Consolidated Docket No. 317, Defendant Exhibits 61-171

Dft. Ex. 74

Historical Society of Pennsylvania Ms., Wayne Papers
Report of a Council, Fort Knox

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

In Council, 19^th April, 1795        

The speech of a Chief called the Sun, in behalf of the Putawatimis-

My Brother.

The day is clair, I have shoke hands with you, & I expect it will last forever, the master of Life helps me I have come on good business, I will hide nothing from you, no more than you would from me- It is true the people that weare Hatts are sincible, & we are fools, it is because the Brittish gave us bad advice, I hope we will be forgiven- we cover all past injuries, let us forgive, & forget, I will not let go your hand, you know the Indians likes the ground, hide nothing, our Hearts shall be one, [delivers a String of Whampum]--

[Begins again]. I dont Speake for myself, alone, this Speech comes from Michlamacnac & from the Chipways, & Tawway's, they are all working for good business, I see no Strangers among us, we are all one- when I came first, I shoke hands with you, but I could hardley do it with Safety, I then went to put every thing right, it is so now, The Chipways, Tawways, & Puttawatimis, are one; & all working for good business, I hope you will be easey, & put every thing right- We have all agreed to listen no more to the British, they lead us to harm, we will now listin to the Americans, they talk good, & takes pity on our Women, & Children- The first time I saw you, you told me to try & make a good peace, that we might Hunt, & our Women worke in Safety,- all present depends on you, that a firm peace shall exist between us, & that you will tell us nothing but the truth,- you that weares Hatts, can keep your Soldiers, in order, we cannot, we are put on this Land all alike-

The French was my Father, but now I take you for my Father you see all your Chiefs, & Chief wariors, they expect you will give them something, such as you have for yourself,- I hope you will not build any Villages this side the Ohio, nor on the Wabash, that we may hunt in peace- I beg you will sent among us, as many Traiders, as you please, French & Americans, to swap with us. I hope you will take pity on our Women, & Children, & all our

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

younger Brothers present- when we go away, I hope you will give us something to eat, & not a little Keg, but a big one, it does not cost you much more then a little one,- If any one should come & tell you they are over me, they lie, dont beleave them, I am Master, I Keeps my people in order [here he shews out to us several Chiefs, & delivers a string of whampum]--

[Begins again] I will give you the names of my Chiefs, if you wish it- This is from the young men, & women, they beg you to speake to the Traders, to swap with them fairley, they dont want to buy water, tell them their little Bottles are too small,-

you have told us, we might Hunt in peace, & safety, I beleave I will move my Village on this River, to be in peace We, speake to you, as to Gen^l Wayne; you are in his place, I hope you will give him a part of what you are writing.- All of us beg you will send what we say to our Father; & that you will answer us, & hide nothing from us, as we do nothing from you,- I cannot say this Land is mine, nor can you say it is yours, the master of life put me on this Island, the most Sencible must worke the land, the Cattle on it was gave to us,- You was the first that spoke to me for the Prisoners, we have brought what we had; agreate many is gon the other way to the Greate Chief, we are all working To good business- I have brought all your flesh we have, I hope you let us See our nephews you have, I hope all is right- Magee has heaped a large pile of goods, and told us to go to war again against you, we said no, you have had enough of us killed already, we are done fightting, My Brother this is a firm peace, I never will breake it, I told Magee, I dispised him-- [delivers a string of whampum]

The Speech of another Chief called Otoquen, [he produces Certificates, & said the Chief that gave them to him told him a bigger one would come, & fead the Women & Children, & cover them-] I did not take your flesh, they were gave to me, I thought I would take ceare of them, & now I return them, there they are, I speake for all present; & beg you will take pity on us, & give us a little powder & Ball to hunt with, -

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

My Brother you know what I want better then I do myself, I have given my Colours to my Village, they are worn out in use, I hope you will give us new one's-- [delivered string of whampum]

[The Sun resumes his Speech.]- I did not take your flesh, they were gave to me, I have now brought them to you, because we have made a firm peace, that shall last forever.-- [concludes, the Council was then Adjourned]

Cap^t Pasteur's Answer to the Petiwatimies Indians, in Council, the 21^st day of April, 1795

Brothers. I have now to address myself to the Petiwatimies, to answer their speech delivered me the 19^th Ins^t, at the same time I am happy that my Brothers the Wiochnows, Kikapoos, & Miamis, are present to here what is said between us, I will not be like Magee, I do not wish to decave you, I speake before all people, where the Council fire is freely opened-

