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would have freed his conduct at least from the imputation of "singularity."

The major, having been furnished with a conveyance by water, reached Amherstburgh late in the evening. It was his first object to procure quarters, but finding, upon inquiry, that all the public houses were full, he was under the necessity of waiting immediately upon the commanding officer, although he previously understood that he was engaged with company. Upon his delivering the letter to Major Barrack, after a hasty perusal of it, the major returned it, and informed him that a Colonel Caldwell was the person to whom the letter should have been delivered, and a servant was sent to conduct Major Langham to his residence. It was not until he advanced some distance that it occurred to Major L. that it could not have been the intention of the commissioners that their letter should be delivered to any other person than the military commandant to whom it was directed. Being unable to procure accomodations and refreshment in the public houses for himself and his men, the sun being nearly down, and being unwilling again to intrude on Major Barrack, he thought it proper to set out immediately on his return to this place.

The commissioners approve of his refusing to deliver the letter to Colonel Caldwell, and directed him to return it to Major Barrack by any conveyance that might offer. None having occurred for some hours, an interpreter was charged with its delivery. After the departure of the interpreter, the letter of Major Barrack of the 27th was received.

From the answer of Major Barrack to the letter of the commissioners, it appears that he had a very imperfect recollection of the contents of the letter. It was certainly never our intention to apply to a British officer to use any "control or authority" over the Indians to induce them to attend the council to which they had been invited. Our letter contains nothing that could warrant this idea; it was simply a communication of the information which had been conveyed to us, that an officer of the Indian department had exerted his "authority" to prevent their attendance.

It was doubtless incumbent on the two Governments to cause the article in the treaty of Ghent that relates to the Indian tribes which were respectively employed by them in the late war to be properly explained to them. I receive with pleasure the informa

tion you convey that this has been done on the part of His Britannic Majesty, that they have expressed their "satisfaction" at it, and promise in future to be "orderly and peaceable." It is much to be regretted, however, that this was not sooner done, as it might have been the means of preventing those depredations upon the property of our citizens, so vexatious and injurious to them as well as troublesome to you, and which I have understood have been continued until a very few days past.

From his excellency Governor Cass I have been informed that the restrictions upon the Indians passing the strait, to which you refer in the close of your letter, was in consequence of those depredations, but that it was never intended to prohibit the crossing of the Indians at this place.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

WM. HENRY HARRISON. LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES, Commanding, &c., Amherstburgh.

EXHIBIT 220.

General Harrison and John Graham to the Secretary of War.1

DETROIT, September 9, 1815.

SIR: We have the honor to inform you that we yesterday concluded and signed a treaty with the sachems, headmen, and warriors of the Wyandot, Delaware, Shawanee, Seneca, Ottawa, Chippewa, Pattawatamie, and Miami tribes of Indians. One copy of this treaty will be delivered to you by Mr. Graham, the other has been deposited with Tarhee, (or the Crane,) the principal chief of the Wyandots.

Although our instructions did not render it necessary, yet we deemed it proper to include in this treaty as well those tribes who had been friendly to us as those who had been hostile: 1st. Because many individuals belonging to the friendly tribes had taken up arms against the United States, and could only in this way be fully restored to their former situation; 2d. Because these tribes wished and expected to be included in the treaty. We hope that the President will approve this course, and that the several articles of the treaty will be satisfactory to him.

1American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 16.

We found no difficulty in prevailing on the Indians to agree to renew and confirm all former treaties, and again to acknowledge themselves under the protection of the United States, and of no other Power. The Prophet, and most of those who were immediately connected with him, left the council and retired to the British territory before the treaty was signed. They professed, however, in open council, before they went away, the most pacific intentions, and declared that they would adhere to any treaty made by the chiefs who remained.

We had at the council a very full representation of all the tribes who are parties to the treaty, and we have every reason to believe that they will adhere to it as strictly as they ever have adhered to any former treaty with us, unless the British agents should interfere to prevent it.

