen. E. P. Gaines.
Executive Department, }
JMiUedgevilie, June 18, 1825. )
Gentlemen: You are required to proceed to
the Indian Springs to attend a council of the
friendly Indians, to be holden there on the 2 Jtn
inst. As it is presumed that any concert tendered
on the part of this government to assure a full de
velopement of the facts connected with the late
disturbances in the Creek Nation, and also such
as may more particularly effect the guilt or inno
ceiice of the Agent; under the charges exhibited
againsi him by the Governor of this State, will be
gratifying to Maj. Gen. Gaines; you are hereby
authorised and empowered under the authority
vested in you by the Legislature, to employ all
lawful means for the furtherance of the objects
atoresaid; avoiding at ttie same time, any interfe
rence whatever with that Council; in matters
disconnected with the objects of your miision,
uid which appertain exclusively to interests and
relations purely political subsisting between the
general g .verninsnl and the Indians.
From th; Indian Springs, you will proceed to
utiend the other Council, to be holden at Broken
Arrow on the 25ih inst. Your presence there
wi 1 be ot i npor ancc because more immediately
connected with the investigation of the conduct
of the Agent, us arraingned by the Governor at
(be instance of the President of the United Slates
and the Legislature of the Slate. You will no
doubt be admitted to a free, participation ot tha
Council, and will be suffered to lake with you
under a sufficient sale guar I, any of the friendly
Chiefs whose presence there you may consider
necessary to the accomplishment of the objects
which the United Slates and this governmen
have in view. There can be the less douot o
ilns, becau e the charges having been already
made both by the Executive and Legislative au
thority iff Georgia against the Agent, and the A
gent having so far thought proper to have recoins,
to the Missionaries, and hostile Indians in the Na
>ion for his defence , and that defence being alrea
, >’ before the public, at the instance of the Agent;
in which it would seem that both being under the
' mu ni md influence of his office, any direction
■ t suitable to his views may have been given
j heir opinions and feelings, it is only an exer
; of strict right on the part of the government
i ( Georgia that it be heard before that Council,
by its Commissioners ; who are instructed to give
and receive explanations fur the purpose in com
mon with Hie Agents of the United States, of ar
, rlvingattruthandiloiiig just.ee to all parties.—
Should such participatio i be denied you, you will
. enter your formal protest against that denial, and
proceed to avail yourselves within the jurisdiction
ol Georgia ol all the testimony you can obialn.
Very respectfully, G. M. TROUP.
Messrs. Jenrdan,
Wtlliamson, I _
Torrance f Commissioners
Jones, J
, HEADQUARTERS.
Eastern Depahtment, }
Indian Springs, June 21, 1825-5
Gentlemen: 1 nave me honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication of yesterday's
date, announcing the objects ol your mission.
In reply, I have to observe that, however much
I, might be aided by the lights of your experience,
1 do not leel myself authorised without new in
- t ructions from the Department of War to comply
wdh your demand to be admitted “to a full and
. free participation of the Council of the Indians.”
This Council is assembled for the purpose ot
enabling me to discharge duties of a verj delicate
and important nature, confided to me by the Gene
ral Government.
I deem it proper therefore that 1 should exer
cise the entire control ofevery subject to be ac ed
on, and ofevery expression uttered to the Coun
cil by any officer or cn izim permitted to address
it, whether of the United States or of an\ individ
uat slate or territory. Without such control our
councils would be involved in confusion, and they
would be wholly useless, if not worse than use
less.
Very respectfully, &e.
EDMUND P. GAINES.
Maj. Gen. Comd’g.
. To the Georgia Commissioners.
i Tort ,Mitchell, June 25, 1825.
