American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1792.] |
161 |
utmost occasion for them, having to travel a long distance on foot. But the
mistake or wrong interpretation rested on this point: My intentions of going by
water, as above related, prompted me to engage one of O'Beel's Indians, whom I
believed to be an honest man, to carry my letters to fort Franklin; and, as
well as having offered him certain payment for his services, I had proposed to
him a horse to carry him to the New Arrow's town, where the horse belonged, and
the rest of the way he might go by water, if he chose to do so. Moreover, to
speak in their own language, I was more of a man than to leave my
friends in that manner; and that, whenever I was about to go from them, I
should tell them so, and take my leave of the Six Nations. Having so said to
them, I gave them a treat, and they returned to their towns fully pleased and
satisfied.
May 17.- Red Jacket and other of the chiefs informed me that my friends in the different towns expected that I would give them something to drink, as they were going to have a great dance before they should leave their women. I readily accepted his proposition, and ordered eight gallons of the best spirits to be presented them for the entertainment, and I desired that the women should be attended to particularly, for their valuable conduct in the last great council.
18th and 19th.- I was engaged in preparing my despatches for the Secretary of War, and other letters of the same import, for Governor St. Clair, and I proposed to forward them by the way of New Arrow's town, thence to fort Franklin and Pittsburg, and appointed Captain Stingfish, of New Arrow's town, to be the bearer, whose wife was the principal governess and leader of the chiefs among the women, and the principal promoter in gaining the sachems over to my interest. It is well known to every person entrusted with a public commission among the Indians, that they are expected to possess a liberal hand. Red Jacket, whom we have often spoken of, waited on me this morning, to tell me that his house wanted a floor; that, as he was going with me, and desirous to leave his family more comfortable in his absence, he expected that I would have it done for him. Moreover, he wanted some rum for his wife and his mother; and, that he might drink with them before he set out on his intended journey, he wanted a little for himself. The first request, of laying his floor, I promised to have done immediately before our going on board the vessel; and to make him and his wife cheerful at parting, gave orders to present him with one gallon of rum. The Young King was not less pressing in his request for rum, on various occasions; and although he did not behave so well in their councils as I desired, I did not send them away empty handed, sound policy having dictated my motives. And as I perceived that Captain O'Beel's modesty prevented his calling on me in that way, to him and Cuyaratta I was not less liberal. To a Shawanee Indian, named Chafudet, (or Hot Sun) one of the chiefs appointed to conduct me into the Shawanee country, I gave a blanket, being entreated by him in a particular manner to furnish him, for which I gave 18s. 9d. This afternoon, and immediately after Mr. Jones' arrival from Niagara, the Young King, and the major part of the chiefs, came to be acquainted what was the result of Colonel Gordon's answer to me, upon which I informed them to meet me in general council in the morning, being desirous of communicating some matters of consequence to them, and then they should be informed of the contents of his letter. About this time, I received information, that, about eight days since, Colonel Brandt had set out from the Grand river, with about forty warriors, to touch at Detroit, to take with him Mr. McGee, agent for Indian affairs in that district, from thence, to proceed to the great encampment of those Indians at war with the United States; and by those who are professed friends of the British family, believed that his motives were not to pacify them, but to inflame their minds to a more vigorous opposition.
20th.- According to my proposals yesterday, I met them in general council, introduced and explained the substance of Colonel Gordon's letter to me, apprising them that I was sensible of the cause that led him to give me such a denial; that it was replete with envy in him towards the United States. And it spoke no great affection in him towards the Indians, and that, ultimately, it must reflect on his name and station, the unfavorable epithet of a discernible public, as preferring to cherish the rage of the desolating sword of war, to the happiness which flows in such abundance through the channels of peace. And perceiving from those causes, that nothing farther can be done by us at this time, I must take my leave of the Six Nations, and return with my information to the chiefs that sent me, to whose attention I will recommend them, seeing that no fault at this time lays at their door. Having placed the whole of our disappointment to the fount from whence it came, and to-morrow being the day I propose moving hence, I have now to desire that the chiefs will prepare to deliver me their farewell speech, which I will duly communicate to the Great Chief of the Thirteen Fires, and hope that it may be done soon to-morrow.
