Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-06-23
CREEK INDIANS.
Governor Iroup's Message to the Les'sla-
lure q georgia.
EXECUTIVE DEPARrMEsT,
Af.u.J,,s,;Up 2d .TtJ2p. 1925,

ceised, but the measures to be taken In
carving into effect the wishes Of the
President, depending on the arrival of
Major General Gaines, then daily cx-
pected, it was deemed best to with
hold them until that arrival, when both
the views of the General Government,
with the measures consequent upon
them, could be fully disclosed. II be-
ing understood, however, that much
public anxiety is manifested for their
publication, they are transmitted to
YOU. You will perceive by those views,
that if the General Government, assu-
ming the exclusive right to expound
and carry into effect the Treaty OF the
Indian Springs, shall persist in giving
it the construction which is to be found
in the letter of the Secretary of War,
and elsewhere, it would have been bet
ter for all parties that the Treaty had
never been concluded; but it is quite
obvious to you, that admitting the pow
err and the construction, the execution
of it may be indefinitely postponed at
the will of the United States. Accord
ing to that will, we are not to survey
the country, because the hostile Indi-
ans who opposed the Treaty have also
opposed the survey; they continue TO
oppose both treaty and survey, and to
conduct themselves in the most hostile
and offensive manner. The hostile In
dams would prohibit us from passing
to and fro through the country, and the
prohibition would be equally reasona-
bic; the act Of survey, SO far as regards
the security and peace Of the Indians
under the treaty, is as innocent as the
act. of passing to and fro. Whilst,
therefore, by the treaty, we have the alb
solute title to the soil, and the abso-
lutte Jurisdiction, with the reservation
merely of temporary occupation by
the Indians, and of power in the Unit
ed States 10 protect them in their per-
sons and effects, the right Of survey
even when the consent of those who
coded the country is denied to us; and
this denial founded on an assertion ut
terly destitute of truth, viz-that the
troubles in the nation have been caused
by the act of this government, which
procured the consent to survey the
country. In the absence of all other
testimony, to show that these troubles
had their origin in other and very diff
ferent causes, it is sufficient TO enquire
what assignable connexion exists be-
tween the survey of the country and the
hostility of the Indians? The survey
could neither expedite nor retard the
removal of the Indians; the Indians
were not certain tina. even with their
consent the survey would be attempt
ed Surely, therefore, if this had been
the cause Of excitement, the Indians
would have waited the event. 1t is
conceivable that the cession OF the
lands might have produced hostilities;
but failing TO do so, it is inconceivabIe
how the consent to survey them, which
had no relation to their eventual sur
render and abandonment, could pro-
duce that effect. The object Of the go
vernment of Georgia in procuring the
consent, was not 10 settle the country
one day sooner than the provisions Of
the Treaty would authorize; but in sur
veying the country to save the time
consumed in that operation, to extend
its laws over it, and to settle it imme-
diately on the departure of the Indians;
and this was of the more Importance,
because the Government was to ex-
pect in short time the arrival of their
civil engineer, and as that was to be
the field Of his first and most interest
ing operations, it was necessary TO
place him there under the guardian
ship and safety of our own laws. But
co it happens, that this act Of survey,
in which no body before ever saw harm
or cause of offence, is suddenly magni-
fed into an evil, prolific Of all other e.
wills, and this merely because the Gov
eminent Of the United States is so in-
formed by its Agent-that Agent who
stands conspicuously charged as the
prime mover and instigator Of them all
who opposed the treaty from the be-
ginning, protested against it to the last,
fore,old the mischiefs which were to
come of it, and is yet the confidential,
trusty * impartial, witness upon whose
dictum the United States Government
accuses the Executive Government OF
Georgia. The Executive OF Georgia
will not retort the accusation-it VIII
no, say that the Government OF the
United States is responsible in the
sight of Heaven and Of the World, Tor
the crimes (if ANY, committed by the
Agent-because the Government OF
Georgia is not in the practice OF thus.
treating the Government ofthe United
S,ates-but itmust be permitted to say
distinctly, hat upon the naked lnfor-
nation and advice of the Agent, the
Government Of the United States has
suffered itself so far to cntel into the