Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-05-02


following interesting papers before readers
/ Nat. inteliigencer
10 TIE Congress Of the United States:
| WASHINGTON, list. January. 1896.
transmit, herewith, 10 the Senate fer their cousle-
ration, and advice with regard 10 its ratification =
treaty, concluded by the Secretary of War, duly au-
thorIsed thereto, with the Chiefs aud Headmen OF the
creek Nation, deputed by them and now in this city,
mas been agreed upon, and is presented to the
consideration of the Senate substitute for the trea-
y signed at the Indian Springs the 18th of February
iast. The circumstances under which this received on
the 3rd OF March last, your advice and consent to its
ratihcation, are known YOU 1t was transmitted TO
me from the Senate on the 5h March, and ratified
uli confidence. yielding the advice and consent of
the Senate, under firm belief founded on the Jour
nal OF the Commissioners of the United States and
on the express statements in the letter one of them
OF The 10th February, to the then Secretary OF War
that 1t had been concluded with large major ity of the
Chiefs OF the Creek nation, and with reasonable pros
pect oi immediate acquesencc by the remainder This
expectation has not merely been disappointed. The
hTsl measures Tor carrying the treaty into execution
had scarcely been taken, when the two principal Chiefs
who had signed If, fell victims to the evaporation Of
The great mass OF the nation and their families and de-
pendents tar from being able the
on their part fled for life safety G substance from the
territories which they had assumed cede to our ov H.
et IN Tins fugitive condition, and whilst subsstng on
me bounty OF the United Staes they have been found
advancing professions receive exclusively to them
selves, the whole of the stipulated bv the Com
missioners OF the United States in payment far all the
lands of the Creek nation which were ceded bv the
terms OF the treaty And they have claimed the stipu
aton of the eighth article that the United States vveud
protect the erngratiDg party against the encroach-
ments, hostility and mpositions of the whites and of
all Others" as an engagement by which the United
7la'eS were bound To- become The instruments their
vengeance and 10 uc upon the majority of the Creek
nation the punishment of Indian retrobuon TO crafty
lie vindcve fury of an npotent and helpless minority
of their tribe.
In this state of things, the question is not whether
the treaty of the 9Th OF February last shall or shall
not De executed So far as the United States were or
could be bound by it, have been anxously DESTROYS of
carrying it into execution. But ike OTHER treaties its
IuTnent depends upon the will of one but OF both
parties to IT. The parties the face of the treaty are
Tie United States and the Creek nation; and however
desrous one OF them may be give il effect tls "
must prove aborve, while the other raftv refuses to
perform It's stpulatons, and dsavoys It's obligations
By the refusal OF the Creek nation To perform their
OF the treaty, the United States absolyed from all
llS engagements on tier part the alternative left their
49, either TO resort 10 of war to secure by force
e advantages stipulated TO them in tue treaty or 10 at
tempt the adjustment of the interest by new compact
In The preference dictated by the nature of our instit,I
Mons by inc sentiments of justice and humanity which
the occasion requires for measures of peace the treat
herewith transmitted has been concluded and is sub.
ntcd TO the decision of the Senate After exhausno
every effort IN power obtain the acouiecence Of
The Creek nation, TO the treaty Of the tn of February
entertained, for some tme the hope that their assent
might at least have been given 10 treaty, nv which
ali tbcr lands within the State O! Ccorria should have
been ceded This has also proved fnpracticable and
although the excepted portion is of comparatively small
amount and importance, have assented to its excep-
ton, far 10 place before the Senate only from
convctIon that, between ii and resort 10 the fore bic
expulsion OF the Greeks from their habtations and
lands within the State Of Georgia, there middle
term.
The depua'iOn with which the treaty has been con.
cIded consists Of the principal Chiefs Of the Nation
able not only to negotiate, but to carry into effect the
stipuatlons to which they have agreed There is 4 de
Putation also here from the small party which under
he Dl0 a.
18th of February, but the numbers of which ACCORDING
to the information collected by Geaera Gaines does
net exceed four hundred They represent themselves
indeed TO be tar more numerous but whatever their
number may be- their interests have been nroviled for
IN the treaty submitted. Their subscriptions TO il
would also have been received but for unrcasona BILE
prsens'ons raised by them after all the arrangements OF
the treaty had been agreed upon, and it was actually
signed. Whatever ther merits may have been in Tie
facility with which they coded all the lands of their ma
ton WITHIN the State OF Georgia. their utter inability 10
perform the engagements which thew so readily con-
racied, and the exorbitauCy OF their demands when
compared with the inclicacy of their own means OF
performance leave them with no claims upon the q nil,
cd states other than OF impartial and rigorous Justice
In referring To- the impressions under which raG
fed the treaty of the 12th of February last do mo-
deem it necessary TO decide upon the propretv of IN,
manner in which it was negotiated. Deeply regretps
the examinations and determinations 10 which t!Iest
events have given rse believe tie public interest vii
best be consulted by disCardnr them alforetler fr,r
the discussion of the subject The great body of tht
Creek Nation 'nAexiby refuse acknowledge or {,
execute that treaty. Upon this ground il will he So
aside should the Senate advise and consent to the ra
fcation Of that communicated, without looiino
back to the means by which the other was effected
And, in The adjustment Of The terms of the present trca
:" ~ nave been p2rculaTly 10 dispense inca
sure Of great beraty TO both parties of the Crccl,
Nation rather than to extort from them bargain oi
which The advantages part could only be pur.
chased by hardsbps on theirs.
JOIN QUINCY ADAMS.
DEPARTMENT. or WAR, .Tuu 25 1926
. SIR In execution of the power which you conferred
Upon to negotiate with the Creek tribe OF Indians
represented in this city BY their principal chiefs clothed
with full powers by the nation fully assembled in coun-