Treaty with the Choctaws. Cession of No. 6. A treaty of cession between the United States of America and the Choctaw nation of Indians. James Madison, president of the United States of America, by general John Coffee, John Rhea, and John McKee, esquires, commissioners on the part of the United States, duly authorized for that purpose, on the one part, and the mingoes, leaders, captains, and warriors, of the Choctaw nation, in general council assembled, in behalf of themselves and the whole nation, on the other part, have entered into the following articles, which, when ratified by the president of the United States, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall be obligatory on both parties: Art. 1. The Choctaw nation, for the consideration hereaflands by the ter mentioned, cede to the United States all their title and Choctaws, with the boun- claim to lands lying east of the following boundary, beginning daries, &c. at the mouth of Ooktibbuha, the Chickasaw boundary, and running from thence down the Tombigby river, until it intersects the northern boundary of a cession made to the United States by the Choctaws, at Mount Dexter, on the 16th November, 1805. The U. States Art. 2. In consideration of the foregoing cession, the Unitto pay an an- ed States engage to pay to the Choctaw nation the sum of six Ante, No. 5, of this chapter. Li thousand dollars annually, for twenty years; they also agree nuity of $6000 for 20 years. to pay them in merchandise, to be delivered immediately on signing the present treaty, the sum of ten thousand dollars. Done and executed in full and open council, at the Choctaw trading house, this twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, and of the independence of the United States the fortyfirst. Witness. John Coffee, Mushoolatubbee, his x mark, General Terror, his x mark, Choctaw Eestannokee, his x mark, Bob Cole, his x mark, Oofuppa, his x mark, Hoopoieeskitteenee, his x mark, Tho. H. Williams, secretary to the commission, John Pitchlynn, interpreter, Turner Broshear, interpreter, M. Mackey, interpreter, R. Chamberlin. No. 7. A treaty of friendship, limits, and accommodation, between the United Treaty with States of America and the Choctaw nation of Indians, begun and conclud- the Choctaw, ed at the treaty ground, in said nation, near Doak's Stand, on the Natchez Near Doak's road. PREAMBLE. Stand, 18th Whereas it is an important object with the president of the United States, to promote the civilization of the Choctaw Indians, by the establishment of schools amongst them; and to perpetuate them as a nation, by exchanging, for a small part of their land here, a country beyond the Mississippi river, where all, who live by hunting and will not work, may be collected Objects of the and settled together. And whereas it is desirable to the state treaty. of Mississippi, to obtain a small part of the land belonging to said nation; for the mutual accommodation of the parties, and for securing the happiness and protection of the whole Choctaw nation, as well as preserving that harmony and friendship which so happily subsists between them and the United States, James Monroe, president of the United States of America, by An The Choctaws cede land. the cession. drew Jackson, of the state of Tennessee, major-general in the army of the United States, and general Thomas Hinds, of the state of Mississippi, commissioners plenipotentiary of the United States, on the one part, and the mingoes, head men, and warriors, of the Choctaw nation, in full council assembled, on the other part, have freely and voluntarily entered into the following articles, viz: Art. 1. To enable the president of the United States to carry into effect the above grand and humane objects, the mingoes, head men, and warriors, of the Choctaw nation, in full council assembled, in behalf of themselves and the said nation, do, by these presents, cede to the United States of America, all the land lying and being within the boundaries following, Boundaries of to wit:-Beginning on the Choctaw boundary, east of Pearl river, at a point due south of the White Oak spring, on the old Indian path; thence north to said spring; thence northwardly to a black oak, standing on the Natchez road, about forty poles eastwardly from Doak's fence, marked A. J. and blazed, with two large pines and a black oak standing near thereto, and marked as pointers; thence a straight line to the head of Black Creek, or Bouge Loosa; thence down Black Creek or Bouge Loosa to a small lake; thence a direct course, so as to strike the Mississippi one mile below the mouth of the Arkansas river; thence down the Mississippi to our boundary; thence round and along the same to the beginning. The U. States of the Mississippi. Art. 2. For and in consideration of the foregoing cession, cede a tract of on the part of the Choctaw nation, and in part satisfaction for country, west the same, the commissioners of the United States, in behalf of said states, do hereby cede to said nation, a tract of country west of the Mississippi river, situate between the Arkansas and Red River, and bounded as follows:-Beginning on the Arkansas river, where the lower boundary line of the Cherokees strikes the same; thence up the Arkansas to the Canadian Fork, and up the same to its source; thence due south to the Red River; thence down Red River, three miles below the mouth of Little River, which empties itself into Red River on the north side; thence a direct line to the beginning. Boundaries of the cession. Commission rics. Art. 3. To prevent any dispute upon the subject of the bouners to ascertain daries mentioned in the 1st and 2d articles, it is hereby stiputhe bounda- lated between the parties, that the same shall be ascertained and distinctly marked by a commissioner, or commissioners, to be appointed by the United States, accompanied by such person as the Choctaw nation may select; said nation having thirty days previous notice of the time and place at which the operation will commence. The person so chosen by the Choctaws, shall guide, at $2 act as a pilot or guide, for which the United States will pay him two dollars per day, whilst actually engaged in the performance of that duty. A Choctaw per day, -ral: Art. 4. The boundaries hereby established between the Boundaries ds Choctaw Indians and the United States, on this side of the Mis- east of the Mississippi to thesissippi river, shall remain without alteration until the