21st.- The whole of the chiefs resorted to my cabin, and the Young King, by appointment, gave their farewell speech, but not without the aid of Fish Carrier, whose physiognomy, when speaking, put me in remembrance of the old Roman senators, possessing so much keen gravity in his manner. [For the conclusive speech of the Farmer's Brother, see subsequent page.] Settled with Mr. Cornelius Winney, for liquors, &c. had for the Indians occasionally, £26 5s, deducting 32 dollars for a horse sold to him, bought of Mr. Maxwell, at Tioga. Also, gave a white prisoner that lived with said Winney, 9s. 4 1/2d.
Having now all matters arranged, I delivered to Captain Houdin all the public writings I had prepared for his Excellency the Secretary of War, and sent him by the Genesee, in company with Messrs. Smith and Ewing, residents of said place, (in the several villages adjacent to the castle of Buffalo, to wit: the Senecas, the Cayugas, the Onandagos, &c. there are more than 170 tolerable well-built huts,) and proceeded by the verge of the lake for Cattaragus, with my interpreter and servant, where we arrived on the 22d. Paid for the hire of two horses hither, and time for returning, 45s. The reason of my taking the route for Pittsburg, was, that I was apprehensive that my letters might have been intercepted, had I put them into the hands of the Indian before named, and taken to a British garrison for inspection; and that my conducting them myself, might give me the opportunity of meeting with General St. Clair, or Colonel Butler, and giving them personal information of such matters as might not have been treated on in my letter. Having found myself fully disposed to make a forced march to Pittsburg, though late in the afternoon, I hired fresh horses, and an Indian, to go to New Arrow's town and to return, for which I paid eight dollars; and for a supply of stores from a British trader, 16s. 10 1/2d. I arrived at the New Arrow's town on the 24th, in the evening, (distance 80 miles) having encamped out in the woods the two preceding nights. I had no sooner arrived, than the chiefs were summoned to council by the sound of a conch shell, which was intended for nothing more than to take their leave of me.
Here I parted with my interpreter, for him to return to the Genesee country, the place of his residence, and accounted with him for sixty-one days services, allowing him six days to return, at 10 1/2s. per day, a balance appearing in his favor of £24 13s. 1 1/2d. I gave him my obligations to pay the same at sight, in Philadelphia; and at a late settlement with the paymaster-general of the United States, I left the same, together with £18 payable to Messrs. Hollinbeck & Maxwell, for a small horse received of them at Tioga Point, and £7 10s. to the payment of my draft on the Secretary of War, to Joseph Smith, Indian interpreter. Previous to my leaving this town, 23d of April last, I was obliged to send my own riding horse to the Genesee settlement, it being impossible to procure forage or corn for him, and at which place he has remained ever since, at expenses. Not having it in my power of doing otherwise, and whether the same will be allowed for to me, I must submit to the judgment of the Secretary of War.
Being in private conversation this evening with Captain O'Beel, and sitting between him and the New Arrow sachem, I hinted to Captain O'Beel, that if he would go and join General St. Clair with 35 or 40 of his warriors, as well equipped as he could make them, purely to counterbalance the force that Brandt had taken with him to the unfriendly Indians, I would use endeavors with the Secretary of War to procure him a commission that should yield to him and his people a handsome stipend. He replied that the Senecas had received a stroke from the bad Indians, by taking two prisoners, a woman and a boy, from Conyatt, and that, should the hatchet be struck into the head of any of his people hereafter, he would then inform me what he would undertake to do. I hired a canoe and two Indians this evening, to carry me to fort Franklin, and should have set out immediately, but for a heavy rain that fell. I agreed to pay them $4 30, and a proportion of whiskey, when we should reach the garrison, and provisions to bring them back. I arrived the next morning by daylight at fort Franklin, took breakfast with Lieutenant Jeffers, had a canoe prepared with four fresh hands put into it, and after having adjusted my engagements with the Indians brought from New Arrow's town, pushed off as speedily as lay in our power for fort Pitt, (distance about 156 miles by water) and gained the same in 25 hours, the men having worked hard all night to complete it, and assisted
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
162 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1792. |
myself, for which I paid extra to each, one dollar, and one dollar for
entertainment at Pittsburg, having completed in five days and two nights, going
by land and water from Buffalo to this place, 411 miles. Expenses at Pittsburg
to the 29th, 40s. 4d. To servant's wages, engaged at
Venango, April 8th, 52 days, at 3s. 9d. per day, as per
receipt, is £9 15s. To Horatio Jones' expenses going to Niagara
with my letter, and returning, 46s. 10 1/2d.
