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Relations with Spain.

is still more extraordinary. Having noticed it in sufficient detail in my letter to Mr. Baker, I refer you to that paper for the necessary information respecting it.

It may be fairly presumed that these acts were not authorized by the British Government; that they are imputable only to Indian agents, and those under whom they act in this country. They nevertheless deserve reprehension, which it is expected that the British Government will not hesitate to inflict.

No. 2. a.

Extracts of a letter from Mr. Adams to the Secretary of State, stating the substance of a conversation with Earl Bathurst, dated

LONDON, Sept. 19, 1815.

I said that the American Government had been peculiarly concerned at the proceedings of Colonel Nicholls, because they appeared to be marked with unequivocal and extraordinary marks of hostility. "Why," said Lord Bathurst," to tell you the truth, Colonel Nicholls is, I believe, a man of activity and spirit, but a very wild fellow. He did make and send over to me a treaty, offensive and defensive, with some Indians; and he is now come over here, and has brought over some of those Indians. I sent for answer that he had no authority whatever to make a treaty, offensive and defensive, with Indians, and that this Government would make no such treaty. I have sent him word that I could not see him upon any such project. The Indians are here in distress, indeed; but we shall only furnish them with the means of returning home, and advise them to make their terms with the United States as well as they can." Perceiving that I had particularly noticed his declaration that he had declined seeing Colonel Nicholls, he said that he should perhaps see him upon the general subject of his transactions, but that he declined seeing him in regard to his treaty with the Indians.

In this conversation Lord Bathurst's manner, like that of Lord Liverpool, in the conference which I had about a month before with him, was altogether good humored and conciliatory. The conduct of all the officers and persons complained of was explicitly disavowed; and I understood, at first, the observation of Lord Bathurst, that he had declined seeing Colonel Nicholls, as an intimation that it was intended to exhibit towards that officer unequivocal marks of displeasure. But the subsequent explanation left me to conclude that, although the disapprobation of his proceedings was strongly expressed to me, the utmost extent of it that would be shown to him would be the refusal to ratify his treaty, offensive and defensive, with the Indians.

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which I had received from the Government of the United States, the proceedings of several British officers in America, and upon the American coast, marked with characters incompatible, not only with those amicable relations which it is the earnest desire of the American Government to restore and to cultivate, but even with the condition of peace which had been restored between the two countries by the Treaty of Ghent.

It was with the highest satisfaction that I understood your Lordship, in the name of the British Government to disavow the proceedings of all those officers, of which it had been my duty to complain; and that I received from you the assurance that orders had long since been given for the restoration of the post of Michilimackinac to the United States; that instructions had been given to promote, by all suitable means, the restoration of peace between the Indians and the United States; and, particularly, that Colonel Nicholls, in pretending to conclude a treaty, offensive and defensive, with certain Indians belonging within the jurisdiction of the United States, had not only acted without authority, but incurred the disapprobation of His Majesty's Government.

No. 13 a.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Adams to the Secretary of State, containing the substance of a conversation with Lord Castlereagh, dated

LONDON, Feb. 8, 1816.

I next observed that, at the other extremity of the United States, the Indians again appeared in the shape of disturbers of the peace between our countries. I recapitulated your remonstrances to Mr. Baker, and mine, by your order, to Lord Bathurst, against the conduct of Colonel Nicholls; that officer's pretended treaties of alliance, offensive and defensive, and commerce and navigahad seen fit to style the Creek nation; and the tion, with certain runaway Indians, whom he very exceptionable manner in which he had notified his transactions to the agent of the United States with the Creeks, with an intimation that we were to hear more about the treaties when they should be ratified in England. I mentioned that Lord Bathurst had, in the most candid and explicit manner verbally disavowed to me these that the pretended treaty of alliance, offensive and proceedings of Colonel Nicholls; had told me defensive, had been indeed transmitted by the Colonel for ratification; but this Government had refused to ratify it, and informed Colonel Nicholls that they would agree to no such treaty; that the Colonel had even brought over some of his Indians here, who would be sent back, with advice to make their terms with the United States as they could. These verbal assurances I had reported to my Government, and presumed they had been received with much satisfaction. Whether they had been repeated in a more formal manner, and in any written communication, I had not been informed. I had noticed the conduct of Colonel Nicholls in one of my notes to

Relations with Spain.

