To Thomas Jefferson from John Milledge, 1 April 1805
From John Milledge
Executive Department, Georgia. Louisville, 1st. April, 1805.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit you agreeably to the wish of the legislature of this state, a schedule of the claims of the citizens of Georgia, against the creek nation of Indians. The respective claims are established on the oath of one or more disinterested persons, and deposited in this office. You will also find transmitted a copy of the Journal of the commissioners appointed by me to claim and receive from the Indians negroes and other property as mentioned in schedule, the journal fully states the result of their mission; and information particularly important, in as much as it points out the place at which the Uchee creek or river empties into the Chatahoochie, which is some distance below that mentioned in the deed of cession and agreement, between the United States, and Georgia.
I have the honor to be with the greatest respect & consideration, yr. mo. obt. servt.
John Milledge
FC (Lb in G-Ar: Governors’ Letter Book); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, City of Washington.” Recorded in SJL as received 23 Apr. Enclosures not found.
claims: in conformity with an 11 Dec. 1803 resolution by the Georgia legislature, Milledge had appointed commissioners to meet with the Creeks and demand the return of property taken at various times from the citizens of Georgia, or restitution. In his message to legislators on 5 Nov. 1804, the governor reported that the mission was unsuccessful and presented copies of his instructions and an extract from the commissioners’ journal to prove that their exertions “were not wanting” in the matter (Columbian Museum & Savannah Advertiser, 24 Nov. 1804). For Milledge’s earlier communication on the subject of claims against the Creeks, see Milledge to TJ, 5 Aug. 1803.
For the terms of the 1802 cession and agreement regarding Georgia’s western land claims and the location of its western boundary, see TJ to the Senate and the House of Representatives, 26 Apr. 1802.