Set out from Pittsburg to Philadelphia, on the evening of the 29th of May, and arrived the 7th day of June. Expenses from Pittsburg hither, £7 14s. 3d.; and for the keeping of a horse employed in public service, and for stabling in Philadelphia, and returning the horse to James Smith, Esq. Cumberland county, 40s.
|
PHILADELPHIA, June 8, 1791. |
SIR:
I left the castle of the Six Nations of Indians, at Buffalo creek, the 21st of the last month, in the afternoon, the forepart of the day being spent in council with the chiefs of the above nations, of which there were a full representation; and, by the following, as delivered by the Young King and the Farmer's Brother, will evidence their friendly disposition towards the United States, in maintaining with them an inviolable peace; as, also, with the British, as, from the situation of their nations, they are centrally placed between them.
The same day I sent forward my despatches for your Excellency, under the care of Captain Houdin by the route of Wyoming, while I should proceed by the way of forts Franklin and Pittsburgh, with the letters I had written for the information of General St. Clair, and arrived here yesterday afternoon. It is also with pleasure I inform you that, as to the several posts on the Alleghany river, &c. they were under no apprehensions of danger from the unfriendly Indians, and were in good health and high spirits.
|
I am your Excellency's most obedient
servant,
|
The HONORABLE SECRETARY OF WAR.
The speech of Little Beard, April 1st, 1791.
BROTHER OF THE THIRTEEN FIRES, HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY TO YOU: The Lord has spared us this day to meet together, and for you to let us know what has been done at Philadelphia, a few days ago, for our nation.
You say our lands are secured for us, and that the grant given by the Great Chief, General Washington, will last as long as the sun goes over us.
That is the reason why we give you great thanks, our lands being secured to our children's children. And great reason we have for doing so.
Every one of us will wish well to your Great Chief Honandaganius, (or General Washington) and our women and our children will thank him, and will look up to him as a strong sun for protecting of the right of their lands to them forever. And you tell us that there is a great paper in the hands of O'Beel for us. Now we want you to shew with your finger how large the lands are which are given to us. [Here I named to them certain grants to lands which they had made to the States of Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, &c.]
Captain O'Beel's speech at Fort Franklin, April 9th, 1791.
We have met our brother here, and I believe he remembers what we said at Philadelphia: that we would try our friends once more, viz. the Wyandotts; as there were bad people among them, advising to use the hatchet.
There we said it would be well for one man to go with us from the United States, in order to hear what we should say to them.
Now the Lord has spared us to this day, to meet our brother, that has been sent from the Thirteen Fires, and to join our hands with his to have justice done. And we should have been glad that he were with us on our way to Pittsburg, for then our wagons would not have been stopped, our goods taken, and our liquors drank, and that by people whom we thought to be our friends.
And when we had got to Pitt, more and great trouble began on us by the bad men of the Big Knife. For when we had started from Pitt, with all our goods and writings with us, to shew what we had done for our nation, the white people and our friends seized upon the garrison boat, belonging to French creek, which had our goods in, and several canoes, and forcibly took them back to Pittsburg, and there deprived us of all that was necessary for the comfort of our women and children; and we are sick for them. And now we wait here to know from our runners, if any thing is left for us; and then we are ready to shew you the road.
In one part of General Washington's speech to us, he gives us to choose whether we will go by land or water; and it affords us great pleasure, as we shall choose for the best and safest, as there are bad men on the way.
Now the chiefs of our nations here have made their choice, and we must go to Buffalo, where our head-men are waiting for us, and where the council fire has been long lighted and put out again. And we must light it the next, and that will be soon.