Lord Bathurst, and to that part of the note had received no answer. As the complaint had also been made through Mr. Baker, a written answer might, perhaps, have been returned through that channel. My motive for referring to the subject now was, that, by the President's Message to Congress at the opening of the session, I perceived that the conduct of the Indians in that part of the United States still threatened hostilities, and because there, as in the more northern parts, the Indians would certainly be disposed to tranquillity and peace with the United States, unless they should have encouragement to rely upon the support of Great Britain. Lord Castlereagh said, with a smile, that he had a good many treaties to lay before Parliament, but none such as those I described were among them.

No. 13 b.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Adams to Lord Castlereagh, dated

LONDON, March 21, 1816. It has been more than once a painful part of the duty of the undersigned to represent to His Majesty's Government the unfriendly disposi tions manifested by British military officers in America towards the United States since the peace between the two countries; and to point out specific and unequivocal facts, by which those officers, far from exerting themselves to carry into effect the avowed object of their own Government, of securing to the Indians who had followed the British standard during the war the blessings of the pacification, have labored with an activity as restless, and a zeal as ardent, as they could have done in the heat of war, to instigate Indians belonging within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States to continued or renewed hostility against them. When, in the course of last Summer, the undersigned had the honor of exposing to Earl Bathurst the transactions deeply marked with this character of Colonel Nicholls, he was happy to receive from his Lordship, verbally, at once the confirmation of the facts, and the disavowal of the measures. Colonel Nicholls, after the conclusion of the peace between his Sovereign and the United States, not only used every effort in his power to urge to war against the United States tribes of Indians with whom they were then at peace, and who were far remote from any British possession whatever, but actually concluded a pretended treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, between some of them and Great Britain against the United States. Of this treaty, Earl Bathurst, in a conference with the undersigned, expressed himself in terms of unqualified disapprobation; adding that it had not been ratified or approved, and that no such treaty would be made or agreed to by Great Britain. In the pursuit of his projects, Colonel Nicholls brought over some of these Indians to England; but as Lord Bathurst, in the most explicit manner, assured the undersigned that no use of them hostile to the United States would be made by Great Britain, the undersigned is persuaded that that

determination has not been departed from by His Majesty's Government.

How far the threat of Indian vengeance is becoming to the humanity of British officers, or the dignity of their Government, in a correspondence with the officers of a civilized nation, and in a time of peace, the undersigned leaves to His Majesty's Government to decide. Neither Colonel Nicholls nor Colonel James was ashamed to use it; and it would be treated by the undersigned as it was by the officers of the United States to whom it was addressed, were it not his duty to remark that, in condescending to be the heralds of this menace, those officers sufficiently indicated that they understood its being carried into execution or not depended upon them; that they viewed themselves as the regulators to restrain or to license Indian barbarity at their discretion; that they (British military officers) called upon the civil authority of the United States to satisfy the revenge of Indian savages belonging within the American jurisdiction, for acts committed upon the American territory; threatening, as the alternative, to let loose those savages to wreak their own vengeance, in all its fury, upon American women and children.

Independently of the very serious character of these transactions in themselves, the undersigned entreats the attention of the British Government to the spirit by which they were dictated This excessive earnestness of British authorities, military and civil, to hold themselves forth as the protectors, through right and through wrong, of Indians not belonging to British territories, however politic it may be deemed to imbitter enmities and to provoke hostilities between the Indians and the Americans, cannot but excite animosities far more formidable between the British and American nations. If persevered in, it must eventually prove most pernicious and fatal to the Indians themselves. The occasion will justify the expression of the hope that orders and instructions will be issued to the local authorities of the British colonies in North America, which will leave no doubt on the minds of those invested with them that the real intention of Great Britain towards the United States is peace.

No. 14.

General Jackson to the Governor of Pensacola.

HEADQ'RS DIVISION OF THE SOUTH, Washington, M. T., April 23, 1816. SIR: I am charged by my Government to make known to you that a negro fort, erected during our late war with Great Britain, at or near the junction of the Chatahoochee and Flint rivers, has been strengthened since that period, and is now occupied by upwards of two hundred and fifty negroes, many of whom have been enticed away from the service of their masters, citizens of the United States; all of whom are well clothed and disciplined. Secret practices to inveigle negroes from the citizens of Georgia, as well as from the Cherokee and Creek nations of Indians, are still continued by this banditti and the hostile Creeks.

Relations with Spain.

