Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison/Harrison to Secretary of War Boundary line between the Whites and Indians
Harrison to Sec. of War
Sir:
The subject of the boundary line between us and the Indians, has engaged my attention for some time past; and as I consider myself possessed of all the information relating to it which I am likely to obtain in this quarter, I have thought it best to state to you the result of my inquiries and reflections.
If the obvious construction of the treaty of Greenville[1] is to be taken as the ground upon which our claim to land in this country is to be supported, I believe it will be found to be much more extensive than is generally imagined. The tract which the United States may rightfully claim, extends on the Wabash from Point Coupee, 12 leagues above the mouth of White river, to 12 leagues below this town, and in width from the river on the east, 40 leagues, and on the west 30 leagues.
The grant of the land is said to have been made to Monsieur De Vincennes, a captain in the French army, and the founder of the colony which bears his name, for the use of the French settlers, and although the instrument of conveyance (if there ever was one in writing) is lost, the fact is ascertained not only by the testimony of all the old French inhabitants, but is completely authenticated by a clause in a subsequent deed, made by the Indians to the Wabash Company in the year 1775, in which the bounds of the tract before granted to the French are laid down, for the purpose of excepting it from the sale then about to be made. An extract from the said deed, which is on record here, is enclosed. Although our title to the land is thus clearly ascertained, I think it would be extremely impolitic to insist on taking the whole of it. I am not certain that the Indians would agree to it. At present I believe they have no idea of a claim being set up to that extent, and it is said that general Putnam gave them assurance when he assembled the Wabash chiefs at this place in 1793, that our claim would not be very extensive.[2] The right to the whole tract may be declared, but the lines which are to run from the two points on the Wabash above mentioned, may be extended no further than 10 or 12 leagues, on each side the river. This would readily be acceded to by the Indians and would make the settlements here sufficiently large. None of the Piankishaw chiefs (by which tribe all the former sales in this country were made) attended the treaty of Greenville, and the Wea chiefs, who are said to have represented them, are all dead.
At a council which was held here last summer, the subject of the boundary line was mentioned by the Piankishaw chiefs, and they expressed great uneasiness that the boundary line had not been ascertained, and at the reports which had been circulated amongst them, that the Americans meant to take from them all their country. They also said, that the settlements which had been formed on the south side of White river,[3] were an encroachment upon them. I took this opportunity to explain to them that part of the treaty of Greenville which relates to this place, and assured them that an investigation would take place, in order to ascertain the extent of country which had been actually conceded to the French. That from what I can learn, our claim on the Wabash was contained between Point Coupee and White river, but I could not determine how far it might extend on each side the river,—nor in what direction the lines would run from these two points; but if it should appear on investigation, that it was the intention of their forefathers, that the line should run from the mouth of White river up the channel of that river, instead of at right angles to the Wabash, that they would be paid for all the land on the south side of White river which had been included in our settlements and surveys. This explanation seemed satisfactory. It appears that all the Indians have understood that the claim to the land between Point Coupee and White river had been extinguished, and I believe they would readily agree that it should extend in depth on each side the river so far as to make a square of 24 leagues, which is the distance between the above-mentioned points. The remainder of their claim may be relinquished, and this liberality will authorize us to ask for an extension of our territory on the Illinois, if our claim in that country is not sufficiently large to prevent our settlement from being cramped.
My views as to the boundary line in that quarter are, that it should commence at the mouth of the Illinois river, run up that river for 30 or 35 miles, thence by a line parallel to the course of the Mississippi, until it intersects at right angles a line to be drawn from a point opposite Cape St. Combs, which is on the west side of the Mississippi, and about 10 miles below Kaskaskia. This would give a tract of country of 80 miles by 35, over almost the whole of which our settlements are now scattered.
There are some other objects of importance which might be settled at the time the Indians meet upon the subject of the boundary line. I have before stated to you that none of the roads passing through one settlement to any other in this Territory were made free by treaty, admitting that free ingress and egress were contemplated at the time that the several tracts were ceded to the French. Yet this can, I should suppose, extend no further than the allowance of one road to the Ohio, and one to the Mississippi, but the extension of the settlements and the constant emigration from the Ohio to this place, and the countries on the Mississippi, make it necessary to have two or three main roads. The settlements which extend from the Great Miami to the Indian boundary, running from the Kentucky river, will shortly be attached to this territory, and will totally be cut off from a communication with the seat of government unless we can have a new road; and the opening of those I presume ought not to be attempted without the consent of the Indians; this consent I am sure can be had, as well as permission to establish small stations at the distance of 25 or 30 miles apart on the roads most used for the accommodation of travellers. Another object to be provided for is the security of the persons and property of the traders residing in the Indian country. Frequent complaints have been made to me of robberies and personal injuries committed by the Indians on the traders, and I know of no redress for them.
In the treaty of Greenville the chiefs promised to take the traders under their protection, but there is no specific mode of redress pointed out. Their treatment of the traders shows that they consider them entirely at their mercy, and they do frequently rob and abuse them. This insecurity to the persons and properties of the traders is the reason that so few decent and respectable men are employed in the Indian trade, which, with a few exceptions, is in the hands of the greatest villains in the world, and the authors of all those falsehoods which so frequently agitate the Indians.
The Sacks or Sackees, a considerable nation who reside between the Illinois river and the Mississippi, were not included in the treaty of Greenville. They sent deputies to agree to a cessation of hostilities the spring previous to the treaty, but by some accident or other, they mistook the time, and did not attend the treaty. They are now extremely desirous to be put on a footing with the other tribes, and receive an annual present, and it appears reasonable that they should. There is another reason for including them in the treaty of Greenville. I have reasons to believe that several of the white persons and negroes who were taken during the wars are still in the possession of those people, particularly the son of a Mr. Tanner of Kentucky who is extremely desirous to recover him.
