As southeastern Indians conducted diplomacy with one another and with Spain, representatives of individual U.S. states and of the federal Congress tried to do the same with Indians. Indians soon learned that it was seldom clear whether the states or Congress was in charge. At first, the Creeks received threats and land demands from Georgia but nothing from Congress. Georgians even forced two chiefs to sign a “Treaty of Augusta” in November 1783 supposedly ceding land, which the Creeks refused to ratify. Finally, in 1785 Congress appointed Andrew Pickens and several other commissioners to try to reach peace with the Creeks and take precedence over Georgia in Indian relations.
Sir,
… The notification you have sent us is agreeable to our wishes, especially as the meeting is intended for the desirable purpose of adjusting and settling matters on an equitable footing between the United States and the Indian Nations — at same time I can’t avoid expressing my surprise, that a measure of this nature should have been so long delayed on your parts. When we found that the American independency was confirmed by the peace, we expected that the new government would soon have taken some steps to make up the differences that subsisted between them and the Indians during the war, and to have taken them into protection, and confirm to them their hunting grounds. Such a conduct would have reconciled the minds of the Indians, and secured to the States their attachment and friendship, and considered them as their natural guardians and allies. Georgia whose particular interest it was to have endeavored to conciliate the friendship of this Nation; but instead of which, I am sorry to observe that violence and prejudice had taken place of good policy and reason, in all their proceedings with us. They attempted to avail themselves of our supposed distressed situation—their talks to us breathed nothing but vengeance, and being entirely possessed with the idea that we were wholly at their mercy, they never once reflected that the colonies of a powerful Monarch [Spain] were nearly surrounding us, and to whom in any extremity we might apply for succor and protection, and who to answer some end of their policy might grant it to us. However we yet deferred any such proceeding, still expecting we could bring them to a sense of their true interest; but, still finding no alteration in their conduct toward us, we sought the protection of Spain, and treaties of friendship and alliance were mutually entered into, they to guarantee our hunting grounds & territory and to grant us a free trade in the ports of the Floridas.
How the boundary or limits between the Spaniards and the States will be determined, a little time will show, as I believe that matter is now afoot — however we know our own limits and the extent of our hunting grounds, and as a free Nation we have applied, as we have a right, and have obtained protection for, so that we shall pay no regard to any limits that may prejudice our claims, that were drawn by an American and confirmed by a British negotiator.
Yet notwithstanding we have been obliged to adopt these measures for our preservation and from real necessity, we sincerely wish to have it in our power to be on the same footing with the States as before the late unhappy war — to effect which it is entirely in your power. We want nothing from you but justice. We want our hunting grounds preserved from encroachment — they have been ours from the beginning of time, and I trust that with the assistance of our friends, we shall be able to maintain them against every attempt that may be made to take them from us.
Finding our representations to the State of Georgia of no effect in restraining the encroachments, we thought it proper to convene a meeting of the Nation on the matter — We then came to a resolution to send out [war] parties to remove the people and effects from off the lands in question, in the most peaceable manner possible.
Agreeable to your requisition, and to convince you of our sincere desire to restore a good understanding between us, I have taken the necessary steps to prevent any future predatory excursions of my people against any of your settlements. I could wish that the people of Cumberland showed an equal good disposition to do what is right: They were certainly the aggressors since the peace, and acknowledged it in a written certificate left at the Indian camp they had plundered.
I have only to add that we shall prepare ourselves to meet the Commissioners of Congress, whenever we shall receive notice, in expectation that every matter of difference will be made up & settled with that liberality and justice, worthy the men who have so gloriously asserted the cause of liberty and independency, and that we shall in future consider them as brethren and defenders of the land.
I am with much Respect
Sir
Your most obedient Servant
Source: Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, M247, National Archives and Records Service, Washington, DC, microfilm reel 99, pp. 467–70.
Evaluating the Evidence