244 |
TERRITORIAL PAPERS |
and upright Ministers who sooner or later would come to examine into, and relieve us from our sad situation. We begin to see the accomplishment of these hopes, under the happy Government of your Excellency, and as your Memorialist has reason to believe, from proofs which would be too long to explain here, one of the number who has been the most forward in risking his life and fortune for his country.'17
He also hopes that his demand will be listened to favorably. It is this. The missionaries, like Lords, have at all times possessed two Tracts of land near this village, one three acres in front which produces but little Hay, three quarters being useless by a great morass- the other of two acres in front, which may be cultivated, and which the Memorialist will have cultivated with care, and proposes to have a Dwelling erected on it, with a Garden and Orchard, in case his claim is accepted. Your Excellency may think perhaps that this might injure some of the inhabitants; but it will not. It would be difficult to hire them to cause an enclosure to be made of the size of these Tracts, so much land have they more than they can cultivate. May it please your Excellency then to grant them to the memorialist as belonging to the Domain of the United States, and to give him a Concession to be enjoyed in full propriety in his private name, and not as to a missionary and Priest to pass to his successor, otherwise the memorialist, not wishing to labour for others, would not accept it. It is for the services he has already rendered and those which he still hopes to render as far as circumstances may offer and he may be capable, and particularly on the bounty with which you relieve those who stand in need of assistance, that he founds his demand. In hopes of being soon of the number of those who praise Heaven for your fortunate arrival in this Country, and who desire your prosperity in every thing, your memorialist has the honor of being with the most profound respect 18
Your Excellency's Most obedient and Most humble Servant
|
P. GIBAULT, Priest |
KAHOKIA May 1st 1790
_____
_____
GOVERNOR ST. CLAIR TO THE PRESIDENT19
[SD:N.W. Terr. Papers, I:ALS]
|
CAHOKIA May 1st 1790 |
SIR I have this day
communicated to the Secretary of the Department of War20 all the
Intelligence respecting the Indian Affairs that
____________
17See James (ed.), G. R. Clark Papers (IHC, VIII), intro., passim, for an account of Father Gibault's services to the American cause.
18See act of Mar. 3, 1791, post, p. 341.
19Cf. official report of St. Clair, Feb. 10,1791, post, pp. 323 et seq.
20Smith (ed.), St. Clair Papers, II, 136-140. Neither the original nor a contemporary copy of this important letter has been found.
|
NORTHWEST TERRITORY |
245 |
has come to my knowledge and Observation since I wrote to him before,21 and I am very sorry to have it to remark, that they do not wear a very favorable Complexion:-That the Ouabash Indians should have taken the Resolution to be guided entirely by those of the Miami Village, is nearly tantamount to a declaration that they will continue their Hostilities;22- if Matters come to that Issue, there can certainly be no hesitation about employing force to reduce them to reason, and I hope the Legislature will not boggle at the Expense, be it what it may; for it is certainly better for a Nation, in every Case, to incur Expense, whatever may be its difficulties, than to lose Reputation: and should the Savages be suffered to insult the Government, and murder and rob the People with impunity, its credit would be lowered, very much, both with foreign Nations and its own Citizens.-the quietly putting up with one Injury seldom fails to prepare the way for the offering another.
My Time, since my Arrival in this Country,
has been chiefly taken up with the receiving and examining the Claims of the
Inhabitants, which have been presented very slowly;23 partly from
their extreme Ignorance, and partly from their total want of the English
Language: The Secretary being little accquainted with the french, I had
required a State of their Claims in English; but as not a fiftieth Man can
either read or write any Language, I was obliged to dispense with that, and
interpret between him and them myself. The People are reduced to the lowest Ebb
of Poverty-for four Years successively the Country has been laid under Water
(for the french Settlements are all in the low Grounds or River Prairies, which
are very extensive.) which destroyed much the greatest part of their crops in
each of those Years; and the last Season a Frost in the beginning of September
destroyed nearly all their Corn-They were so much discouraged that, had my
Arrival been much longer delayed, the Country would have been abandonned alltogether;
perh[aps] what had the principal Effect in preventing it was, that on the
Spanish side the Lands are naturally less fertile, and had suffered nearly as
much from the Innundations: The Spirit of Industry, which however they never
possess in any great Degree, seems to be reviving, and as the Season advances
[margin torn] happily, and they are naturally of a sanguine temper, and look
fondly
________
21Mar. 7, 1790, mentioned ibid.; not found.
