Journal of the Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
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JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS. |
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miserable all the proceeds of their hunts & the great part of their
annuities expended in Whiskey. The Miami Nation would be much more respectable
& formidable if its scattered members were all assembled in the center of
their Country.
A rough sketch of the Country in which the two tracts which were wanted were particularly delineated was shewn to them, after which the Owl a Miami Chief addressed the Governor.
Father we are very happy to here your address. We shall take what you have said into consideration & will return you an answer.
23d. The Chiefs met in Council at the Deliware Camp to consider the Governor's proposition it was understood that the Putawatimies declared unequivocally in favour of the sale and were seconded by the Deliwares. The Miamies remained silent. The Governor had a private interview with the Turtle who expressed some solicitude to know whether the dismission of Mr. Wells from his employment as Agent would effect his standing with the Government. The Governor assured him that he should be treated in all respects as he had heretofore so long as he conducted himself with propriety. He then assured the Governor unequivocally that he would exert himself to the utmost of his power to effect the proposed Treaty, but that many difficulties were to be encountered before it could be accomplished. That great complaints were made by the Indians on account of the compensation formerly allowed. That those who were in favour of the Treaty were decidedly of opinion that they aught to be allowed for the larger tribes at least a further annuity of $1000 & for the smaller ones $500 besides a considerable sum in hand. In the evening the Miami Chiefs waited on the Governor at his lodgings and spent the evening with him. The requested to have a little liquor for their young man. Two Gallons were given to each Tribe. A Potawatomie Chief Winemack waited on the Governor late in the evening and told him that he came to make him sleep well by communicating the agreeable information that his proposition would be acceeded to by the Indians.
24th. The Indians met in Council to determine upon the answer to be given to the Governor. When the Miamies declared their determination not to sell a foot of Land. Observing that it was time to put a stop to the encroachments of the whites who were eternally purchasing their lands for less than the real value of them. That they had also heard that the Governor had no in-
Journal of the
Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
14 |
JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS. |
structions from the President to make the purchase but that he was making it
upon his own authority to please the White people whom he governed. The
Putawatimies vehemently urged the sale & reproached the Miamies in the most
bitter terms. "That the Putawatimies had taken the Miamies under their
protection when they were in danger of being exterminated & saved them.
That they had always agreed to the sale of lands for the benefit of the Miamies
and they were now determined that the Miamies should sell for their
benefit."
The Delawares would take no active part of either side.
25th. All the Tribes were assembled in Council and the Governor addressed them as follows
My Children
My Heart is oppressed. If I could have believed that I should have experienced half of the mortification and disappointment which I now feel, I would have entreated your Father the President to have chosen some other Representative to have made known his wishes to you. The proposition which I have made you, I fondly hoped would have been acceptable to all, because I knew it would be beneficial to all. Why then this disagreement amonghst you. Is there some evil spirit amonghst us? That has set Brothers against Brothers & the Children against the Father? The Wind I hear has blown from the North, no good has ever yet come from that quarter. If we who inhabit this great Isleand, who were born here, are not friends to each other, who will be our Friends.
Believe me my Children, the people upon the other side of the big water would desire nothing better than to set us once more to cut each others throats. Glad enough would they be to see us contending against each other in battle provided they were secured behind the Walls of a strong fort. Miamies be not offended with your brothers the Putawatimies. If they have discovered too much eagerness to comply with the wishes of their Father, Look at their Woman & Children see them exposed to the winds & the rain as they will be in a short time to the snows of the Winter. Putawatimies do not suffer your love for your Father and your own distresses to make you angry with your brothers the Miamies. I know that they are attached to you. I am sure that everything will yet be fixed to your satisfaction.
Chiefs & Warriors of the Deliware. I have put confidence in you and you have not deceived me, you have united with your
Journal of the Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
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JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS. |
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grand Children the Puttawatimies to accomplish the wishes of your Father, he
will remember you for it. The proceedings of this Council written by the
Secretary will be sent to him, his eyes will see & whenever you take him by
the hand you will know that his heart is yours. You brothers on the Mississippi
shall also feel the good effects of your fathers affection for you.
I promise you that the Osages shall not molest you in your hunting grounds.
My Children the Miamies, what disconcerts you? Have you not always received justice from the hands of your father? What is it he asks of you? Nothing but what you can spare. Will not your situation be made better by agreeing to his proposal? I know that you have long desired to have your brothers the Weas alongside of you. It will add to your strength- at present they are of no use to you- bring your scattered members together & you will be strong, besides there is danger that this distant member may fall off it is already weakened by the excessive use of liquor. My Children your father will never be the cause of breaking the chain of friendship that connects you with each other.
Puttawatimies & Miamies look upon each other as brothers and at the same time look upon your grand fathers the Delawares. I love to see you all united. I wish a strong chain to bind you all together in the bonds of friendship. I wish to hear you speak with one voice the dictates of our Heart. All must go together. The consent of all is necessary.
Deliwares and Putawatimies, I told you that I would do nothing with the Miamies without your consent. Miamies I now tell you that nothing can be done without your consent. The consent of the whole is necessary. This is the first request your new Father (President Madison) has ever made you it will be the last, he wants no more of your land agree to the proposition which I now make you & send on some of your wise men to take him by the hand. He will set your Hearts at ease. He will tell you that he will never make another proposition to you to sell your lands.
My Children the Miamies will you not listen to the voice of your father will you not open your ears to the recommendation of your grand fathers the Deliwares & your brothers the Puttawatimies. Consult together once more if any ill will remain in your breasts against each other banish it, throw it away, and return a favorable answer to this last request of your Father.
