The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-02-01
TIE fJAfE1 DfOfAF GH.
MEMORIAL. OF ThE MueC0GEE Or CREEK
NA1IuN OF IkDIAHs, 10 THE CONGREss


nrxos,A,. OF spi aks sS. ssts1 81 carrk
NAfIuN OF IkDlAHe, 10 THE CONGRES3 !
oFsfnE UkfTED STATES.
NJ Editor "a hurried perusaf Of this Report
nae elishtened nasnoHewhst y 70 our Indian re-
lae1oeA and sat6es me, also. that although some
shine has bscn done for many Of the tribes there
yetremains much 10 be done for them all.
upoa he subject ofthe civilization and improve.
ment cfthe indians, the Commissioner on Indian
Adetfs "a his last annual report ssys that judging
from Reponsof past yess, 'mcst u the tribes that
have becu Nnder our immediate super vision for
Considerable periods should, by this time, have al,
tanned 10 IN advanced state ef civilization and i'm,
prpysa1ent bur unhappiy, this Is NOT the case with
any, Yet, that many have made an encouraging
de4reeof progress 10 acquiring the elements of q
rudescisiiiz alton, cannot be denied" He goes on
further % observe that "much has certainly been
effected, bat more RENAME YET TO be done, to se.
cure and accomplish the full and complete regeue.
radon of this singular but interesting race within
our borders; butthe object Is noble one, and in
allrespects deserving the attention and energies
OF the government, and OF great Christian peo-
Iperfecsly agree with the conclusion at which
the ComEuissioner arrives. Comparatively little,
In my OF hon. has been done by the Government
g ncccmpibh even partial regeneration OF our
Indian trfbes The object IL indeed noble" one
and. 70 achieve II. tardy justice to many OF the
tribes has been the only Instrument used Hence,
the true condition ofhe several tribes, and the dis
0VpOk0tmEnt expeflenceu, Wueu tue n6pOFt6 q pre-
vious years are usually referred to- and this will
chsracterze their history, from year to year until
Q more liberal and eniishted policy marks the &C.
ton fthe Government in reference to them.
| might go on to enumerase many instances
where Indian tribes have retrogarded instead of
advancing 10 the march of civilization, by reason
of the policy OF the Government In Withholding
from Them, for long eeries OF years, that which
was their due, and had which been meted out to
them as Justice demanded, their state of advance
mentin civilization would have presented an aspect
quite different from what II is at present In fact
to be plain, the history Of the Government in its
dee'sngs with one OF the more civilized tribes NAV
be considered a. applicable to each and every ons
otishem. Take. for instance, the Creeks Here is
tribe, one OF hemost populous and civilized over
which the Government professes to exercise omar
diAnship tits tribe whose civilization has acfu
ally been retarded by the Government, in conse-
quebec OF gross injustice done to it, Withhold the
means OF providing for the education and improve.
ment Of the white race, and where would be their
rapid stride in ciyiizaiionf' Where their schools
ana academies; their stately temples Of knowledge
and OF Worship Where their commerce and their
wealth. That all this has been achieved by the
expenditure of untold treasure and great labor
none but fool would deny. And yet it is expected
OF the Indian that he must advance rapidly to a
state OF comparative equality with the white man;
me G0yernmenf, IN the meantime. in the munif.
cence OF IFS bounty providing for his tribe farmer
and blacksmith, out of their own money, and dol
ingont to them per capita, a few dollars per an.
mum - away Win 9ucQ pOllcy and such
tons. But to one illustration
From a document before me- purportins to be a
Memorial OF the Muscogee or Creek Nation of In.
dams, to the Congress OF the United States gath
er the following acts Nearly the whole of the great
SNbes OF Georgia and Alabama belonged to the Mus
cogee or Creek Nation This Nation was divided
into two parts called the Upper and Lower Creeks.
