Page images
PDF
EPUB

A Treaty of Peace and Friendship

BETWEEN THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERIGA,

AND THE

KINGS, CHIEFS AND WARRIORS

OF THE

CREEK NATION OF INDIANS.

A TREATY of PEACE and FRIENDSHIP Made and concluded between the Prefident of the United States of America, on the Part and Behalf of the faid States, and the undersigned Kings, Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Nation of Indians, on the Part and Behalf of the faid Nation.

THE

HE parties being defirous of establishing permanent peace and friendship between the United States and the faid Creek Nation, and the citizens and members thereof, and to remove the causes of war by afcertaining their limits, and making other neceffary, just and friendly arrangements: The President of the United States, by Henry Knox, Secretary for the Department of War, whom he hath conftituted with full powers for these purposes, by and with the advice and confent of the Senate of the United States, and the Creek Nation, by the underfigned Kings, Chiefs and Warriors, representing the said nation, have agreed to the following articles.

ARTICLE I.

There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between all the citizens of the United Vol. II,

E 3

friendship perpetual.

Peace and States of America, and all the individuals, towns and tribes of the Upper, Middle and Lower Creeks and Semanolies, compofing the Creek nation of Indians.

ARTICLE II.

The underfigned Kings, Chiefs and Warri Indians ac- ors, for themselves and all parts of the Creek knowledge Nation within the limits of the United States, protection of the U. S. do acknowledge themselves, and the faid parts

Prifoners to

of the Creck nation, to be under the protection of the United States of America, and of no other fovereign whofoever; and they also ftipulate that the faid Creek Nation will not hold any treaty with an individual State, or with individuals of any State.

ARTICLE III.

The Creek Nation fhall deliver as foon as be reflorca, practicable to the commanding officer of the troops of the United States, ftationed at the Rock-Landing on the Oconee river, all citizens of the United States, white inhabitants or negroes, who are now prisoners in any part of the faid nation. And if any fuch prifoners or negroes fhould not be fo delivered, on or before the first day of June enfuing, the governor of Georgia may empower three perfons to repair to the faid nation, in order to claim and receive fuch prifoners and negroes.

Boundaries.

ARTICLE IV.

The boundary between the citizens of the United States and the Creek Nation is, and fhall be, from where the old line ftrikes the river Savannah; thence up the faid river to a place on the moft northern branch of the fame, commonly called the Keowee, where a northeaft line to be drawn from the top of the Occunna mountain fhall interfect; thence along the faid line in a fouth-west direction to Tuge

lo river; thence to the top of the Currahee Boundaries. mountain; thence to the head or fource of the main fouth branch of the Oconee river, called the Appalachee; thence down the middle of the faid main fouth branch and river Oconee, to its confluence with the Oakmulgee, which form the river Altamaha; and thence down the middle of the faid Altamaha to the old line on the said river, and thence along the faid old line to the river St. Mary's.

And in order to preclude forever all disputes relatively to the head or fource of the main fouth branch of the river Oconee, at the place where it shall be interfected by the line aforefaid, from the Currahee mountain, the fame fhall be afcertained by an able furveyor on the part of the United States, who fhall be affifted by three old citizens of Georgia, who may be appointed by the Governor of the faid ftate, and three old Creek chiefs, to be appointed by the faid nation; and the faid furveyor, citizens and chiefs fhall affemble for this purpose, on the first day of October, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-one, at the Rock Landing on the faid river Oconee, and thence proceed to afcertain the faid head or fource of the main fouth branch of the faid river, at the place where it fhall be interfected by the line aforefaid, to be drawn from the Currahee mountain. And in order that the faid boundary fhall he rendered diftinct and well known, it fhall be marked by a line of felled trees at least twenty feet wide, and the trees chopped on each fide from the faid Currahee mountain, to the head or fource of the faid main fouth branch of the Oconee river, and thence down the margin of the faid main fouth branch and river Oconee for the

1

distance of twenty miles, or as much farther as may be neceffary to mark diftinctly the faid boundary. And in order to extinguish forever all claims of the Creek nation, or any part thereof, to any of the land lying to the northward and eastward of the boundary herein described, it is hereby agreed, in addition to the confiderations heretofore made for the faid land, that the United States will caufe certain valuable Indian goods now in the state of Georgia, to be delivered to the faid Creek nation; and the faid United States will also cause the sum of one thousand and five hundred dollars to be paid annually to the said Creek nation. And the underfigned Kings, Chiefs and Warriors, do hereby for themselves and the whole Creek nation, their heirs and defcendants, for the confiderations abovementioned, release, quit claim, relinquish and cede, all the land to the northward and eastward of the boundary herein described.

ARTICLE V.

The United States folemnly guarantee to Guarantee. the Creek Nation, all their lands within the limits of the United States to the westward and fouthward of the boundary described in the preceding article.

to fettle on

Indian lands,

ARTICLE VI.

If any citizen of the United States, or other No citizen perfon not being an Indian, fhall attempt to fettle on any of the Creeks lands, fuch perfon fhall forfeit the protection of the United States, and the Creeks may punish him or not, as they please.

nor hunt on the Lame.

ARTICLE VII.

No citizen or inhabitant of the United States fhall attempt to hunt or deftroy the game on the Creek lands: Nor fhall any fuch citizen

or inhabitant go into the Creek country, without a paffport first obtained from the Governor of fome one of the United States, or the officer of the troops of the United States commanding at the nearest military post on the frontiers, or fuch other person as the Prefident of the United States may, from time to time, authorize to grant the fame.

ARTICLE VIII.

criminals.

If any Creek Indian or Indians, or perfon refiding among them, or who fhall take re- Indians to fuge in their nation, fhall commit a robbery or deliver up murder, or other capital crime, on any of the citizens or inhabitants of the United States, the Creek nation, or town, or tribe to which fuch offender or offenders may belong, shall be bound to deliver him or them up, to be punished according to the laws of the United States. ARTICLE IX.

committing crimes in

Indian ter

ritory to be punished.

If any citizen or inhabitant of the United States, or of either of the territorial districts Citizens of the United States, fhall go into any town, fettlement or territory belonging to the Creek nation of Indians, and fhall there commit any crime upon, or trefpafs against the perfon or property of any peaceable and friendly Indian or Indians, which if committed within the jurifdiction of any state, or within the jurisdiction of either of the said districts, against a citizen or white inhabitant thereof, would be punishable by the laws of fuch state or district, such offender or offenders fhall be fubject to the fame punishment, and fhall be proceeded against in the fame manner, as if the offence had been committed within the jurifdiction of the state or district to which he or they may belong, against a citizen or white inhabitant thereof,

« PreviousContinue »