Si* : Since our arrival at this place, we have
i been joined by Col. Seaborn Jones, wb . is assoc.-
. ated with us m the com uission, by the G ivernot
. ot Georgia. In oit 'dience to the instructions,
: (with a copy ot which you have been furnished)
> we beg leave again to call ymr attention m that
part ot those instructions by which it was contem
, piateil by the Governor, that we would be admitted
10 a free participation of the Council ot the Indians
to be convened at Broken Arrow, as well asoftbai
s lately held at the Indian Springs. We would re
t peat the request on our part, that we may be a
- to that Council. In your letter of the 2* st
. inst. in answer to a similar request made at that
place, you say, “ 1 deem it proper, therefore, that
o I diould ex rcise the entire control of every sub
o j e< -t to be acted on, and of every expression utter
s ed to the Council by any officer or cit.Keu p. rniit
s ted to address it. whether of the United Slates ot
a ot any individual State or Territory .—Without
e sucti control, our Councils won d be invo ve.l it
il confusion, •• and they would be wholly udess.il
t not worse than usele»s.”
We ail your attention to this part of your letter,
o j tor the purpose of correcting a mistake u.idei
, | which you have fallen with regard to our motive:
. j and the course of conduct we might pursue, in at
s tending the Council, ue h ive been particular!)
. instructed “ not to interfere with ilia Council u
v nailers disconnected with the object ol our mis
i. sum,and which apper ain exclusive yto i f rest
e and re aliens purely political, subsisting beiwee.
0 the General Gover. .merit and the Indians.*'
t Permit us .o assure you sir, lhai we shsll strict!'
1 adhere to those instructions, and carefully avou
s any interference, and that we shall expect only to
make suggestions to yourself in the Council, and i
through you, to obtain all the information which i
can be acquired. The information thus obtained
w II be of an official character, and will perhaps be <
. more satisfactory than any derived from any other t
source.
From Mr. Kenan, our Secretary, you will receive i
a copy of the message of the Governor to the Le
gislature, with the accompanying documents and I
t other papers. ■
And we have the honor to subscribe ourselves, I
>vith high consideration and respect, your obedi- i
ent servants,
WARHEN JOI'RDAN,
SEABORN JONES,
WILLIAM H. TORRANCE
Commissioners
Maj. Gen. E. P. Giisis. t
(
HEAD-QUARTERS. i
East Kiev Department, 7 <
Creek Jgeticy, June 26, 1825 >
Gentlemen: 1 have received your com.nunics
, tion of yesterday’s date, requesting to be admit t
ted to the Council convened at Broken Arrow.
1 am under no such mistake as that you ascribe (
to me, and which you are pleased to attempt to i
correct. In your letter of the 20th, y m claim “ u
lull and free participation of tlie Council of the In- i
dians.” Whatever may have been y ur meaning, I
the manifest import of the expressions employed ]
by you could be notni ig less ttian a demand to I
exercise, without control, certain privileges before t
t ffi® Council. The force at tins construction is I
strengthened rather than diminished by your in 1
structions from his Excel! i.cy the Governor oi (
j Georgia, to which you refer. Y m sajy, “we have <
been particularly instructed not to interfere wnn t
the Council, in matters disconnected with the oh- s
t Jects ot our mission, and which appertain excm
sively to interests and relations, purely political i
. subsisting be' ween the General Government and t
; the Indians.” ,
I cannot perceive or admit of the existence of ■
, :,n y sucli distinction. The General Government '
I cail have no interests or relations, purely political-. I
either with the Indians, o with any other people I
ir nation, in winen the State of Georgia is not
, concerned. But, his Excellency, the Goveuio .
ot Georgia, deems it proper that the State shouui
[ le rspresented at the Council at the Broken Ai
. row > #,u * Y ou have been appointed for that pur- r
pose. 1 have advi itd y o u t( la t the President has ■
, ■®*' l c ’ fide to no the exclusive mission to t
Un nation, on the part of the United Sta es. I •
hive now to add, that the duties assigned to mr
' a, ' e substantially the same as those with which you t
are charged, with the exception of taking testi
, non y 38 <he conduct of the Agent. 1 have thus
the honor to represent Georgia, with each other t
’ member of the United Stales, in the Indian Conn t
oil at Broken Arrow, With due deference aid re ■
spectator the autnorities of the State who have liad c
J Ifie kindness to appoint a mission to affird me aid, f
which tile General Government appears not to t
. I‘ave been aware that I stood m need of, 1 ca not i
permit mysell to recognize the mission, without
the authority of the President
f f* would afford me great sadsfaction to possess i
the confidence oi the State authorities, I can win I
it, only by a faithful discharge of my duty; but, it
I fail thus to win it, I feel convinced that I snail not t
fail tq retain what will be equally gratifying to me 1
—the conscious persuasion that 1 merit that conii- i
deuce. i
’ In the subs quent part of your letter, you assure i
" me you will strictly adhere to your inslruciions, fit ■
( carefully avoid any interference; and that you shall i
expect, only to make suggestions to me in 'he
t Council, and through me to ob ain the information
winch can be acquired. It is to be regretted that |
’ you did not sooner favor me with this moderate de i
finiiion ot your wishes ; as in that case, no objec
tion would have been offered by me to your re
individually and un <fficially. You are en
tmely at liberty to attend, as any ether gentlemen
would be.
