A NATIONAL PAPER, PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FEN NO, No. 69, HIGH-STREET, PHILADELPHIA. [No. 80, of Vol. lII.] S T A.T E PAPER United States, January the 16th, 179* Sir, AS the circumstances which have engaged the United States in the present Indian War may some of them be out of the public recollection, and others perhaps be unknown, 't ni=»y appear ad vifable that you prepare and publish, from authentic documents, a ftatenient of rhofe circum(lances, as weH as of the measures which have been taken, from rime to time, for the re-ellaljlifhinent of. peace and friendfliip. When the Communitvare called upon for considerable exerti ons to relieve a part which is fuffering under the hand 'of an ene~ my, it is desirable to manifeft that due pains have been taken by -those entrusted with the administration of th'eir affairs to avoid the evil, The Secretary for the Department of War. The Causes of the exifling Hostilities between the UNITED STATES, and certain Tribe* of LVD lANS North-Wefl of the 0 HID, Jlated and explainedfrom ofjicjdland authentic Documents, and pub lijhed in obedience to the orders of the Pr esidenlp oj the Untted States. A RECURRENCE to the Journals of the United States in in Congrcfs afTembled, of the early stages of the late war, will evince the public fohcitude to preserve peace with the In dian tribes, and to prrvent their engaging in a contest in which thev were no wife interested. But although partial treaties or conventions were formed with fomeof the northern and we item tribes, in the years 1775 and 1 776 ; yet those treaties were too feeble to rc/ift the powerful im oulfes of a contrary nature, arifingfroma combination of ciicum ifanees at that time ; and accordingly ai! the various Indian nati ons(the Oneida?;, Tufcaroras, and a few individuals of the Dela wares excepted) lying on our frontiers, from Geoigia ;o Canada, armed against us. It is vet too recent to h3ve been forgotten, that great numbers «f moffenfive men, women and children, fell a facrsfice to the bar barous warfare pra&ifed by the Indians, and that many others were dragged into a deplorable captivity. Not withstanding that these aggrcflions were entirely unprovok ed, yet as soon as the war ceased with Great-Britain, the Untied States, instead of indulging any rcfentments againil the Indian nations, fought only how to ellablifh a liberal peace with all the tribes throughout their limits. Early measures were accordingly taken for this purpose. A treaty was held, and a peace concluded, in the veer 1784, with the holt'le part of the notthern Indians, or Six Nations, at Fort- Stanwix. In January 1 785, another treaty was formed with part of the weftera tribes, at Fort M'lntofh, on the Ohio ; to wit, with the "W vandots, Deiawares, Ottawas,and Chippewas. During the fame year, treaties were formed at Hopewell, on the Keowee, with all the powerful tribes of the south, excepting theCieeks; to wit, the Chcrokees, the Cho&aws, and Chicka faws. In January 1786, a treaty was formed with the Shawanefe, at \he confluence of the Great Miami with the Ohio. It was not long before certain turbulent and malignant charac ters, residing among some of the nonhern and Weflcrn tribes, "which had formed the treaties ot F'>rt. Stanwix and Fort M'ln tolh, excited uneasiness and complaints againlt those treaties. In consequence of representations upon this fubjett, 00 the sth of October, 1787, Congress directed, " That a general treaty thould be held with the tribes ot Indians within the limits of the United States, inhabiting the country north-well of the Ohio and about Ldkc Erie, as soon after the full ot April next as conveniently iritght be,and at such place and at such paiiicular time as the Governor of the Wettern Territory (hould appoint, for the pur pofrs of knowing the causes oftineaiinefs among the said tiibes, and hearing their Complaints ; of regalattng trade, and amicably fettling all affairs concerning lar»<ls an,d boundaries between them and the United States." 41 P° l^e econ d day of JuH, 1788, Congrsfs appropriated !< t!ie um of twenty thoufai.d dollars, in itldition to fourteen thou dollars before appropriated, for defraying theexpenc?s of the treaties which have be 11 ordered, or which be or dered to be held in the then present year with the federal Indi an tr:bts in the Noithern Department, and for cxtinguiihiog the Indian claims ; rhewholeot the laid twenty thouimd dol lars, together with fix thouland dollars ot the fyid fourteen thousand dollars, to be applied foltlv 10 the purp;»fe of cxtin gu'fhmg Indian claims to the lands they have already ceded to the United States, by obtaining regular conveyances for the lame, and toi extending a purchase beyond the limits hereto- tore fixed bv treaty ; but that no part of the said sums Ihouid be applied tor any other purpose other than those above men ** tioned." Accordingly new treaties were held at Fort Harmar the latter part of the year 1788, and concluded on the ninth dav of January, *789, with a representation of all the Six or Northern Nations, the 1 o hawks excepted—and with a representation of the following enhes, to wit. the Wyandots, the D,' Wares, Octawas, Chvppa aa, Pdttiwatamas, and Sacs.