- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1834 Jul. 4, Philadelphia [to] John Fontaine, Columbus, Georgia / Jno. [i.e. John] Milton
- Creator:
- Milton, John, fl. 1834
- Date of Original:
- 1834-07-04
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Land tenure
- Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter dated July 4, 1834 from John Milton to John Fontaine, a Columbus, Georgia merchant and politician, regarding negotiations with the Western Creeks for the purchase of "five sections" of Indian land. Milton notes that there was a partial settlement between himself and (Chilly?) McIntosh, who is in debt to Milton. After speaking with the president (Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837), Milton is confident that the United States will support the terms of negotiation advocated by himself.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- jft002
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jft002
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jft002#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_jft002/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], John Fontaine Papers, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 3 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, John Fontaine Papers, box 01, folder 1834 July-September, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Philadelphia
July 4th 1834
Dr [Dear] Sir:
The agreement between the Western Creeks and us relative to the Five sections, was made before Judge Herring the day after I wrote to you. -- It is this viz -- That they shall be valued by disinterested persons to be appointed by Judge Turraut, agreeably to the present rates of valuation, and if the amt [amount], Exceeds what we have given we are allowed the amt [amount] advanced as so much paid and are to pay the ballance [balance] . -- The Government will cause the lands to be valuable -- if the locations are not made on good lands they will be changed. -- In a partial settlement between McIntosh & myself, he was largely in my debt more than I articulated and acknowledged in the Indian office [document damaged] ce of Thirty one hundred & thirty one doll [document damaged] agent by me for the Five reserves. -- This was [document damaged] Judge Herring and will be immediately forwarded to Judge Torraut, with the instructions. --
I had to appear before the President to advocate the claims to the individual purchase, -- he received & treated us very respectfully -- and after an investigation stated that he thought our claims equitable and entitled to the support of the Government, but regreted [regretted] that agreeably to the regulations he could not act upon them, in their present condition -- but gave orders that our contracts should not be interfered with by any other untill [until] they were acted upon by Congress -- & he Expressed himself confidently that our claims would be sustained.
But to avoid delay & place them in a con
Page: [2]
dition to be approved by the President. -- Judge Herring advised, that they should likewise be valued & that we should pay to Judge Turraut the amt [amount] of valuation -- obtain the certificates & then proceed for the money before it was paid to the Indians --
-- The delegation who were present -- said that the Indians would be willing to allow us the amounts in payments which he had advanced & J -- Torraut will be instructed to make [illegible text] hold the money -- write to them in the subject and and [and] if they consent -- re-pay to us -- otherwise pay it or the Law may require after legal process.
= These arrangements are to me satisfactory -- our rights are secured [document damaged]
-- The agent [document damaged] will be specially instructed to assign [document damaged] loss to the Emigrated indians -- & where others have [illegible text] them & made sale of their loss -- the contracts will be set aside. -- You or Geo [George] [illegible text] had better Examine the Certifying agents' books immediately -- and where these [illegible text] have been attempted -- cause the agents to notify the Government. -- So has [illegible text] -- in one case & I Expect there are others.
= I shall remain here a month and should be glad to hear from you. -- I shall write to Turraut tomorrow. --
Very respectfully Your friend
[Signed] Jno [John] Milton
Mr Jno [John] Fontaine.
Page: [3]
25
[ Note: A postmark appears in the upper left side of the page.; [illegible text] ]
Mr John Fontaine. Columbus -- Georgia
The drafts you gave me I had discounted [illegible text] days ago in Washington