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the waters of the Mississippi, and who have been at war with the United States. The goods will consist of blankets, strouds, cloths, calicoes, handkerchiefs, cotton stuffs, ribands, gartering, frock coats, flags, silver ornaments, paints, wampum, looking-glasses, knives, fire-steels, rifles, fusils, flints, powder, tobacco, pipes, needles, &c. These articles should be equal in quality to those which the Indians have been accustomed to receive from the British agents.

I am, very respectfully,

JAMES MONROE.

Gen. John Mason, Superintendent of Indian Trade, Georgetown.

EXHIBIT 174.

Governor Clark, Governor Edwards, and Auguste Chouteau to the Secretary of War.'

St. Louis, Missouri Territory,

May 15, 1815.

SIR: We have the honor to state to you that, as commissioners appointed by the President to treat with the Indians on the Mississippi river and its waters, we propose to hold the treaty at Portage des Sioux, (a few miles above the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers,) in the early part of July next; and presuming that there will be a large assemblage of Indians, a guard calculated to command sufficient respect and to maintain order seems to us so necessary, that we beg leave to solicit such orders for those purposes as you may deem it expedient to give to the officer having command on this frontier.

We have the honor, &c.

WILLIAM CLARK,
NINIAN EDWARDS,

AUG. CHOUTEAU.

Hon. the Secretary of War.

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 7.

EXHIBIT 175.

Governor Clark, Governor Edwards, and Auguste Chouteau to the Secretary of War.1

St. Louis, May 22, 1815.

SIR: Various indications of the continuance of a hostile disposition on the part of the Sacs and Foxes of Rock river towards our Government and the citizens thereof, with some recent aggressions which they are with good reason supposed to have committed since they were fully notified of the ratification of the late treaty with Great Britain, and its stipulations in regard to them, induce us to consider a permanent peace with those tribes so doubtful that we feel it our duty most respectfully to suggest it as our opinion that it is highly expedient to be prepared for the alternative of war with them. In the mean time every effort in our power will be employed to effect a pacification in conformity to our instructions; for which purpose every necessary preparatory measure has been adopted. We have the honor, &c.

Hon. the Secretary of War, Washington.

WILLIAM CLARK,

NINIAN EDWARDS,

AUG. CHOUTEAU.

EXHIBIT 176.

Governor Clark, Governor Edwards and Auguste Chouteau to the Secretary of War.1

St. Louis, May 22, 1815.

SIR: Since writing the letter which we had the honor this day to address to you, we have received additional evidence of the determined hostility of the Sacs and others, of Rock river, in the murder of a family in the county of St. Charles on the day before yesterday.

The conduct of those savages, in the cold indifference with which they received several communications in regard to the late treaty;

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 7.

their insolent deportment on those occasions; their perfidy in decoying on shore and murdering one of the messengers of peace; the murders and depredations which they have repeated since they were notified of the treaty, together with the suggestions and admonitions of the British officers themselves to be on our guard against them, leave no doubt on our minds that it is the intention of those tribes to continue the war, and that nothing less than a vigorous display of military force can change their dispositions.

Seeing that they have not agreed, on the notification of the ratification of the treaty, to desist from hostilities, and that they have not desisted, we feel very much at a loss to decide on the course proper to be pursued by us in relation to them.

To treat with them (even if they should not eventually decline our overture) without requiring the surrender of the authors of the recent hostilities, or some other retributions, would, we fear, be of dangerous consequences in its influence on other tribes. But upon this subject we shall be very thankful for the instructions of the President, which we will endeavor faithfully to fulfil We have the honor, &c.

WILLIAM CLARK,

NINIAN EDWARDS,

AUG. CHOUTEAU.

Hon. the Secretary of War, Washington City.

EXHIBIT 177.

The Secretary of War to Governor Clark, Governor Edwards, and Auguste Chouteau.1

GENTLEMEN:

Department of War, June 11, 1815.

I have received and laid before the President your communication dated the 15th ultimo.

The President regrets the hostile dispositions of the Indians; but having executed, in perfect good faith, the stipulations of the treaty of Ghent, he will exert the military powers of the Government to secure the peace and safety of the country.

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 8.

It is presumed that Colonel Miller, with his detachment, arrived at St. Louis soon after the date of your letters, and the enclosed copy of a letter to General Jackson will show the general matters in operation to resist and punish the further aggressions of the Indians on the waters of the Mississippi. Colonel Miller will also be authorized to continue the rangers in service, and to obtain an immediate reinforcement of militia, if the exigencies should be such as to preclude an application to this Department or to Major General Jackson.

The President has been induced, by the representations from the northwest, to appoint Governor Harrison, General McArthur, and Mr. Graham, commissioners to treat with the Indian tribes in that quarter. As the principles contained in the instructions to those commissioners may be usefully applied in the execution of your trust, I am authorized to communicate, confidentially, the enclosed copy for your information and government.

I am, very respectfully, &c.

Governor Clark, of the Missouri Territory,

A. J. DALLAS.

Governor Edwards, of the Illinois Territory, and

Mr. Chouteau,

Commissioners appointed to negotiate a treaty with certain
Indian tribes.

EXHIBIT 178.

The Secretary of War to the Governors of Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana Territory, and Mississippi Territory.1

SIR:

Department of War, June 14, 1815.

The representations which have been made to the President relative to the dispositions of the Indians in various quarters induce him to apprize your excellency of the measures that have been taken since the ratification of the treaty of Ghent to restore peace with the Indian tribes, and to conciliate the good-will of the misinformed or the discontented. As this object will be easiest effected by com

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 8.

municating to you the instructions given to the commissioners for treating with the Northwest Indians, I have the honor to transmit (in confidence) the enclosed copy.

*

I have the honor to be, &c.

A. J. DALLAS.

The Governors of Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana Territory, and Mississippi Territory.

EXHIBIT 179.

Governor Clark, Governor Edwards and Auguste Chouteau to the Secretary of War.1

Missouri Territory,

Portage des Sioux,
July 16, 1815.

SIR: We have the honor to inform you that we met at this place, according to appointment, on the 6th instant, and have been constantly engaged in endeavoring to discharge the trust confided to us. We are very sorry, however, to be obliged to state that the prospects of restoring tranquillity and safety to this frontier, by an amicable accommodation with the Indians, are not at all flattering.

With the Pattawatamies of Illinois river, and the small band of Piankeshaws who are prisoners of war, we shall probably conclude a treaty in a day or two.

But neither the Winnebagoes, Sacs, Foxes, Ioways, Kickapoos, or any others residing upon Rock river, have sent forward competent deputations of chiefs to treat with us. The Sacs and Foxes, in particular, have committed many flagitious acts of hostility since they were notified of the late treaty with Great Britain and the overtures of our Government to themselves.

Some of the most insignificant and contemptible wretches of these tribes, with one chief only, met us at this place. They acknowledged that they had no power to treat with us; and the chief that did attend is understood to have declared that, even if a treaty should be concluded with all the chiefs, those tribes would never consent to relinquish the lands which they have heretofore ceded to us.

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 8.

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