Letter to Captain Israel Chapin, Canandaigua. FORT ERIE, 23d August, 1793. SIR: The enclosed letter to General Knox, we desire you to forward by faithful express, whom we desire you to send off with the utmost despatch. Let him change horses to make the better speed. Nothing must prevent the prompt execution of our request. The Western Indians refuse to make peace. We are, sir, yours, &c. BENJAMIN LINCOLN, Commissioners of the United States. The foregoing pages contain a just account of our transactions, in attempting to negotiate a peace with the Western Indians, now in hostility against the United States. BENJAMIN LINCOLN, Commissioners. FORT ERIE, in the province of Upper Canada, August 24th, 1793. Attest, CHARLES STORER, Secretary to the Commissioners. EXHIBIT 51. The Secretary of War to the President of the United States.1 WAR DEPARTMENT, January 2, 1794. SIR: Most of the principal chiefs of the Wabash Indians, who visited this city, having died with the small-pox, it would have been improper and nugatory to have attempted with the remainder any explanation of the fourth article of the treaty of Post Vincennes, the seventh day of September, 1792. It was presumed, that, at the intended treaty to be held with the Northwestern Indians, the Wabash tribes would have been represented. With a view therefore to this subject generally, the following article was inserted in the instructions of the com 1American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. I, p. 470. missioners: "You will, in all your negotiations, carefully guard the general rights of pre-emption of the United States to the Indian country, against all other nations and individuals, as established by the treaty of 1783, with Great Britain. But, in describing these rights to the Indians, you will impress them with the idea, that we concede to them fully, the right and possession of the soil as long as they desire to occupy the same; but when they choose to sell any portion of the country, it must be sold only to the United States, who will protect the Indians against al imposition." But the expectation of the treaty having been frustrated, nothing has been effected upon the subject. I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, your obedient servant, THE PRESIDENT of the United States. H. KNOX, Secretary of War. EXHIBIT 52. Message of the President to Congress on the Six Nations and Others.1 Communicated to Congress, May 21, 1794. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: I lay before you, in confidence, sundry papers, by which you will perceive the state of affairs between us and the Six Nations, and the probable cause to which it is owing. And, also, certain information, whereby it would appear that some encroachment was about to be made on our territory, by an officer and party of British troops. Proceeding upon a supposition of the authenticity of this information, although of a private nature, I have caused the representation to be made to the British minister, a copy of which accompanies this message.* It cannot be necessary to comment upon the very serious nature of such an encroachment, nor to urge, that this new state of things suggests the propriety of placing the United States in a posture 1American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. I, p. 477. *The copy here alluded to may be found with the Message of the 23d May, 1794, Vol. I. [Appearing in original text.] of effectual preparation, for an event which, notwithstanding the endeavors making to avert it, may, by circumstances beyond our control, be forced upon us. UNITED STATES, 21st May, 1794. GEO. WASHINGTON. [Enclosure 1.] At a meeting between the Indians of the Six Nations, and their confederates, at the Onondaga village, on Buffalo creek, and John Butler, Esquire, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, at Niagara, in the Province of Upper Canada, and Israel Chapin, Esquire, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, in the United States' Northern Department, on Tuesday, the 8th day of October, 1793:1 After the council had met, the Onondaga chief, CLEAR SKY, Spoke as follows: BROTHERS: We thank the Great Spirit for our happy meeting, that he has preserved us through all difficulties, dangers, and sickness, and given us an opportunity of meeting together at this place. He then went through the regular ceremony of condolence, and, severally, addressed Colonel Butler, General Chapin, and Indians of the several nations assembled; which ceremony was returned by Colonel Butler and General Chapin, in their separate characters, agreeable to the custom of Indians. The Farmer's Brother then delivered the speech of the Shawanese, Delawares, and Twithuays, and spoke as follows: BROTHERS: Colonel Butler, and General Chapin, we wish you to attend the Shawanese, and other nations of Indians; thanked the Six Nations for their attention, and were glad to see them at the great council fire, which had been kindled some time at the rapids of the Miami; and then proceeded: BROTHERS: You are acquainted with the friendship which once subsisted between you and our fathers; and the reason that the present fire is kindled, is to renew that friendship. BROTHERS: We mentioned this to you last fall, at a council at the Glaize, and we now repeat it, to put you in mind of that friendship which once subsisted between you and our wise forefathers. 1American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. I, p. 477. (A belt of white wampum, made in a circular form, representing their place of meeting, as in the centre, and crossed by four stripes of black wampum, representing all their confederates, East, West, North, and South.) The seven nations of Canada then asked how long the confederacy had subsisted between the Shawanese, &c. and the Six Nations, and their confederates; the answer was, three lives. The Shawanese, &c. then proceeded: BROTHERS: The ancient confederacy which subsisted between us and the Five Nations, was, that, if any of the Five Nations were in distress, we would take them to us; we now see that you are in distress; that you are surrounded by water, and have not dry land to stand upon; that a large white beast stands with open mouth on the other side, ready to destroy you. We have dry land for you to stand on; and we now take you by the hand, and invite you to come, and bring your beds, and sit down with us.(A belt of seven rows of black and white wampum.) The warriors now joined with the chiefs, and repeat the ancient agreement, and recommend a union of all the different nations, and ask them to follow what is requested of them by the chiefs.— (Sixteen strings of wampum.) The Six Nations then advised the hostile Indians to send for the commissioners of the United States, who had arrived at the mouth of Detroit river, and take them by the hand, and lead them to the council fire which was then kindled. PUCK-ON-CHE-LUH, head warrior of the Delawares, then spoke: BROTHERS: I call you my uncles, and all the other Indians my grand-children; them I have already united and bound together, and I now bind you all together with this string.-(A large bunch of black wampum.) The sachems of the Delawares then spoke: BROTHERS: You have heard the speech of the chief warriors; we join with them, are glad to hear they have bound all their grand-children together, and that they have spoke with great respect to their uncles, and recommended to all to be of one mind.— (Four belts of wampum.) The Six Nations returned thanks for the advice they had received from the Delawares. The Wyandots then spoke: BROTHERS: You came to us one hundred and fifty years ago, when we lived above Detroit, with a speech from the Six Nations, assembled at their council fire at Onondaga hill, and recommended to us to be friends, and advised us not to listen to any bad report, or any thing that would disturb our minds. BROTHERS: Listen to a few words more we have to say to you; we hear the Virginians are near us; we shall not go to meet them; but if they should come among us, we do not know what will be the consequence. The Chippewas, and twenty-six other nations, their confederates, then spoke: BROTHERS: We are sorry that the business, for which the council fire was kindled at the rapids of the Miami, has not been completed as we could wish. We were desired, by the different nations which we represent, to attend the council, and use our endeavors to bring about a general peace, and unite all the nations. The Wyandots again spoke, with a very large belt of wampum, with three pictures upon it, one in the middle, and one at each end, representing the Americans at one end, the Six Nations in the middle, and themselves at the other end, and expressed their sorrow that the Americans were gone before they had an opportunity to speak to them. The Chippewas, Ottawas, and Pattawatamies, deputies from twenty-seven nations, inhabiting along the Lakes, and above Michilimackinack, then spoke: BROTHERS: We are sorry that we have attended all summer at the council fire, and have not done any business, as we expected. BROTHERS: We are now united with you, the Six Nations, and ask you to return to your seats, and let the United States know our determination, and return with an answer to us by the middle of winter, and not stop, as some nations may confuse you, and make your minds bad. |