USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Discovery and conquests of the Northwest, with the history of Chicago, Vol. I > Part 19
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" 25th. We had another meeting with the same Indians, when Colonel Campbell and I made them several speeches in answer to theirs of the 23d and 24th. Then delivered them a road belt, in the name of Sir William Johnson, baronet, to open a road from the
201
Pontiac for Peace.
rising to the setting of the sun; which we charged them to keep open through their country, and cautioned them to stop their ears against the stories or idle reports · of evil minded people, and continue to promote the good works of peace ; all which they promised to do in a most sincere manner.
" 26th. Colonel Campbell and I made those nations some presents, when, after taking leave of us, they set off for their own country, well satisfied.
" 27th. We had a meeting with Pondiac and all the Ottawa tribes, Chippewas and Pottewatemies, with the Hurons of this place, and the chiefs of those settled at Sandusky and the Miami river, when we made them the following speeches:"
The speeches are brief, and relate chiefly to their keeping the peace in sincerity and good faith. On the following day, or the 28th of August, they had another meeting with the Indians, when Pontiac made the following speech, which is worth preserving, as coming from so celebrated a man :
"Father-We have all smoked of this pipe of peace. It is your children's pipe, and as the war is all over, and the Great Spirit and Giver of Light, who has made the earth, and everything therein, has brought us all together this day for our mutual good, to promote the good works of peace, I declare to all nations that I have settled my peace with you before I came here, and now deliver my pipe to be sent to Sir William Johnson, that he may know I have made peace, and taken the king of England for my father, in presence of all the nations now assembled, and whenever any of those nations go to visit him, they may smoke out of it with him in peace. Fathers, we are obliged to you for lighting up our old council fire for us, and desiring us to return to it; but we are now settled on the Miami river, not far from hence; whenever you want us, you will find us there ready to wait on you. The reason why I choose to stay where we are now settled is, that we love liquor, and to be so near this as we formerly lived, our people would be always drunk, which might occasion some quarrels between the soldiers and our people. This, father, is
202
Pontiac's Requests.
all the reason I have for our not returning to our old settlements; and where we live is so nigh this place, that when we want to drink, we can easily come for it. [Gave a large pipe with a belt of wampum tied to it. ]
"Father-Be strong and take pity on us, your children, as our former father did. It is just the hunt- ing season of your children. Our fathers, the French, formerly used to credit his children, for powder and lead to hunt with. I request, in behalf of all the nations present, that you will speak to the traders now here, to do the same. My father, once more I request that you tell your traders to give your children credit for a little powder and lead, as the support of our families depends upon it. We have told you where we live, not far from here, that whenever you want us, and let us know, we will come directly to you. [A belt. ]
"Father-You have stopped up the rum barrel, when we came here, until the business of this meeting was over. As it is now finished, we request you may open the barrel, that your children may drink and be merry."
There were present at this treaty about thirty chiefs and five hundred warriors. A list of the tribes is given, and the names of the chiefs. This was the last public transaction, in which Pontiac was engaged with the English. *
"29th. A deputation of several nations set out from Detroit for the Illinois country, with several messages from me to the Wyandots, Six Nations, Delawares, Shawanese, and other nations, in answer to theirs, delivered to me at Weotonan.
"30th. The chiefs of the several nations who are settled on Ouabache, returned to the Detroit, from the river Roche, where they had been encamped, and informed Colonel Campbell and me they were now going for their own country; and that nothing gave them greater pleasure than to see, that all the western nations and tribes had agreed to a general peace, and that they should be glad how soon their fathers, the
* A historical error of Hildreth, the editor of Croghan's Journal. Pontiac attended a convention at Oswego, the next year, called by Sir William Johnson .- AUTHOR.
203
Indian Proposals to Open Trade.
English, would take possession of the posts in their country, which had formerly been in possession of their late fathers, the French, to open a trade for them; and if this could not be done this fall, they desired that some traders might be sent to their villages, to supply them for the winter, or else they would be obliged to go to the Illinois, to apply to their old fathers, the French, for such necessaries as they might want.
"They then spoke on a belt, and said : 'Fathers, everything is now settled, and we have agreed to your taking possession in our country. We have been in- formed that the English wherever they settle, make the country their own; and you tell us that when you conquered the French, they gave you this country. That no difference may happen hereafter, we tell you the French never purchased a foot of our country, nor have they a right to give it to you. We gave them liberty · to settle, and they were always very civil to us, when they had it in their power; but as they now are become your people, if you expect to keep those posts as your own property, we will expect to have equivalent made us, for such parts of our country as you may want to possess.' [A belt.]