Brother the sun. I shall first answer you. The hart of my father Gen^l Washington, the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, and my own, is as clear, & as clean, as this ribbon, the God above has lent his aid to bring us to a true understanding between each other, which I hope will proove a happy circumstance, be assured, I shall hide nothing from you, nor can I suppose you would from me., the Americans that ware Hatts, such as is authorised to speake to you, I hope will prove sencable enough to give you good advice., such as will not be disapproved of by the Father of us all Gen^l Washington, or his Great Chief Gen^l Wayne;, Both of them are merciful & kind to you, and I make not the smallest doubt but they will forgive, and forget, all past injuries if they are not repeated, and you keep your fathers hand fast:, I am happy to here that the Chipways, and Tawways, are working with you for good business, and I hope, and believe, that when they meet the Great Chief Gen^l Wayne, at the Grand Treaty to be held at his head Quarters on the 15^th of June next, every thing will be made clear, and plain., and a permanent peace established, that will last to the end of time; then you well all find yourselves under the protection of a good,

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

great, and merciful Father, who well never deceive, or cheat you; you have done well to determine no longer to listen to the bad voice of the British, for if you had contineued to follow their bad advice, you would have found yourselves in the thorny path, that would have led you to your own distruction: remember how many of your Chiefs, and Chief wariors the Brittish has already caused you to loose, notwithstanding they have lead you blind-foulded into so much trouble, they are not content yet, they still want to run you into more, but I am happy to find, your eyes have been opened., and you have determined to avoid the snare they had laid for you.- I have always gave you good advice, such as will lead you to happeness if you strictly follow it, and I again tell you, to avoid the British and their Councils- It is very true my father caries on regularities among his people, and all his Chiefs can, and will, keep their wariors in good order, and if you wish to be happy, and to make your people so, you must endavour to keep yours, in as good order as possable, you must not suffer them to run a stray, or follow the dectates of the Brittish.

Remember the advice my father gave your Chiefs in Philadelphia., among the rest, he charged them to keep their young men in good order, and to suffer them to do no mistcheef, you now have a good father, and if you prove to be his faithful children, he will make you happy- I am happy now to behold so many of my Brothers, and that they are all anxious to see the blessings of peace firmly established-

As to building villages this side of the Ohio, it is not for me to decide upon, all such difficulties will be settled by the Great Chief Gen^l Wayne at the insuing grand treaty-

As soon as a firm peace is established among all my fathers Children, the great Chief will send honest traders among you, that will furnish you with every thing that is good, on the lowest terms possable, and whom he will not suffer to cheat, or deceive you- My Heart is open to pity, and I am ready to lend you such assistance as is in my power, as for Clothing, I have not a yard at this time, but expect that the great Chief Gen^l Wayne will send me

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

some as soon as he is at a little leasure, When you are about to leave me, I shall grant your request as far as I can, respecting something to eat drink and smoak be assured I will not forget you- I shall remember you are a great man, and if any other of your people should come, and say, they are over you, I [s]hall also remember you have in open council declared they lie, & I trust you will continue to keep your young men in good order- I shall not forget the Chiefs that you have spoke of, and before you go away I will take down their names from your own words- I shall do all in my power to enduce the traders in this Village to trade honestly and fairly with you, and not to sell you water, nor to measure what you buy, in too small a Bottle- My Father has declaered that if you remain in peace on your possesions, you might hunt, and your women worke in safety, and that he would protect all his children in their just rights, that he would not suffer them to be deprived of them- as to your mooving your village on the Wabash, I can say nothing more to you on that subject than, that I have nothing to do with that Land so high up, and, that I suppose you ought to consult our Brothers that lives already on it- depend on it I shall send a copy of all the business done between us to the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, from whome I hide nothing nor shall I, from you-

I have already informed you we shall not dispute about lands, I have nothing to do with them, all that kind of business will be settled I suppose at the grand Treaty I have before mentioned, and to all your satisfactions- I have also assured you my father has declaired he would protect all his faithful children in their rights, and you will never find him to deceive you- I am happy to find that you have taken my advice respecting prisoners., and that you have brought two of my fathers children that was prisoners among you, and surrendered them to me, it is a proof of your sincerity, and will be a pleasing circumstance to the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, who has agreed in return for the surrender of all prisoners among the different tribes of brothers, he will set at liberty, all such as he has of theirs, at the before mentioned grand Treaty, more particulars of which, you shall have, when I call our brothers the Wabash Indians together, to deliver them