Journal of the Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
16 |
JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS. |
The Turtle A Miami Chief then spoke as follows
We have listened to what our Father has said. Puttawatimies & Deliwares we have heard him say that you were united for the purpose of complying with his wishes I am sorry that he has met with so much difficulty. It is true that we the Miamies are not united with the Deliwares and Puttawatimies in opinion. Father it appears that the thing is now left with the Miamies, they will withdraw and consult together and after they have made up their minds you shall hear our answer.
In the evening the Miami Chiefs from two Villages met with the Eel River Chiefs under the auspices of the Turtle & agreed to meet the Governor's wishes.
26th. A meeting of the several Tribes took place. The Putawatimies urged an immediate compliance to the proposal of the United States. The Miamies from Mississinway took the lead in the debate & declared that they would never consent to sell any more of their lands that they had been advised by the Father the British never to sell another foot. The Putawatimies poured upon them a torrent of abuse & declared that they would no longer consider them as Brothers but that they would loose the chain which had united them with the Tomahawk & setting up a shout of Defiance which was echoed by all the warriors proceeded immediately to the Council House to inform the Governor of what they had done, the Governor blamed them for their rashness & made them promise not to offer the Miamies any further insult to put their cause in his hands.
It appeared that such of the Miamies as had determined in favour of the Treaty were intimidated by the vehemence of the Chiefs of the Mississinway Village & remained silent. During the whole of this day and the preceeding one, parties of young men of the Miami Tribe were constantly ariving loaded with goods from the British Agent at Malden and charged also with strong remonstrances against the proposed Treaty.
In the evening the Governor had the greater part of the Miami Chiefs at his lodgings and in a conversation of some hours exposed profidious conduct of the British towards them from the commencement of the Revolutionary War untill the present moment. "To them all their misfortunes were to be attributed & their present kindness to them proceeded from no other cause but a wish to embroil them with the United States. In case of a War with the latter, the English know that they are unable to defend
Journal of the Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
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Canada with their own force, they are therefore desirous of interposing the
Indians between them and danger." A complimentary answer was returned by
the Head Chief Paccon & they returned about ten o'clock a little melowed
with Wine.
27th. The Miami Chiefs were this day debating on the proposed Treaty, the Chief Silver heels particularly distinguished himself in favour of the Treaty. They came however to no decision. In the evening the Governor recommended to the Putawatimies to accommodate their difference with the Miamies they immediately assented & a proper quantity of Wampon was prepared for the purpose.
28th. The Putawatimies & Miamies met & the bad words spoken by the former on the 26th being recalled they shook hands and became again friends. The proposed Treaty was again taken under consideration and various objections were started by the Miamies amonghst other things it was insisted that they ought to sell their lands by the acre & that they should receive two Dollars for it. In the evening the Governor was informed that they had agreed to sell the small tract near Fort Recovery only, and none on the Wabash.
29th. In Council present the Governor and the Deliware, Putawatimies, Miamies & Eel River Miamies.
The Owl a Miami Chief
Said "That it had pleased the great Spirit to unite again all who were present in the bands of friendship. Yesterday the friendship was all afloat to-day it is made firm. You the people of the United States have assembled us all here, our Chiefs, &c. You remember the time when we first took each other by the hand at Greenville. You there told us where the line would be between us. You told us to love our woman & children and take care of our lands, you told us that the Spanish had a great deal of money the English & some of your people likewise, but that we should not sell out lands to any of them. In consequence of which last fall we all put our hands upon our lands & determined not to sell our lands. We all love our lands. After this determination you sent for us at the end of one year but we did not expect to hear from you what we have heard, but we yesterday determined to give you an answer. You have told us not to let any person have our lands but consider well before we sell them. This was good advice, you know when things are scarce they are dear/, you
Journal of the Proceedings
Indian Treaty
Fort Wayne, September 30th, 1809
18 |
JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS. |
know the price of lands. We are willing to sell you some for the price that it
sells for amonghst yourselves. The land you want on the Wabash we have nothing
to say to at present as the Weas are not here. If people have anything that
they do not want they will part from it easily. We yet find game on this land
when there is none. We will let you know it. Father you know the Miamies, you
know that when they do business with any other Indians no respect is paid to
what they say. Father at this Council you have told the Miamies to speak. We
therefore expect that you will be governed by what they say. When you spoke to
us you wished that we should comply. We now wish that you would comply with
what we wish. The land we propose selling to you will be measured and when it
is we wish to be present. Father the land you mentioned to us on the Wabash we
have nothing to say about. We do not wish you to go home unsuccessful. We will
let you have some land near Fort Recovery, the land on the Wabash our younger
Brothers occupy. Don't be dissatisfied. This is our determination. We have
disputed about your proposal but our disputes were fortunately settled
yesterday. Father you know everything, you will immediately understand what I
now say- we wish to keep as far as possible from the White people, we know that
when your Horses are lost you blame the Indians, we wish to keep our people and
yours as separate as possible. This is the sentiment of your Children here
present. We have nothing more to say. Our Chiefs, Warriors, and Woman &
Children salute you, the former annuity due to us by the United States we have
come to receive and wish them delivered as soon as possible.
The Governor then addressed them in a speech of two hours in which he gave a History of the Conduct of the United States towards the red people contrasted with that of Great Britain. "The loss of the country from Pittsburgh to the Miami was entirely to be attributed to the latter who urged the Indians to commence all those Wars, which had terminated so fatally to them. If all the lands which had been taken from them in those Wars which they had engaged in by the advice of the British had been sold on the same terms as those ceded since the Treaty of Greenville their Annuity would now have been equal to all their wants nor would they have to lament the numerous warriors who had fallen in fighting the battles of the English. How different was the conduct of the United States? Conscious of their ability to
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