To James Madison from Thlucco and Hopoie, 30 October 1816
From Thlucco and Hopoie
Fort Hawkins 30th. October 1816
We have put some of our men on the road to See you, Colo, Hawkins now being dead, we have no person to do our business.
When you See these men, who are a deputation from us to you, they will represent our whole people. Ever Since the War we have not had any thing Set[t]led Straight with us, we hope you will Settle every thing Straight with them.
Friend & Brother, We have often Sent you our talks Since the war; but have not received any from you in return.
When You See our deputation, and talk with them, it will be as if you were talking with us.
Friend & Brother, These our deputation we Send to you, and when you See One another, we want you to Settle every thing that has happened in our nation. My friend, to you we look up to as Steady and firm; we have had many Crazy men in our nation and they have led us astray. We hope you will make Some permanent arrangement for us.1 Ever Since our nation got Crazy, we have not had any thing Straight; we Send this deputation to Settle every thing relative to our nation. These our deputation, when they talk with you, will tell you every thing that has hapened to us, and they will tell you the truth. These men are a deputation from us, and by this letter you will know it. We have not a long talk to Send. On the death of Colo. Hawkins you appointed his Nephew Cap. Hawkins to attend to our business. When we applied to him to settle our business he was sick and not able to get up. We have with Cap Hawkins Requested Major Hughes U. states Factor to attend our deputation to you.
When you See our deputation One will Shake hands with you first, that is Tus.ke.he-ne-hau of Cussituh, who will deliver a Short talk to you himself.
Our two Chiefs & warriors, Major McIntosh and Eu.fa,law, Yo,ho,lo mic,co—will be the principal persons who will Settle the whole of our business with you, those who will Coincide with their arrangements with you for our nation, are, Took,aw,bat,chee Tus.ke,he,nehau—Cussetuk Fie,man,thlau—Tus,keeke Emauth,lau & Our two Interpreters Cap George Lovet & Mr. Samuel Hawkins.
We Owe One another in our nation, and Stand in Need of what is Comeing from the United States to us. Our deputation will arrange with you for it.
Friend & Brother, we Send you our deputation to talk with you. We are your friends and the friends of the United States.
Tustun,nuggee BW his mark2 Thlu,cco
Speaker of the upper Creeks
Tus,tun-nug-gee X his mark Hopoie
Speaker of the lower Creeks
Witness
George GL [his mark] Lovet
Public Interpreter
Written as Interpreted
Wm Bowen
as U.S. Factor
Ft. Hawkins
RC (DNA: RG 107, LRRS, C-294:9). Docketed as received in the War Department in November 1816.
1. On his last day in office, 3 Mar. 1817, JM signed two acts relating to the Creek Indians. One was an act “making provision for the location of the lands reserved by the first article of the treaty of the ninth of August, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen […] to certain chiefs and warriors of that nation.” The other was “An Act for the relief of certain Creek Indians” (, 3:380–82; Daily National Intelligencer, 10 Mar. 1817).
2. Tustunnuggee Thlucco (aka Big Warrior) (d. 1825) was the speaker for the upper townships of the Creek Confederation. He resided in Tuckabatchee on the Tallapoosa River (Smith et al., Papers of Andrew Jackson, 4:21 n.).