THE Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the United States of America
give peace to all the Choctaw nation, and receive them into the
favor and protection of the United States of America, on the following
conditions:
ARTICLE 1. The Commissioners Plenipotentiary of all the
Choctaw nation, shall restore all the prisoners, citizens of the
United States, or subjects of their allies, to their entire liberty,
if any there be in the Choctaw nation. They shall also restore
all the negroes, and all other property taken during the late
war, from the citizens, to such person, and at such time and place
as the Commissioners of the United States of America shall appoint,
if any there be in the Choctaw nation.
ARTICLE 2. The Commissioners Plenipotentiary of all the
Choctaw nation, do hereby acknowledge the tribes and towns of
the said nation, and the lands within the boundary allotted to
the said Indians to live and hunt on, as mentioned in the third
article, to be under the protection of the United States of America,
and of no other sovereign whosoever.
ARTICLE 3. The boundary of the lands hereby allotted to
the Choctaw nation to live and hunt on, within the limits of the
United States of America, is and shall be the following, viz:
Beginning at a point on the thirty-first degree of north latitude,
where the Eastern boundary of the Natches district shall touch
the same; thence east along the said thirty-first degree of north
latitude, being the southern boundary of the United States of
America, until it shah strike the eastern boundary of the lands
on which the Indians of the said nation did live and hunt on the
twenty-ninth of November, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two,
while they were under the protection of the King of Great-Britain;
thence northerly along the said eastern boundary, until it shall
meet the northern boundary of the said lands; thence westerly
along the said northern boundary, until it shall meet the western
boundary thereof; thence southerly along the same to the beginning:
saving and reserving for the establishment of trading posts, three
tracts or parcels of land of six miles square each, at such places
as the United (States) in Congress assembled shall think proper;
which posts, and the lands annexed to them, shall be to the use
and under the government of the United States of America.
ARTICLE 4. If any citizen of the United States, or other
person not being an Indian, shall attempt to settle on any of
the lands hereby allotted to the Indians to live and hunt on,
such person shall forfeit the protection of the United States
of America, and the Indians may punish him or not as they please.
ARTICLE 5. If any Indian or Indians, or persons, residing
among them, or who shall take refuge in their nation, shall commit
a robbery or murder or other capital crime on any citizen of the
United States of America, or person under their protection, the
tribe to which such offender may belong, or the nation, shall
be bound to deliver him or them up to be punished according to
the ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled: Provided,
that the punishment shall not be greater than if the robbery or
murder, or other capital crime, had been committed by a citizen
on a citizen.
ARTICLE 6. If any citizen of the United States of America,
or person under their protection, shall commit a robbery or murder,
or other capital crime, on any Indian, such offender or offenders
shall be punished in the same manner as if the robbery or murder,
or other capital crime, had been committed on a citizen of the
United States of America; and the punishment shall be in presence
of some of the Choctaws, if any will attend at the time and place;
and that they may have an opportunity so to do, due notice, if
practicable, of the time of such intended punishment, shall be
sent to some one of the tribes.
ARTICLE 7. It is understood that the punishment of the
innocent, under the idea of retaliation, is unjust and shall not
be practiced on either side, except where there is a manifest
violation of this treaty; and then it shall be preceded, first
by a demand of justice, and if refused, then by a declaration
of hostilities.
ARTICLE 8. For the benefit and comfort of the Indians,
and for the prevention of injuries, or oppressions on the part
of the citizens or Indians, the United States in Congress assembled,
shall have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the trade
with the Indians, and managing all their affairs in such manner
as they think proper.
ARTICLE 9. Until the pleasure of Congress be known, respecting
the eighth article, all traders, citizens of the United States
of America, shall have liberty to go to any of the tribes or towns
of the Choctaws, to trade with them, and they shall be protected
in their persons and property, and kindly treated.
ARTICLE 10. The said Indians shall give notice to the citizens
of the United States of America, of any designs which they may
know or suspect to be formed in any neighboring tribe, or by any
person whosoever, against the peace, trade or interest of the
United States of America.
ARTICLE 11. The hatchet shall be forever buried, and the
peace given by the United States of America, and friendship re-established
between the said states on the one part, and all the Choctaw nation
on the other part, shall be universal; and the contracting parties
shall use their utmost endeavors to maintain the peace given as
aforesaid, and friendship re-established.
In witness of all and every thing herein determined, between the
United States of America and all the Choctaws, we, their underwritten
commissioners, by virtue of our full powers, have signed this
definitive treaty, and have caused our seals to be hereunto affixed.
Done at Hopewell, on the Keowee, this third day of January, in
the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six.
Yockenahoma, his x mark,
Yockehoopoie, his x mark,
Mingohoopoie, his x mark,
Tobocoh, his x mark,
Pooshemastuby, his x mark,
Pooshahooma, his x mark,
Tuscoonoohoopoie, his x mark,
Shinshemastuby, his x mark,
Yoopahooma, his x mark,
Stoonokoohoopoie, his x mark,
Tehakuhbay, his x mark,
Pooshemastuby, his x mark,
Tuskkahoomoih, his x mark,
Tushkahoomock, his x mark,
Yoostenochla, his x mark,
Tootehooma, his x mark,
Toobenohoomoch, his x mark,
Cshecoopoohoomoch, his x mark,
Stonakoohoopoie, his x mark,
Tushkoheegohta, his x mark,
Teshuhenochloch, his x mark,
Pooshonaltla, his x mark,
Okanconnooba, his x mark,
Autoonachuba, his x mark,
Pangehooloch, his x mark,
Steabee, his x mark,
Tenetchenna, his x mark,
Tushkementahock, his x mark,
Tushtallay, his x mark,
Cshnaangchabba, his x mark,
Cunnopoie, his x mark,
Witness:
Wm. Blount,
John Woods,
Saml. Taylor,
Robert Anderson,
Benj. Lawrence.
John Pitchlynn,
James Cole, Interpreters.
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