There we shall finish our minds, and have good plain faces wheresoever we turn against those bad men, and we shall be strong. Our friend sent by General Washington must not think hard by our requesting of him to wait for us. For this is the last speech the unfriendly people can have. And it is a heavy matter. And we must take time to do the business well and sure.
Now we shall send a runner right off, where the great fire is to be lighted at Buffalo, so that our great men of the different tribes may assemble all their people. And when there, we shall be able to tell you what number of Indians are going to accompany you to the Miamies. And he can write to General Washington of every particular of which our brother wishes to send.
And now we have determined to start from here in the morning, although we have left all our papers behind us. But we shall leave some of our young men to bring them after us to the council at Buffalo creek.
This is all we have to say at this time, but to leave the business we have here to do with our brother and the commanding officer of the fort, to obtain our goods, &c. which your people have deprived us of. And we hope you will now send for them, as we are now going away.
Now we want to know if our speech is pleasing to our brother, who will shew what we have said to General Washington: for we again say we must go by water. And with all our friends being with us we shall be strong.
|
BUFFALO CREEK. |
Speech of Thyogasa, Chief of the Senecas, at Cattaragus, near Lake Erie, as delivered 25th April.
Some time ago there came messages into our country, that our people should meet at Buffalo creek, and then they should hear of our head-men from Philadelphia, what they had from the council of the Thirteen Fires.
About this time they had got to fort Pitt. And we heard there was a great man, and a Frenchman coming, also from Philadelphia, in great fear trying to make peace. Then we thanked God. The next express said that our head-men and those from Philadelphia were coming on the waters together, to have the great council fire lighted at Buffalo, and we that live here sent on the express, and gave great thanks to our Great Keeper.
Now that you and they have arrived here, and have shewed your faces at our council fire in trouble and fear, we give great thanks to the Great Spirit for keeping you and our chiefs from the trouble that befel others coming to this place. Now tell the man from Philadelphia to pity us children, for we are fearful. And we say to you, that
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1792.] |
163 |
will open your throats, that you may speak fair and clear to us without any
hard thoughts, when you get to our great council fire of the full nations, that
you may deliver any message you are sent upon, from the great chiefs at
Philadelphia. Besides, now we open your ears to hear any thing which may be
said by us, and hear the same in peace.
BROTHER: These are the few words we have to make known to you. And give thanks to God for our safe meeting this day together, our brothers and our chiefs. [This speech being ended, Thyogasy handed to me a belt of wampum of three strings, and then continued his discourse as follows:]
BROTHER: This is our custom, to make a small speech on seeing our friends, but Buffalo is the place where you must speak, and at that place matters must be talked over in peace and quietness, and of which tell all people to be careful. Now wipe the tears from your eyes, and make your throat clear, so that you may be understood.
The speech of Red Jacket before the Great
Council at Buffalo, April 27th, as an introduction to the business of
the day, addressing himself to me.
BROTHER: Listen. It is usual for us to speak: and to you we do it as to a brother that has been absent a long time. Now we all speak to you, and to our head warrior that left us last fall: and we thank the Great Spirit for his and your safe arrival here, as you are together, hand in hand, from Honandaganius, (General Washington) upon great business.
You have travelled long, with tears in your eyes, upon account of the bad roads, and bad season of the year. Besides the disturbances between the bad Indians, and our brothers, the white people, every thing has been trying to prevent your coming, and to stop your business, and to lose the way.
Thus the big waters might have stopped your coming, and the wars might have stopped you, and sickness might have stopped you: for we cannot know what is to happen us until it comes upon us. So, therefore, we thank the Great Spirit who has preserved you from such dangers that might have hindered us from hearing of the good news which you and our head warrior have opened to us. But how could it be that any thing bad could have happened to you, while you have such important business to transact, as we understand you have come on?
