The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1825-08-24
political.
From the Connecticut Journal
THE CREEKS.

this nation of the original Inhabitants Of
our country, has become subject Of Sc
we're remark throughout the Union, and.
we are persuaded, would become sub
ljec. Of severe censurs, were the facts
generally known. lD the midst Of doc
uments, partly examined and arranged
for further examination, an extract from
an article from the New-York Athena-
um Magazine was put into our hands,
entitled Examination of the Controver-
sy between Georgia and the Creeks,'i
which appears TO have been ably and
thoroughly executed, but which is TOO
long for our purpose. We shall use it,
however, as an important help to the
facts which we propose to state.
The claim which Georgia made upon
the United States was, thai they were
bound TO dispossess the Creeks OF their
lands within the limits of that State,
peaceably If they could, iorcibly if
they must.' Or, in yet broader terms,
that the United States were bound TO
extinguish all Indian titles within the
limits of Georgia, without regard to
me ans, rights, or conse quences. Geor-
gia had the same right to an exiingalsh-
ment of the Cherokee title, as to that of
the Creeks--and Der right TO either is
founded on the articles of a convention
between Georgia and the United States,
bearing date April 24th, 1902.
The whole western part Of the State
was originally in the hands of the In
dams, the Greeks and the Cberokees.--4
Their country, within the present terri
toTial limits of Georgia, included more
than 10000 square miles, Of which the
Cherokees owned, until 1919, sixteen
thousand square miles. when they coded
large tract 10 the United States, which
was purchased at the expense of The
United States, for the benefit OF Geor-
gia. The extent of this cession is not
stated in acres or square miles. in the
treaty, but, compared with the Creeks,
their possessions are nov limited 10
Georgia; and this is probably the resr
son why he demand was not maze for
the extinguIshment of the Cherokee
title.
Before we come to the articles Of
Convention, under which Georgia has
made the claim in question, We beg leave
to take the reader back to the early his
tory of the State, and he will have 8
bird's-eye view of the policy which has
been pursued since the declaration of
independence.
| Of the thirteen States which declared
themselves independent in l776 Geor-
gia was the last settled. Previous tn
the year 1882, Georgia was wider
ness, and had been claimed by Spain as
well as England, notwithstanding ii was
included IN the charter OF Carolina.
In that year George II. granted 10 a
company, BY patent, the territory which
was named Georgia III compliment, 10
him. Il vas net, however, until 175s.
that the government was taken INTO The
hands Of the King, uor until 1853 hat
the lands lying betwe en- The IiYer, Ala
tamaha and St. Mary's, were annexed
TO the State. OF course. at The COM
mencement of the revolution, Georgia
was an infant State, though she did not
hesitate 10 attach herself al oace 10 the
confederacy in declaring for indepen-.
dence. and TO devote her blood and treas
ures for its achievement. AL the close
of the war, her condition was in every
sense feeble, and in this situation she
suffered much from the frequent incur.
sions of the Creeks, who were doubtless
excited TO hostility by the Spanlards.
To relieve them from this distress a
treaty was concluded between the Unit
ed States and the Creeks on The Eth Of
August, 1880, at New York, and ratified
on the 18th Of the same month. By this
treaty, the boundaries between the
Creeks and the United States were de-.
fined. The Creeks put themselves un-
der the protection Of the United States.
and they in return guaranteed to the.
Creeks the possession of their lands, and
to aid them in acquiring The arts Of civil
lization, and to furnish them graiuitous-
| ly with domestic animals, and imple-
ments of husbandry, 10 enable them 10.
become herdsmen aud cultivators of the,
soil, rather than TO remain in The stats
of hunters.
/ Another treaty of peace and friend.
ship was concluded on the 29lh Of June, !.
1876, al Colerain, which provided for
the establishment of military posts in the
Creek nation, but which confirmed the
essential provisions ofthe treaty Of 1870.
At this time Georgia claimed the whole
tract Of country embraced between her
present north and south boundary lines
extending to the Mississippi river. That
portion Of this territory which now in
, cludes the States OF Alabama and Missis-
! sippi, were held as other lands were
j held by Massachusetts,, Connecticut, N.
4 W - 4 80 " Il