1 reserve to myself, however, the right to con
rol every subject to be acted upon, and every ex
pression to be uttered to the Council.
It afford* me pleasure to profit by the sugges
tions of my fellow citizens, but, these suggestions,
to be acceptable to me, must be free trom every
thing like official power or control.
In tendering to you my thanks for the polite of
fer contained in your note of this afternoon, 1 have
to observe that 1 shall not have occasion to send
despatches belure the departure of the regular
mad.
® i renew to you gentlemen, assurances of my re
-8 spectful coMSidetalion.
(Signed)
' EDMUND P. GAINES.
'' Maj. Gen. Comd’e.
Col. frarren Jourdan, )
> Col Seaborn Jones, C Commissioners.
3 Wm. //■ Torrance, £sg )
A true copy.
1 E. G. W. BUTLER, f.Ud-de-Camp.
REV LEE AMPERE.
From the Columbian Star. ,
j Fort Mitchell, July, 1825. i
3 Dear Br ther, I
1 avail myself of an opportunity to write to you
* I* -001 this place, lest some unfair representations i
should be made of me, for the part 1 have taken in I
r the recent occurrences. Li a time of such excite
> went and confusion, we have not been suffered,
tor reasons that will shortly be made plain, to oc
cupy, in every respect, a neural ground.
When the a tempts were making, to treat with
the Indians, we considered it as our duly to inter
'• sere as little as possible; and that there should be
no plausible pretext against us, 1 thought it best to
remain at home, and not attend either of the coun
e nils. But of late, we have thought it our duty to
i- adopt ra'her a different course,
r I'he obvious corruption attending the treaty,—
S together with the influence it was making on the
) minds of these poor oppressed people,—as well as
it involving in it the honor of the United States,—in
i ducecl me, at a very early period after its ralifica
d don, to make a statement, of the mat er This
is statement will soon be seen to be correct, except
u in one instance, where there is a circumstantial
:■ error.
- It was with great reluctance 1 left home at the
>1 present time, to attend this meeting; and nothing
it out what 1 considered as an absolute call in Provi
it deuce, could have induced me. 1 was called upon
i- by Col. Crowell, to attend the meeting,—and by
Major Andrews I have been required to make a
t- statement in relation to the Agent, for the mfor
r nmtion of the government.
it lam happy to slate that, after a full examination
ii w" have come to such an understanding, as in
il duces me to believe that we shall, in future, have
io cause ol c implaint. For the sat sfaclion of our
p, brethren, I must beg that you will make an inquiry
i of Major Andrews, on h s return to Washington,
is lam happy to slat:, that he has acted a generous,
t- a kind, and a friendly part. He will feel a plea
> sure in giving such a statement, a«, lam persuaded,
n will satisfy afi oarties—that 1 have ti me no more
s than my obligations to the g-ueral government,
■■ and to the cause of humanity requirt d. As I wish
;.i o live in the affecion and confidence ofmy breth
ren—which to me is next to living in the approba
l\ ion ot a mercitu. G i I—l mu-t beg, fir my satis*
id taction, that you will wait on that gentleman.
When 1 left home, our family, excepting two o
my little children, were well as usual. Our Indiai
children have been absent for some time, but havi
mostly returned ; —and our prospects, in the mids
ot all our difficulties, seem to brighten. 1 have al
along been very carelul against awakening an ex
pectation that might not, after all, be realized—bu
recent circumstances constrain me to say,—l “tt
ibliged to hope that the Lord is with us. Cloud. 1
have gathered thick around us, and storms have al
most been ready to break over our heads, —but 1
believe they will eventually empty themselves it
mercy on our institution.
