[Letter], 1825 Dec. 16, Washington, Brown's Hotel [to the] Secretary of War/ [signed by] Apothle-yoholo ... [et al.]

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Washington Brown's Hotel
16th Dec. 1825
Honble [Honorable] Secretary of War Friend and Brother
Yours of the 13th in reply to ours of the 10th has been, perused with attention. The motives of an Interview, we requested, and which is declined by our father, on the ground if inconsistency to usage were to the General Government that we were not afraid to speak our sentiments in the face of day.
The time approaches when the merits of a Treaty, so called, are to be discussed, the issue of which is, in the highest degree interesting to our nation. A nation, wealthy, powerful and enlightened, as yours, and whose influence is felt beyond the expanse of Big Nations, we believe will not suffer itself to yield to [unclear text: intangled [entangled] ] clamour [clamor], and knowingly decide to the prejudice of the Creek Nation. As character will be [unclear text: canvassed ] and as politics seem to be involved, we hope, that in the war of worlds, the great men will not forget the infant object that gave rise to discussion and unconsciously trample its interest under foot. The Creek nation has held many Treaties at different times and at different places. Never have they disputed a bargain legally made, or have they been guilty of prevarication. Many years ago


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the immortal Washington and Alexander McGillavry and certain chiefs of our nation shook hands and made peace at New York. The talk received from that great man, in which he promised that the U. S. would treat the Muscogees as children -- protect them from intrusion and respect their boundaries as they should be defined by Treaties -- that as long as they conducted well, peace and protection should be their portion, untill [until] the Great Spirit saw cause to destroy the world, either by the Elements of Water or fire, when boundaries and landmarks should cease in general oblivion. This talk has been kept by the proper authorities of our nation to this day.
From foreign emissaries and superstitious fanaticism a part of our citizens became hostile and painted themselves red. Our head Chiefs, the Little Prince and the Big Warrior with their warriors, [illegible text] to good talks and assisted General Jackson to conquer the deluded people. And at Fort Jackson in
1814 entered into a Treaty with the General, when peace was proclaimed boundaries prescribed and protection promised. He told our chiefs to surrender land and permit the U. States to populate the Country all around us and as we had been faithful friends to the President, we should here after live in peace as he would keep at a distance the bad people from over the Big Water that his friends the Creeks should sleep in security, and awake in peace.


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Our talks to the U. States have been scrupulously observed and fulfilled and the United States have also walked in the white path of truth -- They are now soon to tell the world, whether they still intend to respect Treaties, even with the least of their allies. The nature of Treaties is sacred and for trivial reasons should not be subject to reinvestigation. In the present instance, the Creek Nation declares the Treaty of McIntosh and certain Indians and the United States commissioners at the Indian Springs on the
12th February last to be counterfeit and effected contrary to usage and justice. A few [unclear text: gestures ] may not be amiss to insert here by way of [unclear text: illustration ] and let the inferences be [unclear text: drawn ] agreeable to the dictates of candor and impartiality.
Were Duncan G Campbell & James Meriwether instructed by the President to treat for lands with McIntosh and his party, or were they sent to the Creek Nations, at the head of which were the Little Prince and the Big Warrior?
Were not the Commissioners at Broken Arrow met by a vast body of chiefs and then told the nation had no land to sell?
Was it right after the sense of the nation was thus given to appoint a meeting within the jurisdiction of Georgia and that at short notice?
After a meeting was so convened & the authorized chiefs disputed and invited the commissioners within


