The Kentucky Gazette

Lexington, July 11.

Copy of a Letter from his Excellency William Blount, esq. Governor of the South Western Territory, to his Excellency Isaac Shelby, esq. Governor of Kentucky.

Knoxville, June 11, 1795.

SIR,

HAVING a few days past received a Talk, dated April 3d, from the chiefs of both the upper and Lower Creeks, in which they give assurances of peace to the citizens of the United States, including Kentucky and Cumberland, I have believed it necessary to enclose to your excellency a copy of it. I also enclose a copy of a report of John M'Kee, temporary agent to the Cherokees, of the 27th ultimo, Mr. M'Kee, from his long acquaintance with Indians, is not apt to believe them sincere when they give assurances of peace; but now he believes they are much more generally so (young warriors included) than at any time since the war commenced between Great Britain and America. But while I am transmitting to you these papers, which seem to contain the best assurances of peace that I have ever received from the Creeks and Cherokees, I cannot but lament, that two parties of people have been lately attacked by Indians upon the road that leads to your country; and if my information be correct, as many as eight killed, wounded or missing. May not these injuries as probably have been done by the Northern, as Southern Indians? Both are speaking peace and are, I presume, equally faithless; or perhaps more properly speaking, the chiefs of no Indian nation can govern the whole of their young warriors. The conference that was to have taken place at Tellico Block House with the Cherokees on the 1st instant, is postponed until the annual allowance from the United States in goods shall come forward, and when that will be is uncertain, but prior to it's taking place, I shall be under the necessity of again troubling your excellency about the Cherokee prisoners yet in the hands of the citizens of Kentucky.

I have the honor to be, with great respect and esteem,

Your most obedient

Humble servant.

WM. BLOUNT.

His excellency,

ISAAC SHELBY, esq

Governor of Kent.

Oukfuskee's Upper Creeks,

April 3, 1795.

A Talk from the Chiefs of the Upper and Lower Creeks assembled, to his Excel. William Blount, esq. Governor of the Western Territory.

WE the Chiefs of the Upper and Lower Creeks here assembled, inform his excellency Governor Blount and all his subjects in the Western Territory, that we are here met and convened, with a full resolution, to make a firm and lasting peace, with the whole of the subjects of the United States, and that we are at this time set about the business of collecting the horses, white prisoners, negroes and all other property in our land belonging to the subjects of the United States, whether from Cumberland, Kentucky or any other part of the Western Territory, which, according to the present demand of James Seagrove esq. agent of Indian affairs, we the Chiefs of this nation, mean to set off in a few days with, down to Georgia, at the place appointed to meet our beloved man James Seagrove, esq. and deliver to him all the said property and white prisoners, at which time, we the chiefs of this nation have concluded to direct our beloved man James Seagrove, esq. to forward the property belonging to the Western Territory to that quarter, and at the same time, we the Chiefs intend to request our beloved man James Seagrove esq. to write fully our friendly intentions to all the several governors and officers of the Western Territories. We the Chiefs met here, inform Governor Blount and all his officers and subjects, that they may put full confidence in what we say, and that we from this time are determined to bury the hatchet, guns and other sharp weapons, and take all white people by the hand like brothers, and never to spill each other's blood any more. We the Chiefs of the Creek Nation therefore, inform his excellency Governor Blount, and all the inhabitants, that they may in future, on receipt of this, work on their farms without the least fear or dread, hunt their stocks, and pass from place to place, without the least apprehension of danger or molestation. We have to add, that we have this day received a Talk from the Agent of Indian Affairs from the United States to the Cherokees, which we take in friendship, and agree one and all, to pay attention to. As we had finished all our Talks in favour of peace with the United States this day, therefore hope the Agent of Indian Affairs to the Cherokees, will forward these our talks with dispatch to his excellency Governor Blount and Brigadier General Robertson, and to all other officers and subjects of the Western Territory.

WE certify that the above Talk was wrote in our presence, at the request of the Chiefs of the Upper and Lower Creeks.

(Signed)

Upper Creeks,

His

JOSEPH X CORNEL, D.A.I.A.

Mark.

Lower Creek Nation,

TIMOTHY BARNARD, D. A.

Indian Affairs U. S.