This is a state of things which cannot fail to it, by disturbing the peace of the nation, but produce much injury to the neighboring settle- likewise to the good understanding which hap ments, and excite irritations which eventually pily exists between our respective Governments; may endanger the peace of the nation, and inter- you enter into an investigation to show what the rupt that good understanding which so happily Spanish authorities ought to do to put an end to exists between our Governments. an evil of so serious a nature, in the mode prescribed by those principles of good faith which are the foundation of friendly neighborhood among nations; you distinctly state what this Government ought immediately to do, in failure of which your Government will be obliged to do it, to insure the safety of the inhabitants of the United States; and you conclude by requesting me to state, in my answer to your letter, whether the said fort has been constructed by the Spanish Government, and whether the negroes who compose its garrison are deemed subjects of His Catholic Majesty, and, if the fort was not built by Spanish authority, to state by what authority, and by whose order, it was built.

The principles of good faith, which always insure good neighborhood between nations, require the immediate and prompt interference of the Spanish authority to destroy or remove from our frontier this banditti, put an end to an evil of so serious a nature, and return to our citizens and friendly Indians inhabiting our territory those negroes now in said fort, and which have been stolen and enticed from them. I cannot permit myself to indulge a belief that the Governor of Pensacola, or the military commander at that place, will hesitate a moment in giving orders for this banditti to be dispersed, and the property of the citizens of the United States forthwith restored to them and our friendly Indians; particularly when I reflect that the conduct of In answer to your excellency, I will state, with this banditti is such as will not be tolerated by the veracity which comports with the character our Government, and, if not put down by Span- of an honorable officer, in which class I rank ish authority, will compel us, in self-defence, to myself that, having arrived at this place nearly destroy them. This communication is intrusted at the close of the month of March preceding, to Captain Amelung, of the first regiment of the and being informed of what your excellency has United States infantry, who is charged to bring communicated to me, (with this difference, that back such answer as you may be pleased to make the fort, instead of being where you place it, is to this letter. In your answer you will be pleased to be found on the eastern bank of the Appala to state whether that fort has been built by the chicola, at about fifteen miles from its mouth or Government of Spain, and whether those ne- entrance into the sea,) I lost no time in proposgroes who garrison it are considered as the sub-ing to my Captain General the measures which jects of His Catholic Majesty, and, if not by His Catholic Majesty, by whom, and under whose orders, it has been erected.

ANDREW JACKSON, Major Gen. Com'g Div. of the South. To the GOVERNOR of Pensacola,

Or Military Com. of that place.

A true copy:

ISAAC L. BAKER, Aid-de-camp.
No. 15.

Governor Zuniga to General Jackson.

PENSACOLA, March 26, 1816. MOST EXCELLENT SIR: On the 24th of the present month, Captain Amelung, of the 1st United States regiment, put into my hands your excellency's letter, dated at Washington, Mississippi Territory, on the 23d of April last, in which, after apprizing me that your Govern ment had given it in charge to you to inform me that the fort of the negroes, erected during the late war with Great Britain, near the junction of the Chatahoochee and Flint rivers, had been reinforced, and was now occupied by more than two hundred and fifty negroes, many of whom were seduced from the service of their masters, (who are citizens of the United States,) and that all of them are well armed, provisioned, and disciplined, you make many wise reflections with respect to the serious injuries which may result from tolerating such an establishment, not only to those in the immediate neighborhood of

appeared to me proper, as well for securing the inhabitants of the country under my command from the damages, losses, and injuries which they have suffered, and still suffer, from this establishment, as to prevent the American citizens and the friendly Indians of the neighborhood from continuing to experience them. I have hitherto received no answer, and consequently your excellency (who knows how limited are the powers of a subordinate officer) cannot be surprised that I should make known to you that, although my mode of thinking exactly corresponds with yours as to dislodging the negroes from the fort, the occupying it with Spanish troops, or destroying it, and delivering the negroes who may be collected to their lawful owners, I shall not be able to act until I receive the orders of my Captain General, and the assist. ance necessary to enable me to undertake the enterprise with a moral certainty of accomplishing the end. I am persuaded that the determination of the said chief cannot be long delayed; and, should it authorize me to act, your excellency may rest assured and persuaded that I will not lose an instant in adopting, on my part, the most efficacious measures for cutting up by the root an evil which is felt to the full extent stated in your letter by the inhabitants of this province, who are the subjects of my Sovereign, and whose prosperity and tranquillity it is my duty to preserve and protect.

