Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-12-08


perpetrated on both sides. The Southern
States were unable to defend themselves.
and applied for aid to General Amherst,
commander of the British forces in
America, from whom indispensable assist.
ance was twice received. A treaty OF
peace was at last made between the Chero-
KEGS and the Colonists, the terms of which
] do not find.
Soon after the close of this war, Capt.
Steuart, sagacious and intelligent man,
having been much acquainted with the
Indian character, was appointed, by the
King, Superintendent of Indian Affairs,
for all the territory south of Virginia. He
convened general congress of Indians
at Mobile, where he, made long speech
to them. addressing the different tribes in
succession. At the close of his speech be
said -
Lastly, | inform you, that it is the
Kings order to all his governors and sub
jects, to treat Indians with justice and hu-
man:ty, and to forbear all encroachments
on the territories allotted for them. Ac-
cordingIy, all individuals are prohibited
from purchasing any of your lands; but
as you know that your white brethren can
not feed you when you visit them, unless
you giue them grounds to plant, it is ex-
pected that yOu wiU cede lands to the King
for that purpose !; but whenever you shall
be pleased to surrender any of your terri
tories to has Mqjesty. it must be done, for
the future, at publick meeting of your
nation, when the governour of the prov
inces, or the superintendants, shall be
present, and obtain the consent of all your
people. The boundaries of your hunting
grounds will be accurately fixed, and no
settlement permitted to be made upon them.
As you may be assured that all treaties
with you will be faithfully kept. SO it is
expected that you also will be careful
strictly TO observe them"
l 1t is not necessary TO detain the reader
with any comments on these declarations
of the authorised representative of the
British Crown; only let them be com.
pared with the present claims of Georgia
Treaty of augusta or fourth Treaty
with the Indians, IN achich Georgia ,oas q
party.
A great meeting Of Chiefs of the Gaia.
ba, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and
Creek nations was convened at Augusta,
by invitation of the colonists, at which
were present Gov. Wright, Of Georgia,
Gov. Boons, Of South-C Carolina, Lieut..
Gov. Fanquier, of Virginia, and Captain
Steuart, Superintendent Of Indian Affairs
in the Southern Department. A treaty
was concluded Nov. 10. 1868, by which
cession of lands was made in satisfac-
ton of debts which the Indians had con-
tracted with the English. The Cherokees
and Creeks united in this grant, which,
with what had been previously granted,
embraced all the sea coast Of Georgia,
and SO far back as to make about one
eighth part Of the State, as it now APP
pears on the map, or one twentieth part
of the limits which were fixed by the
King of England, for his colony of Geor-
gia, after the peace with Spain of the
same year, and which include Alabama
and Mississippi.
Having given an account of this treaty,
the historian adds =" believe it may be
said of Georgia that there has been no in
stance in which lands have been forced
from the aborigines by conquest and
that, in all cases, the Indians have express
ed their entire satisfaction at the compen-
sations which have been given them for
acquisitions of territory" The history
was published in 1911.
most sincerely desire that the histori-
an who shall write hundred years hence
may be enabled to say the same thing. 1t
can never be truly said, however, that
Georgia has not repeatedly, within few
years past threatened to take the lands of
Indians by force. and thus been chargea-
BILE with depressing them, by creating the
most serious alarm among them.
The Creek Indians, not being very
skilful casuists in distinguishing between
rights to real and personal property, in
terpreted the treaty in such sense as to
give them right to cattle and horses,
which they found struggling in the woods
on their lands. They fairly demonstrated
with Gov. Wright. however. against the
whites permitting their stock to stray over
the boundaries. Having occasion to use
some horses, which were found there, the
Indians took several A party of whites,
irritated by the loss of their horses, made
an Eruption into the Creek country, re-
took the property, remunerated themselves
to their own satisfaction for other losses.
and burned all the houses in the towns.
The Chiefs came to Savannah and COM
planned of this harsh treatment; the Gov
ernour. made them compensation, and
peace was restored. Let the reader de-
eide, which party gave the most evidence
of savage manners in this transaction.
In l773 convention of Creeks and
Cherokees was held at Augusta, when
another tract of land was coded to the
colonists. in payment of debts.