"September 2nd. The chiefs of the Wyandots, or Hurons, came to me and said they had spoke last summer, to Sir William Johnson, at Niagara, about the lands on which the French had settled near Detroit, belonging to them, and desired I would mention it again to him; that they never had sold it to the French, and expected their new fathers, the English, would do them justice, as the French was become one people with us. [A belt. ]
"4th. Pondiac, with several chiefs of the Hurons, Chippewas and Pottewatemies, likewise complained that the French had settled part of their country, which they never had sold to them, and hoped their fathers, the English, would take it into consideration, and see that a proper satisfaction was made to them; that their country was very large, and they were willing to give up any part of it that was necessary for their fathers, the English, to carry on trade-provided they
.
204
The Indians from Chicago Apologize.
were paid for it, and a sufficient part of the country left for them to hunt on. [A belt. ]
"6th. The Saginaw Indians came here and made a speech on a belt of wampum, expressing their satis- faction on hearing that a general peace was made with all the western nations and with Pondiac. They desired a little powder and lead, to enable them to hunt on their way home, and a little rum, to drink their new father's health. [A belt. ]"
N. B. The transactions of the 9th and IIth are written with such poor ink, and are so faded, that they cannot be deciphered.
" 12th. The grand sauton, and a party of Ottawas and Chippewas, from Chicago, sent me word that they would come in the morning and see me.
" 13th. The grand sauton came, with his band, and spoke as follows :
" 'Father-You sent me a belt from the Miami, and as soon as I received it I set off to meet you here. On my way, I heard what has passed between you and the several tribes that met you here. You have had pity on them; and I beg, in behalf of myself and the people of Chicago, that you will have pity on us also. It is true we have been foolish, and listened to evil reports and the whistling of bad birds. We red people are a very jealous people ; and, father, among you white people there are bad people also, that tell us lies and deceive us, which has been the occasion of what is past. I need not say much on this head. I am now convinced I have been wrong led for some years past. But there are people that have behaved worse than I and my people, and you have pardoned them. I hope you to do the same to us, that our women and children may enjoy the blessings of peace, as the rest of our brethren, the red people; and you shall be convinced, by our future conduct, that we will behave as well as any tribe of your children in this country.' [A belt. ]
"He then said, the St. Joseph Indians would have come along with me, but the English prisoner, which their fathers want from them, was some distance off a-hunting. As soon as they could get him, they
205
The Chicago Delegation Make Revelations.
would deliver him up, and beg forgiveness of their fathers, as they did at present.
" 14th. I had a private meeting with the grand sauton, when he told me he was well disposed for peace last fall, but was then sent for to the Illinois, where he met with Pondiac, and that then their fathers, the French, told them, if they would be strong, and keep the English out of the possession of that country by this summer, that the king of France would send over an army next spring to assist his children, the Indians; and that the king of Spain would likewise send troops, to help them to keep the English out of the country; that the English were a bad people, and had a design to cut off all the Indian nations in this country, and to bring the southern Indians to live and settle there, This account made all the Indians very uneasy in their minds; and, after holding a council among themselves, they all determined to oppose the English, and not suffer them to take possession of the Illinois; that, for his part, he behaved as ill as the rest to the British officers that went there this spring; but since, he has been better informed of the goodness of the English, and convinced the French told them lies for the love of their beavers. He was now determined, with all his people, to become faithful and dutiful children to their new fathers, the English, and pay no regard to any stories the French should tell him in future.
"15th. Colonel Campbell and I had a meeting with the grand sauton, at which we informed him of every- thing that had passed with the several nations and tribes ; and told him we accepted him and his people in friendship, and would forgive them as we had the rest of the tribes, and forget what was past, provided their future conduct should convince us of their sincerity, After which we gave them some presents, for which he returned thanks, and departed very well satisfied.
"19th. I received a letter from Colonel Reed, by express, acquainting me of Captain Sterling setting out from Fort Pitt, with a hundred men of the forty-second regiment, to take possession of Fort Chartres, in the Illinois country.
206
The St. Joseph Delegation Apologize.
" 20th. I sent off Aaron Andrew, express to Captain Sterling at the Illinois, and with messages to the several nations in that country, and those on the Ouabache, to acquaint them of Captain Sterling's departure from Fort Pitt for the Illinois country.
" 25th. The chiefs of the St. Joseph Indians arrived, and addressed themselves to Colonel Campbell and me, as follows :
"'Fathers-We are come here to see you, although we are not acquainted with you. We had a father, formerly, with whom we were very well acquainted, and never differed with him. You have conquered him some time ago; and when you came here first, though your hands were all bloody, you took hold of us by the hands, and used us well, and we thought we should be happy with our brethren. But soon an unlucky differ- ence happened, which threw us all into confusion. Where this arose we do not know, but we assure you we were the last that entered into the quarrel. The Indians of this place solicited us often to join them, but we would not listen to them. At last they got the better of our foolish young warriors, but we never agreed to it; we knew it would answer no end, and told them often they were fools, and if they succeeded in killing the few English in this country, they would not kill them all, because we knew you to be a great people.