With this explanation, your before-named letter may be considered as fully answered, as it

Relations with Spain.

No. 16.

Report of Captain Amelung to General Jackson. NEW ORLEANS, June 4, 1816. SIR: In obedience to your order, received on the 6th of May last, I proceeded the next day for Pensacola; but owing to adverse winds, (having to wait twelve days at the bay of St. Louis, ) I only arrived at that place on the 24th May. I was received and treated with great attention by the Governor and his officers, and, after receiving his answer to your letter, I left there on the 27th, and arrived here on the 2d I have the honor to transmit herewith the answer of the Governor, which, I think, embraces all the points touched upon in your letter; and also take the liberty to subjoin a translation thereof, as it might happen that no person is near you understanding the Spanish language. I am firmly of opinion that the Governor asserts the truth in his communication; and am convinced that the inhabitants of Pensacola have suffered, and do now suffer, more than our citizens, from the existence of the fort and its garrison.

I also take the liberty of communicating such intelligence as I have been able to collect from good authority, and which might perhaps be of some use.

gives me pleasure to understand that, thinking as your excellency thinks with respect to the necessity of destroying the negroes, the fort at Appalachicola occupied by them was not constructed by orders of the Spanish Government; and that the negroes, although in part belonging to inhabitants of this province, and as rational beings, may be the subjects of the King, my master, are deemed by me insurgents or rebels against the authority, not only of His Catholic Majesty, but also of the proprietors from whose service they have withdrawn themselves; some seduced by the English Colonel Nicholls, Major Woodbine, and their agents, and others from their inclina-instant. tion to run off. But as your excellency manifests a particular desire that, in case the fort was not erected by Spanish authority, I should state by what authority and by whose orders it was erected, I have no difficulty in satisfying your curiosity, by informing you that I have understood, ever since my arrival at this place, that the said fort, and another near the confluence of the Chatahoochee and Flint rivers (which it appears no longer exists,) were built by the order of the before-named Colonel Nicholls. I will not assure you that he did it under authority from his Government; but I can say that he proceeded to place artillery, munitions, and provisions in it, by the arrangement of Vice Admiral Malcolm; and that when Colonel Nicholls and the troops of his detachment, after the conclusion of the expe- The fort in question is situated at Bonavista, dition against Louisiana, withdrew from that on the eastern branch of the Appalachicola river, point, he left orders with the negroes, totally con- 15 miles above its mouth, and 120 miles east of trary to the incontestable right of sovereignty Pensacola. The river discharges itself into St. which the King, my master, exercises from the George's Sound, and vessels drawing not more line of the thirty-first degree of north latitude to than ten feet water may come in between St. the South. My predecessors in this Government George's and St. Vincent's islands; the bar, have given an account of all these actions to the however, is dangerous, and requires skilful pilots. authorities on whom they depended, that the sat- The fort was constructed by Nicholls and isfaction which the violation required might be Woodbine, and the British occasionally resorted demanded by those on whom this duty devolves. thither; but, on their final evacuation of this I think I have answered your excellency's letter country, left it in the possession of a garrison satisfactorily, and in terms which cannot leave a composed of negroes and Indians, with four doubt of the sincerity of my intentions in favor pieces of heavy ordnance, and 10,000 pounds of of the common cause of the American and Span- powder, &c. About twenty Choctaws, a numish inhabitants; and that my present inaction ber of Seminoles, and a great number of runadoes not proceed from a want of inclination. Iway negroes are supposed to have been there likewise flatter myself that, until my Captain some time ago, but a great part of these brigands General decides, no steps will be taken by the have abandoned the fort on account of scarcity Government of the United States, or by your of provisions, and have gone to Savannah (alias excellency, which may be prejudicial to the sov- St. Joseph's) river, in East Florida, whither they ereignty of the King, my master, or the district will, no doubt, all retire, in case of an attack by of Appalachicola, which is a dependency of this land, as they have a schooner and several large Government. And, finally, I conclude by assur-boats to make good their retreat by sea, if not ing your excellency that it will afford me par-interrupted. ticular satisfaction to have opportunities of evincing my desire, not only to contribute, so far as depends on me, to the cementing of the good understanding which subsists between our respective Governments, but also to prove to your excellency the high opinion I entertain of your virtues and military talents. God preserve your excellency many years.

MAURICIO DE ZUNIGA. His Exc'y ANDREW JACKSON.

Major General, &c.

