THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Letter to Gage
(Johnson Hall, Nov. 18, 1768)
Johnson, Sir William in: The
Papers of Sir William
Johnson, vol. 12,
pp. 651-653.
pp. 652.
I wrote You last Week, & enclosed my Accts., I therein told You that I should give You the principal parts of my late Transactions soon, which I hope to do by next Post.
My great hurry whilst at Fort Stanwix has I find occasioned me to neglect answering your letter of the 10th Ulto.6 with enclosures from the Ilinois &ca., on the Subject of which I likewise received information about ye. Same time. It is impossible to prevent the Nations about the Ouabache from being guilty of Some Disorders so long as ye. Spaniards or rather the French their Agents have that intercourse with them, which they now actually have, at the same time, Such Acts of Violence are not to be borne with, & some measures should be imediately taken to check them.-
As the Cheifs of the Shawanese & Delawares attended the Late Treaty, and as the former in particular have much Intercourse & Connection with those You mention, I have Spoke to them & the rest Generally at the Treaty, and now as they return home by this rout, I have particularly & warmly spoke to them on these Subjects with Several Belts to their People to be communicated to all their Connections in such a manner as I hope may be paid regard to, any thing else that can occurr to me shall be performed, and proper regard paid to whatever You shall direct on the Subject.
I perfectly agree with You in opinion that the Apprehending any Indians who
might come in to Sue for peace to Fort Chartres will be (at least by their
Nation) deemed a breach of faith, and fail of answering ye. purpose
intended, 'Tho I am persuaded the Officer meant it for the best. One thing I
have found by repeated experience is, that when Indians are guilty of any
outrage, the punishment of an Individual rather makes them worse, and that they
are never to be threatened, unless we are prepared & find it practicable to
put our threats into imediate execution, being naturally a cool people
unaccustomed to utter their Sentiments wth. much Warmth, do usually
consider a threat as a Declaration
____________________________________
6Johnson Papers, 6:433-34.
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