205 |
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War Department |
Sir,
Your letters of the 25th and 26th ultimo have been duly recd their contents have been attended to and I am authorised by the President of the U. States to desire you to suspend leasing the salt spring alluded to, and to request you to embrace every favourable opportunity for sounding the Indians on the subject of ceeding the Springs with four miles square of the adjoining land to the U. States-
From your representations of the present hostile views of the Pottawatamies and Kickapoos it is deemed necessary, that some suitable characters be employed, to visit those Nations for the purpose of enquiring into the causes of their uneasiness, and endeavour to produce a reconciliation between them, and to convince them of the impropriety, and impolicy of committing hostilities on the Citizens of the U. States. It is presumed that the Little Turtle and Mr. Wells may be employed on such a mission to advantage, and I am induced to believe that they will readily agree to use all the means in their power to prevent any act of hostility, and there is reason to believe that the Little Turtle will have considerable influence with those Nations and if in your opinion, Colonel Vigo or any other white man in whome you can confide can be usefully joined to the Little Turtle and Mr. Wells you will use your own descretion on the subject-
The appropriation necessary for enabling the President to establish trading houses in the Northwestern and Indiana Territories not having yet passed no arrangements relating to that object can be yet made-
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I am Sir &c. H. D. |
235 |
* * * *
|
War Department
|
Sir,
After a full investigation of the claim of the United States to the lands on the Wabash about Vincennes it is concluded to request you to sound the Piankishaws, and Kickapoos on the subject of their sale to the company (usually styled the Illinois and Wabash company) in the year 1795, and to know whether they consider that sale as valid, if not what reasons they offer for considering it otherwise? Whether they would consent to the United States assuming the right, which by their sale they intended to vest in the company, on receiving an adequate compensation. Should they not discover a disposition to agree to such an arrangement, you will then explain to them the limits of the Territory granted by them to the French Government at Vincennes, and particularly described in their Deed to the aforesaid Company, we presume they can offer no
236 |
plausible objections to have the line run and marked conformably to the grant, but if they should object, you will ascertain how much they will agree to have surveyed, on each side of the Wabash River, and whether the Delawares have any claims to any part of what would be included in the Forty Leagues situated on the easterly side of the river: Taking it for granted that no objections can be made to the extent up and down the river from Point Coupee to the mouth of White-river, it is considered that we ought not to recede much, if any from the extent of thirty Leagues on the east and west side of the Wabash: we cannot consent to relinquish any part of the forty leagues which shall be found between the Wabash & White-river, indeed no good reason has appeared for relinquishing any part of the Tract as described in the Deed of cession in '75. If it should appear that the Delawares actually inhabited any part of it in the neighborhood of White- river at the time it was ceded to the French, we might from motives of humanity allow them to remain in possession on condition of Good behaviour.
In the course of your enquiries you will be able to learn whether the Indians, entertain a disposition to admit the United States in the place of the Company, in such case we will postpone the running of any lines until the Government shall be informed of the terms, and have decided on them, but if you shall find all attempts to effect a bargain fruitless you will then make the best terms possible respecting the boundaries of the Vincennes tract, and have the lines run and marked, it is how ever to be understood that its limits are to extend up and down the river from Point Coupee to
237 |
the mouth of White-river and not less than 25 leagues Westward and as far eastward as White-river- some differences of opinion may exist in determining what is meant by a league as several kinds of Leagues have been known in France; whether they ought to be considered as 2 1/3 or 3 miles may be a question. It is presumed that the French inhabitants at Vincennes will be able to furnish information on that subject; but if any difficulties should arise,it ought not to be extended beyond what has generally been understood as comprehending a league at that place. You will be safe in agreeing on the part of the United States to measure the number of miles from Point Coupee to the mouth of the White river, and as that distance has been considered 24 Leagues by all parties you can regulate the length of the other lines by the number of miles which shall be found in the 24 Leagues.
By one of the Deeds to the Illinois Company the Tract of land which lies on the Ohio, and Mississippi between the mouth of the Wabash, and the lower part of the Kaskaskias settlement is particularly described. It would be very desirable that the United States should acquire the exclusive right to this Tract, and it is the wish of the President that you learn the opinion of the Indians on this subject.
Further information will be necessary relative to the extent of the claims of the White Inhabitants at the mouth of the Illinois and Kaskaskias.
Mr. Thomas Freeman will be sent as surveyor to run and mark such lines as may be agreed on at or about Vincennes Fort Wayne &ca after he shall have
238 |
completed the line on Tennessee. You will pleace to furnish him with packhorses, Chainmen, provisions, Stores &ca and your Bills on this Department for the amount will be paid.