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the nation if they had any new communications to make, to [unclear text: treat ] with the nation, was it reasonable to hold official intercourse with unauthorized individuals?
After the Chiefs of the Nation were recalled and obeyed the Summary, if they were chiefs of low grade as the Commissioners say, what object had they in sending the indefatigable Col. Williamson to pursue and try to induce them to come back?
When all were gone except McIntosh and his party, what right had the Commissioners to pronounce the Council to be a legal one, and the soil still represented -- And could such a delegation make it a lawful Council?
If McIntosh and his party were the reigning authority of the nation and he an Idol of the Nation, why did the Commissioners promise protection in the Treaty?
If a loaded Gun was not in the corner and a roap [rope] suspended over McIntosh's head, and if this law was unknown to the Georgians why did Gov. Troup for purposes of intimidation send his aid Col. Lamar to our Head Chiefs to tell us, that if we did any harm to McIntosh or his friends he would pursue us for full satisfaction as if the same had been done to the white people of Georgia!
Are not all nations entitled to support and interpret their own laws and punish their own Citizens agreeable to those laws? And had not the Creek Nation a right to execute an outlaw, who like McIntosh had rendered


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himself such and would not the United States, for a less offence hang a traitor?
Could the Compact of
1802 between the U. States and Georgia specifying that the Indian title to lands should be extinguished on "reasonable and peaceable conditions, excuse an officer in departing from instructions to effect a Treaty calculated to injure a Nation?
Would such a Treaty stand, made by a Nobleman of France or Britain, unauthorized either by verbal or written power, and would it be inserted upon as lawful, on the ground that he had once with others been invested with Diplomatic powers? And would it not be more [illegible text] to the magnanimity of a Great Nation to render justice to the weak than to oppress them?
As the Creek Nation has refused to receive a dollar of the money, stipulated to be paid in that Treaty, what excuse can the Congress of the U. States make to itself in confirming a Bargain which one nation has not sanctioned and for which they have not value received?
We do not expect answers in detail to the above questions, but it is our wish, that upon these principles Congress should decide. The leading principles of Justice in all nations will teach all Councils, that to keep clean of error, to decide for the afflicted nation, as they would wish to be treated, were they in like circumstances. Our nation respectfully demands the repeal of the Treaty of the Indian Springs in
February last. In doing this


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sufficient reasons are assigned and none [unclear text: stronger ] to be found on Earth than the fact, that our nation, in its legal capacity was not a party to the Treaty, and that they have refused to ratify a bargain calculated to annihilate the happiness of our people.
In our first letter, in the spirit of reconciliation and loyalty to the U. States, we agreed to surrender all the lands East of the Chatahoochy River. This ought to convince the General Government that we are not incapable of reciprocity in proportion to our ability the liberality of the U. States. Further concessions cannot be made, and after the reasons first assigned, more, you cannot well demand. We now appeal to the magnanimity of the U. States -- We have travelled a long road to perform this duty. This ordained by the Great Creator that we are so reduced as to be dependent on your power and [illegible text] : and if, in the hugeness of strength, you determine to decide by power, and not by right, we shall return to our friends and live there until you take possession of our Country.
Then shall we beg bread from the whites, and live the life of vagabonds on the soil of our progenitors. We shall not touch a cent of money for our lands, and not a drop of a white mans blood will we spill. And as fast as we are knocked in the head, the throats of our wives and children are cut, by the first tide of population that knows no law, we will then afford the United States a spectacle


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of emigration, which we hope may be to a country, prepared by the Great Spirit for the honest and unfortunate Indians.

We are your friends & Brothers
[Signed] Apothle-yoholo his X mark
[Signed] John Stidham X
[Signed] Mad Wolf X
[Signed] Yoholo Mico X
[Signed] [unclear text: Tus hee kee ] Tustenuggee X
[Signed] Selocta X
[Signed] Tim poochy Barnard X
[Signed] Apauli Tustenuggee X
[Signed] Charles Cornell
[Signed] Coosa Tustenuggee X
[Signed] Ne ha thu Hopie X
[Signed] Ledagi X

[Signed] John Ridge Secy
Creek Delegation
[Signed] David Vann [unclear text: Do ]
[Signed] Wm Hambly [unclear text: P.I. ]





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Indian delegation to the Secretary of War
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