American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
156 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1792. |
the council broke up, Captain John, of the Onandagos, came to my hut, and
informed me, in private conversation, that no scruple was made of the authority
I came under to them, being well informed by the chiefs of the Genesee, who had
given that information some considerable time before my reaching Buffalo.
Captain John, from his manners, appeared to be a man of veracity, and had
received a Mohawk education, and understood himself very well, and during my
stay at Buffalo attached himself to me in person, and promoted, all that lay in
his power, the business that I had before the council; but the reasons, he
said, they were so particular with me, was on account of a certain William
Ewing, a resident from the Connedesago lake, who had come in behalf of the Hon.
Robert Morris, whom he called the second greatest man in the Union; that he had
convened a council the day previous to my arrival, informing those of the Six
Nations present, that the pre-emptive right to the lands in this country, as
belonging to the State of Massachusetts, were now the property of the said
Robert Morris, whensoever the Six Nations of Indians were disposed to sell any
part of the same; that, the better to authenticate this business that he had to
perform, he produced his instructions, under the hands and seals of the Hon.
Robert Morris and the Hon. ____ Ogden, both of the State of Pennsylvania,
adding, that the chain of friendship now stretched between the said gentlemen
and the Six Nations, the centre of which was to be supported by him; that in
consequence thereof, he desired their permission to traverse the several
courses of the lands granted by their agent, ______ Livingston, of New York, to
the said State of Massachusetts.
28th.- The council being convened within the house, there appeared to be about one hundred and fifty in number. Mr. Ewing began to open and continue his business, which he had introduced the day before; upon which, I rose to inform him that he must desist from going on any farther, as it was an interference with my mission, that was of the utmost consequence to the United States, and to the Indian nations in general; and that, as soon as the same was completed, agreeable to the purport of my coming here, that then I would lend him such assistance as was in my power, and through which I would evidence my respect for the gentlemen who sent him.
The commanding officer of fort Erie sent word to the council this morning, that he could not leave his garrison without the express permission of the commandant of Niagara, (Col. Gordon) but that he had sent Captain Powell, of the Indian Department, as a suitable person to superintend their business.
As a proper introduction to my mission, and by the consent and desire of O'Beel, I began by reading his address to the Governor and Council of the State of Pennsylvania, as also his several letters to the President of the United States, and his Excellency's answer to them, in order, and a third letter to the same, from the Secretary of War. The reading of these several papers, and the deed from his Excellency the President, for the restoration of their lands in the Six Nations, and the interpreting the same, took up the whole of the day, upon which I concluded to adjourn till to-morrow, leaving them to digest what had been said, and to judge of the great attention that had been paid to them by the Great Chief of the Thirteen Fires. I thought it proper to give the invitation to Captain Powell, to take up his abode at my hut for the night, which he very willingly accepted of. After we had taken a little refreshment, we entered into a general conversation, and spoke on many matters, the consequences of the late war. The captain, being free in conversation, gave me to understand, that Colonels Butler and Brandt, himself, and several other officers from Niagara and fort Erie, had been at Buffalo some time, waiting my coming, as they had advice that I was on the way hither; that while there, Brandt received private instructions, from head quarters, to set out for the Grand river, and from thence to Detroit. This business, Captain Powell judged, was to carry instructions of some kind to the Indians, at war with the United States. It had the appearance of truth, from what had fallen from the lips of Butler and Brandt, some days since, with the chiefs of the Onondagos and Senecas, as it had the tendency of their joint advice, when they spoke in the great council, viz: that they should not determine on any matter of consequence with me without their concurrence. These injunctions being laid upon them, (as I received it from my informant) the British officers retired to their different posts.
Friday, April 29th.- The business which I postponed yesterday, I opened in a much larger council than had appeared before; and, after I had read the Secretary of War's message by me to the Six Nations, I continued to read those also directed to the Delawares, Wyandots, the Miamies, and to the Indians inhabiting the Wabash; and closed the whole with an address to them, clearly explaining the greatness and power of the United States, and of their trade and commerce; as also of their being at peace and amity with many of the powerful nations of Europe: and though we were once angry with Great Britain, with whom we had fought for eight returning seasons, and having compelled them by force and arms to quit our country, the red hatchet between them and the United States was buried deep under the earth.
I also went into and explained the treaty, held at New York, between his Excellency the President and Colonel McGillivray, the political chief of the Creek nations, and the most numerous body of Indians on the continent, and at this interview there were thirty-two of the most principal chiefs. Every thing being most amicably adjusted at this treaty, they are now become the established friends of the United States, and have firmly engaged themselves to act as our allies in offensive and defensive wars, as the nature of the case will require. Moreover, as they had journeyed far from their own country, not less than sixteen hundred miles, that, to save them the trouble of returning the same way, an American vessel was properly equipped for their accommodation, and conducted them, fully satisfied, to their own country.