You must now wipe away those fears occasioned by all the great dangers you have come through. And now we set you upon a seat where you can sit up strait- on a seat where you are secure from the fears of your enemies; where you can look round and see all your friends and brothers in peace. Besides, you have come along, with your heart and your throat stopped up, to secure all that you had to say in your body. But now we open your heart with your brother's hands, and we run our fingers through to open your mouth, to speak clear, and not to be molested. Your ears also have been stopped by Honandaganius until you should see your brothers at this place, being spared by the Great Spirit to arrive safe.
Now open your ears to hear what your brothers may say after you have made your speech. This is, therefore, the compliment of the chiefs and head-men of Buffalo creek, to you and our great warrior (O'Beel) and you may, each of you, go on safely with your business.
Monday, May 8th.- In full council. The speech of Fish Carrier, a chief of the Cayugas, and the right hand man of Butler and Brandt, as may appear from the following, addressed to me:
BROTHER: This day you have met again with your brothers in peace; a day provided by the Great Spirit for you and them to sit together, and talk over the business you have been sent to perform by General Washington, the Thirteen Fires, and for which you are to come to our council; and likewise, to hear us with regard to the people (the bad Indians) on the other side of your body, toward the setting sun.
Here you have made your business known, and to all the chiefs and warriors, who met every day; and now they understand the same, because they have taken due notice. Therefore, you shall hear what we have determined upon by all of us, for we all had a hand in it, or it would not be strong.
Now, BROTHER: We shall say more to what General Washington sent you for, and to tell you, that our head warrior (O'Beel) our nephew, has done things which we know nothing of; and it seems to us, that he has requested that this business should go forward without our consent. Neither do we know you in this matter; and were we to undertake to help you, we do not know what might happen before we went far with you, as that might be the cause of our country being destroyed, or broken up by the mad people.
Now we tell you, as we told you before, that we have met on your business, and that the one-half is not for peace. So we look at the man that has been sent to the Shawanese (Brandt) and we have sent to see how matters go at their council fire. We must, therefore, see his face, for we can't determine until we know what they are about.
So we beg of you to grant our request; to keep your mind easy; for we who do this business, look on you, and hold ourselves to be slaves in making of peace. Now we all say, you must look for C. Brandt's coming, to hear the words that come from his mouth, for then we can say to you, what towns will be fore peace; and this is all we have to say to you at this time.
Upon this I told the council, that, in the morning, I would give them my talk, in answer to what had been said this day, and immediately return, with what they had spoke in their council, to the Great Chief that had sent me. Captain O'Beel then told them, in council, what would be the consequence to the Five Nations, and publicly declared to accompany me, if no other chiefs would attempt it. For further particulars, I beg leave to refer to the continuation of my letter of the 4th of May.
The speech of Conyandoeta, an Onandago Chief, addressed to the council of
the Six Nations, through which he
explained the dangers which attended on him and his people, should they remain at Coneyat.
BROTHERS:
There is a great deal of danger at this place, for we are told by the enemy, the Missesagoes, that we must come to their side, or else we wont live long. But, said I, we turned our face once, and you did not pay us the compliment to call us to council with you, or even to shake hands with us. Now, we turn our face to this council, and you must prepare a place for us when we dome; for we mean to be true to the promise we make to you. [On the close of this speech, four strings of wampum were presented, a mixture of black and white.]
The speech of Bear's Oil, a Chief, to the same effect as the above, who,
with his people, are in danger of the
Messasagoes.
BROTHERS:
Now hear me a little. I am a Messesago chief, belonging to the Six Nations. I, and my people, are in great danger, because I have been the entire instigation of saving the white settlers at Coneyat and Cassacago: for I told them of the danger they were in, as I heard the Red Indians say they were bound for that place, and that they intended to murder them. Moreover, that if I did not come away to them, I should die, for that was the only way to save my life; and that, should I attempt to go to the Six Nations, they would meet me on the way and kill me. For they say, if they meet with any of the Six Nations, they will strike them. But I have not listened to them. I have come to you, and you must have a place ready for me to sit down when I come with my people.
These matters, I take the liberty of communicating to your Excellency, in order to shew you, the Six nations themselves profess, that they are not secure from the anger of the Indians who are unfriendly to the United States.
Continue
to page 164.
Continue
to page 165.
Continue
to page 179.
Continue
to page 234.