—By these treaties, nearly the lame oan aries wrp recognized and eftabliflied bv a principle of bur c ' tje, as had been stipulated bv the former treaties of Fort Stan w.xand Fort M 4 Intofh. j u* careful and attentive- was the Government 6f the United fates to Settle a boundary with the Indians on the basis of fair , too >viate the diffnisfaftiorrs which had been excited, and equitable * 5 ' anc^s r llxcd on the principle ot It:docs not.appear that the <ight of the Northern and Wcftern Ia Wn u° orrnct^*^. e before mentioned treaties to the 1 ! lcre y relmquiflird to the United States, has been quefti y an\ other tribes; nor does it appear that the ptefent wdr T C r f,hyanvdlf P' IIC relatively to the boundaries tiiabhfhtd by the laid treaties. Ut .^ ie . con J TS * rv it appears, that the unnrnvok'-d e . iami an 1 Waba h Indians upon Kentucky and other pans ot the tronlicrc, together with their alfociates, a banduu, G. WASHINGTON. Wednesday, February i, 175? 2. formed of Shawanefe, and nufcaft Cherokee*, amounting in all to about one thousand two hundred men, arc solely ihe causes of the war. Hencc it is proper that their condutt (h'ould be more parti cularly adverted to In the year j7B j, when medages were frnt to the Wyandot* and Delaware*, inviting them to meet the Commiflioners, firit at Cavahoga, and afterwards at Fort M'lntofh, their neighbours the Miami Indians were also included in the fame invitation ; but they d d not attend. Iri the vear 1785 these invitations were repeated ; but the mefTen gers noon th-ir arrival at vhe Miami village, had their horses itol en, were other wife treated with insolence, and prevented fulfilling their mijfion. In the years 1787 and 1788, new endeavours were used to bring those Indians to neat : were urged 10 be present at a treaty appointed to be held at FortHarmar ; but these endeavors proved as fruitlefs as all ihe former. " At a council ol the tribes, convened in 1788, at the Miami river, the Miami and Wab-ash Indians were press d to repair to the treaty with great earnetlnefsbv the chiefs of the Wyandots and Delawares : the Wyandot chiefs in particular presented them with <t large belt of wampum, holding one end ot :t themselves, and offering the other tothehoUile Indians, which wasrefufed. The Wyandots tt»e-n laid it on the (bouldersof a principal chie'f,recom mending to him to be at peace with the Americans ; but without making any answer, he leaned himfelf and let it fail to the ground : this so difpleated the Wyandots, that they immediately left the council house." In the mean time the frontier settlements were disquieted by frequent depredations and murders, and (he complaints of their inhabitants, (as -might be expected) ot tbe pacific forbearance of the government, were loud, repraicd, and diflrelling---their calls for protection mediant—till at length they appeared determihed by their own efforts to endeavor to retaliate the injuries they were continually receiving, and which had become intolerable. In thi* (lateof things it was for the Government to make some decifivcexertion for the peace and fecuriiy of the frontiers. But notwithstanding the ill fucce r s of former experiments, and the invincible spirit ot animosity which had appeared in certain tribes, and which was of a nature to juljtify a perfuafiou that 110 impreflion,could be made upon them by pacific expedients, it was still deemed advifeable to make one moreeflTiy. Accordingly in April 1790, Anthony Gamelin, an inhabitant of Port Vinecnnes, and a man of good chara&er, was dispatched to all the tribes and villages of the Wabafh river, and to the In dians of the Miami village, with a meflage purporting, that the United States w< re desirous of eft-:ibliftiin~ a general peace with all the neighboring tribes of Indians, and of treating them in all rcfpe&s with perkft humanity and kindnefs,and at the fame time wani.ng them to abitain from further depredations. The Indians in some of the villages on the lower part of the Wabafh, appeared to Mien to him, others manifeflcd a different disposition, otheis confrlTed their inability to reft rain their young warriors, arid all referred the meiTenger to the Indians at rhc M 1 ami village. At that village some appeared well aifpofed, but rhe chiefs of the Sha wanefe returnee the mefTagcs and belts, in forming the raeflfenger however, that they