Glenn

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.

 

The Lords' Commissioners for Trade and
Plantations to the King

(September 8, 1721)

In: Reports on American Colonies, 1721-1762,
Canadian Archives, Michigan Pioneer and
Historical Collections, vol. 19, pp. 1-8.

pp.

 

1 (Title), 2, 3,

 

 

4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

 

MICHIGAN
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PIONEER AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
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COPIES OF PAPERS ON FILE IN THE DOMINION ARCHIVES AT OTTAWA
CANADA, PERTAINING TO MICHIGAN, AS FOUND IN THE
REPORTS ON AMERICAN COLONIES, MILITARY
DISPATCHES, BOUQUET PAPERS, AND
HALDIMAND PAPERS.
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NOTE.- Care has been taken in publishing the following papers to follow the original copies as closely as possible, including orthography, punctuation, capitalization, etc. The references in brackets at the close of each paper are the filings in the Dominion Archives at Ottawa.

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CANADIAN ARCHIVES
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REPORTS1 ON AMERICAN COLONIES, 1721-1762
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COPY OF A REPRESENTATION OF THE LORDS' COMMISSIONERS FOR TRADE AND PLANTATIONS TO THE KING, UPON THE STATE OF HIS MAJESTY'S COLONIES AND PLANTATIONS ON THE CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERICA, DATED SEPTEMR THE 8TH 1721-

To the King's Most Excellent Majesty.2

May it please your Majesty.

In obedience to your Majesty's commands we have prepared the following state of your Majesty's plantations on the Continent of America; wherein we have distinguished their respective situations, (page 2) governments, strength and trade, and have observed of what importance their commerce is to Great Britain; whereunto having added an account of the french settlements, and of the encroachments they have made on your Majesty's Colonies in those parts; we have humbly proposed such methods, as may best prevent the increase of an evil, which if not timely prevented, may prove destructive to your Majesty's interest, and have likewise offered such considerations as, in our opinion may contribute to the improving and enlarging your Majesty's dominions in America.

Your Majesty's plantations on the continent of America, beginning from the north, or Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Carolina.

And altho Newfoundland and Hudson's Bay are both of them parts of your Majesty's territories in North America; yet neither of them being a colony under civil government or lying contiguous to your Majesty's other plantations on the continent, we have made no mention of them in this representation.

MISSISSIPPI

The french nation having always been desirous to extend their dominions in America, have lost no opportunity of encroaching upon their neighbours there. And although your Majesty and your Royal Ancestors have an uncontestable right, as well by discovery as possession, to the several British Colonies in America; yet the french Kings have at sundry times made grants thereof to their subjects, such were the letters patents of Louis the 13th in favour of the french West India Company bearing date the 29th of April 1627; and those of Louis the 14th to Monsr. Croisat, (Crozat)3 some time since surrendered to the United India Company of France, upon which they build their title to the Mississippi. Many other instances of the like nature might be given, were they necessary to the present purpose, but these two, which comprehended almost all your Majesty's Dominions in America, may be sufficient to show the unlimited inclination the french have to encroach upon your Majesty's Territories in those parts.

However as the French are convinced, that a charter without possession, can never be allowed by the law of nations to change the property of the soil; they have employed another artifice; and without (page 3) embarrassing themselves about former discoveries made by the subjects of other princes, have built small forts at the heads of lakes and rivers along that vast tract of land from the entry of the River St. Lawrence to the embouchure of the Mississippi into the Bay of Mexico; not so much with intention probably to bound their own territories, as to receive what they have already got, till a more favorable juncture shall give them occasion to make further intrusions upon their neighbors. And if the late war in Europe, when the allies made so successful efforts against the exorbitant power of France, had not found Louis the 14th employment at home, it is very likely the french would have been much more formidable than they are now in America, notwithstanding the treaty of neutrality4 for those parts made at London in 1686, ought to have secured to Great Britain the several colonies whereof your Majesty's royal predecessors stood possessed at the time of making the said treaty, but the little regard the french have to that treaty will evidently appear by the evasions and frivolous pretences set on foot by their ministers during the debates in the year 1687 at London, when the Lords Sunderland, Middleton and Godolphin were appointed by King James to confer with the then french ambassadors, Monsr. de Baullon and the Sieur Dusson de Bourepeaux, concerning the boundaries of the Hudson's Bay Company; and although that conference terminated in a confirmation of the aforesaid treaty of neutrality together with a resolution of settling the boundaries between the English and french colonies in America, by proper commissaries, which resolution has since been enforced by the 10th article of the treaty of Utrecht;5 yet the french could never be induced to enter sincerely upon so necessary a work, notwithstanding commissaries were lately appointed for that purpose, and met with others deputed by the french court at Paris.

