H-360(2), Enc. 1, p. 1
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White River March 30. 1805 |
Our Nephew
We send to you our Nephew William Patterson to Counsell with you, we wish that you will listen to what he says concerning of Governor Harrisons purchasing a large Tract of Land, we know nothing of it, we have not in our power to sell land and more than that it is contrary to the articles of the Treaty of Greenville therefore we send to you the writing the Governor gave us, when he gave it to us, he told us that it wan an instrument of writing to keep peace and friendship among us- therefore we wish that you will see into it and let the President our Father know that the purchase is unlegal, and that he may take such measures as will prevent it from being settled, this is all, but you will listen to what Patterson says, as we cannot have all wrote what we wish to say, this is all at present but remain your uncles.
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(signed) Tethteposeske his mark
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Capt William Wells
I certify that the forigoing is a true translation of what the above signed chiefs said to William Wells.
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(signed) John Connor |
H-360(2), Enc. 2, p. 1
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The address of William Patterson a Delaware Indian Chief to William Wells Agent
of Indian Affairs, delivered at Fort Wayne in the Indiana Territory, April 5.
1805
Friend and Brother! listen to what I now say to you I am sent by the Chiefs of my Nation to speak the following words to you.
Friend and Brother! my Chiefs take you by the hand and salute you and inform you that it has pleased God that they should see another Spring.
Friend and Brother, my Chiefs informs you that their minds are troubled concerning the visit they made Governor Harrison last summer at Vincennes they were invited to that place by the Governor and on their arrival they were much pleased to hear him say that he wished to brighten the chain of friendship between the White and Red people and that he had invited them to see them for that purpose.
Friend and Brother! our Chiefs was told by the Governor that he wished them to become more civilized and that he would give them an addition to their annuity of Five hundred Dollars a year to enable them to procure the necessary articles for the purpose of enabling them to cultivate their Lands and that he was present when the Miamies gave all White River to the Delawares and that he would give them an instrument of writing that would shew that the Country on White River belonged to the Delawares- he farther told our Chiefs that the Piankishaw did not acknowledge the right of the Delawares to the lands on White River, but he would satisfy them on this head and would give them money out of his own pocket in order to get them to acknowledge the right of the Delawares to the Lands on White River, and that the road from Vincennes to the Falls should in future be the boundary line between the Lands of the Delawares and Piankishaws.
Friend and Brother! when these words
H-360(2), Enc. 2, p. 2
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words was spoke to our Chiefs by the Governor they were much pleased with what
he said, the Governor then wrote two papers which he told our chiefs contained
the words he had just spoken to them and that he wished them to sign them both
that he would send one to the President of the United States and one they could
keep themselves, in order that the good words he had spoke might be kept in
remembrance by the white and Red people- our chiefs chearfully signed these
papers.
Friend and Brother! you may judge how our chiefs felt when they returned home and found that the Governor had been shutting up their eys and stopping their Ears with his good words and got them to sign a Deed for their Lands without their Knowledge.
Friend and Brother, the Chiefs of my Nation now declare to you from the bottom of their hearts in the presence of God that they never sold Governor Harrison or the United States any land at Vincennes last summer to their knowledge.
Friend and Brother, my Chiefs well remembers that all disputes between them and the United States are to be settled in a peaceable manner and I am directed by them to tell you that they place confidence in you and it is their wish that you take such immediate steps as may appear to you to be best for bringing about a fair understanding on the subject of the Treaty that it appears they signed last summer at Vincennes, and that you as soon as possible inform our great father the President of the United States how Governor Harrison has attempted to impose on his Red Children
Friend and Brother, my chiefs declare to you that they are not willing to sell the lands
H-360(2), Enc. 2, p. 3
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on the Ohio from the mouth of the Wabash to Clarks grant at the Falls, and that
they consider it out of their power to do any such thing without the consent of
the other Nations in this Country.
Friend and Brother, my Chiefs wishes you to prevent this land being settled by the white people Friend and Brother these are the words that was put in my mouth by the chiefs of my nation in order that I might deliver them to you
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(signed) Wm. Patterson
his |
signed in the
presence of
(signed) John Johnston
U.S. Factor
(signed) S. Owens, Lieut.