"'Fathers-You have, after all that has happened, received all the several tribes in this country for your children. We from St. Joseph seem to be the last of your children that came to you to beg mercy. We are no more than wild creatures to you, fathers, in under- standing; therefore we request you to forgive the past follies of our young people, and receive us for your children. Since you have thrown down our former father on his back, we have been wandering in the dark, like blind people. Now you have dispersed all this darkness, which hung over the heads of the several tribes, and have accepted them for your children; we hope you will let us partake with them the light, that our women and children may enjoy peace. We beg
-
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Rum, Powder and Vermilion Presented.
you to forget all that is past. By this belt we remove all evil thoughts from your hearts.' [A belt.]
" They added further: 'Fathers-When we formerly came to visit our fathers, the French, they always sent us home joyful, and we hope you, fathers, will have pity on our women and young men, who are in great want of necessaries, and not let us go home to our towns ashamed.'
" Colonels Campbell and Croghan made them a favorable answer, and added presents of powder, lead, vermilion, clothing and two kegs of rum, ending the interview with these remarks:
" 'Children-I take this opportunity to tell you that your fathers, the English, are gone down the Ohio from Fort Pitt, to take possession of the Illinois, and desire you may acquaint all your people of it on your return home; and likewise desire you to stop your ears against the whistling of bad birds (meaning the French), and mind nothing but your hunting to support your families, that your women and children may enjoy the blessings of peace.'
" 26th. I left Detroit and arrived, October 3d, at
Niagara. Here I met some Senecas with whom I had a meeting, and informed them of my transactions with the several nations, and desired them to inform their people of it on their return home, which they promised me they would.
"October IIth. Set off from Niagara, and arrived the 17th at Ontario, where I met the Bunt and several sachems of the Onondagas, with whom I had a meet- ing, and informed them what had passed between me and the western nations.
" 19th. I set off from Ontario, and arrived at Fort Stanwix the 2 Ist."
Col. Croghan's Report to Sir William Johnson, Supt. of Indian Affairs:
"Sir-Having now returned from the services I was sent upon by His Excellency General Gage, namely, the obtaining the Indians' consent to our possessing the important posts at the Illinois, I present your honor
208
Croghan's Report to Sir Wm. Johnson.
with a journal of my transactions with the several nations and tribes in that country, for your perusal.
" In the situation I was placed at Weotonan* with great numbers of Indians about me; and with no necessaries, such as paper and ink, I had it not in my power to take down all the speeches made by the Indian nations, nor what I said to them, in so particular a manner as I could wish; but hope the heads of them, as I have taken them down, will meet your approbation.
"In the course of this tour through the Indian country, I made it my study to converse in private with Pondiac and several of the chiefs of the several nations, as often as opportunity served, in order to find out their senti- ments of the French and English. Pondiac is a shrewd, sensible Indian, of few words, and commands more respect among his own nation than any Indian I ever saw could do among his own tribe. He and all the principal men of those nations seem at present to be convinced that the French had a view of interest in stirring up the late difference between his majesty's subjects and them, and call it a beaver war ; for neither Pondiac, nor any of the Indians I met with, ever pre- tended to deny that the French were at the bottom of the whole, and constantly supplied them with every necessary they wanted as far as in their power. And notwithstanding they are at present convinced that it was for their own interest, yet it has not changed the Indians' affection for them. They have been bred up together like children in that country, and the French have always adopted the Indian customs and manners, treated them civilly, and supplied their necessities gen- erally, by which means they gained the hearts of the Indians, and commanded their services, and enjoyed the benefits of a very advantageous fur trade. They well know if they had not taken these measures they could not enjoy these advantages.
"The French have in a manner taught the Indians in that country to hate the English, by representing
* This name should be spelled Ouatanon. It is pronounced We-au- ta-non, which doubtless was the cause of Croghan's incorrect way of spelling it; he probably never having seen it written .- AUTHOR.
209
Croghan's Report Continued.
them in the worst light they could, on all occasions; in particular they have made the Indians there believe, lately, that the English would take their country from them, and bring the Cherokees there to settle and enslave them; which report they easily gave credit to, as the southern Indians had lately commenced a war against them. I had great difficulty in removing this suspicion, and convincing them of the falsity of the report, which I flatter myself I have done in a great measure.
" It will require some time, and a very even conduct in those that are to reside in their country, before we can expect to rival the French in their affections. All Indians are jealous, and from their high notions of liberty, hate power. Those nations are jealous and prejudiced against us, so that the greatest care will be necessary to convince them of our honest intentions by our actions.
