The President's Response to Chickasaw Concerns Over Boundaries, Garrisons, and Various Issues: Page #2

The President's Response to Chickasaw Concerns Over Boundaries, Garrisons, and Various Issues: Page #2

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United States, because it will take away in future, all pretext from Spain for interfering on our side of the line. Your Chiefs have asked that the fort at the Chick Bluff should be demolished when given up by the Spaniards. To this it has been answered if they Spaniards should leave it before the Boundary line shall be settled between the United States and Spain, that it will only be held by the United States till such time as that line is run and settled. If however the Chickasaws will be less kind to the United States than to Spain and are not willing that they should hold it for that short time, their Father will not insist up it. But he expects that the Nation will consider fully his request and send their answer to him, or his agent Mr Hawkins, or to Mr. Dinsmore or the commanding Officer at Fort Massac. Some of your chiefs have stated to your father a claim against the State of South Carolina for land of theirs which that State had confiscated upon the plea that the Indians to whom it belonged had joined the British Army during the great War which the United States had with England. As you father wishes to see justice done, he will instruct his Secretary of War to state the claim to South Carolina and will employ his good offices to obtain compensation to them for the land. George Colbert has also a claim upon the Cherokees for three Negroes of his, retained by some Individual of that Nation. Your Father understands that some of the Chickasaws retain property taken from the Cherokees and that the Negroes are withheld till all that account can be settled. If this account cannot be settled, the President recommends it to the Chickasaws to pay George Colbert the value of his Negroes out of the annual present made to the Nation. Your Father has requested the Secretary of War to mention to the Chickasaw Nation that it will be proper that they should in future and every year meet together before delivery of the present which he has promised them, to fix upon the persons who ought to receive them