Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-22
COL. BENTON'S HISTORY.
Aa,p lS26-Joha Quincy adams President
Rem0yal of Indians from Georaio.


B agreement with the State of Georgia in the year
1909 the United States became bound in consideration
Of tie cesson Of the Western territory, constituting
the States Of Alabama and Mississippi to extngush the
remainder Of the Indian title within her limits and TO
remove the Indians from the State, OF which large ana
valuable portions then occupied by the Creeks ana
Cherokees No time limited for the fualment OF this
obligation, and quarter of century had passed
away without seeing its execution At length Georgia
seeing no end to this delay, became inpatient and justly
So the long delay being equivalent to breach OF the
agreement; for, although time was limited for the ex-
ccutiou OF tie agreement yet reasonable time was na-
turalIy undsrstood and that ncessant and faithful
dcavors should be made to comply with her undertaking
In the years 1924 25 this had become serious ques-
tion between the United States and Georgia, and Mr.
Monroe in the last year Of his Administration, and among
its last acs had the satisfaction to conclude treaty
with hq Creek Indians for cession Of their claims in
the Stat, and hsr removalfrom it. This the treaty
49, s Ma ssSsa sans
City other chiefs signing Il in the presence Of Crowe
eUnited States Indian agent 1t ceded all the Crek
State Aabana Complaints followed it to washington as
having been conluted by Mcintosh without the authority
of the nation. Thy ratification OF the treaty opposed
but finally carret and by the strong vote of 81 to
Disappointed in their opposition to the treaty Wash
ngton, the discbtented party became violent at home
killed Mcintosh ind another Chief declared forcble
sstance to the fcution Of the treaty. and prepared to
resist. Georgia. on her part determined to execute it
by taking possession of the ceded territory The Govern
ment of the Unfd States felt itself bound interfere
The Presdht, Mr.. Adams, became impressed with
the conviction tat the treaty had been made without due
authority and atits execution ought not to be enforced
and sent Gen anes with Federal troops to the confines
of Georgia III Georgia in fame at this view of
force, and thgncghborng States sympathzed with her.
In the me the President anxious avoid violence
and to obtai justice for Georgia. treated further aud
assembling te head and chiefs of the Greeks at
Washington Eity concluded treaty with them,
january, 1867 by which the treaty of Indian Springs
annuled and substitute for it negotiated ceding
all the CreeI lands in Gesrgia, but in Alabama.
This treaty, Eith message detailing all the difficulties
of the question, Immediately communicated by the
President II the Senate, and by it referred to the Com
mittee lillian Affairs, Of which was chairman The
committee ported against the ratification of the treaty
earnestly d{rccated q collision of between the Fe-
dcra Government and State, and recommended further
negotiation Ia thing the more easy the Creek chiefs
still 1t Washington The objections to the new
treaty wers:
/. That i annulled the Mcintosh treaty thereby i'm
plying its legality, and apparently ustiyng the fate of
its authors
,. Beca did not cede the whole of the Greek lands
in Georgia
3. Becaise it cedei none in Alabama.
neutrality-suspicious., according to the recommendation
of the Sene had by the Presdent and the 3lst
of March of the same year supplemental article was
concudedby which al the Creek lands in Georgia were
ceded to r and the Greeks within her borders bound to
emigrate 10 q home beyond the Mississippi. The
vote in tie Senate ratifying this treaty and its
supplemental article full and emphatic-thirty to
vorable Il the object but dissatisfied with the clause
which annlled the Mcintosh treaty and implied cen
sure upoI its authors Northern Senators voted in
body to d. this great act justice to Georgia. restrained
by unworthy feeling against the growth and prosper
ty of slave State And thus carried into effect
after delay Of quarter of century, and after great
Sa ate SS The ani q
paid at last for her great cesson OF territory and
Obtained the removal Of Indian community out of hel
limits and the and dominion Of all her soil for settle
n
to her. and sought in vain under three successive South
ern Observation-Disclosures, Madison, Monroe-and now
accomplished under Northern President, with the full
and support Of the Northern delegations in
Congress- for the Northern Representatives in the House
voted the appropriations to carry the treaty into effect
readily the Senator's had voted the ratification Of the
treaty itself Candid men, friends to the harmony and
stability Of this Union, should remember these things
when they hear the Northern States Of the
conduct of some societies and individuals charged with
unjust and criminal designs towards the South.
An incident which attended the negotiation of the sup
Elemental article the treaty of January deserves be
commemorated instance of the frauds which may
attend Indian negotiations and for which there is so
little chance Of detection by either of the injured parties,
by the Indians themselves by the Federal Government
When the President in the treaty Of January and
after its rejection by the Senate became certain thereby
leaving the Federal Government and Georgia upon the
point Of collision urged upon Mr. James Barbour, the
(of whose department the Indian Office
was Ill en- branch the necessity of supplemental arti-
Gle cedng all the Greek lands in Georgia and assured
him that with that additional article the treaty would be
ratified and the question settled The Secretary was
very willing do all this but said it impossible that
the chiefs would not agree to it, recommended to him
to make them some presents to overcome their
opposition which he most nnocently declined because
IL would SAVIOR of bribery In the time il had
been communicated that the treaty already made
was itself the work Of great bribery the Of 6O 600
out 7 000 which it stipulated to the Greek nation,
beinr fund for private distribution among the chiefs
who negotiated it, Having received this information,
felt quite sure that the fear OF the rejection Of the treaty
and the consequent loss of these 100000 to the
tiatng chiefs would their assent to the supple
mental article without the inducement Of further pre-
sents had interview with the leading chiefs, and
made known to them the 'interesting" fact that the
Senate would reject the treaty 1T Stood but would
ray il with supplemental article ceding oil their lands
in Georgia With this information they agreed to the
additional articles and then the whole ratified as
have already stated But further work remained be-
hind II TO balk the fraud Of the corrupt dstrbu-
ton Of 600 among few chiefs and that was TO be
done in the appropriation bill, and by clause directing
the whole treaty money to be paid to the nation The
case was communicated to tho Senate in secret session,
and committee Of conference appointed essrs Bcnon
Van Buren, and Berren) to agree with the House COM
mtee the proper clause to be put p the appropr
on BILL II also communicated TO the Secretary -at
War He sent in report from Mr., Mckinney the In
dian Bureau clerk and actual negotiaor Of the treaty,
admitting the fact Of the intended private distribution,
which, in fact could not be denied held original
paper showing the Of all the intended recipients,
with the sum allowed to each, beginning at S2OOOO and
ranging down to $1,000 and that it was done with ms
cognizance.
Some extracts from speeches delivered that occasion
viii well finish this view Of transaction which at one
time threatened violence between State and the Federal
Government and in which a great fraud in an Indian
treaty was detected and frustrated.
FATAL RENcoSrREA bloody tragedy enacted nj Din
widdie Court House on Monday evepng Thomas = Lewis