This is the first letter that McGillivray wrote to a Spanish official. Arturo O’Neill was the Spanish governor of West Florida and was based in that colony’s capital, Pensacola. O’Neill’s Irish last name reveals that he was one of the Irishmen who served within a Catholic empire in hopes of one day liberating Ireland from the rule of Protestant England. In this letter, McGillivray is representing the Creeks in their negotiations with the Spanish in West Florida. The Creeks put different families in charge of particular diplomatic relationships, and Little Tallassee and the Upper Creeks were responsible for relations with West Florida, while East Florida and its capital, St. Augustine, was within the purview of the Lower Creeks. In this letter, the Creeks have just received news of the agreement in Paris between Britain and Spain deciding that both West and East Florida will be Spanish.
Sir,
Having received information a few days ago by letter from St. Augustine that the Definitive Treaty of Peace between their Britannic & Most Catholic [Spanish] Majesties was ratified and signed on the 3d day of September last in Paris, I take the liberty to congratulate Your Excellency on the happy event.
As the Floridas are confirmed to the Crown of Spain by the Peace I solicit in behalf of the Creek Nation his Majesty’s most Gracious Protection for themselves and country as is by them claimed & now held in actual possession. If in the event of that Britain has been compelled to withdraw its protection from us, She had no right to transfer us with their former possessions to any power whatever contrary to our inclinations and interests. We certainly as a free Nation have a right to choose our protector, and on our search what power is so fitting as the Master of the Floridas? I shall offer some Reasons to show that it would be good policy in the Crown of Spain to grant us our desires. Since the general peace has been declared the American Congress has published a state of their Finances and an account of the heavy debts they have Contracted in Europe and at home in carrying on the war, which I have now before me estimated at forty-two million & upwards of dollars, the yearly interest of which is two million and near a half dollars. The Court of France has made very pressing demand for the interest money. Congress, in order to comply with it to raise the money, they have laid on taxes & duties on the thirteen States, which has been so ill received that great numbers of the inhabitants are retired from their homes to avoid the taxes and are gone to seek new ones in the wilderness & are chiefly directing their course to the Mississippi together with numbers of disbanded soldiers who wish to possess themselves of a great part of the river & mean to erect & establish what they call a Western Independency out of the reach of the authority of Congress. Emigrations are so frequent that in a short time ’tis possible they will attempt it, as their numbers will daily increase & once they are settled it will be a work of time & expense to crush them. I can assure Your Excellency for a certainty that the Southern American States are exceeding Jealous of the countenance that is shown to the Indians at Pensacola & those States at this time are taking every measure in their power by supplies of goods and presents to fix this nation in their interest, which if they are allowed to effect they will make the most use of their influence & will cause the Indians from being friendly to Spain to become very dangerous neighbors and will make use of them in all the designs they may form against Pensacola & Mobile or elsewhere. All this they declare openly.
I shall say something on what methods ought to be taken to frustrate the Americans’ schemes. One principal consideration should be a plentiful supply of goods should be carried to trade in the Nation on the footing that the English used to do, for Indians will attach themselves to and serve them best who supply their necessities. There is a stipulation made for that in the articles for delivering up East Florida to his most Catholic Majesty. The Indians’ trading merchants remain and carry on their trade as usual, but it is much more convenient for this upper Nation to have the trade from West Florida, for which purpose I have to pray for leave to be given me to be allowed to bring a quantity of Indian Goods from St. Augustine to Mobile from whence I could supply my people by water carriage preferable to pack horses. I had no desire to carry on a trade but that I had engaged my nation in the cause of loyalty & to which they stood steadfast to the last, I consider myself obliged to support them for their fidelity.
I beg to offer to Your Excellency’s consideration what I have now written. If it should meet with approbation, the Crown of Spain will gain & secure a powerful barrier in these parts against the ambitious and encroaching Americans. I likewise herewith beg leave to offer my services as an agent for Indian Affairs on the part of his Most Catholic Majesty in which capacity I have Served his Britannic Majesty for very near eight years past.
Having a full reliance in Your Excellency’s best exertions in our behalf & wishing you every happiness,
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Excellency’s Most Obliged & Humble servant,
Alexander McGillivray
A chief of the Creek Nations
Source: The Papers of Panton, Leslie and Company, LC #89892147, MF 21,283, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., microfilm reel 1.
Evaluating the Evidence