And here I was happy to have it in my power to give a more recent proof to the Six Nations, of the great justice done them, by the President of the United States, in the late negotiation had with him by Cornplanter, and others, at Philadelphia; to evidence which, no greater testimony can be given than what I have produced this day, in the hearing of this large assembly. And that nothing more remained, at this time, to be done, but for the chiefs of the Six Nations to evidence their attachment to the United States, by their speedily proceeding forward with me to the unfriendly Indians, and assisting me by the same to inform their minds, to reclaim them from the murders and thefts which they were daily committing upon the defenceless inhabitants near the Ohio, &c. &c. By this, they might have an early caution what must be the consequence, should they refuse to accept the terms of peace, and the proffered money of the United States, before that a decisive blow be levelled at those misguided people, and which cannot be far off, if they persist in their cruelties. Moreover, that it is a business worthy the attention of the Six Nations, nay, of all good men, both of the Indians and of the whites; and the speedier their determination might be made known to me the better, so that we might go on to the accomplishment of this good work, thereby to preserve hundreds of our fellow men on both sides. The reply of Red Jacket to the foregoing, as it will come more proper in this place, I here insert it as its full length:
"BROTHER FROM PENNSYLVANIA:
"We have heard all that you had said to us, and by which you have informed that you are going to the bad Indians to make peace with them, and that you are sent to us to receive our assistance. Now we must consider the matter thoroughly, and to choose which way we must go, whether by land or by water. You likewise tell us, that you have messages to the Wyandots, and to Captain Snake, of the Delawares; and that they are to take hold of you and us by the hands, and go to the bad Indian nations with us; and this, also, we must consider of thoroughly: for we find that all our Six Nations are not present; and, as our brother, Captain Powell, of the British, is here, and true to us, for he is with us at every treaty, we must let you know that we shall move our council-fire to Niagara with him, and that you must go with us to-morrow, as far as Captain Powell's house. And, as soon as we can know what time we can reach Niagara, we will send runners off to the fort, to acquaint the commanding officer of the garrison. And now the council want to have your answer."
I did not long hesitate to make answer, in what I deemed a very unwarrantable request; and particularly so from a people that have received so many marks of gratitude and attention from the Government of the United States.
I therefore addressed myself to the council, and acquainted them that I had the honor of receiving my instructions and messages for the Six Nations of Indians from the honorable the Secretary of War of the United States of Ame-
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1792.] |
157 |
rica, by the advice of his Excellency the President thereof; that, by those
instructions, I was ordered to proceed to the council-fire of the Six Nations,
where it should be deemed proper and advisable to light the same. This
is, therefore, the place I have been led to by some of your principal chiefs;
and upon my account, and the messages I have for your nations, this
council-fire has been lighted; this being truly the case; and that my errand
here was to invite you to send with me some of your head-men and warriors into
the nation of the unfriendly Indians, as proposed at Philadelphia to the
Secretary of War, by your chiefs who are present. That, on my coming thus far,
I am certain to be in the line of my duty; but to move from hence, with this
council-fire, to Niagara, a British garrison, there to transact important
business, in which the United States were concerned, is of such a nature, that
neither my principles nor commission would warrant me in such a transaction.
Therefore I should decline to accompany them; adding, that, if the Six Nations
were so far obligated that they must have the particular counsel and advice of
any person or persons at Niagara, let them be sent for to this council, so that
the result of such deliberations might be done openly at this place; and that
my desires were, that this fire should not be quenched until the intentions of
the Six Nations were made known to me, so that I might lay the same in form
before the Secretary of War, by him to be laid before General Washington, the
Chief of the Thirteen Fires.
A silence for some time pervaded the whole of the council; after which, Red Jacket and the Farmer's Brother spoke to the council by turns; the result of it being, that a runner must be immediately sent to Niagara, to request the attendance of Colonel Butler, &c. to meet them in their council as soon as he could make it convenient. The foregoing speech of Fed Jacket, as done by the advice of the Young King and Fish Carrier, (for they sat on either side of him, and prompted) plainly demonstrates, that the most of the chiefs of the Six Nations are under the influence of the British; as no business of consequence will be undertaken, to the advantage of the United States, but what must first be sifted by British counsel. These suggestions, which were pressed on my mind at this time, gave me to fear that I should not meet the wished for assistance that I had a right to expect from the Six Nations; but fully determined to persevere in my endeavors, till I should gain the summit of difficulty, which I saw arranged before me.
April 30th.- No business this day, but private counselling among themselves. In the evening, Captain Powell invited me to go with him to a store, about four miles distant, in which he was interested, and his partner who kept it a Mr. Cornelius Winney, of Fish Kills. With the last named gentleman I staid 'till the Monday following, through a very pressing and polite invitation, which at length I accepted of, being lame, and much indisposed, through fatigue and change of diet, such as from poor, to exceeding poor indeed; but with him there was plenty of every necessary, and given with so good a grace that I shall seek occasion to return the compliment.