1st. Regt. Infy.
I certify that the above is a true translation of what William Patterson a Delaware Chief said to William Wells this 5th. Day of April 18O5.
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(Signed) John Connor |
A-100(4), p. 1
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White River 21st May 1805- |
Brother-
Although we are unacquainted personally with each other yet I think it my duty to inform you that I and five of my companions are here with the Delawares ever since last fall- were sent by our Nation as Deputies to treat with our friends and allies of the different tribes of Indians in this Country- reviewing the ancient Covenant of friendship that was subsisted between our fore === Fathers and theirs and to recommend the arts of Civilization to them- that I was here five years ago with the same business- Those Indians agreed to adopt such measures recommended to them- . But by the prejudices that has been pour down by the Emissaries of the British-French- and Spaniards against the United States- and by the doctrine of the ShawanesImpostor the minds of the Indians have been fusterated very much that they could scarely believe Even a Quaker. And I know that our Great Father of the United States- and his great Chiefs are desirous to see the prosperity and happiness of these tribes- To manifest their good wishes toward them- they at different times by their Agents have point out a path for them to follow- We also have the same desire- And since we are here and see their situation of these Indians- I wish to assist them as far as lies in my power- To remove the above mentioned prejudices- and to convince them of their danger in case they should adhere to what the emissaries have said to them- and what advantages they would derive from following the path point-out for them- and their safety in holding fast- the articles of treaty of peace with the United States- And since I made up my mind to use my feeble endeavors to this work- I mentioned to our friend lately Wm Wells- last fall- and he approves of it and in order to affected he assures me that he would sent a letter to President or Secretary at War without delay on the subject- that we were to have answer in the month of March last- that we were to commence with the work early this spring- and the same time he demand of me the conditions of my undertaking of the business- doubtless he has sent the statement to you- We were to show the Indians how to make fences-plowing-and raising grain-and some other work that would be necessary for them to learn- And one of my companions has been teach a school number of years in our country who will teach school here- The Indians desirous to have their children to learn to read and write. And we being of their friends and allies of their own color- they would rather have us to reside and teach them ourselves at first= should they see us perform the work-
A-100(4), p. 2
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it would convince them the more thouroughly that our Great Creator made the Red
people capable of performing with such a work as well as the white people- and
that in case they should reject- or neglect it- their country would be given to
the whites who will till it= We have not receive any answer on this subject as
yet- But- we have been planting corn- already but was done without plowing the
ground-- Mr. John Conner has been very friendly to us and to our business- as
he is about to start to go journey I sent this letter to deliver to you-
wishing to receive answer if it should meet your aprobation that we may know
what to depend upon.- with regard of my Character I will say this much- I am
true friend to the United States which have been proved during this war
against-Britain-and was sent to carry the Messages of the Great men of the
United States to the then hostile Indians- in the years 1791-1792 & in
1793- and am true friend to my own color- May the great and Good Spirit prosper
you in every thing that may be for the welfare of your great nation
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To the Honorabl |
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H304(2), p. 1
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Vincennes 27th May 1805 |
Sir
The enclosed letter from Mr Choteau I received this day by a special messenger and have returned him an answer of which the enclosed is a copy (No 2). If the Indians should now go forward to the seat of Government I will dispatch them as quickly as possible. On their arrival at this place I will have them innoculated with the vaccine disease that they may avoid the small pox which is at this time in Kentucky- I have directed Mr Choteau to go on with them because he is better acquainted with their manners & their wants than any other person that could be procured. A party of the Sioux of the Mississippi have lately visited St Louis for the purpose of delivering up one of their warriors who had killed two Canadians the Servants of a trader in their Country but upon examination it appeared that the Indian Killed them in his own defence & that they, were the aggressors- He was accordingly permitted to return with his friends upon condition of his being delivered up at any time hereafter when he would be demanded. Inclosed (No. 3) is a letter from a friend of mine on the spot which gives a particular account of the transaction- The respect which as been manifested towards the United States by this numorous and warlike tribe & the favorable reaction which Captains Lewis & Clark have met with from the Tribes of the Missouri augurs well to our affairs in that quarter & forms a striking contrast to the conduct of some of the more neighbouring Tribes which have been treated by our Government with the utmost tenderness & indulgence- In my last letter I informed you that it was my intention to set out for Fort Wayne unless the Instructions I expected to receive from you should otherwise direct- Upon more mature deliberation I have been induced to abandon my opinion of the propriety of that stop- first from the probability that my services will shortly be required here to hold a session of the Legislature & Secondly Because I think it would be a Sacrifice of that dignity and Authority which it is necessary to observe in all our transactions with the Indians- We are not concious of having done them any Wrong-but as they pretend to think otherwise they have been inveted to come forward & state their grivances- And every assurance has been given that for any
H304(2), p. 2
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Injury which may have unintentionally been done them ample remuneration shall
be made. As they declined this invitation I think it would be improper for us
to discover too much solicitude to give them satisfaction lest they should
attribute that to fear which is purely the effect of Justice & benevolence-
An error which the Indians above all the people in the world are prone to
imbibe- As it is very possible however that they may have been imposed upon by
false statements & misrepresentations I conceived it to be a matter of
importance to [remove from] their minds every false impression- to ascertain
whether the uneasiness & alarm really exists amongst them to the extent
that has been spoken of and to discover who the persons are (for that there are
such I am perfectly convinced) who excite their jealousy & feed their
discontent- For these purposes I have dispatched General Gibson to the
Delawares & Colo Vigo to the Miamis & Putawatimes Upon their
return I shall be enabled to give you Satisfactory information on every subject
connected with their mission
In the Course of this Spring I have seen all the Chiefs of the Weas one excepted- A large deputation from the Kickapoos of the Prairie An other from those of the Vermilion River, Almost the whole band of Eel River Indians and the only Chief of the Delawares who was not present at the late Treaty with the Tribe in none of them have I discovered the smallest signs of discontent & I am persuaded that if it does exist it exists no where but in the immediate neighbourhood of Fort Wayne and the Indians there are no more effected by the Treaties with the Delawares & Piankishaws than the Mandans of the Missouri.
I received by the express from St Louis a long letter from Captn Clark the campanion of Captn Lewis- The dispatches for the President & for your department were not sent on which will delay their arrival at Washington nearly a fortnight- They passed the Winter with the Mandans 1609 miles up the Missouri in Latd 47o 21' 47" N. Longde 101o 25 & had met with no material accident-
Your letter of the Feby covering the Presidents pardon of the Sac Indian confined at St Louis did not reach
H304(2), p. 3
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me until near two months after its date- it was immediately forwarded to St
Louis- but unfortunately it did not arrive until the Indian had effected his
escape from the guard House- he was fired on by the centinel & the body of
an Indian has lately been found near St Louis with the mark of a buck shot in
his head which is supposed to the prisoner
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I have the Honor to be
with |
H-325(2), Letter 1, p. 1
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Minutes of a Council held at Fort Wayne on the 21st Day of June 1805 by General
Gibson and Colonel Vigo present the Delawares, Eel River and Miamie Indians
Genl. Gibson - Governor Harrison your Father
has sent Col. Vigo and myself to speak
to you, what we say you may consider as coming from him, he is appointed by
your great Father the President of the US sole commissioner to handle business
with his red children within the Indiana Territory, he has heard that a number
of bad people has circulated a number of bad storys among you, he has also
heard that your hearts are uneasy about it, that you cannot rest, In order to
wipe off the impressions made by those bad reports your Father the Governor
wishes the Tribes here present to send some of their principal chiefs to
Vincennes to see him, he wishes us to assure you that the intentions of your
Father towards you is good and that your interest and happiness is near to his
heart. when you come to see him he will be able to remove all the uneasiness
from your minds. In the mean time he desires you not to listen to any bad
stories, or any lying birds that may be flying about- we now request you to fix
upon the time when it will be convenient for you to come and see the Governor,
in order that he may have every thing ready for your accomodation, we will set
off in two nights and would be happy to know what time you can set off- this is
all we have at present to say to you.
Hockingpomskon- I am very glad to hear what you have said to us- you may depend on my going to Vincennes where I expect to have an opportunity of delivering my sentiments-
The Little Turtle- I have listened to what you have said to us, the Miamies wishes for time
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