From this spot they can easily annoy our settlements on Flint river, and the whole Georgia frontier, and are in a country where they can procure subsistence with facility.

Pensacola itself is, I can assure you, entirely defenceless. The garrison consists of from 80 to 100 effective men, exclusive of a battalion of colored troops, say about 150 men, of whom the inhabitants themselves stand in constant dread. They have about 150 serviceable muskets, about 500 musket cartridges, and not enough gunpow

Relations with Spain.

der to fire a salute; one gun was mounting at Barancas on the day I left there. To this is to be added the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants, and even of a number of the officers of Government, and the desire of a majority to see a change effected. I must not forget to present to you, on the part of the Governor, the thanks of the inhabitants of Pensacola for the exemplary and humane conduct of the army under your command at Pensacola, and I verily believe their professions to be sincere.

Lieutenant Colonel Clinch, dated near the mouth of Summochichoba, the 26th instant, enclosing a communication from the Little Prince, a copy of which I enclose herewith.

This chief is on a tour down the river to visit the Seminole chiefs near the Appalachicola.

The ostensible object of the visit was to adopt measures to take the negro fort; and as Colonel Hawkins had confidence in the promises of the Indians to effect this object, I sanctioned a requisition for supplying them with three hundred The Governor also, on my mentioning in con- bushels of corn, to serve as rations. That I have versation that I was persuaded you would will-little faith in their promises, I will not deny ; ingly assist in destroying the fort, said, if the object was of sufficient importance to require the presence of General Jackson, he would be proud to be commanded by you; and that, if the Captain General of Cuba could not furnish him with the necessary means, he might perhaps apply to you for assistance.

Having nothing further to add, I remain, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
VERO Z. AMELUNG,

A true copy:
Captain 1st Infantry.
JAMES T. DENT,
Judge Advocate, Division of the South.

No. 17.

General Jackson to the Secretary of War.
HEADQ'RS, DIVISION OF THE SOUTH,

Nashville, Jnne 15, 1816.

SIR: I have this moment received the answer of the commanding officer and Governor of Pensacola to mine of the 23d of April, which I hasten to forward for your information, as well as the copy of the report of Captain Amelung, of the 1st infantry, who was the bearer of my letter. I send you the original, retaining a copy in English forwarded to me by Captain Amelung.

but it seemed to me proper to encourage them in the prosecution of a measure which I felt persuaded would, if successful, be attended with great benefit to our southern frontier inhabitants, as well as the Indians themselves.

I have the honor to be, &c.

EDMUND P. GAINES.

Hon. Wм. H. CRAWFORD,

Secretary of War.

No. 18 b.

Talk from the Little Prince, Tustenuggee Hopoy, to the Commander of the United States forces in the Indian nation.

SIR: Jackson and Hawkins spoke to us, and told us we were their children. At the Tuskeegee meeting you told us you would have the land as far down as the Summochichoba; but we chiefs did not agree to it. You did not tell us then you would build forts along the river bank down to the fork; but we heard, since, you issued orders to that effect. We do not think it friendly for one friend to take anything from another forcibly. The Commander and Hawkins did not tell us anything about building of these forts. Did you know these things, and The answer bears the marks of candor and keep them hidden from me? We told our friend breathes the spirit of friendship; and as those Hawkins we would hold a meeting at this place marauders on our frontier are acknowledged offi- on our way down. We were [told] at the fort cially as rebels against the Government of Spain, at Summochichoba, built by the commanding there can be no fear of disturbing the good un-officer, that he had orders to build three forts. derstanding that exists between us and Spain, by destroying the negro fort, and restoring to the owners the negroes that may be captured.

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Our friend Hawkins told us to go down to the fort of the blacks, and take them out of it, and give them to their masters; which we are at this present, when we have heard of Jackson's orders about building these forts. We hear of your meeting at Tuskeegee. We hope you will detain the forces at the places they are at at present, and wait on the Indians, as I am sure they will be able to settle everything; but all the chiefs are not yet met. You know that we are slow in our movements. I spoke to the commanding officer at Summochichoba. He will read this, and write it off on a clean sheet, and send it on to the Commander-in-chief and Colonel Hawkins. I beg you will send me back an answer, and a sheet of paper, and a little ink, in order to enable me to write you again, if it should be necessary. I remain your friend, TUSTENNUGGEE HOPÓY. ROB. R. RUFFIN, Lieut. Artillery, Aid-de-camp.

A true copy:

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