- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter], 1817 July 31, Washington [to] W[illiam] Rabun, [Governor of Georgia] / W[illia]m H. Crawford
- Creator:
- Crawford, William Harris, 1772-1834
- Date of Original:
- 1817-07-31
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Treaties
Indian land transfers
Cherokee Indians--Census, 1818 - Location:
- United States, Southern States, 33.346678, -84.119434
- Medium:
- official reports
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document is a letter from William H. Crawford to William Rabun, Governor of Georgia (1817-1819), dated July 31, 1817. Crawford informs the governor that the proceedings of the treaty commissioners appointed to negotiate a treaty with the Cherokee Indians have been received at Washington. The treaty referred to is the Treaty of The Cherokee Agency, July 8, 1817, in which large tracts of Cherokee land were ceded to Georgia and Tennessee. In addition, it contained provisions for the support of those Cherokees who agreed to emigrate to the Arkansas territory. As Crawford notes, the treaty also contained articles requiring that a census of the Cherokee Nation be taken in 1818. Crawford reports to Rabun that he feels confident the Senate will ratify the treaty, though he is apprehensive that zealous settlers in both Georgia and Tennessee will rush to claim the newly ceded land before ratification is complete.
Digital image of original manuscript, scanned by the University of Georgia Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- tcc450
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc450
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc450#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc450/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Telamon Cuyler, 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, Telamon Cuyler, box 47, folder 10, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Private
Washington
31st July 1817
Dear Sir
We have just recd [received] the proceedings of the commissioners who have concluded a treaty with the Cherokees. By the treaty the State of Georgia acquires the Cherokee lands East of the Chatahoochee river. A small tract North of the river is ceded to Tennessee. No intrusion is to be permitted until after the treaty is ratified by the Senate. Boats provisions &c. [et cetera] are to be supplied by the U S. to such as wish to emigrate to the [unclear text: Arkansaw ] . In the year
1818 a census is to be taken of those who remain, and of those who have
Page: [2]
emigrated, or shall then declare their intention to emigrate, and a division of the Cherokee lands shall then be made in proportion to the emigrants who shall have assigned them by the U S. acre for acre shall be assigned by them to the U. S.
It may be proper to state that some doubts exist as to the regularity of the transaction, and the War department hesitated about the execution of those articles which must be carried into effect before the ratification of the treaty by the Senate upon due consideration of the subject the department has been advised to make the necessary arrangements
Page: [3]
& disbursements for the transportation of this emigrants & their families and for furnishing them with arms & ammunition to induce them to emigrate. By promptly supplying them with the means of emigration & of subsistence it is probable that a large proportion will be found on the Arkansaw before the Census will be taken. Should the treaty be ratified there is every reason to expect a considerable acquisition of territory in the course of the next year.
This advice has been accepted and measures are now in [unclear text: train ] for furnishing boats, provisions, arms & ammunition for the transportation of such as wish to emigrate this season.
It is hoped that our citizens will
Page: [4]
abstain from [deleted text: [illegible text] ] intruding upon the lands until the treaty is ratified, according to the engagement to that effect.
If the irregularity attended to should induce the Senate to postpone the ratification of it the execution of a part of it by the execution will strengthen our claim upon the Indians, and give us advantages in further efforts for the accomplishment of our object which will abundantly compensate for the expence [expense] which may be incurred under the treaty. It is due to the commissioners to state that the irregularity which is supposed to exist is at least very equivocal. I have myself but little doubt of the ratification of the treaty by the Senate.
I am dear sir respectfully your most obt [obedient] & very humble servt [servant]
[Signed] Wm [William] H Crawford
Honbe [Honorable] Wm [William] Rabun