22Hamtramck to Harmar, Apr. 20 and May 16, 1790, Harmar Papers (2W192, 244), Wis. Hist. Soc. See also Smith (ed.), "Journal of Antoine Gamelin", St. Clair Papers, II, 155-160, and A.S.P., Ind. Affairs, I, 93-94; St. Clair to the Secretary of War, Aug. 23, 1790, Smith,op. cit., pp. 155-162. The original of the latter has not been found, but there is a rough draft in the St. Clair Papers (OSL).
23See Journal Exec. Procs., Mar. 7-June 11, 1790, post, III, 296 et seq.
374 |
TERRITORIAL PAPERS |
To His Excellencey the
Governor of the Territory of the United States for the time being
by order of the Court
William St Clair
Clerk
Witness our hands and the Seal of our Court
of Quarter sessions the day and date above mentioned
Ant Girardin
françois janis
Jn Dumoulin
_____
_____
ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT WITH THE WABASH
INDIANS
[LC: Washington Papers: C]
|
[March 14, 1792] |
Articles of certain engagements passed at Fort Knox at Vincennes between John Francis Hamtramck Esquire Major of the 1st United States Regimt on the one part and the Chiefs of different tribes of Indians on the Wabash on the other part with the following Conditions-
1st That as Major Hamtramck has not sufficient power to conclude a treaty of peace with the Indians of the Wabash, he shall immediately inform the great Chief of the United States, that it is the sincere desire of the Indians here represented to bury the hatchet for ever and to establish a lasting peace and friendship with the United States
2dly That measures may be speedily taken to conclude a solid and everlasting treaty of peace between the Wabash Indians and the United States and that the treaty shall be held at Vincennes
3dly That the United States shall confirm to the Indians the lands they legally claim and that no part shall be taken from them, but by a fair purchase and to their satisfaction.
4ly The Indians here represented solemnly promise on their part, that no more hostilities or depredations shall be committed by them on any of the Citizens of the United States.
5ly That they will at all times give notice to the commanding Officer of Fort Knox or other Garrison of any designs which they may know to be carried on by any nation of Indians or any individual whatever, against the interest or prejudicial to the United States.
|
NORTHWEST TERRITORY |
375 |
In Testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.
|
J F HAMTRAMCK |
|
Major 1. UndS. Regt |
|
Witness |
Weya Chiefs: KICKAPOUQUAIGH |
his X mark |
|
E. BEATTY. Capt 1. |
ATCHENEWAUGH |
his X mark |
|
Reg. U. States |
CONTOMAUMGAUGH |
his X mark |
|
ROSS BIRD Ensn |
AWPAIGHCHENECAUGH |
his X mark |
|
1. U. States Reg. |
PULLAASWAIGH |
his X mark |
|
A PRIOR Lt 1. U. |
CHACOWAATAGH |
his X mark |
|
States Regt |
LA POUSSIERE |
his X mark |
|
Eel River Chiefs: PEANKEUNSHAW |
his X mark |
|
CHECUNEMEMSHAW |
his X mark |
PROVISIONAL ARTICLE
As the Kickapoos of the Weya have left that Country and gone on the Illinois River, and are not represented with us in council
We the Chiefs of the Eel River and Weya Indians farther agree that in case the said Kickapoos should return on the Wabash we shall use our endeavours to bring them to the above mentioned measures or otherwise to drive them out of the Country.
|
Witness |
Weya Chiefs: KICKAPOUQUAIGH |
his X mark |
|
E. BEATTY. Capt 1. |
ATCHENEWAUGH |
his X mark |
|
Reg. U. States |
CONTOMAUMGAUGH |
his X mark |
|
ROSS BIRD Ensn |
AWPAIGHCHENECAUGH |
his X mark |
|
1. U. States Reg. |
PULLAASWAIGH |
his X mark |
|
A PRIOR Lt 1. U. |
CHACOWAATAGH |
his X mark |
|
States Regt |
LA POUSSIERE |
his X mark |
|
Eel River Chiefs: PEANKEUNSHAW |
his X mark |
|
CHECUNEMEMSHAW |
his X mark |
|
J F HAMTRAMCK |
|
Major 1. US. Reg. |
Done and concluded 14. March 1793[2]
The foregoing are true copies from the
originals.