The Wyandots are much dissatisfied that the road from the Rapids of the Miami to the western line of the Connecticut Reserve has been laid off so as to cross the Sandusky river at the Seneca village, instead of crossing at Lower Sandusky. They say that the road, running as it is laid out, will injuriously interfere with the settlement of the Senecas, to whom they granted the lands on that part of the Sandusky many years before the treaty of Brownstown was made; and that their understanding of the treaty was, that the road was to run from the Rapids of the Miami to the reserved tract at Sandusky. It is their wish that the road should now take that direction, but they are willing that it should strike the Sandusky anywhere between the reservation and an old Indian path that strikes the river about three miles below the fort.

Fully persuaded, from all the information we have received, that a much better road may be got in this way than that marked by the commissioners, we have written to the surveyor general, informing him of our having agreed with the Wyandot chiefs that it should be so run.

The chiefs complained to us that our citizens were constantly trespassing upon their lands, some of them having commenced considerable farms, without their approbation, while many more employed themselves in hunting and destroying the animals which were so necessary to them, and which, indeed, afforded the only support to their families.

We found, upon inquiry, that this complaint was not without foundation, and we did not hesitate to promise the Indians that decisive measures would be taken to redress them. We are induced to believe that a proclamation of the President, printed and distributed along the frontiers, would have the desired effect. It is unnecessary that we should say any thing to you, sir, of the importance of giving the Indians an example of good faith by the strictest fulfilment of every engagement we make with them. Good policy, as well as justice, requires this, as a contrary conduct would have the effect of procrastinating a further extinction of title to lands, which is now so ardently desired by the citizens of Ohio.

The subject of compensation to the Indians who remained faithful to us during the war, for property destroyed by our troops, has engaged our attention. There exists considerable difficulty in adjusting some of their accounts, from the difficulty of obtaining proper proof; and it appeared that the words of your instructions did not embrace some descriptions of property, the loss of which could be easily ascertained, as the remuneration appeared to be just and reasonable. Believing that it was within the spirit of your instructions, we have therefore agreed to include the horses that were clearly ascertained to have been stolen by our people, and to compensate the Seneca tribe for their houses which were wantonly burnt by our militia. We had less difficulty as to the former of these items, because payment, under such circumstances, is guarantied by existing treaties; and on the latter, because they were promised compensation by General Harrison at the time when the destruction of the houses took place.

As we are unable to close the accounts here for the want of the testimony of Messrs. Johnston and Stickney, Indian agents, it has been agreed that General Harrison should undertake the adjustment of the accounts of the Shawanee tribe at Piqua, on his return, and General McArthur those of the Wyandots and Senecas at Sandusky.

Illness has prevented General McArthur from signing this letter. We have the honor to be, with great respect, sir, your humble servants,

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON,
JOHN GRAHAM.

HON. W. H. CRAWFORD, Secretary of War.

EXHIBIT 221.

Journal of the Proceedings of the Commissioners to Treat with the Northwest Indians at Detroit.'

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General Harrison, on behalf of his colleagues.-He saluted his red brothers, the chiefs, in the name of the President of the United States. He thanked the Great Spirit that they were again permitted to meet, and to talk of peace and friendship.

A treaty had been concluded between the American and British nations, an evidence of which was presented to the Indians in the friendly intercourse which subsisted at this time between them. In that treaty it was stipulated that peace should be offered to the hostile Indians on both sides for their acceptance. In obedience to that stipulation, and to the affection which the President felt for his red children, he had sent the commissioners not only to bury the tomahawk, and the animosity which the late contest had excited, but also its remembrance.

He wished to offer peace to all the tribes included within the limits of the United States, and all the members of those tribes, who had joined the British in the late war, and wished them all to come, and hear the good words of the President, sent through the commissioners to them. For that purpose, as all of them had not yet assembled, he appointed the 25th for the day on which they should kindle the council fire at the Spring Wells, at which he invited them all to attend, and to send word to all the absent members of their tribes, as well those on the other side of the river with the British as those on this side, promising that they should be received with friendship, entertained in safety, and might return if they chose in peace.

It had been reported to the commissioners that evil birds had been hovering about them, whispering in their ears that they were to be assembled here on the pretext of peace only to be betrayed and destroyed; that General Brown, the great war chief of the United States, (whom they then saw on his left hand,) and his warriors,

'American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 17.

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