Yours, in the best of bonds,
L. COMPERE.
FOH THE JOURNAL*
.Messrs. Camak & Ragland— Reading a copy ol
a letter to the E jiior of the Southern Inleliigen
cer, dated Withirgton Station, May, lOih 1825
and signed L. Compere, who professes to be i
dispenser of peace, and an instructor in and ol
'ruth, appears to have been misinformed (unless
le was present in Indian habiliments and bis eyes
deceived him) wuh regard to the conduct of Gen.
Wm. Mcl nosh, of the Creek Nation when the in
cendiaries and murderers who assassinated him
made the attack on him and his buildings.
It can be well authenticated by a respeclab
citizen of Fayette county, and a member ol tin
Baptist Church, who was present at the horn
scene, that tht General did not shoot at, but only
Ha bed his gun at the incendiaries from his stan
c.<se ,in going down to met Ins awtul tate. Hau
his gu> fired clear ; he would have, in all proba.
bility, despatched one; and as for any teefing en
q dries made and distress of women and children
expressed, there was no time for such conversa
tion, before he was literally shot to pieces by the
allies of their Majevits G.-orge the 3d and 4th.
In the month of May. 1822, 1 was employed to
accompany Mi, Lee 'Joinpere imo die Crc.tN,
tion, to aid and assist mm in establishing u Mi.
nonary School among the natives of that nation,
■he direction of which was to oe under that re
verend gentlemen Lee Compere, a reject ol hu.
>{ yal Majesty George the 4th (thuugn 1 did no
k ow that until 1 set out to accompany him). O
<ur way, to, and in ,he natim, he observed iha. a
majority ot the British government was inend.y
isposed towards the United States of America ,
hut the British never impressed any oi our sea
men but sucli irifling fellows as enlisted them
selves under the Brnish goveri ment to serve a ,
that Gen. Andrew Jackson was u bioud thrtsiy ty
i ant, a cruel murderer, mid nugh to be hung ioi
laving Arbuthnut and Ambnster executed ; ilia,
ttiey were poor innocent mini, endeavoring to
nake an honest support by trading with the iia
iv s; that he, the said Compere, had read an
tue documents submitted by General Jadtsoi
to the general government; that half of then,
were lies, he knew; that the United States nan
Cheated the poor ignorant Indians out of a
fine country fora song; and, that tie did not think
tliey would get any more land from the India,
soon. Such observations as die above made tm
teteri/ane, if possible, to prevent the said Cun,
>.r? trom going into the nation as Missionary,
on' maugre all my opposition, the tar ieicuet.
li glishman must go.
Alter Mr Compere and myself returned from
the nation, he attended a meeting at Mount Gi
lead Meetinghou e, Putnam county.—tie ob
server! to the Pastor and two Deacons of th.
Church, that he was surprised at the people oi
the United S ates running boundary lines foi
s ate> through the Indians country where they
nad no right —lt was no country ot theirs; they
tad no business to make bounuary lines in tin
nation. Ihe next day, lie observed to me com
gi egution, that he thought it was as little as t
could do for each one to contribu.e a small a
mount for the education of and evangelizing the
ponr ignorant Indians, on whose land y u art
nnw l.vmg : or, on whose it was, whichyou got
tor little or nothing.
A part of the above expressions were made b
Mr. Compere to a Mr. Elijah alias Elisha Echols
ot Lincoln county, Georgia, wnom we overtook
on die great road leadi ig from the Indian Spring
to Marshall’s ferry on Flint river.
On luesday before Mcintosh was murdered, 1
lett hia house. The evening before lie expres
ed to me his views concerning the trealv, in a.,
open and candid manner. He observed that m,
tat her the President and Congress nad contract
ed and bound themselves to Georgia for a large
portion ol the nation; dial the nation only helu
it as a man would an estray horse, which he clam,
ed until demanded by the proper owner—tmu
Georgia claimed and would, according to stipu
lation wuh Congress, have her boundary—tha
in.-, father the President demanded the lands for
Georgia, and had offered and given as good ami
as large a country, well stocked with game, atm
boot beside so that I think said he, it is best tor
my people to go there, were they can hold a goou
title, without being harassed by claims.