To accomplish those objects I beg leave, Sir, respectfully to recommend to the President, that a deputation from each of the neighboring tribes, viz: the Delawares, Potawatamies, Miamis, Eel river Indians, Weas, Kickapoos, Sacks, and Kaskaskias should be assembled early in the ensuing summer, and that some person on the part of the United States be empowered to agree with them on the permanent boundaries between theirs and the lands of the United States at this place and the Illinois, country. To obtain their consent to open the following roads, viz: one from the Ohio at or near the mouth of Pigeon creek to Vincennes; one from the settlements between the Great Miami and the Indian boundary line to Vincennes; and one from some convenient spot on the Ohio to Kaskaskia.
To extend to the Sack nation the provisions of the treaty of Greenville.
To provide for the security of the persons and properties of the traders residing in the Indian country, and the punishment of those who injure them.
To obtain the consent of the Indians to establish houses of accommodation at the distance of twenty-five or thirty miles apart on the post road from Louisville to Vincennes, and thence to Kaskaskia.
And should it be considered practicable, to make new arrangements of the annuities. The Kaskaskias, for instance, who have only fifteen or sixteen warriors, and the Piankishaws who are reduced twenty-five or thirty, receive each 500 dollars, which is the sum allowed the Kickapoos, who have some hundreds. I think it possible to prevail upon those two tribes to give up 200 dollars each of their annuity, which may be added to those of the Kickapoos and Potawatamie; or with the addition of another 100 dollars, make an annuity of 500 dollars for the Sacks.
I am persuaded, Sir, that nothing can be done with respect to any of these objects but in a general assembly of the chiefs of all the tribes. There appears to be an agreement amongst them, that no proposition which relates to their lands can be acceded to without the consent of all the tribes; and they are extremely watchful and jealous of each other lest some advantage should be obtained in which they do not all participate.
A general meeting of the chiefs has been long wished for, in order to settle some disputes which have arisen amongst them, which but for my interposition, would have terminated in war. These disputes cannot (on account of the jealousies above mentioned) be amicably adjusted but by the mediation of the United States.
The meeting would be further beneficial, as it would give an opportunity of explaining to them the conditions of the treaties they have made with us, which are very imperfectly understood.
I do not know of any pretensions to land on the part of individuals without the acknowledged boundary of the lands of the LInited States, but those which are made by the Illinois and Wabash companies; these companies are composed nearly of the same persons, and their claims include almost the whole country between the Lakes, the Mississippi, the Ohio, and the Indian boundary line, running from the mouth of the Kentucky river to the northern boundary of the United States.
A person attended at the treaty of Greenville on behalf of one or both of these companies, and as well as I can recollect (for I was at that time in the family of General Wayne) the subject was not brought before the Indians. It is I believe, acknowledged that these purchases were unauthorized by any government. To remedy this the conveyance is made to the company or to the King of Great Britain.
I can form no idea of the number of Indians that may attend at the proposed meeting; I shall, however, endeavor to make it as small as possible, and dismiss them as soon as the business can be done. I believe that the chiefs will endeavor to bring with them as large a retinue as possible, which some will do from ostentation, and some from apprehension of danger, several of the tribes being much irritated against each other.
I think it would be better to have the meeting immediately after the delivery of the annuities at Fort Wayne; no other presents will then be expected, excepting a few special ones for the chiefs. Should the President approve of giving an annuity to the Sacks, they will probable expect to have an advance of one year on their arrival here. One of the chiefs of this tribe attended the trial of the Delaware Indian at Kaskaskia last fall, and complained heavily of the neglect with which his tribe was treated by the United States.
I have enclosed a sample of virgin copper, found on the Vermillion river, about eighty miles above this place. This piece has undergone no process excepting that of being heated in a common fire, and then beaten with a hammer to get off some small bits of stone and earth which adhered to it. I have reason to suppose that there is a considerable quantity at the place whence this piece was brought. Recollecting that there was a resolution of congress, passed two years ago, directing a search to be made after copper on Lake Superior, it occurred to me that the President might wish some inquiries to be made after the mine from which this sample was taken.
- ↑ Greenville treaty, negotiated by Wayne Aug. 3, 1795 fixed the boundary beginning at the mouth of the Cuyahoga up that stream to the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum down it to Fort Lawrence, west to Loramie's store on the headwaters of the Miami; thence to Fort Recovery, thence by direct line to the Ohio opposite the mouth of the Kentucky. Besides this there were 16 separate reservations around posts and portages in the Indian country. State Papers, Indian Affairs, I, 562
- ↑ General Rufus Putnam was sent by Washington to Vincennes in 1792 to try the temper of the Wabash Indians. His elaborate instructions are in Sta. Pa. Indian Affairs. I, 234. On the 27th of September 1792 he concluded a treaty of friendship. John Baptiste Mayee, a French trader produced a copy of the treaty referred to by Harrison but the Indians denied its validity. It is given in Sta. Pap. Ind. Affairs I, 338, bearing date of 1776. witnessed by St. Marie and Phillibert.
- ↑ Hazeltons. Robbs, Severns. Hargroves. Johnsons. Prides, Mileys. and Tislows were a few of the pioneers who had already settled on the south side of White river. See histories of Pike. Gibson, and Daviess counties