331 |
nnually as a compensation for the use of the Spring and Land- say to the amount of one or two hundred bushels to be equally divided among the several Nations who have real claims to the lands at the mouth of the Wabash and its vicinity.
You will be pleased to make the necessary enquiries relative to the probable quantity of Salt which may be made annually with a given capital, and whether any person who can be relied on for industry, capacity and integrity can be obtained on reasonable terms to take charge of the business of making salt under the direction of the Government. A correct experiment should be made to ascertain the quantity of salt which can be made from a given quantity of the water, all which information you will please to communicate to this Office as early as possible- you will likewise please to give any information you may obtain, respecting any other salt springs in the vicinity of the Wabash- any necessary expense attending the procuring the information required will be allowed and paid by the Government.
|
I am &c. |
* * * *
21 |
|
War Department
|
Sir
Your letter of the 30th of Septr with its enclosure has been duly received. I cannot be satisfied with such profuseness in provisions delivered to the Indians, it must not be contined to such an unreasonable amount. any Nations who are willing to commute their annuities for buildings & fences may be indulged, you will therefore take proper measures for fencing such of their lands for cultivation as their principal Chiefs shall explicitly authorise and agree to But they ought not to ask us to erect houses for them, they can certainly build their own
22 |
by receiving some very small aid. If the Miami, Delaware, & Eel river Nation, consent by their Chiefs to have their annuities laid out in houses & fences, there will be no objection on the part of Government; but the Nations ought to understand, & consent to the measure, and faithful & industrious persons should be employed by you to do the work on reasonable Terms. You may inform those nations that you are authorised to expend as much money in fencing their lands for cultivation, & aiding them in erecting Cabins on said lands, as the amount of their respective annuities, with an addition of ten pr cent thereon, in lieu of the expense of transporting the goods. Each Nation therefore entitled to 1000 Dollars annuity will receive 1100 Dls. to be laid out in fencing &c, and others in like proportion. And if after the expiration of one year they hereafter prefer receiving their Annuities as heretofore they may have them, or should they hereafter prefer receiving there annuities in goods every second year for the two Years or to receive the value either in money or in improvements or their lands, in buildings & fences every other year & the intermediate year in good they will be indulged in either mode as shall best suit them. You may take the same propositions to the other Nations within your agency.
Another Black smith will be sent as soon as one can be procured. I am satisfied with your conduct relative to the unfortunate Widow of the late Blacksmith, I wish you to give her such aid as may be necessary to enable her to return to her friends. The Treaties held by Governor Harrison, with the Piankashaws & Delawares ought not to give any uneasiness to the Miamis & Pattawattamas, for neither of the latter nations, can have any pretensions to the lands ceded by the Piankashaws on the Ohio, nor do I conceive the Delawares have any just claim to the said lands; but as they made some pretensions to a claim it was thought adviseable, to give them a small sum to quit there protended right & Title- Suppose the Pattawattamas were to sell a tract of land to the United States bordering on the Lake Michigan at the mouth of the St Joseph
23 |
would they ask permission of the Piankashaws to sell such land, I presume not. The United States will never intentionally purchase lands of one Nation belonging to another; but it must be presumed such Nation has a right to dispose of its own lands. If the Pottawattamies or Miamies can shew a good title to any part of the lands lately ceded by the Piankashaws they may have reason to complain but not otherwise-
|
I am respectfully your |
35 |
|
War Department |
Sir
I have lately seen a letter you wrote to Genl Wilkinsen with a talk from the Little Turtle, in which he complains loudly of the Cession made by the Piankashaws and Delewares, of lands on the Ohio & Wabash. You ought to confine your official correspondence to this Office & Govr Harrison; You have probably received my letter of the 26th of October last, since you wrote to General Wilkinson, by which you will perceive that the Government has no disposition to purchase lands of one nation of Indians to which any other nation has any just claim and that there will be no objection to attending to any pretensions which the Miamies other nations may make to the lands lately sold by the Piankashaws and Delewares, but their right ought to be strewn in a clear & unquestionable manner, instead of attempting to substantiate it by such threats of war as the Little Turtle has thought proper to make.