Now will any one read this, and believe M .
Compere, when he states that the General wu
an ignorant man. No—he will say his views w.r,
correct. Yes, as much so, as when he voluman
y foußfif fur His only friends, the white men of
ttie United States, against the British nation,
which I verily believe caused Mr. Compere’s hat
red to that honorable, that valuable, and tha.
brave citizen of the Creek nation.
J. H. HOOKER.
Princeton Creek Nation, \
2 9th June, 1825. >
Capt. Bowen,
Sir— Your conduct heretofore in relation to
the affairs ot this nation, justifies the belief that
your visit here is for the purpose of endeavoring
to make false impressions on the minds of the 1m
dians, upon subjects you have nothing to do with
I hereby order you to depart from this place n
four hours, or 1 shall take measures that will be
more unpleasant, if you do not leave the Nation,
j THOMAS TRIPLETT,
Acting A. I. Affairs,
At Chilli Mclntosh’s Stand, .
On the public road. Cr ek Nation >
20t/i June, 1825. \
Thomas Triplett, j
Acting Agent for I, Affairs,
Sin—Your order of tins day has been handet
to me by Mr. Walls. You mention, “thatymii
conduct heretofore, in relation to the affairs of th t
Nation, justifies the belief that your visit here, o
for the purpose of endeavoring to make false i'm
pressions on the minds of the Indians upon sub
jects you have nothing to do with,” and you or
,ler me to depart from “ this place in four hours,’
or you will take measures that will be more un
pleasant, if 1 do not leave the Nation.
1 should have been gradfied, and deem it t
matter of right to know from you, what condttc
' (alluded to in your note or order) it was, and a
' what lime manifested, that justifies the belief tha
my visit here is for the purpose of making fals,
; impressions on the minds of the Indiana, and oi
what subject. You do not inform me whethei
| my objectionable conduct has been manifestec
1 “ heretofore,” within the limits of the Nation oi
elsewhere, nor liow manifested or with whom
’ Your expression is rather indefinite ; you sat
“in relation to the affairs of this Nation." Now
of sir, If 1, or any other citizen of Georgia, am sub
ii, ject to your control or order, for conduct which
re you may merely believe to be for purposes ol m»k
si ...g false impressions on the Indians in mutters
.1 • relating to the Nation, without specifying that
t conduct, or what particular impressions are at-
T tempted to be falsely made, 1 then consider you
m have absolute power over the life, the liberty,
I? and the property of every such citizen who may
I- pass, orattetm t to pass through, stop, or attempt
Ito stop, in the Nation You do not mention that
ii< iny conduct since 1 have stopped here, or at Mr.
Crabtree’s tavern, where my baggage is, and
where I have put up, or at any other place, is
calculated to justify the belief that 1 am endeavor,
ing to make false impressions on the Indians. But
you say it is my conduct heretofore : you say it
jl was my previous conduct that induces the belief
, notv, that I will make false impressions on the
5 minds of the Indians on subjects I,have nothing to '
ado -with. You do not say that the subject you
speak of now, of which you believe I will falsely
it represent, does appertain to matters which be- J
s long to the Nation or the affairs of the Nation,
~ but that it is on subjects 1 have nothing to do
with. This conclusion is so general and imlefi
„ nite, that I do not know what reply to make, or
what conclusion to come to, as to its meaning,
except that if I dare speak of subjects, which you
, think I have nothing to do with, and those suojecls
are spoken of, to or before Indians, although they
y may relate, or may not relate in fact to the In-'
i .liana, themselves, then you assume the power to f
u order me from this place, meaning I suppose
Princeton, a place 1 was not in when your order
came : but from the conclusion of your order, I
ii understand it to mean the Nation. I protest a
, gainst the intimations contained in your letter, v'
t and against your authority to enforce the threat,
contained in the same on the grounds you as
. sume. Your obedient servant,
WM. BOWEN.
