Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-08-25

your letter having made its appear
| anee in a newspaper Just now ham
ded to me by friend, can no longer
see the propriety OF withholding reply.
You say ''the certificate of Marshall.
no matter how procured, is one OF the
most daring st!or's thar ever was at
te'npted by malignant villainv, 10 palm
a talsehood on ignorant cred1lity."
S-No matter hon proewsd.n--I viii first
state 10 you the manner in which that
frightful certificate was "procured,n
and then proceed to show that its sdar-
ing" character consists only in its truth.
and lis direct tendency to expose, ia
part, the malignant villainyn which has
been extensively practised on the CITE
duhty of many Of the good citizens of
Georgia anc other states. in reference
to the Indians and the treaty. The facts
contained in the certificates in question
we're voluntarily, and, 10 me, pnexpec-
tedly communicated, by Mr.. William
Edwards and Joseph Marshall, whose
signatures il hears. OF the character
OF William Edwards, who is citizen
oil this state, l have had no means of
knowing much, personally. He has
been represented to me by Col.
Broadnax Of Pike, and by Cot. Phillips
OF this county, as 8 man Of truth--poor,
but honest and upright: description of
char acter applicable to a large elias, OF
The inhabitants Of this AVID other parts,
Of our western border; in whom have
usually found as much devotion 10 truth
as in any other class Of American Cit.
zens. Joseph Marshall is personally
better known to me--he is a Creek
half breed, and is deemed TO be good
interpreter; aud however deficient, as l
know he is, in education and refined
moral sentiments, such as have obtain
ed the sanction Of civilized society, 7
have no doubt that he is one of the most
upright Chiefs that ever belonged to the
Treaty making party. Neither Of those
men, Edwards or Marshall, appeared
to me atall qualified for what you de-
nounce their certificate to be, ~the most
daring effort that ever was attempted
BY malignant villainy." Their state
nlents we're simply and apparently I'M
prejudiced aud unmipassioned; they
were made after the principal business
of the council had been brought TO q
close, and inthe presence Of many of
the respectable citizens Of Pike county.
Convinced OF the propriety of all my du-
ties'with the Indians being performed in
open day, and 10 the presence Of as ma
ny as would attend, Of all States, and of
allcolours, took care that the certificate
should be taken and explained in tho
presence of the council, and of all others
who had seen fit to attend l had no
secret projects to promote, @nor any
secret griefs" TO remedy, pnr secret
hopes to crafty: and consequently had
no occasion for separating tho Chiefs,
or for secret examinations--Tha certi-
fcate was written as it was dictated. ~
| believe, word for word, by my aid
de-camp, Lient E. Gaorge Washing.
ton Butler. young officer of accom-
plished military education and talents,
with unbending integrity, and spotless
honour; and who is IS incapable of CIV
ing countenance to trick or misre-
prese NATION as was tbs beloved Father
Of his country with whose name he is
honoured, and whose patriotism and
virtue he constantly and scrupulously
initiates.
Having thus explained TO you the
FrSA Al N ~h
cate in question. for which | hold my
self responsible, havs now to remark
that, although I never entertained
doubt but you were deceived into
belief that Gen. Mcintosh had consul
ted the few Chiefs OF his party, aud bad
obtained their ascent in council. to the
immediate survey to the ceced land;
yet ] have found no satisfactory EVIL
dence Of any such council consisting Of
the Chiefs of the coded territory, having
ever acted at all upon the subject. And
it is apparent from McIntosh's letter,
mo matter how procured,n q shall of
fer no apology for making use Of your
excellescy's pregnant phrass,) or by
whom written, that be himself consider
ed the permission TO survey, as merely
conditional. But contend that neithe.
Gen. Mcintosh nor his yessal Chiefs
had any right to give such permission.
for the treaty, "no matter how procur.
ed" had become a law of the land
its provisions could not, therefore, be
changed, or rendered imperative by
any correspondence, or any subsa--
quent agreement between your excel
lency asd any party or the whole Of the
individuals of one of the contracting