May 2d.- No further business with me, but the Indians still continue their councils, keeping their fire burning, waiting the arrival of Colonel Butler, and, by information which I received, that leaked out of the cabinet of the Sachems, the council were much divided upon my account. About two in the afternoon, a messenger arrived from Niagara, informing them, that Colonel Butler &c. had set out from Niagara, for this place. Among other circumstances in their private council, by the friends to the British interest, that the place where I was desirous they should accompany me, was on the verge of the ocean; that it would take them twelve months to reach the place of treaty; but those falsities were soon explained to my friends, and through which, I plainly shewed them, by my draughts, that the distance from hence, to fort Washington, did not amount to six hundred miles, and that half that distance we should go by the waters of lake Erie, and that, when I was satisfied of their going with me, I would charter one of the trading vessels on the lake for that purpose.
May 3d.- Finding, upon inquiry, that there was no general council to be held this day, waiting the coming of Colonel Butler, I sent the interpreter to invite the chiefs to my cabin, as I had some matters to communicate to them, previous to their going to general council. They soon attended me, and I took the opportunity to open my map before them, and showed, from our situation at Buffalo, the trace we should make into the Miami nation; from thence to fort Washington, on the Ohio; the first, by a transport on lake Erie, to the mouth of the Miami, which, with any thing of a fair wind, could be completed in less than two days and two nights. From the mouth of the Miami to the Messasagoe nation, situate on the same, and from thence to the Miami and Wabash tribes, at such place where they might generally be assembled: plainly demonstrating, to their satisfaction, that the whole tour could be performed in a short time; and, therefore, enjoined them, under the friendship which they professed to bear to the Thirteen Fires, that they would, in their next council, promote and further my business, that I came to receive their assistance to perform; so that I might go on my journey, without farther hesitation, as my orders were, not to remain at any council longer than two or three days, if I could possibly do otherwise; so that it might be reasonably expected, that my stay here could not be much longer, this being the seventh day since my arrival. I hoped, therefore, they would not be silent with me longer, as I plainly saw that they were not to exercise their own opinions but on the opinion of the British agent. These remarks I made, with intention that they should feel the force of my observations; upon which, Red Jacket desired that I should hear him speak; as I had been speaking a long time. "Tell him, said he, (speaking to the interpreter) that some of his language is soft, but that other parts of it are too strong; for the danger that is before us is great, and our enemies are drunk; and they will not hear what we say, like a man that is sober, and we consider that, whatever number of the Six Nations accompany him, will be in the same danger with himself, and it is likely that we shall not live long, when the bad Indians shall see us. Therefore, as it is a business of such great weight to us, we must take counsel, in order to save ourselves, and him, from falling by their hands. Moreover, the Indians are not like white men: for they must think a great while. He must therefore attend our councils, and look and hear till we shall speak on his business; and to-morrow our head-men will meet together, and try what can be done." While we were in conversation together, a runner came to the Young King, acquainting him that Colonel Butler, with several officers, from Niagara, had arrived at the store house, on lake Erie, where, Colonel Butler desired, that the sachem and head-men of the nations should meet him in the morning; but did not advise that I should attend with them. This, the Young King desired, might be told to me, that I might know that Colonel Butler had called them together. The circumstance of their moving the council fire from hence to lake Erie, had never been attempted before, and may with propriety be said, that, their being called together without my being to be present, was intended to answer some private purpose; perhaps to damp the ardor of such friends as I might have gained among the Indians, through the fair and honorable statements which I had laid before them in their councils. Since the dusk of the night, Captain O'Beel had called a meeting of the chiefs, at the cabin of Cayassutta, as I understood it, to advise them not to do any thing to injure me, in the business I had to do with them. In the course of this day, Captains Half-Town and Big-Tree, and several of the head-men and warriors from O'Beel's town, and Cattaragus, about sixty in number, and Captain Snake, with about forty of the Delawares, arrived, attended by many of their women, youth &c. By invitation, I dined this day (in company with Captain Houdin,) with the principal chief of the Onondago nation, named Big Sky. His castle lay about three mile east of Buffalo, near which were about twenty eight good cabins, and the inhabitants appeared, in general, to be decent, and well clothed, particularly their women, some of which were dressed so richly with silken stroud &c. and ornamented with so many silver trappings, that one suit must be of the value of at least thirty pounds; some of the latter attended the feast, which principally consisted of young pigeons, some boiled, some stewed, and the mode of dishing them up was, that a hank of six were tied with a deer's sinew round their necks, their bills pointing outwards; they were pluck'd, but of pen-feathers there plenty remained: the inside was taken out, but it appeared from the soup made of them, that water had not touched them before. The repast being the best I had seen for a long time, I ate of it very heartily, and the entertainment was given with the appearance of much hospitality. Returned about sunset to Buffalo.
May 4th.- The whole of the head-men and warriors repaired to the place, yesterday appointed by Colonel Butler, to open that council they intended holding at the British garrison of Niagara. I pressed my friend O'Beel to go forward with them, by all means, lest the United States should not be represented. About eleven o'clock, an Indian runner delivered me a letter from Colonel Butler, through which Captain Houdin and myself received a polite invitation to dine with him and his officers, viz. Captain Burrows, commandant of fort Erie, Colonel Street, Captain Johnson, Captain Powell, and Captain Butler ___ (illeg. photocopy); most of which gentlemen appeared to speak the
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