CHILLY Met VTOSH’S STAND. >
1 29 1 h June, 1825. j
* To Major General Gaines. Is
Slß—Enclosed, I send you a copy of an order directed to ms |S
from the acting agent for Indian Affairs, requiring my departure ■
from this place in a few hours, for reasons therein suggested. ( 1
do contend, sir, that the reasons on which he has determined to H
» base his order, are both erroneous and illegal. I cannot perceivA ■
r myself charged with any thing definite or unlawful; and B
the phraseology of his order and letter, 1 have no doubt, but you ■
* will accord with me in that interpretation. lam conscious that E
. the present agent is fearful alone , that I may interfere in matters I
that relate to the charges against the agent, (now suspended,) I
and that he can have no possible grounds to believe that I ever I
t have, now intend, or hereafter intend, to interfere with matters K
which exclusively belong to the officers or government of the |
nation of Creeks, or to the officers, or government of the United J
Slates If such improper interference have transpired, let it m
be brought home to me; let me be faced by the accusers be- I
fore you. From the respect which I have always entertained K
for you since 1815, and my convictions of your sense of justice, K
lam confident you will not allow, where you command any per- I
* son however humble, to be insulted with a process, illegal in its I
nature, and humiliating in its effect, especially when such pre B
4 cess is founded alone on the reasons embraced in the note in
closed to you. lam now in the nation on lawful business—have fm
1 stopped a few days at a public stand, and have during the time lift
j visited the Indian square, and their camps. W
i My business is lawful to all intents, by the omission of any W
thing in itself unlawful. Ido not feel it to be my duty to state r 1
to you rny specific business, and I am sure you would not pretend
to require it of me, although I would not hesitate to do so if re
quired. I therefore request of you, as having the power and au- (
thority, to protect me in my liberty during my stay here, or in <
’ this neighborhood, as long as I violate no law. I propose to re <
main a few days only, and as a citizen of the United Stales, I
claim the privileges of the laws and your protection.
Respectfully your most obedient servant,
* WM. BOWEN,
HEAD QUARTERS. f
EASTERN DEPARTMENT. I 1
Creek Agency, June 29. 1825. ( I
i Slß—Your communication of this date, with its enclosure, ii *
i received; and I am instructed by Major General Gaines to ad
vise you, that it has been referred to the acting Agent of In
‘ dian Affairs, who is deemed to be the proper judge in your case .
, Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. G. W. BUTLER.
... .. Aid dc Camp.
‘To Mr. Win. Bowen, *
Creek Agency.
Copy of a letter from Col. Warren Jourdan to Win. //. Tor*
L rence , Esq.
t LA ORANGE. 27th July. J(!25.
i DEAR SIR: Since the receipt of yours of the 2M hist. I have
seen the publication of" Thos T. Triplett,” acting Agenlof In
dian affairs, of the 21st in (he Recorder The object of which
(if credence be given to his statements,) is to correct the " mis
> representations of designing men.” How far his object will he
I, sustained in his publication in relation to others, 1 know nut. So
I far us it regards myself, with the exception cl one or two nnim
h porlant incidents, the whole of his statements arc unsupported by
truth. The order of the day, however is to proscribe every man
j who has at any time raised his voiee or made an eflbrt in favor
of the treaty, or to support the character and rights of the Slate •
from the Commissioners on the part of the United Slates, down
II lo the humblest individual in the community. Having witnessed
„ in the little agency I have had with Indian affairs, this spirit pre
dominant in all those more immediately and personalty interest
ed, 1 could not suppose the Georgia Commissioners had any right
E to expect more liberality or forbearance ; my only wonder lias
I been, that we have not been ere this, put under the ban of ostra
cism, by all those whoso sympathies have been peculiarly exci
ted in favor of the poor " cheated and defrauded Indians ” It i)
i true, 1 banded the letter to Gen. Gaines alluded lo ; it was len
. dered lo me by a strange servant, I knew nothing of its contents
or the writer, until elicited by the after conversation between
Gen. Gaines and Capt. Triplett, in which Triplett declared his
1' determination lo enforce the order, unless positively prohibited
I by Gen. Gaines; the reply by Gen. Gaines was, that he fell no
disposition lo conflict with the duties of the Agent. luring this
” conversation 1 learned the fact that no distinct orapecific charge
1 had been preferred against the individual, whose li lerty >snd
J rights would have been jeopardized by the exercise of an oppres
sive power, only the vague one of being in the estimation of Capt.