The President of the United States will not be driven by threats into any measures of accomodation, but will at all times hear the candid representations of his red Children and. be ready to do them justice in all cases within his power
Whenever any of the Indian nations shall discover a
36 |
disposition to sell any part of their lands the Government of the United States will purchase them, if reasonable terms can be mutually agreed upon. And if there are any lands owned in common by several Nations, each Nation ought to have a voice in the bargain, and receive a due proportion of the purchase money
But it has never to my knowledge been heretofore pretended that either the Miamies or Puttawattamies had any title to the lands in the Mississippi, or on the Ohio near the mouth of the Wabash, below the mouth of the Great Miami to the mouth of the Ohio. If they have any such title, they ought to shew it in a fair & clear manner, and then they will be entitled to a reasonable compensation
The Little Turtle and all the other red people may rest assured that we wish to deal honestly and fairly with them and that no advantages are desired by the United States. But if they should have recourse to War for the purposes of securing a better title to their lands, or a happier situation for themselves and families, they will certainly be much disappointed.
|
Respectfully Yours &c. |
78 |
|
War Department |
Sir
I herewith enclose two talks received from Mr Wells, by which you will perceive that immediate measures on your part, will be necessary, for counteracting the effect such talks are calculated to produce. It is the opinion of the President of the United States, that you ought, with as little delay as possible, to cause a meeting of the Delaware Chiefs and some of the principal Chiefs of the Miamies and Puttawattamies, for the purpose of such an explanation of the doings, so much complanied of as will satisfy the Chiefs generally, that the transaction was not only open & fair, but such as they have no right to object to.- Such of the Delaware Chiefs, as were present at the treaty, and who have made false or unproper representations of your conduct, in negociating the treaty, ought to be severely reprimanded, and made to acknowledge, in the presence of the other Chiefs, the impropriety of their conduct; and they ought to be told that, in future, no Chiefs, who so far degrade themselves, as to deny there own doings, will be considered as deserving any of the confidence of their Father, the President of the U.S. or admitted
79 |
to any conference with him, or any of his principal Officers or Agents. The general rumours, in circulation, of a combination among the Indians generally, ought to be enquired into, by such means as you possess, and, if found to be a reality and calculated to produce an effect unfriendly or injurious to the interest of the public, prudent measures should be pursued to counteract any such combination. Should you judge it advantageous to distribute two or three hundred dollars among the Miamies, Puttawattamies & others, by way of quieting their minds in relation to the sale of the lands by the Delawares and Piankashaws, you will do it, in such manner, as you may consider most useful. The Delawares, Miamies, Puttawattamies and others who are uneasy on account of the abovementioned cession, may be informed that the land will not be sold, until measures shall be taken for satisfying them on the subject.
|
I am Yr Excellency's |
310 |
|
War Department April 24th 07. |
Wm Wells Sir,
Your letter of the 31st ulto with its enclosures has been received.
You will sound the Indians on the subject of the removal of the lower Weas and the sale of the land as proposed in your letter.
If the State of Ohio do not complain of the Shawanoes' settling and remaining at Greenville, we need not take any measures relative to them.
The annuities for the Delawares, Miamis and
Eel river Indians for the present year, will be sent to you at Fort Wayne and are
to be paid as follows. Viz.
From the annuity to the Delawares for 1807 have been deducted 435
|
dollars. i.e. |
75 |
|
for a Mare stolen from Governor Harrison in 1798. |
|
|
180 |
|
for three horses stolen from John Hamilton in 1797. |
|
|
180 |
|
for two mares stolen from Cornelius Lafferty in 1798. |
|
making |
$435 |
|
|
|
" |
415 |
|
are to be paid in cash |
|
" |
750 |
|
in goods |
|
|
|
|
$1600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_____ |
The Miamis will receive all theirs in goods
amounting to Sixteen hundred dollars.
The Annuity to the Eel river Indians amounting to $750 is to be paid $500 in
goods and $250 in cash.
The treasurer of the U States will remit you $665 for the cash part of these
annuities Viz. $415 for the Delawares and 250 dollars for the Eel river
Indians.
The goods will be forwarded by the way of Albany; and are of the kinds
mentioned in your Statement of the 25th Sept last. The annuities for
the Weas, Kickapoos, Piankanshaws and Kaskaskias for this year will be sent to
Governor Harrison
|
I am, Sir, &C |
379 |
|
War Department 14 May 08. |
Wm Wells Sir
The Annuities for the Miamies, Delewares & Eel River Indians will for the present year be paid an follows viz
|
Miamies |
$1600 |
in Cash |
and which it has been agreed by Gov Hull & Mr Jouett should be paid by you, to the Pottawattamies in your Agency. Should it be practicable for you to dispose of Drafts on this Department to the amount of $4450 at Fort Wayne, you will draw accordinly- Otherwise you will please to apply to some of the receivers of the land Offices in your Country, for that Amount & will draw in their favor for the same.
|
I am &c |
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