Request for Marking of Boundary Between White & Indian Lands
Document 1796The chiefs of the Chickasaw have assembled to receive word from the president of the United States, as directed. They also express worry over settlers building up on their borders. To prevent encroachment, they ask that the president have the previously established boundary well-marked, to make it clear to white immigrants in the region.
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Philadelphia, November 24. 1796.
The Talk of Opsiamingo, Chief of the Chickasaw Nation, to the Honorable James McHenry Secretary of War to the United States —
Friend and Brother,
Our Father the President of the United States in a Talk he sent us, which we received last Winter, expressed a desire to see some of our principal Chiefs — in consequence of which, you now see us here to receive any further Talk he may have to give us.
On our way here, we found the road crowded with people going to Cumberland. That country borders on our land, and notwithstanding the repeated assurance of protection in the possession of our Country, which we have received from the United States, we cannot help feeling some anxious forebodings from such an unexampled migration to Cumberland.
Our Boundaries are not yet marked, and frontier Settlers when they make Encroachments on our hunting Ground will readily find an excuse in their ignorance of our limits. We wish therefore that the President will order the line to be run immediately, and so marked, as to put it out of the power of any person to excuse Encroachment on that Ground. After this is done, we appeal to the justice of the United States to protect us in the full and undisturbed enjoyment of our bounty, already guarantied to us by our Father the President.
We are all now at peace with the United States and I am thus particular that no cause may hereafter arise to cause our Children to differ.
Opsiamingo . . . . . . . . . . + his Mark.
Olmataha . . . . . . . . . . . . + Do
Muhamatalaha . . . . . . . + Do
Major G Colbert . . . . . . + Do
Thomas Brown . . . . . . . + Do
John Brown . . . . . . . . . . + Do
George Augusta . . . . . . + Do
[Talk]
Type
Letterbook Copy
Description
The chiefs of the Chickasaw have assembled to receive word from the president of the United States, as directed. They also express worry over settlers building up on their borders. To prevent encroachment, they ask that the president have the previously established boundary well-marked, to make it clear to white immigrants in the region.
Date
11/24/1796
Recipient
Repository
Collection
Document number
1796112440101
Page start
54
Note
No tif image.
Notable persons
James McHenry
Opoiamingo
Piomingo
Chief of the Chickasaw Nation
Chickasaw
Secretary of War
President of the United States
chiefs
frontier settlers
Olmalaha
Mukamalaha
Major G Colbert
Thomas Brown
John Brown
George Augustus
Notable locations
Philadelphia
Cumberland
Chickasaw land
hunting ground
Notable items
road
protection
migration
boundaries
ignorance
line to be run
encroachment