It is therefore very apparent from these transactions, that there remains no way to settle our boundaries, but by making ourselves considerable at the two heads of your Majesty's colonies, north and south, and by building of forts, as the french have done, in proper places, on the inland frontiers.

The french territories in America extend from the mouth of the river of St. Lawrence to the embouchure of the Mississippi, forming one continued line from north to south, on the back of your Majesty's plantation; and although these garrisons, in many parts, are hitherto very inconsiderable, yet as they have, by the means of their missionaries, debauched several of the Indian nations to their interest, your Majesty's subjects along the continent have the utmost danger to (page 4) apprehend from this new settlement unless timely care be taken to prevent its increase.

But this will be the proper subject of another part of this report; and therefore we shall at present proceed to give your Majesty an account of the forts the french have built, and the settlements they have made to secure their communication; of the several routs they have practiced from Quebec to the Mississippi; of the Indian nations in those parts, whom they have gained over to their interest; and of those who who still remain friends to your Majesty's subjects.

And as the most perfect account we have of these particulars, was transmitted to us some time since by Mr. Keith,6 the present governor of Pennsylvania, we hold ourselves obliged upon this occasion to acknowledge how much we are indebted to his exactness and application therein.

It is evident from Father Hennisen (Hennepin)7 and La Salle's travels, that the communication between Canada and Mississippi is a very late discovery; and perhaps such a one, as no nation less industrious than the French, would have attempted; but it must be allowed that they have a great advantage over us in this particular, to which even the nature of their religion and government do greatly contribute; for their missionaries, in blind obedience to their superiors, spend whole years in exploring new countries, and the encouragement the late french King gave to the discoverers and planters of new tracts of land, doth far exceed any advantage your Majesty's Royal Predecessors have hitherto given to their subjects in America; and as your Majesty's European dominions have long been burthen'd with the expense of two successive wars, the Parliament of Great Britain have hitherto only been able to assist the plantations with a very sparing hand; altho' considering the great revenue they bring your Majesty in your customs, and the vast importance they are of to the trade and navigation of these kingdoms, it is now to be hoped they may be thought worthy of greater attention.

And indeed had this matter been sooner considered, the french dominions had never been extended from north to south through the whole continent of America. For your Majesty's subjects who had much greater convenience of discovering and making treaties with the Indian nations, on the lakes which lie so contiguous to the back of the British settlements, might effectually have prevented this communication, which may prove highly inconvenient to the trade and welfare of your Majesty's colonies.

However it is not even yet too late to think of applying a remedy, (page 5) nor will it be at all impossible to interrupt a rout, which your Majesty may perceive by the following detail; hath many natural obstructions, and could never have been rendered practicable without the greatest industry.

From Mount Real, on the River St. Lawrence, the french generally sail in canoes about three leagues to the falls of Saint Louis; where they are obliged to land, and travel about half a league, before they embark again, in order to row up the stream, about 60 leagues further, to fort frontenac, situate on the north side of the river, at the entrance of the Lake Ontario, where they have a garrison, consisting of one or two companies; from thence they proceed on the said Lake reported about 80 leagues in length, to the great fall of Niagara which lies between the Lakes Ontario and Erie, where they are obliged to travel overland again about three leagues, before they enter the Lake Erie, which is about 130 leagues in length.