would, alter confuta tion, within thirty nights, fend an answer to Pail-Vincennes— The promised answer was never received. While the mefiiVnger was at the Miami village, two negroes were brought in from our settlements, prisoners ; and upon his return to L'Anguille, a chief informed him that a party of seventy warriors, from the more diflant Indians, had airived, and were gone againlt the set tlements. In three days after his departure from the Miami village, a pri soner was there burnt to death. Similar cruelties were cxerciied at the Ouittanon towns, about the fame time ; and in the course of the three months immediately alter the last .mentioned invita tion, upwards of one hundred persons were killed, wounded, and taken pri Toilers upon the Ohio, and in thediftnft of Ken tucky. It is to he remarked, that previous to the last invitation, the people ot Kentucky who, in confi-quence of their injuries, were meditating a blow against the hostile Indians fas before intimated) were restrained by the Prcfident of the United States, from cr-of imp the Ohio, until the effe6t of the friendly overture intended to be inade should be known. It is also to be observed, that the Wyandots and Delawares, after having frequently and fruitlessly endeavored to influence the Miami and Wabash Indians to peace; upon mature convic tion finally declared that force only could etfe'ft the object. As an evidence that the cond u£l of the hostile Indians has been occaTioiv d by 01 her motives than a claim relatively to bounda ries— it is 'o be observed, that their depredations have been prin cipally upou the diftriffc of Kentucky, and the counties of Virgi nia, lying along the fouih fide of the Ohio, a country to whicti they have no claim. It appears by evident, that from the year 1783. until the inor.'h of October, 1790, the time the United SVaicS commenced oftenfive operations against the said Indians, that on the Onio, and the frontieis on the foutb (Id' thereof, they killed, wounded and took prisoners, about one thousand five hundred men, women and children; besides carrying off upv- aids of two thousand horses, and other property to the amount of fifty thou fend dollars. The particulars of the barbarities exercised upon many of their pri Toners, of different ages and sexes, although supported by in disputable evidence, are v of too (hoCkiiYg a nuture to be presented to the public. It is futficient upon this head to observe, that the tomahawk and Icalping-knife have been the ihildeft instrument* of death. That in some cases torture by fire, and other execra ble means have been used. But the outrages which were committed upon the frontier in habitants were not the only injuries that were fufbined : repeated attacks upon detachments of the troops of the United States were, at different times, made. The following from its peculiar enor mity deserves recital. —In April, 1790, Major Doughty was or dered to the friendly C'mckafaws on public bulinefs. He per formed this duty in a boat, having with him Eniigri Sedam, and a party of fifteen men. White attending the Teneflee river, he was met by a party of forty Indians in four canoes, confiding principally of the aforefaid banditti of Shawanef*, and outcaik Cherokees. They aoptoached under a white flag, the well known emblem of peace. They came on board the Major's boat, re ceived his presents, continued with him nearly one hour, and then departed in the moll friendly manner. But, they had scarce- Iv cleared his oars, before they poured in a fire upon his crew, which was returned as soon as oircu«ullances wuuld permit, and 317 $&tso [Whole No. 288.] a unequal combat was sustained for feveial hours, when they abandoned their defton, but not until they had killed and wounded eleven out of fifteen of the boat's crew. This perfidi ous condufl, in any age, would have demanded exemplary pun* illiment. 1 v All overtures of peace failing, and the depredations still con tinuing, an attempt at coercion became indifpenfible. Accord, ingly the expedition under Brigadier General Harrnar, in the month of October, 1.790, was dircfted. The event is known. After this expedition theGovernpr of the Western Territory, in order that nothing might be omitted, to effect a peace without further conflitf, did, on his arrival at Fort Harmar, in December, 179?, lend through the Wyandots and Delaware* conciliatory met! ages to the Miami's, but still without etfed. The Cornplanter, a war chief ot the Senekas and other Indians of the fame tribe, being in Philadelphia in the monih of Febru ry, 179: , were engaged to undertake to impress the hostile In dians with the conferences of their persisting in hoftiluies, and alio of the justice and moderation of the United States. In pursuance of this Procter, on the fourteenth of March, was feat to the Cornplanter to hasten his departure, and to accompany him to the Miami village — .