The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

108 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [1795.
MESSAGE
TO THE SENATE; CONCERNING A TREATY WITH THE
CREEK INDIANS.
JUNE 25TH, 1795.
Just at the close of the last session of Congress, I
received, from one of the senators and one of the
representatives of the State of Georgia, an application
for a treaty to be held with the tribes or nations of
Indians claiming the right of soil to certain lands lying
beyond the present temporary boundary line of that
State, and which were described in an act of the legislature of Georgia, passed on the 28th of December
last, which has already been laid before the Senate.
This application, and the subsequent correspondence
with the governor of Georgia, are herewith transmitted.
The subject being very important, I thought proper
to postpone a decision upon that application. The
views I have since taken of the matter, with the information received of a more pacific disposition on the
part of the Creeks, have induced me now to accede
to the request; but with this explicit declaration, that
neither my assent, nor the treaty which may be made,
shall be considered as affecting any question which
may arise upon the supplementary act passed by the
legislature of the State of Georgia on the 7th of January last, upon which inquiries have been instituted,
in pursuance of a resolution of the Senate and House
of Representatives; and that any cession or relinquishment of the Indian claims shall be made in the general terms of the treaty of New York, which are contemplated as the form proper to be generally used
on such occasions; and on the condition that one half