From this lake to the Mississippi they have three different routs. The shortest by water is up the river Miamis, or Ouamis, on the south west of Lake Erie, on which river they sail about 150 leagues without interruption, when they find themselves stoped by another landing, of about three leagues, which they call a carrying place, because they are generally obliged to carry their canoes over land, in those places to the next river; and that where they next embark is a very shallow one, called La Riviere de portage; hence they row about 40 leagues to the river Ouabache, and from thence about 120 leagues to the river Ohio, into which the Ouabache falls as the river Ohio does about 80 leagues lower into the Mississippi, which continues its course about 150 leagues directly to the Bay of Mexico.

There are likewise two other passages, much longer than this, which one particularly pricked down in Hennisen's map, and may be described in the following manner:

From the north east of the Lake Erie to a fort on the lake St. Clair, called fort Chartrim,8 is about eight leagues sail; here the french have a settlement, and often 400 traders meet there along this Lake they proceed about seven leagues further, and thence to the great Lake Huron about ten leagues; hence they proceed to the straits of Michilimackinack 120 leagues. Here is a garrison of about 30 french, and a vast concourse of traders, sometimes not less than 1,000, besides Indians, being a common place of rendezvous. At and near this place the Outawas an Indian nation are settled.

From the Lake Huron they pass by the straight Michillimackinac four leagues, being two in breadth, and of a great depth, to the Lake (page 6) Illinois; thence 150 leagues on the lake to fort Miamis,9 situated on the mouth of the river Chigagoe; from hence came those Indians of the same name, viz.: Miamis, who are settled on the forementioned river that runs into Erie.

Up the river Chigagoe they sail but three leagues to a portage of one-fourth of a league; then enter a small lake of about a mile, and have another very small portage, and again another of two miles to the river Illinois; thence down the stream 130 leagues to Mississippi.

The next rout is from Michillimackinack on the lake Illinois (now Michigan) to the Lake de Jurans10 90 leagues, thence to the river Jurans 80 leagues; thence up the same to a portage of about four miles before they come to the river Oursconsing, (Wisconsin) thence 40 leagues, to Mississippi.

These distances are as the traders reckon them, but they appear generally to be much overdone, which may be owing to those people's coasting along the shores of the lakes, and taking in all the windings of the rivers.

They have another much shorter passage from Mount Real to Lake Huron, by the french river on the north of Saint Lawrence, which communicates with the two latter routs; but it abounds with falls, and therefore it is not so much used. They have also by this river a much shorter passage to the upper Lake, or Lake Superior.

The french have at all times used their utmost endeavours to bring over the Indians to their interests, and the missionaries have been so successful in this point that they have even reduced some part of the Irroquois, commonly called by the name of the five nations, from their ancient friendship and dependence on your Majesty's colony of New York; and although provision was made by the 15th article of the treaty of Utrecht to prevent the like inconveniences for the future, yet experience hath shewn that such treaties made with the french, as cannot be afterwards executed without their assistance, are likely to prove ineffectual. We would therefore follow their example in this particular and lose no time, at least in securing such as are not already in league with them.

Of this sort are the Miamis, settled upon the river of the same name, which runs into the Lake Erie and are about 2,000 in number. The gaining of this nation to the British interest would be a very great importance; and, as we are, informed, might be done by settling a trade with them, and building a small fort upon the Lake Erie, where the french, in 1718, had no settlement; what they have now is not as yet come to our knowledge, though in all probability they have, or will soon begin to build one there. This will appear to be the more necessary, when we shall consider, how many Indian nations, on (page 7) the back of the British Settlements, the french have already gained to their interest.

The Illinois are about 3,000 men, on or near the river of that name.
The Ottoways, or Michillimackinacks were formerly 3,000 but now scarce 500
The Nokes11 100
The Follesavoires12 200
The Sakes13 200
The Puans14 600

All these joined the french against the five nations in the late war and all of them, except the Miamis, are seated about or near to the Lake Illinois, which is now commonly called by them Michigan, and on the rivers that run into it, and on the lake Puans, and the river Illinois.

On the Mississippi, and the branches of it, there are many great nations, especially to the west, as the Missouris, Ozages, Acansias15 (different from those of Acansa on the east) with many more, not less, as it is affirmed than 60,000 men, with all whom it is said the french have peace, or some alliance.

