Public Treaties.
Prior to 1721, efforts were made by the Government to secure possession of the lands in Georgia lying west of the Ocmulgee. The McIntosh party favored such a treaty, while Big Warrior and his adherents opposed it. After many consultations between the two parties, favorable conclusions were arrived at, and the pipe of peace was passed. Big Warrior alone broke the faith thus cemented around the council-fires of his tribe; McIntosh was again faithful, and in 1821, he concluded a treaty with the agents of the government, by which the hunting grounds between the Ocmulgee and Flint Rivers were forever ceded away, excepting a portion of the Ward plantation and six hundred and forty acres around the Spring. These reservations were made by McIntosh for himself. The first embraced a large body of fertile land and the second the Spring, the medical properties of which McIntosh well understood. This treaty was ratified in Washington, March 2d, 1821.
This action of McIntosh and his adherents aroused another feud between the rival wings of the tribe, which ended in a fierce battle. A heavy loss was sustained on both sides, the McIntosh party suffering most severely. Big Warrior was slain, and thus his party were left without a leader. A little later the orator chief and McIntosh met and smoked the calumet. How faithless the first named could prove to this solemn covenant will be shown. In 1823, General McIntosh and Joel Bailey erected the main building of the Indian Spring Hotel, and opened it for the reception of visitors. This building is still yearly occupied for the purposes originally intended. About the same date other improvements were made, and Indian Spring became a favorite resort at that day. The visits of the whites increased rapidly, and they sought to secure residences, or camped out; while the Indians, now peaceable, also flocked to the "Healing Water."
By an agreement, all parties met at Indian Spring to consider a second treaty, early in February, 1825. The Government agents were protected by United States troops, and large forces of the opposing Indian factions were present. The negotiations were conducted in the hotel, and concluded February 7th, 1825. Under this treaty all the Indian possessions in Georgia were ceded to the whites, and an early removal of the tribe arranged for.
The agency of General McIntosh in bringing about this treaty resulted in his death within a few months. When it was announced that the treaty was concluded, Hopoethleyoholo seized the occasion to give vent to his long pent-up wrath. The Indians of both the old factions were present in large numbers. All were excited. At last the orator chief mounted the large rock yet seen at the south end of the Varner House, and gave vent to his feelings and purposes in the following characteristic talk:
"Brothers, the Great Spirit has met here with his painted children of the woods and their paleface brethren. I see his golden locks in the sunbeams; he fans the warrior's brow with his wings and whispers sweet music in the winds; the beetle joins his hymn and the mocking bird his song. You are charmed! Brothers, you have been deceived! A snake has been coiled in the shade and you are running into his open mouth, deceived by the double-tongue of the paleface chief (McIntosh), and drunk with the fire-water of the paleface. Brothers, the hunting grounds of our fathers have been stolen by our chief and sold to the paleface. Whose gold is in his pouch? Brothers, our grounds are gone, and the plow of the paleface will soon turn up the bones of our fathers. Brothers, are you tame? Will you submit? Hopoethleyoholo says no!" Then turning to McIntosh, who was standing with the commissioners at a window a few feet distant, he continued: "As for you, double-tongued snake, whom I see through the window of the paleface, before many moons have waned your own blood shall wash out the memory of this hated treaty. Brothers, I have spoken."
By this treaty the Spring became the property of the State and the ceded land was laid out in lots in 1826, the Commonwealth reserving ten acres around the Spring for the benefit of her citizens then and thereafter. The act establishing Butts County was passed in 1826. The village of Indian Spring was incorporated by legislative enactment in 1837, and in 1866, a second act changed the name to McIntosh and extended the limits of the incorporation.