Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-03-18


ure. II the prolonged detainment of q
few dollars in the treasury was an OBJ
ject of greater moment than the saliva.
tion of the frontier people from the
scalping knife of the Indians, still il
was measure which in the end
precipitated those dollars from its cof.
fers with accumulated profusion. Even
in this point of view it must be deemed
to have been founded upon bad arith.
metical calculations The Spanish
government at the same time that II
kindled the flames of war amongst the
Greeks and Cherokees, was no less dill.
gent in the use of means to attach to
itself the good will of the Choctaws
and Chickasaws, in order to employ il
when convenient 10 the ANNOYANCE of
the people of Cumberland. Gayoso,
the Spanish Governor at Natchez, had
in 1890, made treaty with those ma.
tions, and had obtained by cession a
portion of country which encompasses
the Walnut hills. Towards the begin
ming of the year, 1893, he held another
treaty with them at Satchez, at which
was only the Spanish party of the
Choctaw nation. He obtained from
them permission for the Spaniards to
continue the new fort at the Walnut
hills, near the mouth of the Yazoo.
The chiefs declared to the nation that
they had sold him no lands. Even
this concession, which they had made,
gave so much offence to the young
warriors of the nation that they threat
ened to put to death the chiefs who
had been present at the treaty. But
the truth is, that Gov. Gayoso obtain
ed from them the REIMBURSEMENT of a
large tract of country; beginning at the
mouth of the Yazoo; THENCE ten miles
up 1t, thence southeast to river which
empties into lake Pont Chartrain.
called Midway, aud down that river.
The Chickasaws who attended the con.
ferences at Nashville in August, 1892,
declared that the Spaniards were urg
ing the Greeks to war with the United
States. At this time Gov, Blaunt was
not unapprehensive of the objects
which the Spaniards had in view, by
an intercourse of SO much frequency,
nor was he inattentive to the employ.
ment of measures for their detection.
man of the name of Alexander
Douglass had been recommended to
him by Gen. Pickens. He was Scotch.
man, and therefore could gain admit
tance to Panton, the great Scotch mer.
cant at Pensacola, who managed In.
dian affairs for the Spanish govern
ment; and of course he could gain ad.
mittance, as Gov. Blount supposed, to
all others Of the Scotch nation who
were there. He had been bred a Jesuit
and understood the Spanish language,
and had resided several years amongst
the Indians. He had lately acted as a
private tutor in the family of General
Pickens. This man Gov. Blount en-,
gagged to be present at Pensacol at the
approaching meeting of Indians, and
to learn and communicate to him all
that transpired. This man was un.
fortunately mistaken for another as he
passed through the nation Of the
Chickasaws towards Knoxville and
was killed.
On the 18th of December, 1792, Gen
Robertson having received permission
from the Governor to supply the
Chickasaws with corn, had made con .
tracts for the delivery thereof ut the
Chickasaw Bluffs; some had been sent
down, and had actually been there de.
livered; but the Governor now stated,
that the delivery ought not to be made |
at the Bluff, for that being free gift,
they could afford to carry it down the
river themselves and that they could |
do it as well as the white people. If
delivered at the Bluff, he remarked,
they would use it very much more
profusely than if conveyed thither by
themselves. The Chootaws he said,
would petition for corn at the same
place, and that it could not be refused
to them, since it was granted to the
Chickasaws. He forbade the making
of further deliverance at the Bluff, or
at any other place except near the
Generals house, unless it were found
actually necessary 10 preserve their
friendship for the United States at this
crisis. And he advised an express to
Piomingo, to inform him that he must
apply for the corn on the umberland,
near Gen. Robertson's g plantation. He
dreaded the querulous dissatisfaction
of his superiors, who never failed,
when opportunity offered, to grumble
at the improvidence of western expen
insomuch that the people of
the southwestern territory began
very seriously to think, that to them.
selves might justly be applied the old
proverb of jumping from the frying
pan into the fire.
On the Sth of January, in the year
1893, the head men of the Cherokees
protesting to be disposed for peace, and
having appointed the 18th of April for
a conference, with a view to the resto.
ration of peace, and the Governor
hoping FROM the measures he had taken
and the present temper of the Indians