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

a speech from the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, which he has just sent on, by our brother M^r Wells, and as you assure me the rest of the prisoners is sent the other way to him, you may expect to see your nephews very soon, The pile of goods that Magee has made for you, has poison in it, it is intended to poison your minds, and to run you mad fools, that he may lead you incencible to further trouble and your own ruin

My brother, be cautious, and do not go near them, nor listen to his venimous tongue, If the Brittish is men, why did they not shew themselves so as they have always promised you, when your deluded brothers, caused, and obliged, the great Chief Gen^l Wayne to kill and distroy them under the mouths of the great Guns of the Brittish in their garrison & in their sight, did they offer to fire a single gun to protect them?, or did they open their gates to secure their flight? no my brothers, they were afraid, they stood trembling spectators to the slaughter they had, themselves brought on the Indians they had blinded, their own guilty conscience convicted them, and made them dread the approaching danger that awaited their infamous, and insulting conduct, when you heare me speake to my Wabash brothers, you shall also here the good advice the great Chief Gen^l Wayne gave, and sent, to his hostile children, before, and after, the late Action took place- by which you will plainly see, he did not wish to kill and distroy., but to make pace with them, but the poison of the Brittish tongue prevented them from listening to his good voice until after the action- My Brothers, I hope the friendship professed between us, will never more be shaken; by Brittish, or any other false delusion-, we that ware hats will not be blinded by any, and I trust, and hope, that the deare bought experience will teach your deluded brothers to avoid them also- My Brother the sun, I shall prepair and deliver the papers you have requested me to give your Chiefs before we part my brother I shall now leave you for a fiew moments, to Address my brother the Otoquen-

Brother, I have not charged you with takeing my flesh that you have surrendered to me, and I am happy to find, not only from you, but from them also, that they have been

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

treated well, sinc[e] they have been in your hands, and until this opertunity offered for the surrender of them, which will prove a satisfactory seal to your good intentions, I shall consider your necessity of a little powder, and Ball, and notwithstanding, I have none of them articles that would suit you, I shall endavour to procure a fiew loads for you all, which I will deliver to you, before we part, and with which, you must be satisfied until some is sent to me for you, as soon as it is, you shall know, and receive it-

My Brother the Sun. I now return to you, & assure you, I have received the prisoners, that you have delivered me, with a satisfactory warmeth of brotherly friendship, which I hope is rivited between us, with so strong a rivit, that all the dastardly intrest of the Brittish, aided by the lieing, poisonous tongues of Magee and others can never loose- I am now ready to cover the Council fire until I assemble my Wabash Brothers, at which time, I request you will attend, therefore I shall not take my leave of you, until I close my business with you-

Council Adjourned.

In Council April 22^nd 1795   Capt Pasteurs address to the Wabash Indians

Brothers- I have called on you to meet me this day that I may deliver you a speech from the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, to all the Indians liveing on the Waters of the Wabash, and others whom it may concern- Previous to which, I shall also inform you of his speeches sent the hostile Indians before, and after, the late Action took place between him, and the blind Indians that was lead a stray by Magee and others of the Brittish- I shall in the first place inform you of the great Chiefs speech to them before the Action, which was as follows (read it)

Brothers- Those Indians was blind to their own Intrest, they would not listen to the good voice of peace, but they chose to follow the dictates of the Brittish, who caused

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

them to loose so much blood as they did in the late action- The great Chief Gen^l Wayne being still moved by pitty, after the action was over, sent the second speech to them which was this [Read the 2^nd Speech]

Brothers- I am happy that those Indians have had their eyes opened a little, and that they begin to know what their own Intrest, that it is, to listen to the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, whom my father has sent among them--

I shall now proceed to deliver the speech of the great chief, which he has sent to you by our Brothers M^r Wells (read the speech to the wabash Indians)

