THE Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the United States of America
give peace to the Chickasaw Nation, and receive them into the
favor and protection of the said States, on the following conditions:
ARTICLE 1. The Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the Chickasaw
nation, shall restore all the prisoners, citizens of the United
States, to their entire liberty, if any there be in the Chickasaw
nation. They shall also restore all the negroes, and all other
property taken during the late war, from the citizens, if any
there be in the Chickasaw nation, to such person, and at such
time and place, as the Commissioners of the United States of
America shall appoint.
ARTICLE 2. The Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the Chickasaws,
do hereby acknowledge the tribes and the towns of the Chickasaw
nation, 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 Chickasaw nation to live and hunt on, within the limits
of the United States of America, is, and shall be the following,
viz: Beginning on the ridge that divides the waters running into
the Cumberland, from those running into the Tennessee, at a
point in a line to be run north-east, which shall strike the
Tennessee at the mouth of Duck river; thence running westerly
along the said ridge, till it shall strike the Ohio; thence down
the southern banks thereof to the Mississippi; thence down the
same, to the Choctaw line or Natches district; thence along the
said line, or the line of the district eastwardly as far as
the Chickasaws claimed, and lived and hunted on, the twenty-ninth
of November, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. Thence
the said boundary, east-wardly, shall be the lands allotted to
the Choctaws and Cherokees to live and hunt on, and the lands
at present in the possession of the Creeks; saving and reserving
for the establishment of a trading post, a tract or parcel of
land to be laid out at the lower port of the Muscle shoals, at
the mouth of Ocochappo, in a circle, the diameter of which shall
be five miles on the river, which post, and the lands annexed
thereto, 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 Chickasaws to live and hunt
on, such person shall forfeit the protection of the United States
of America, and the Chickasaws 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, or person under their protection, the tribe
to which such offender or offenders 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 Chickasaws, if any will attend at the time and
place, and that they may have an opportunity so to do, due notice,
if practicable, 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,
shall have liberty to go to any of the tribes or towns of the
Chickasaws 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 interests
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 the
Chickasaw 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 contained, between the
said States and Chickasaws, 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 tenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six.
Witness:
Wm. Blount,
Wm. Hazard,
Sam. Taylor,
James Cole, Sworn Interpreter.
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