Jno Stagg Junr Chf clk-W. D. May 15th 1792
380 |
TERRITORIAL PAPERS |
MAJOR J. F. HAMTRAMCK TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR
[LC:Washington Papers: C]
|
FORT KNOX March 31. 1792 |
SIR The 28th Instant I received a letter from Lt Col. Wilkinson who informed me of his appointment in the army and who directed me to send some agents to all the Belligerent Tribes of Savages, resident on the Wabash Illinois river, and on the South eastern borders of Lake Michigan, which shall be done as speedily as possible.
Since my last letter I had the honor of
writing you, the Chiefs of the Eel River and of the Weya have been with me,
their intention is to be at peace with the United States, and to have for its
basis, certain articles of agreement,48 which I have made with them
and the only ones I could find to be consonant to their wishes. This
negociation having taken place previous to my receiving the orders of Lieut
Col. Wilkinson, will I suppose be found sufficient without sending to
them-however if it should be found necessary for them to go to Fort Washington,
they soon can be informed of it-From Col. Wilkinson I expect to receive farther
directions on that point. The Peankishaws the only nation remaining on the
Wabash, who have not yet been with me have been prevented by the death of their
King, on his way to Fort Knox and the Nation having no Prince Royal to succeed
to the Crown have been employed for a long time in the election of a Monarch
whenever that is done, which will be in about a week, I expect to see them when
I will probably have an opportunity of securing their friendship-Indeed I have
very little doubt of their adopting the measures of the others-Altho the
Indians did not show a disposition to return to war, I found it was necessary
to guard against their joining those of the Miami who will no doubt give them
very pressing invitations in the spring-this could not be done without some
engagements on both sides which I have the honor to inclose. I hope Sir they
will be acceptable, I have done for the best, and all that could be done. It is
difficult for me to give you any assurance of their sincerity-if they are
sincere, it is from no other motive but to get back their prisoners-however-it
may be very easy after this to keep them in a pacific State, and to prevent
them from joining those who are hostile, this can be effected by some acts of
generosity towards them-for if our Government does not make them presents they
will go to the British, who will be glad to see them and who will supply them
amply-I asked the two chiefs of Eel River who were with me, and who are
neighbours to the Miamis if the British had given any presents to the Indians
last summer-their Answer was-
_________
48Mar. 14, 1792, ante, p. 374.
|
NORTHWEST TERRITORY |
381 |
Yes my father, the Goods were in large heaps like stacks of Hay49-do you get Arms and Ammunition also? We get every thing but big Guns. If you had done so and if your people had not told the Indians that their lands belonged to you you would have had no war-I have been informed by some Indians that a number of Merchants with Goods from Michlemackinac were in the prairies towards the Illinois River trading with the Indians.50 Indeed I am sure some of them have been on the Wabash and undersold our Merchants and there is now in this village a quantity of goods from that place and New Orleans which consequently has paid no duty to the United States- The Laws of this Territory or the laws of the United States have made no provision to prevent it, to the great detriment of those merchants who buy their goods in the United States and cannot sell so cheap. But the worst evil of all is a number of Villains in this Village who keep the Indians continually drunk. there is so much difficulty and ceremony to find them out that not one of them has yet been punished since the civil government has taken place, and the most fatal consequences may be expected if it continues-for the Indians, who will sell all their peltrys for liquor will find themselves and families naked in the spring and having no means to procure ammunition or other necessaries will go to war for plunder-the only possible way to prevent this abuse would be to prohibit all spiritous liquors to be brought into the place-without permission from the commanding Officer, and if only one or two Men were intrusted to sell or keep liquor in his house, it would be a very easy thing to prevent the Indians from getting drunk-Such measures may possibly be contrary to the principles of a republican Government, but it is not less necessary in this place in our present situation of affairs-Civil Law is an admirable institution any where except on a frontier situated in the center of an Indian Country and in a time of War-before the civil authority took place, I was well acquainted with every thing that passed in the village. No Indians came in. No person gave them lodging without my knowledge, few of them got drunk in comparison to what it is now All persons and strangers coming into the village were obliged to report themselves, by which means I received every intelligence
The Governor sensible of the necessity of
such regulations, has by proclamation and militia orders provided for its
continuance, but I am sorry to say that no part of it is put in execution
neither is it in my power at present to enforce it-
________
49See McKee's speech to the Indians at the Miami (Maumee) rapids, July 1 1791, Cruikshank (ed.), Simcoe Papers, I, 36.
50See memorial of Montreal merchants to Lord Dorchester, 1791, ibid., pp. 56-57.
