- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1825 Aug. 23, Bulloch County, [Georgia] to General David B. Mitchell, Milledgeville, Geo[rgia] / J[oh]n MacPherson Berrien
- Creator:
- Berrien, John MacPherson, 1781-1856
- Date of Original:
- 1825-08-23
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Treaties
Creek Indians--Legal status, laws, etc. - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Letter from Georgia State Senator John MacPherson Berrien to David B. Mitchell (Governor of Georgia, 1809-1813, 1815-1817 and U.S. Agent to the Creeks, 1817-1821), dated August 23, 1825. Berrien explains that the president has recently called into question the validity of a treaty with the Creeks (Treaty of Indian Springs, February 12, 1825). Due to this development, Berrien requests accurate information about the demography and political system of the Creek Nation.
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:
- krc033
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc033
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc033#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc033/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Keith Read, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Keith Read, box 02, folder 28, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Bulloch County
23rd August 1825
Dear Sir,
The [unclear text: postion [position] ] in which our affairs with the General Government are placed, by the determination [unclear text: announced ] by the President to submit the question of the validity of the treaty with the Creeks, to Congress, makes it very important to me to acquire accurate information as to the political organization of that tribe -- I have heard of Princes & chiefs, of Councils & towns, but I have no distinct notion of them, and believing that you can afford me the information, I want, and not doubting your disposition to do so, I have taken the liberty to address myself to you -- I am desirous of knowing
1. What is the population of the Creek nation ?
2. What are its primary political divisions?
3. If into towns what are they? have they any stationary population -- and what /as near as it has been ascertained/ is it?
4. What is the political organization of these towns? What officers, /chiefs or others/ belong to them? What political power do they exercise, internally, and through whom - externally, and through whom and
Page: [2]
where ? Is there any fixed place for the exercise of these powers? any Ge neral seat of Gov ernment?
5. Are there any other than these primary divisions and what are they? What are their powers ? and through what officers, and where, and at what stated times /if any/ are they exercised?
6. Of whom is the General Council of the nation composed ? Are its powers limited and how? Are there any & what stated times & places, for its meeting -- any and what prescribed mode of assembling it?
7. A Prince is spoken of - how is he chosen ? what are his powers ? Is there more than one & how many?
8. Is there any national treasury, where kept and by whom?
9. Are there inclusive titles to real property, vested in individuals ? are these titles general or confined to a few, and if so, to what individuals or classes ?
10. Is there any code of laws ? Is it traditional, or has it been [unclear text: reduced ] to writing, or is it in print ? How are these laws enacted, promulgated, modified and repealed ?
11. How is judicial power exercised? by whom ? at what stated times & places ? how are its sentences enforced ?
Page: [3]
I shall feel very much obliged by your answers to these enquiries - and by any other information on the subject which you may please to communicate -- and particularly by your own view of recent occurrences. Be pleased to direct to me at Savannah --
I am very Respectfully Dear Sir Yr Ob St [Your Obedient Servant]
[Signed] Jn: [John] MacPherson. Berrien
Genl [General] Mitchell
Page: [4]
Statesborough
August 30th
Ansd. [Answered]
20. Oct-1825
paid
To/ General David B Mitchell Milledgeville /Geo [Georgia] /
J.M. [John MacPherson] Berrien
23d. August 1825