Mr. Freeman's expences are only to be borne for the time he shall actually be employed.
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I am &ca H. D. |
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301 |
To Buckongelia and others
Brothers,
In adition to what your father the President of the United States, said to you in the talk which he delivered to long Beard two days since, I have to assure you and your Nation, that as soon as a suitable man can be obtained, who can mend your Axes, hoes, and Guns, he will be placed where he can be most useful to your nation and ploughs and other instruments of husbandry will be furnished to such as will make a good use of them.
Brothers,
The tract of land mentioned in the talk from Buckongelia and others, belonging to White Eyes, we know nothing of but presume, that the information was obtained from the Quakers of Philadelphia.
302 |
Brothers,
You must have been mistaken or deceived respecting the result of the Council held at Vincennes last September- there was no grant or agreement for any of your land on the Wabash above point Couper which is only- about thirty miles above Vincennes, and whatever was done at that Council was agreed to by the Chiefs then present.
You say you were informed that the Delaware Nation had made a grant of a large tract of land in the Wabash. I never knew the Delawares had any land on that river, but whatever agreement was made at that time, was made with the Chiefs of the several Nations who owned the lands, in that agreement the United States gave up a large quantity of land which we had a right to claim by former grants from the nations, who once owned them. of course you have no reason to complain of the proceedings at Vincennes, we have no wish to take any of your lands except by purchase, and not even to purchase any except you wish to dispose of it, and whenever any purchase is made we wish the Chiefs of all the nations who claim the lands may be present and see that the Bargain is fairly made and the boundaries perfectly understood.
Brothers,
The President your father will never fail to
punish any white Man, who shall be wicked enough to kill or in any manner
injure any of his red Children, if they can be found.
War Department
January 10, 1803.
328 |
* * * *
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War Department
|
Sir,
With this you will receive a Commission authorising you to act as a Commissioner on the part of the United States for holding such Treaties with the Indian nations as the President may direct- You will as soon as may be complete the arrangments made last September with the Indians relative to the boundaries of the lands in the Wabash, and the salt Spring and four miles square of land surrounding it. The President is of opinion that no diviation should be made in the boundaries con-
329 |
templated in the agreement made in September without the full consent of the chiefs who were appointed to see the lines run and marked, we ought not to diviate from the principles of strict integrity in any of our dealings with the Indian nations and unless you can prevail on the Chiefs to give their explicit consent to the running of the lines in the manner you have proposed you will conform them to the strict limits of the agreement or to such diviation only as they will be fully satisfied with- You will have the subject relative to the salt spring and land about it fully explained to that there shall be no grounds of complaint on that subject. The deputation of Delawares and Miamis, who visited the seat of Government the present winter complain loudly of the unfair means used for obtaining the assent of some of the Chiefs to the proposed boundaries, and they state that the loan of the Salt Spring was only for one year. Was it not understood that the lands in the Wabash were to be of equal width on each side of that river? If so the line should be run conformably thereto, unless the Chiefs consent to their being run otherwise- You will take the earliest opportunity for confering with the Chiefs of the Nation or Nations, who claim the lands in the vicinity of the Kaskaskias and a tract bordering on the Mississippi and Ohio from their junction up each River a considerable distance, for a cession of those lands- When you shall have satisfied yourself of the practicability of obtaining those tracts or any given quantity thereof, and of the probable sum for which any such cession may
330 |
may be obtained, you will communicate the same to this Department and the necessary measures will be taken for enabling you to complete such arrangements as may be found practicable on reasonable terms- conditional stipulations may be made if the terms appear moderate or reasonable- to be refered to the President for his approbation.
For your services when actually performing duties under your appointment as Commissioner when called from home you will be allowed Six Dollars per day and any extra expences when at home.
Information has been received from different quarters that there has been in the course of the last autumn certain persons among the Indian Nations whose conduct induced a belief that they were Agents from the french or Spanish Government, employed to engage the several tribes in favor of measures hostile to the United States- some part of the information came from an Indian called Long Beard a Miami, and from a Young man by the name of Connanho resides with the Delawares in the White river. It may be proper for you to make such enquiries of them and other persons as will satisfy you whether there is any foundation for such reports if any such characters should be found in the Indian Country they ought to be secured- for the loan of the Salt Spring and the four miles square it will be proper to stipulate with the Chiefs who confirm the bargain that a certain quantity of Salt shall be allowed them an-
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