Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-10

tiles of State, to the Executive Of the Union,
wi,hou, success, the Committee are Of opinion,
that removal Of the Indian Agent, without
examination or INQUIRY, would have been deem
ed by the Peo2,e O. the United States, an aro!-
trsry exercise of powcr In ordering an inqui'
~ into the foundation of the charges agains'
III. Aeon, the Committee conceive that the
President but did an &C, of justice due to every
citizen. however humble, and certainly not the
less due to an individual, who, by former Az
mins,ra,ion, had been placed and sustained 10
a responsible Office, and had been elected by tne
People of a sovereign State, as their sole ne
nresentatiye to the Congress Of the Union -
The result Of the inquiry, the defence oil the In
dian Agent, the testimony collected by the spe-
cial Agent, and his report thereon, as well as
| the dcinps of the Committee OF the HePuo'ic,
and of the Commissioners OF Georgia, and me
replies of Messrs Merriwether and Campbell,
are herewith submitted, and contain all the
means necessary 10 enable the House 10 form
on opinion, whether the Indian Agent could
have been removed from office, without sacrl-
! fcing the great principles of right and justice
! The Committee will only add the expression
of their belief, that, in declining to remove the
Indian gent. The Executive was actnated by no
feelings of"contempt for the opinion OF Ge"r-
gia, or of disregard for the welfare OF large
portion ofthe community"
In pursuance Of the proclamation OF the
Governor, the Legislature Of Georgia assem-
bled, and on the 9th Of June, passed an act "to
dispose Of and distribute the lands lately &C
Quired by the United States, of the Greek ma
ton Of Indians" By this act the whole OF the
coded territory within the limits OF Georgia,
was made suject to the Legislative and crimi
nal Jurisdiction OF the State; the land was d.
videc into sections, districts, and tracts of two
hundred and two and half acres each; one
hundred distric, surveyors, and ten surveyors
Of district, reserve and sectional lines were APP
pointed 10 be chosen and Land Lottery organ
lied, by which The said lots should be disposed
OF 10 the citizens Of Georgia.
The Treaty Of the Indian Springs had guar
an,ed to the Indians the undislurbed posses
sion of the land, Till September, 1926 This
guaranty, with the course which events had
taken among the Indians, and the serious and
fatal consequences likely to flow from the i'm
mediate introduction upon the lands of so large
a body Of sur, eyors, and their necessary atten-
dan;s, had led the Presiden, oflhe United States,
through the Secretary Of War, to make known
TO the Governor Of Georgia the expectation,
cision Of Congress was known on the subject;
and this course was adopted by The Governor.
On repairing TO the Creek nation, General
Gaines held Councils, both with the Mcintosh
party, and the Chiefs Of the nation opposed to
the treaty The former were assured OF the
protection of the United States against farther
violence. The latter were urged, with the
greatest earnestness, to accede to the terms OF
lhe Treaty Of the Indian Springs. To this pro-
position, no importantly could induce them TO
listen; and while they uniformly protested an
intention to submit TO the power OF the United
States, if called into action against them, they
as uniformly protested that they would accept
no compensation for the lands tina, might be-
Thus wrested from them. in compulsory exc
cution Of that Treaty.
Unable 10 procure from the Greeks an acQni-
essence Of the Treaty Of the Indian Springs, Ge-
neral Gaines received from them, in the open
Council Of the nation, written Instrument.
whereby a certain number Of Chiefs depuled 10
Washington for that purpose, were authorised
to negotiate a treaty for farther cession OF
land The depu,ation arrived at Washington,
and negotiation was opened BY The Secretary
of War 1t Immediately appeared, however,
that a misrepresentation existed, as 10 the extent
Of their powers in regard TO cesslon. In his
conferences with them al the Broken Arrow,
Genera! Gaines had first proposed to them to
enter into treaty. on the basis of cesson OF
all their lands in Georgia. This proposition
they re jected General Gaines then, of his own
accord, and without instructions, as he inform
ed them at the time,) proposed Treaty on the
basis of cession Of their lands East Of The Chat
tahouchie. They declined acceding 10 this, on
the ground that part of their delegation was
already gone TO Washington. The written in
slrumcnt just alluded to, was, however, drawn
up, setting forth the authority given 10 their
deputation, to accede 10 "the last proposition OF
the President, made by General Gaines" By
this "last proposi,ion," the delegation declared
that they understood the unauthorized one,
which made the Chaltahouchie the boundary
General Games had understood his authorised
proposition 10 he meant viz that which pro-
posed cession Of all the lands within the Ii
mits of Georgia. 1t appears, however, from
the document that such was not the case.
This misappreheusion of the powers OF the
the Greek depu,aton, formed a serious obstacle
in the outset, TO the progress of the negocia-
tons IL was III this posture OF affairs, that the
meeting of Congress took place, and II appears
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