period remain, until, at which said nation shall become so civilized and enlightened &c. as to be made citizens of the United States, and congress shall lay off a limited parcel of land for the benefit of each family or individual in the nation. Art. 5. For the purpose of aiding and assisting the poor Indians, who wish to remove to the country hereby ceded on the part of the United States, and to enable them to do well and support their families, the commissioners of the United States A blanket, engage, in behalf of said states, to give to each warrior a blankettle, rifle ket, kettle, rifle gun, bullet moulds and nippers, and ammuni- gun, &c. to tion sufficient for hunting and defence, for one year. warrior shall also be supplied with corn to support him and his family, for the same period, and whilst travelling to the coun- warrior, for his try above ceded to the Choctaw nation. Said each warrior removing, &c. Corn to each family, &c. Art. 6. The commissioners of the United States further covenant and agree, on the part of the said states, that an agent an agent for shall be appointed, in due time, for the benefit of the Choctaw the Choctaws, Indians who may be permanently settled in the country ceded beyond the Mississippi: to them beyond the Mississippi river, and, at a convenient pe- and a factor. riod, a factor shall be sent there with goods, to supply their wants. A blacksmith shall also be settled amongst them, at a A blacksmith, point most convenient to the population; and a faithful person and a person to appointed, whose duty it shall be to use every reasonable exertion to collect all the wandering Indians belonging to the Choc- dians, &c. taw nation, upon the land hereby provided for their permanent settlement. collect wan dering In land to be sold Art. 7. Out of the lands ceded by the Choctaw nation to the United States, the commissioners aforesaid, in behalf of said states, further covenant and agree, that fifty-four sections of 54 sections of one mile square shall be laid out in good land, by the president for support of of the United States, and sold, for the purpose of raising a the Choctaw fund, to be applied to the support of the Choctaw schools, on schools, both sides of the Mississippi river. Three-fourths of said fund shall be appropriated for the benefit of the schools here; and the remaining fourth for the establishment of one or more beyond the Mississippi; the whole to be placed in the hands of To be applied the president of the United States, and to be applied by him, by the presi expressly and exclusively, to this valuable object. dent. Art. 8. To remove any discontent which may have arisen An additional in the Choctaw nation, in consequence of six thousand dollars tract of land, for raising a of their annuity having been appropriated annually, for six-fund for the teen years, by some of the chiefs, for the support of their nation, &c. schools, the commissioners of the United States oblige themselves, on the part of said states, to set apart an additional tract of good land, for raising a fund equal to that given by the said Indians who are deaf, dumb, &c. to be first sup plied. A tract of one the lands ced year. chiefs, so that the whole of the annuity may remain in the nation, and be divided amongst them. And in order that exact justice may be done to the poor and distressed of said nation, it shall be the duty of the agent to see that the wants of every deaf, dumb, blind, and distressed Indian, shall be first supplied out of said annuity, and the balance equally distributed amongst every individual of said nation Art. 9. All those who have separate settlements, and fall mile square, of within the limits of the land ceded by the Choctaw nation to the United States, and who desire to remain where they now ed, to such as remain, &c. reside, shall be secured in a tract or parcel of land one mile And full value square, to include their improvements. Any one who prefers to be paid to those who re- removing, if he does so within one year from the date of this move within a treaty, shall be paid their full value, to be ascertained by two persons, to be appointed by the president of the United States. An equivalent Art, 10. As there are some who have valuable buildings on to such as have the roads and elsewhere upon the lands hereby ceded, should ings, if they they remove, it is further agreed by the aforesaid commissioners, in behalf of the United States, that the inconvenience of doing so shall be considered, and such allowance made as will amount to an equivalent. For this purpose, there shall be paid to the Mingo, Puckshenubbe, five hundred dollars; to Harrison, two hundred dollars; to captain Cobb, two hundred dollars; to William Hays, two hundred dollars; to O'Gleno, two hundred dollars; and to all others who have comfortable houses, a compensation in the same proportion. valuable build remove, &c. Choctaw war Art. 11. It is also provided by the commissioners of the riors to be paid United States, and they agree in behalf of said states, that those for services in Choctaw chiefs and warriors, who have not received compensathe campaign to Pensacola, tion for their services during the campaign to Pensacola, in the late war, shall be paid whatever is due them over and above the value of the blanket, shirt, flap, and leggins, which have been delivered to them. over and above, &c. confiscate The agent Art. 12. In order to promote industry and sobriety amongst may seize and all classes of the red people, in this nation, but particularly the whiskey, un- poor, it is further provided by the parties, that the agent apless introduced pointed to reside here, shall be, and he is hereby, vested with by permit, &c. full power to seize and confiscate all the whiskey which may be introduced into said nation, except that used at public stands, or brought in by the permit of the agent, or the principal chiefs of the three districts. 200 dolls, annually, for to raise a corps Art. 13. To enable the Mingoes, chiefs, and head men, of the Choctaw nation, to raise and organize a corps of light-horse, each district, consisting of ten in each district, so that good order may be of light-horse, maintained, and that all men, both white and red, may be comto keep good pelled to pay their just debts, it is stipulated and agreed, that the sum of two hundred dollars shall be appropriated by the United States, for each district, annually, and placed in the order, &c. |