Triplett a “suspicious character.” Seeing the course thinn-s
. were taking, and having heard Gen. Gaines distinctly slate ho
would not interfere, I fell it my duty as a citizen of Georgia to
prevent, if possible, the execution of aq order so tyranical in its
- effect against the most bumble individual. In order therefore to
i stay its execut on, I stated to Gen. Gaines and Triplett, that du-
I ring the absence of Capt. Thomas (who accompanied the Com
missioners in the character of Messenger or Marshall by appoint
') njent to the Alabama, the remaining members of the mission
. might need the services of some person lo act in the above capa
u city, or as express to the Governor; that should such necessity
exist, we could not command the services of any other person I
made this remark from the well known fact, that all intercourse
between the Commissioners and other persons in tile nation had
been interdicted. I stated furthermore, that every citizen from
Georgia ought lo feel bound from another consideration to oppose
the principle ; namely, that of self-preservation, to which one of
them replied, “you have a passport,” to which I answered, 1 did
not myself think so, nor did I wish them to think so. On my ma
king thisreply, Capt. Triplett departed hastily, vowing his de
h termination to enforce the order, not waiting a reply, if I had
II been disposed to make one. I never stated in my conversation
with those gentlemen or either us them, that Capt. Bowen "was
n attached to the mission,” or that I would reduce the same to
I- “ writing,” having no authority to do so Shortly after the oc
1. currences, Capt. Thomas, contrary to my expectations, Wad re
turned with a letter to Colonel Williamson and myself fr* in the
absent Commissioners. Sofarfrom having wished to act offen
f sively towards any of the Agents of the General Government I
I, availed myself of the first moment after Capt. Thomas’ return
to notify them of the fact, and that the services of Captain Bc'w * ’
en would not be required I never gave any intimation to Capt,
Triplett "that Bowen had gone or would go immediately” from
the nation, much less any “ declaration” to that effect. I had no
authority in the case, and did not assume any. Why did not
Capt. Triplett enforce his order issued under a little "brief au
thority,” when I notified him, that his (Bowen’s) services would
not be required ? Capt. Bowen remained at Crabtree’s, only four
miles distent from Fort Mitchell, for some time after he received
the order, where he was seen hy the marshal! of the nation and
all those satellites of the Indian Agent's (white men) who reside
(1 in tho nation, and who were constantly prowling about by day
and by night, watching every movement, listening to every
remark. While Capt. Bowen remained at Crabtree's I heard
5 him tell the Marshall (who we all supposed had come to exe
is cute the order) that he would resist the execution of the order
q The Marshall immediately returned to Princeton. Is it reason
able to suppose that he did not communicate the fact to Capt
)■ Triplett I Many other persons than those enumerated passed
r and repassed almost every hour to and from Fort Mitchell with
). a number of whom Capt. Bowen conversed, and yet under all
these circumstances, so favorable to his obtaining information
1 where Capt. Bowen was, he has the consummate effrontery lo
state he was "secreted for six or eight days,” and insinuates it
was done by the connivance us the Commissioners. On uur wav
from Broken arrow. (Col. Williamson aud myse'f) stopped It
Ct Mr. Van’s 10 miles this side of Flint river to LikViWrl*,
Mterour ainva Bowen arnved, and about half an hour after
Joseph Marshall called ,n. He, Joseph Marshall, immediately
informed us the news from Broken Arrow : said that he woulS
St not consent to the terms proposed by Gen. Gaines; he further
said, he would not meet General Gaines at Flint river ■ for
tncre was no convenient house lo arsemble the Chiefs in and no
provision in the country. He spoke generally of their troubles
d and situation ; said the Chiefs of the friendly parly would neve!
Tj T * Ut lho,e .r' wsed 10 Gen ’ al the"
fl. >a' k at the Indian Springs; said they would have their heads
cutoff first, and closed a lengthy conversation by requesting
1> some of us to write a letter to the Chiefs al Newnan, statin?
p, they would not meet Gen. Gains, at Flint river, but at the IndlaS