The upper Creeks were composed of tribes con.
quered or anicably received by the Muscogees or
Lower Greeks. These, at an early day. were nm.
der French and then under Spanish protection and
many OF them were always hostile to the United
States. The Lower Greeks inhabited the country
on the Chattahoochee River and was always friend.
IL with the whites They were in fact the Or ri lin
al Muscogees, and alone owned all the national
Lands, and had right to dispose of them. They
made several treaties with Georgia, ceding lands
and with the United States also. One of these th.
treaty OF 1890, solenaIy guaranteed to the Creek
Nation all their lande not then ceded This was
done by express direction of Gen. Washington af
ter taking the vice OF the Senate; so that up TO
the year 1873 the Nation owned all the country be-
tween the rivers Ocinugee and Altamaha, on the
East, and the Tombigby river and the Cnoctaw and
Chickasaw possessions on the West and between
the 3Ist degree of North latitude or the Spanish
line, on the South and the Cherokee country and
the Tennessee river on the North
AT this period. large number of the chiefs and
warriors principally OF the upper towns led away by
the persuasons and arts of Tecunseh aid the Iyins
predictions and fanatcal teachings of their prophets
commenced a vindictive AID sanguinary war against
the United States and the friendly portions of Their
own nation. They attacked the white settlements,
burned aud devastated them, and murdered the in.
hsbtants they also destroyed the property of the
friendly Creeks at several of their towns shot many
of their inhabitants burned Kaligee slew friendJv
chiefs at the cd Coosa town, ana committed MANY
other Of rapine, cruelty bloodshed and murder
not necessary herein to en1merate But the Lower
Creeks remained friendly. They were a settled peo.
pie. desrous of living peaceaby with the whites So
II was solemnly declared by their Council. They
pursued and punished those who robbed aud muir.
dered the whites, putting many of them to death
In fact they became active allies of the whites aid
ed in fighting the battles of Taliassehatchie and
Tsiladega, four hundred of them fought under Gen
Floyd at Autossee, and many were killed and wound
ed. They fought under Gen. Jackson at Emuckfaw,
100 Of them took part in the batle of Ca'abee and
q large body fought in the decisive battle Of the
Horse Shee, forded the Tallapoosa with Coffee set
ire 70 the town. snd attacked the hostiles from he
work 10 front. -Four thousand of thea were driven
from their homes their dwellings burned their cat
together at Coweta and Cussetah, and fed by the Co
vernment agent who testified to their uniform idel
ity bravery and good conduct, aud constant read
ness to ght by The sides of the whites Such. BRET
~ was the conduct OF the Lower friendly Creeks
during the waI- Let M,e see how they have been
gOa the goth April. 1914 Gen. Thos. Pinckney ar
rived at Fort Jackson and being the senior officer Of
the Saut hern army, assumed the command
On the sd OF the same month. he directed Colonel
Hawkins TO communicate to the hostile Creeks the
tsrnso on which peace would be granted to them
viii retain so much of the conquered territory ss
may appear to the government thereof to be inst
indemnity for the expenses of the war and as 80
ttution for the injuries sustained by its citizens ana
the friendly Greek Indians" And he directed the
end said: "You may likewise inform tbam ans
the United States will not forget their fidelity hnt
In the ngements hich may be made of the ano
t. be retained IS indemni y their claims will he US
spected and such of their chiefs as have dstnau;hd
themselves, by their exertons and valor in the com.
mon cause will also receive a remunerat;o I'm III
ceded isnos. and in such manner as the Govsn me
may direct. The Secretary of War had instrnntaI
Gen. Pinckney that one of the terms of pesca S,p
Penses Of the war, by the cession of so h Lana =.
should De deemed an equivalent and directed that
and in tie nature of apt uation So that h,h ~,
hostile aud friendly indians distinctly informsS
that the hestiIes were to captuIate and ceda nanS
81 their lspds TO pay the expenses of the war Tbas
lands were TO be retained ont OF IL - -ness