\nd messages were sent to the Indians declaratory of the pacific sentiments of the United Siates towards them. But both Col. Proper and the Cornplanter, although zealouily desirous of executing their mifliori, cncouu tered difficulties of a particular nature, which weie insurmounta ble, and prevented the execution of their orders. General St. Clair, in the month o! April, Cent medals from Fort Harmar 10 the Dela wares, expressive of the pacific dt figns of the United States, to all tbe Indian tribes/ A treaty was held at the Painttd-Poil by Col. Pickering, in Jane, 1791, with a part of the Six Nations, at which the humane • intentions of the General Government towards them particularly, and the Indian tribes generally, were fulta explaihed. Captain Hendricks, a refpedable Indian refidmg with tbe Oneidas, appearing zealously dilpofed to attempt convincing the hoftil Indians ot th■ ir milfaken conduit, was accordingly sent for that purpose, but was fruftiated by unforefecn obstacles, in his laudable attempt's. Ihe different measures which have been recited must evince, that notwuhftanding the highly culpable condutt of the Indians in question, the government of the United States, uninfluenced by relentment, or any fa lie principles which might arise from a con sciousness of superiority, adopted eveiv proper expedieni to ter minate the Indian hMtiluies, without having tecourfe to the last extremity ; and, after being compelled to reUrt to it, has still kept steadily in view the rc-eftablilhment of peace as its primaiv and sole object. Were it neceffaty to add proofs of the pacific and humane dis positions of Ihe General Government towards the Indian tribes, the treaties with the Creeks, and with the Cherokees, be cued as demonflrative of its moderation and liberality. The present partial Indian wai is a remnant of the late general war, continued by a numb r of ftparate banditti, who, by the inct'fTant pra£lice of fifteen years; seem to have formed inveterate and incurable habits of enmity against the frontier inhabitants of the United States. To obtain protection against laWlefj violence, was a main ob jefil for which the present government was iiiftunted. It ii, ii»- a main objefi ot all governments. A frontier citizen pof feflcsas strong clairmui prote&ion as any other citizen. The frorticrsare the vulnerable parts 6f every Crtuirtry ; and the obli gation of the government of the United States, to afford thd- it quifite prote&ion, cannot be lels sacred in reference to tlic in habitantsof their Wellern, than to those of ffieif Atlantic "Frpn tier. T. It will appear from a candid review of this filbjeft, .that the General Government could 110 longer abstain from attempting to pumlh the hostile Indians. Theill fucceis ol the attempts for this purpose, is entirely un connected with the justice or policy of the hieafure. A penfe verance in exertions to make the refraSory Indians at laftleftflbfe, that they cannot continue their enormous outrages with impunity, -appears to be as in the existing poflure of things, it will be advifeabie, whenever they shall manifeit symptoms more amicable difpofitidn, to convince them, by decilive g>roofs, that nothing is so much desired by the United States as to life at liberty to treat thein with kindness and beneficence. f- War Department, Jan. 26, 1792 FROM THE QUEBEC HERALD, 0,0 E B EC, November aB. Extrafl from the Chief Juflice's charge 10 the Grand Jury, 2Jth Nov. 1791. SeJJions of Oyer and Ter miner at Quckec. 1 REMARK it with pleasure, that for two years palt, there has been a great redutfiion of the lift ef criminal prosecutions in all parts of the province. If Grand Juries have not been in fault, we may presume that the virtue of our fel low citizens is on the increase. It adds to the confolaiion, that it does no: seem to be imputa ble merely to terror, the government of the coun try for the last five years, having mingled mercy and judgment very frequently ; but with so sa gacious a discernment, that the great clemency dispensed, may perhaps be reckoned among the causes of these restraints upon vice. Happier still, if the reformation of our coun try, shall keep pace with the blelfings recently poured out upon ir, by the benignity of our So vereign, and the liberality of his Parliament. What their number and extent, the molt fer tile and hell informed mind, can neither enume rate nor ascertain, faffice it to remark, that the political frame erecfied for your prosperity, be ing 011 the model, as nearly as our condition will permit, of that conltitntion which has made En gland t4re admiration of the world, it niuft be H. KNOX, Secretary oj War.
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