Brothers- You have now heard the good talk of the great chief Gen^l Wayne, you have also heard the invitation he has given you to come and see him, and to be witnesses, and parties, to the good work on hand, which I flatter my self you will readily accept of, and comply with- I therefore request that you meet me tomorrow in this room, and inform me of your determinations, and how many, and who of you all will attend the call of the great Chief Gen^l Wayne to the Treaty- at the same time I am happy to inform you that the great Chief Gen^l Wayne will be better prepared to receive you as his Children than he has ever before been, and that he will have it in his power to cloth such of you, as think proper to attend his call to the good work on hand, and which we all hope, and believe, will be firmly established at the appointed time and place--

for the answer of the Wabash Indians see page 18, 19, & 20'

[Page 14] Cap^t Pasteur's answer to the Wabash Indians in Council April 23^rd 1795--

To Lapesair- Brother- you are not invited by the great chief Gen^l Wayne to the treaty as hostile Indians, but to come and be witnesses, and parties to the good work on hand, and I am happy to here you say that you will attend accordingly, I am sorry to here you urge a moments

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

delay in negociating the good business intended at the treaty to be held at Greenville the 15^th of June next, two thirds, or more, of the Indians have agree'd to that time, and place for holding it, and it is unnecessary, and useless, for you to propose the unreasonable request of such delay. I hope that as soon as you make the necessary arangements among yourselves, you will prepare, and attend, at the time, and place, appointed for holding the Treaty, and our brother M^r Wells, will as soon as possable, inform the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, of your intentions.- I have before informed you I was not authorised to settle the bounderies of land, and that I did not wish to talk on that subject, for it would be done by the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, also that you ahve papers in your possession, that declairs that my father will protect his good Children in their Just rights, & that no person can take, or purchace, your lands without his consent, that he might see Justice [page 15] done you- & I am sure he never will decieve you--

To the Gun, a Kikepoo--

I like paper because, on it, all good business can appear fair, and plain, and by which, I can inform the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, of every thing I do, and be assured, he knows, and will know, all the business I do with you. you say Co^l Hamtramck & the three nations that formerly lived at the Miami Villiage, sent you a message. that the Treaty should be moved to that place, I tell you there is a lie in it, for Co^l Hamtramck has no such power, or any other person in this country, but the great Chief- & I am not plased with your ignorance, you also say your cannot tell Gen^l Wayns reason for holding the treaty at Greenville, as he has possession of your old Councel house, I will endavour to explain to you, my opinion on that subject, you say you used formerly to hould your councels in the Miami Villages- was not all your councels then held, attended with ill consequences? did they not lead you to trouble & dsalation? why then do you say you cannot account for the moving of the councel house? I tell you there has been too many lies told on that ground, in your councels by the Brittish,

Pasteur, Thomas

Report of a Council, Fort Knox,
April 19-23, 1795

they have corrupted it, and made it unfit for counciling, which I suppose may be, one reason [page 16] for the great chief Gen^l Wayne's moveing it to a clean, undefiled spot, where he keeps his Head Quarters, and where nothing but truth, and Justice reigns- and you say, you are sorry to find Gen^l Wayne has done as he has, that he has invited the Indians to come & see him, that he made them drunk, and compelled them to agree to the Treaty's being held at that place- there is a lie again, he did invite the Indians to come & see him on good business; but he did not to get drunk- those that got drunk, I supposed teased him, as you have one for whiskey, on which, they may have done as you have, drank till they were fools, but the great Chief, never sits in Council with those that are drunk, every thing that was done between him, and the Chiefs that agreed on the time, & place for holding the treaty, was done in open councel, where none that was blind was permitted to enter, and where every thing was clair & plain-

I shall be sorry that the false, & useless, talk that you have expressed, should go to the great Chief, & I will leave it to you, the Weotinoas, Kikepoos, & Miamis, to reconsider the absurdity of it, & if you think as I do, you will move for leave to recall it, so that it may be wiped from those sheets, that the stain- may not remain on them-

[Page 17] I shall now set down for a fiew moments, that you may desid thereon- [They counceled among themselves a few moments, when they requested that the might have leave to recall their proposition for removing the Treaty, and everything tending to it, and that they believed that their informant, respecting the Treaty to be moved, and the great Chief's conduct in having it fixed where it was, is a liar, and that they hoped, there was no harm done, also, that they would attend the Treaty, at the time, and place, agreed on] Brothers. I am hapy that you have put it in my power to wipe away the stain of falshood; and absurdity, that it may not appear on the records of our business, and that I also, have it in my power to inform the great Chief Gen^l Wayne, of your determination to attend the Treaty- I now conclude, with wishing, you all present, every hapiness that this life can afford, and the blessings of peace established