Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-09-30
Erom he Georein .Mcsssnser.

From he Georgia Messenger.
TALK OF GEN. GAINES TO THE FRIENDLY |
CHIEFS AT THE INDIAN SPRINGS.
MY FRIENDS, CHIEFS ASD w AREIoRs-i have read
the account of your wrongs and ordered by your ,
great friend and Father the President of the United
States to proectl from the violence of your enemies
to lpQulre into the OF your troubles 10 mitigate
Your suHerioEs, and TO restore harmony between YOU
AMI the Geluded party of nation opposed to YOU
For your protection am authorized tom3rch army
any part of the Creek Nation, and to station there
until be restored To lessen the evils of your
present distressed condition. the President has directed
provide for the comfortable subsistence of YOUR
selves and families and take under my protection such
as may be disposed 70 revisit the nation The Chiefs
opposed 10 have been notified to meet me AT the
Chattabooche tive days from this time. shall orewaru
them IN strong language OF the dpieasue of the Pre-
sdent at ther past conduct and of the severe Ietaa
tion II viii become my duty TO inct them if their
hostility should be continued But, should Gud them
as nave reason, from report 10 expect. sincerely la
nentiog the rashness and folly of their past conduct
and willing to make atonement for the injuries you
have sustained from ttem--l instructed in this
case to settle the differences between YOU without fur
Their boodshed
Your lamented Gen. McIntoch and other Chiefs who
fell with him, had often eyinced their friendship and fl
deity to US, in Wa and in Peace have, therefore
heard of their death with that heartfelt sorrow Which
the fall of long tried friends could fail TO produce
You claim the lives of those by whom your beoy ed
chieains were slain. Could they be thus restored to
me to punish then nurderers But the dead, however
valued, cannot be restored 10 this life and the Co
vernment Of the United States has in no instance deem
ed 1t proper to interfere in the intestine euds our
red neghbors i'll like the present. when their hos
Titles have not continued or extended to the white in
habItantS am not authorized under these crCums
ces, TO sanction the of revenge proposed by
you 1T the opposite party is found be sincerely de
sirous of peace, and willing restore the money and
property taking by them, is expected that you will in
this case moderate your demands, meet them in Coun-
Gil, and return TO the nation, until you have selected
your intended residence to the Westward. But should
fail IN my attempts to restore harrnony-sheuld find
your enemies determined 20 renew their acts of VIC
lence against you shall in this case advise YOU TO re-
main here for few weeks until troops are in readi
ness for action, when shall put down every hostile
hand that hnd raised against you. Your conduct has
been Discreet and has been approved by the PresI
deAt When your enemies assaed you and murdered
your chiefs, your first step to repair TO your white
friends and appeal them for redress. Had YOU then
determined TO follow the impulse of irrtated feelings.
and attempted with no other than your own limited
means to avenge your wrongs country would hav
been involved III bloody Intestine war. In such war
your white friends that surround you would have been
forced to take up in their defence The con-
sequences would have been fatal to of the red men
of both parties OF the Nation for we could not ALWAYS
discriminate between friends and foes. The Innocent
might have therefore fallen for the crimes of the guilty
our wisdom and iorbeaance has enabled YOUR father
the President to nerpOse s authority and friendly adj
inonion. A continuance of that wisdom and forbear-
aEce viii enable us to preserve you from war Of cx-
termination, and to do you that justice which YOU
have lie strongest claims. Having and addressed
You and having received from you the evidence OF YOUR
wrongs, my next duty viii be the chiefs opposed
to you and to address them and to hear them and their
Witnesses; Tor bad as VIC may suppose them be- is
known that they bad laid down their arms and there
tore the laws of civilized nations will sanction their
condemnation without hearing. You must in the
mean time, perseyere in the uGcious course you have
heretofore pursued you must bear in mind the wishes
the President which have communicated to you-be
quiet and peaccabe, and listen 10 the bad counsels OF
those who would plunge you into the evils of war, when
war would not relieve but wouldinevitaby add to yonr
misfnrtunes. The 100000 dollars due to the Indians
according To the provisions Of the late treaty. will be
withheld from them until their differences are settled
and am instructed 10 say that the chief who commits
further violence will forfeit his share of the money
After the differences settled, the 5000 900 will be
paid on the scale of distribution as their annuity
have read your laws and am gratiied to find none
so .anguuary as that alleged by your TO exist
under colour OF which it has been stated they perpe-
trated the murders of which you complain.
Your Friend,
F. p GAINES Maj. Gen. Commanding.
To he CHiet@ and H1urrio,s,
Creec .Ntf{iOl nor at Indian SDri1lrc