On the other hand all the English to the northward of Carolina, have not 1,500 fighting men in their interest to be depended on, except the five nations;- in New England and Connecticut they have very few;- in New York only the river Indians, besides the five nations;- in Jersey and Pennsylvania, their own or home nations, called Delawares, are exceedingly decreased, and being in subjection to the five nations, take their rules from them;- in Maryland and Virginia, there are very few except those to the south-west, whom Colonel Spotswood16 with great industry has lately gained by treaties and hostages.

Those of Carolina, and the nations lately in friendship with them, have been very numerous but are not so at present; the french having made great encroachment in those parts and gained many of the Indians there over to their interest.

Thus, by one view of the map of North America, your Majesty will see the danger your subjects are in, surrounded by the french, who have robbed them of great part of the trade they formerly drove with the Indians, have in great measure cut off their prospect of further improvements that way, and, in case of a rupture, may greatly incommode, if not absolutely destroy them by their Indian allies and although the British plantations are naturally fortified, by a chain of mountains, that run from the back of South Carolina, as far as new (page 8) York, passable but in few places; yet should we not possess those passes, in time, this would rather prove destructive than beneficial to us.

[p 78.]

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR SECURING, IMPROVING AND ENLARGING YOUR MAJESTY'S
DOMINIONS IN AMERICA

Having laid before our Majesty the state of our plantations on the continent, having observed the importance their trade is of to these kingdoms, and shewn how much they lie exposed to the incursions of their European neighbours, and of the Indians in their interest, what further remains is, that we should humbly offer to your Majesty's consideration such methods as have occurred to us, for securing, improving and enlarging so valuable a possession, as that of your Majesty's dominions in America; which we conceive might most effectually be done.

1st By taking the necessary precautions to prevent the encroachments of the french, or of any other European nation;

2ndly By cultivating a good understanding with the native Indians;

And lastly by putting the government of the plantations upon a better foot.

In order therefore to secure your Majesty's colonies from the encroachments of their European neighbours in America where of we receive daily complaints from the several governors on the continent, it will be highly necessary to begin, by fortifying the two extremities to the north and south. This will appear the more necessary, when it shall be considered how much the french have strengthened their settlements in the neighborhood of Nova Scotia and Carolina, whilst your Majesty's servants, either through neglect or misfortune, are much weaker in these two Provinces than any other part of America.

It has been already observed, that there are not above two British families in all Nova Scotia, besides the garrison of Annapolis, consisting of at present, only six companies of 34 men each; but there are still near 3000 french inhabitants remaining in this province, who contrary to the treaty of Utrecht,17 refuse to take the oaths of Allegiance to your Majesty, and in combination with their countrymen at Cape Breton, are daily instigating the native Indians not only to commit insults upon your Majesty's subjects, fishing upon the coast of Nova Scotia, but even to set up a title to the whole province, in opposition to your Majesty's Right.
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1 This report is found in full in Doc. Col. His. N. Y., Vol. V. pp. 591-630.

2 George I. was on the throne of England and the Duke of Orleans was Regent of France.

3 (1, p. 2) See appendix.

4 (1, p. 3) See appendix.

5 (also 1, p. 3) See appendix.

6 (1, p. 4) Sir William Keith succeeded Gookin as lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in 1717. He was succeeded by Patrick Gordon in 1726.

7 (2, p. 4) See appendix.

8 (1, p. 5) This undoubtedly is intended for Fort Pontchartrain.

9 (1, p. 6) See appendix.

10 (2, p. 6) This is Lake or Bay of Puans name of Green Bay on early maps.

11 (1, p. 7) See appendix.

12 (2, p. 7) Folles Avoines, French name for Menomonees.

13 (3, p. 7) Sacs, an Algonquin tribe of Indians usually joined with Foxes.

14 (4, p. 7) Puans or Winnebagoes.

15 (also 1, p. 7) See appendix.

16 (also 1, p. 7) See appendix.

17 (1, p. 8) See appendix.


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