Manuscript DS, one page, 8.25 x 12.5, September 26, 1844. Indian Department expense report for D. L. Millican authorizing the payment of $31.13 to Millican for ferriage duties from January to June of 1844. Document provides an itemized list of eight trips by Millican and reads:
“1844 January. To ferriage of 22 Indians, with Sanchez, their Horses and one footman towards Washington and back @ 25 cts. ca. each.
Feby 8. To ferriage of 4 Indians, Coshates, to & from Washington. Bacon furnished them.
28. ferriage of 18 Indians with Jack Ivy, Red bean & co. & their horses, going to &
returning from Washington.
5 footmen going & returning.
100 lbs. Salted pork
April 6. Crossing Agent Greene & 4 Indians…Greene returning.
May 29. Crossing 5 Indians Eye. C. Ny
Jim & 4 horses
June 4. Crossing John Connor 2 others & 4 horses—To Washington & back.”
Written at the bottom, in a secretarial hand is “Executive Department, Washington, Sept. 26, 1844. The Acting Treasurer will pay the above amount thirty one dollars and thirteen cents out of appr. for Indian purposes,” and signed underneath by Houston. Document is also signed by Superintendant of Indian Affairs Thomas G. Western attesting to the expense report. Accompanied by a typescript of the Tehuacana Creek Treaty, Republic of Texas Treaty with the Comanche, Keechi, Waco, Caddo, Anadarko, Ioni, Delaware, Shawnee, Cherokee, Lipan and Tawakoni Tribes, Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce; and a 29-page article, clipped from a larger book, entitled “The Delaware and Shawnee Indians and the Republic of Texas, 1820–1845.”
Partial separations along intersecting folds, with a couple folds passing though Houston’s signature, scattered toning and damp staining, a few small edge chips and spots of paper loss, some light mirroring of ink, small hole near left edge touching one letter of text, and some show-through from docketing on reverse, otherwise very good condition.
This expense report, authorizing the transport of 22 Indians to and from the Texas capital, was approved by President Sam Houston two weeks before the October 9 ratification of the Tehuacana Creek Treaty, which was also known as the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Commerce. Declaring that “the tomahawk shall be buried,” the agreement between the Republic of Texas and 11 tribes laid out broad terms to promote an end to hostilities, created exclusive trade agreements between the Indians, and even specified that “no whiskey or other intoxicating liquor shall be sold” through government trading houses.
The adoption of this agreement was a complete reversal of the Texans’ relationship with the many native tribes living within the Republic. Houston’s predecessor, Mirabeau Lamar, has implemented an aggressive anti-Indian policy favoring removal or extermination. A series of costly conflicts resulted, leaving both the Texans and the Indians weary of bloodshed.
In addition to a climate favorable to peace in 1844, Houston was personally predisposed to reconciliation with the Indians. As a boy, much of his youth had been spent living among the Cherokee, even becoming the adopted son of a local chief who re-named him Co-lo-neh, or the Raven; in the 1830s, he was married to a Cherokee woman named Tiana Rogers; and one year before the Tehuacana Treaty, Houston wrote, "I will punish any man who does injustice to the Indians. I have known them from my boyhood. They are a brave, honest, upright people."
Signed by both Houston and Thomas Western, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs, this exceedingly scarce document is a worthy centerpiece of any collection focusing on Anglo-Indian relations in early Texas. The Robert Davis Collection, read more about Robert Davis. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
(inquire for price)
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
