We, the Chiefs of the upper towns of the Creek Nation, met in Council at the Tuckebachee town, 25^th May, 1824; and after mature reflection, and much counseling, about our former condition, and at the same time taking a view of our present, -think very much about the progress and prosperity of our rising generation.

 

In times of our forefathers, we had a large bound of country, and went through the woods after game as if there never was to be an end to that mode of life; and our forefathers were sufficiently taught as to ever spend a thought on what to be their end, or what was to become of their offspring. The Choctaws, Cherokees, and this our Muscogee tribe have, in our early acquaintance, had many wars and battles; but after we became better acquainted with each other, and made peace, we formed ourselves into one government, and ever since we have remained in harmony and friendship.

 

We find that a great alteration has taken place. Our nation was strong, and never met a nation that was equal to us in warfare, but our crazy young men made a war with the white people, and Gen. Jackson was compelled to raise an army, and come in and break them down. They now find that they can be conquered. In the settlement of that difficulty, we were bound to give up our country on the north and west of us. We have since given up a tract of country, extending to the Flint River to the State of Georgia, which now makes our bounds very small.

 

When we resort to the greatest economy. When we had a large bound of hunting ground, we were careless about anything but the gun; but now we have no game, there is only one alternative left us- the cultivation of the soil, which is hereby recommended to our red brethren. We have found great advantage from the implements of husbandry already afforded us; and the wheels, cards, looms, check, reels, and stays furnished us have been of peculiar advantage. Our women are daily improving in the manufacturing arts. We are happy to say that we are making advances towards civilization to an extent that gives us encouragement, that our posterity may yet flourish, when we are where our fathers are, who are dead and gone before us.

 

We have heard that the Cherokees have been asked for land, and have been to see our father, the President, about it. They have been guided by the Master of the Breath, and have made a solemn protest against it. We wish them prosperity in all their efforts. When our venerable and much beloved Washington was at war with the white people over the big water, they called on our warriors, and made us great promises of presents, and many great things that they would do for us, if we would help them in war. We were foolish, and fought against the United States; but we found they were telling us lies, and only wanted to make mischief between us. We then made peace with our father Washington, and we hold fast to that talk. They are our neighbors, and as such, we ought to treat them well. We never want to see the race of a man from over the big water. We hold fast to the talk of our father, the President of the United States. We therefore hope, and cherish the belief that our father, the president, will not ask us for land. We love him; we think he is a good man, and we cannot believe he would wish to destroy his red children for the benefit of his white children. Nor do we want any of our white brethren to ask us for land. This is the land of our fathers: we love it. It is where we have been born and raised: our father’s bones lay here. And only having a sufficiency, as we may increase in the arts of agriculture and civilization, for these and many other reasons we do not want to sell our land; and on a deep and solemn reflection, we have, with one voice, to follow the pattern of the Cherokees, and on no account whatever will we consent to sell one foot of our land, neither by exchange or otherwise. This talk is not only to last during the time of the present Chiefs, but to their descendants after them. The land now only being sufficient to raise their children and families upon.

 

Perhaps some person may tell us that it would be best to survey our land, and to divide it out; but we want the talk to be straight, that the land is to remain as it is, in common, and as it always has been. The day is never to come that such an arrangement is to be resorted to; for in our situation, we might as well surrender the land at once, as to let it come into the hands of individuals. This is to descend to our children and them that come after us; and it is hereby decreed that this is to remain for our rising generation to see, that they may know what their fathers said before them. We do most earnestly enjoin it on our rising generations to be honest, and to do harm to no person whatsoever, but to remain in honesty and industry. We recommend that our laws be kept in writing, in order that our Chiefs may keep in mind what laws have been passed.

 

We are Creeks; we have a great many Chiefs and head men, but be they ever so great, they must all abide by the laws.  We have guns and ropes, and if any of our people should break these laws, those guns and ropes are to be their end. These laws are not made for any person in particular, but for all. We hope it will be for our advantage.

We have a great many young people and children. We hope they may none of them be misled by the British as they have been in times of old. The British have been giving them powder and balls, and other implements of war, to go against the United States; but this is never to be the case again. We will live in peace with the President of the United States.

The red men are the Aborigines of the woods. We were here before there was the face of a white man seen on this island, for when they came, we were here, the peaceable possessors of the soil, and in the full and ample passion and enjoyment of the whole Island, or as much as we knew of it; and consequently no title can be equal to ours. This, we think, no person of reason will deny.

 

We have not the advantage of learning, as the white people; and, of course, are not great in knowledge. Our situation is not a desirable one; but on the contrary, it is a very deplorable one. We were created by the same protecting hand. The only difference is color of our skin, for we are the same shape, but we have been born in the woods, and, in a great degree, wild, and are in a low and inferior situation. We therefore earnestly admonish our white brethren not to take advantage of our weak and unlearned situation; but treat us with tenderness and justice.

 

(Signed by X mark)

Little Prince, Big Warrior, Hohi Hajo, Abeco Tustenugga, Yahole Mico, Mad Wolf, Tustenugga Mallo, Tuskenaha, George Anson, Fooshache Fixeco, Powers Hajo, Mad Town, Young King, Jahaha Halo

 

Georgia Messenger- November 24, 1824