Witness,

RICHARD THOMAS, Clerk

to the Chiefs of the Upper

Creeks.

P.S. We have received one prisoner boy named George Brown, son to a Mrs. Brown, formerly a prisoner in this Nation.

Report of John M'Kee to Governor

BLOUNT.

Tellico Block House,

May 27, 1795.

SIR,

ANNEXED you have the proceedings of the council of the Cherokee Nation, held at Estanaula on the 20th and 21st instant. I believe sincerely, the Cherokees are in earnest and determined to be at peace. The council being put off from the 4th to the 20th, I had an opportunity of being much amongst every description of the Nation, and conversing fully. I was several days in company with the Chiefs and Warriors of the Lower Towns on the Tennessee, and from every appearance and information I could collect, I think they are now as anxious for peace, as any other part of the Nation, and it is my opinion that the Nation (young warriors included) are generally for peace with the United States. A report had prevailed among them, that they were again to expect a visit from the people of Kentucky and Cumberland, at which they expressed much uneasiness, and asked me if such a thing was contemplated; I assured them of the contrary, and that the people of them two countries were highly desirous of peace, and would not injure them. The Indians had only to keep the peace on their part, and it would be peace between them and every part of the United States. In addition to the assurances of peace on the part of the Creeks given in council, Chinnebbee, in private conversation often repeated the same assurances and told me the people of this Territory might remove the sentinels from their doors; but his observations concluded with a hope, that in case any mischief should be done it would not spoil the good Talks: which seems to express that he himself had his fears, that some marauding parties of Creeks may yet do mischief on the frontiers. It is however, due to the three Creek Chiefs to say, that their conduct in and at the council appeared open, candid and sincere to such a degree that they have almost persuaded me, notwithstanding the past conduct of the Creeks, to believe that that Nation wishes and means peace with the United States, this Territory included. I have the pleasure to inform your excellency that the prospects of peace are not confined to the Cherokees and Creeks. All the Cherokees heretofore resident among the hostile Northern tribes, families as well as warriors, have, and are returning to their Nation; and John Taylor, who you know is a well informed Chief of the Cherokees immediately from Detroit, assures me that the Northern tribes are sincerely disposed for peace with the United States, and highly displeased with the British. I was deprived of the aid of Mr. Dinsmoor's council at the Talk, by his detention on business in South Carolina. I take this opportunity of offering my opinion, that if Cumberland enjoys peace from the Creeks (which I think there is good reason to hope) will owe it to the Chickasaws, and that the frontiers of Washington and Hamilton Districts may attribute their relief from the scalping knife and hatchet of the Creeks, to the friendly conduct of Scolacutta and his party of the Upper Cherokees last summer, in apprehending the murderer of J.S., and in killing two or three Creeks near Major Craig's station. They have found the killing and robbing the people of this country attended with too much danger to themselves. Your excellency will expect from me information respecting the Creek and Chickasaw war. Some time in April a deputation was sent by the Cherokees to the Creeks, to urge them to make peace with the Chickasaws, or perhaps more properly to recommend a cessation of hostilities and for other purposes, to which the Creeks readily agreed, but the Cherokee deputies had hardly returned home, before they were followed by Creek runners, with a war club, and an invitation to join them and go in great force against the Chickasaws. The Turkey, to whom the runners first arrived and delivered the club, desired them to return to their Nation and tell them to forbear to make war upon the Chickasaws, until they made peace with the United States, to which the Creeks agreed again; so changeable are the Creeks, as the United States have often experienced. The Creeks too have received a Talk from the Choctaws, as I was informed, in which they tell the Creeks that they remember the troubles of their former wars and wish peace, but they cannot account for the conduct of their young warriors, by which the Creeks knowing the disposition of the young Choctaws not to be friendly, particularly those of the Five Towns, have their fears, that if they prosecute the war against the Chickasaws, that the young
Chactaws, and eventually, this whole Nation will join the Chickasaws; for that in my opinion, the Creeks will not carry on a war against the Chickasaws, until the breach between them is greater, only by small parties of Creeks, such as the relations of those who have already been killed by the Chickasaws.

I am with great respect,
Your excellency's
Most obedient
Humble servant.

(Signed)
JOHN M'KEE.

His excellency,
GOV. BLOUNT.