382 |
TERRITORIAL PAPERS |
All the information I could obtain from the chiefs who were with me, was that all the Indians of the Lakes intended to go to war early in the spring and that their Women and Children were to be supplied with provisions by Capt McKee the British Agent for Indian affairs- they also informed me that the pieces of Cannon lost on the 4th of November last, were left on the ground, that a large party of Indians intended to keep at a small distance from the place to attack any body who should come to take them off that the number of the Indians against us last action had been about 1500-that we were then about four good days march from the Miami and on the waters of the Wabash, and that the loss of the Indians had been very inconsiderable.
Another circumstance which may not be amiss to inform you of is that two Indians of the tribes taken prisoner last year went from here to Fort Washington last summer on a visit to their friends-there they saw the Chickasaw Indians who were on the expedition with us, who told them, that it was a folly for the Indians of the lakes, to be at war with us, that they themselves had been a long time in arms against the White people, but they at last found it their interest to live in peace with them-that their nation and the Choctaws would join the Americans to go against them if it should be necessary. these circumstances were reported by the above two Indians who returned to their Nation the last Autumn, and came up the river with me. This appears to have struck the Indians with such a panic that it has reached the Miami-who I am informed would make peace with the United States, if they had an opportunity-
As it is necessary to permit some merchants to go into the Indian Towns, I have made choice of a few, who have entered into a bond of one thousand dollars, and to whom I have given licence for six Months- On this head I expect to receive some directions from the Governor, to whom I have wrote on the subject-The getting of firewood for the garrison has become very difficult, we are obliged to go at so great a distance for it, that it keeps the men on a constant fatigue, this together with some other inconveniencies we lay under by being so near the Town, would render it adviseable to move the Garrison, further up the River
The Governor in my instructions directs me to try to obtain the consent of the Indians for the establishment of a Garrison at the Eel River or the Weya-I have not yet found matters sufficiently ripe to make the proposition but I believe that some presents would remove every difficulty that might exist.
Since my writing the above I have received a letter from Colonel Wilkinson who directs me to send a couple of Spies to the Miami in order to get intelligence of the disposition of the Indians-I have
|
NORTHWEST TERRITORY |
383 |
engaged two confidential Indians who are to set off immediately and to return sometime in May.
I have the honor to be &
|
(signed)JNo F. HAMTRAMCK |
MAJOR GENERAL KNOX.
P. S. We have on hand for about Six
Months provision but the Indians who are every day in the
Garrison consume some of it, and it is unavoidable-J F H
_____
_____
GOVERNOR ST. CLAIR TO THE PRESIDENT
[SD: Misc. Letters: ALS51]
|
PHILADELPHIA, March 31st 1792 |
SIR, I have had the honor to receive your Letter of the twenty eighth instant.52 While I lament that Circumstances prevent an Investigation into my Conduct by a Court of Enquiry, I can not but acquiesce in the Reasons you have assigned why it can not take Place, And I beg leave to present my thanks for the Desire to have gratified me, had it been practicable, which you have been pleased to manifest.
In my Letter to you Sir, of the twenty sixth,53
I expressed an Intention of retiring from the Army when the Enquiry should be
over:-The only Reason I had for wishing to retain my Commission until that time
was, that if any misconduct should appear, in the Course of the Enquiry, I
might be amenable to a Court-Martial, which a Resignation would have precluded-
The House of Representatives Sir, have directed an Enquiry into the Causes of
the failure of the last Campaign to be made by a Committee of their own Body:54 The
same Reason that influenced me when a Court of Enquiry was contemplated,
operates now with equal Force; and therefor it may be proper that I should still
retain my Commission; but, as it will soon be requisite that some Person should
be at the Head of the Army who is to continue to command it, it is necessary,
Sir, that I should inform You explicitly, which I now do, of my fixed
Resolution to resign the Moment that Enquiry is finished should no fault be
found; that any Embarrassment which may exist, with respect to providing a
Successor for me, may be removed.
________
51Printed also in Smith (ed.),St. Clair Papers, II, 284-285. There is a draft in the St. Clair Papers (OSL). The differences between the draft and the Smith version, and the original letter from which the present text is taken, are numerous.
52Ante, p. 378.
53Ante, p. 376.
54Mar. 27, 1792, Annals, 2 Cong., 1 sess., 490. For other motives, the debate thereon, and the proceedings of the committee, see ibid., pp. 549, 555, 601-602; 2 Cong., 2 sess., 672, 679-684, 685-689, 877, 895, 899-906, and app., 1052-1059, 1106-1113; 3 Cong., 1 sess., 949; 3 Cong., 2 sess., 946; the Secretary of War to the
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