"The French sold them goods much dearer than the English traders do at present. In that point we have the advantage over the French, but they made that up in large presents to them, for their services, which they wanted to support their interest in the country; and although we want none of their services, yet they will expect favors, and if refused, take it in a bad light, and very likely think it done to distress them, for some par- ticular advantage we want to gain over them. They are by no means so sensible a people as the Six Nations, or other tribes this way; and the French, for their own advantage, have learned them a bad custom; for, by all I could learn, they seldom made them any general present, but as it were, fed them with necessaries just as they wanted, tribe by tribe, and never sent them away empty, which will make it difficult and trouble- some to the gentlemen that are to command in their country, for some time, to please them and preserve peace, as they are rash, inconsiderate people, and do not look on themselves as under any obligation to us, but rather think we are obliged to them for letting us reside in their country.
210
English Trading Post at Chicago Wanted.
"As far as I can judge of their sentiments, by the several conversations I have had with them, they will expect some satisfaction made them by us, for any posts that may be established in their country for trade. But you will be informed better by themselves next spring, as Pondiac and some chiefs of every nation in that country, intend to pay you a visit.
"The several nations on the Ouabache and toward the Illinois, St. Josephs, Chicago, La Baye, Saginaw and other places, have applied for traders to be sent to their settlements. As it was not in the power of any officer to permit traders to go from Detroit, or Michili- mackinac, either English or French, I am of the opinion the Indians will be supplied chiefly this year from the Illinois, which is all French property; and if trading posts are not established at proper places in that country scon, the French must carry the best part of the trade over the Mississippi. This they are deter- mined to do, if they can; for I have been informed that they are preparing to build a strong trading fort on the other side of the Mississippi, about sixty miles above Fort Chartres, and have this summer, in a private manner, transported twenty-six pieces of small cannon up the river for that purpose.
"I am with great esteem and regard, your honor's most obedient and most humble servant,
"GEO. CROGHAN.
"To the Honorable Sir William Johnson, General, his majesty's sole agent for Indian affairs."
This letter has no date, but was probably written soon after Colonel Croghan's arrival at Fort Stanwix, which was October 21, 1765, as it is attached to his journal of transactions.
In accordance with the original plan, as soon as the success of Croghan's mission became known, the military commission which was to follow it, embarked from Ft.
NOTE .- Col. Croghan's journal has been published in the last edition of Butler's History of Kentucky, but is not as correctly rendered as in Hildredth's Pioneer History, from which the foregoing is taken. He took it from the original manuscript preserved among Col. Morgan's papers, who was subsequently appointed Indian agent.
211
The Illinois Country under the English.
Pitt in the autumn of the same year-1765. It con- sisted of about 120 men from the 42d Regiment of Highlanders, under Capt. Sterling. They arrived at Ft. Chartres, by the way of the Ohio and the Missis- sippi rivers, late in the autumn, and for the first time, the Lilies of France fell from the flagstaff, and the Cross of Saint George rose in its place on the banks of the Mississippi. This was the last official act in the great drama which had despoiled France of her trans- cendent aspirations on the American continent.
The following proclamation from Gen. Gage was issued by Capt. Sterling, on his arrival:
"Whereas, by the peace concluded at Paris, on the Ioth of February, 1763, the country of the Illinois has been ceded to his Britannic majesty, and the taking possession of the said country of the Illinois by the troops of his majesty, though delayed, has been deter- mined upon, we have found it good to make known to the inhabitants-
"That his majesty grants to the inhabitants of the Illinois the liberty of the Catholic religion, as it has already been granted to his subjects in Canada; he has consequently given the most precise and effective orders, to the end that his new Roman Catholic subjects of the Illinois may exercise the worship of their religion, according to the rites of the Roman church, in the same manner as in Canada;
" That his majesty, moreover, agrees that the French inhabitants, or others, who have been subjects of the most Christian king, may retire, in full safety and free- dom, wherever they please, even to New Orleans, or any part of Louisiana, although it should happen that the Spaniards take possession of it in the name of his Catholic majesty; and they may sell their estates, pro- vided it be to subjects of his majesty, and transport their effects, as well as their persons, without restraint upon their emigration, under any pretense whatever, except in consequence of debts or of criminal process;
" That those who choose to retain their lands and become subjects of his majesty shall enjoy the same rights and privileges, the same security for their persons
212
Gen. Gage's Proclamation.
and effects, and liberty of trade, as the old subjects of the king;
"That they are commanded, by these presents, to take the oath of fidelity and obedience to his majesty, in presence of Sieur Sterling, captain of the Highland regiment, the bearer hereof, and furnished with our full powers for this purpose;
" That we recommend forcibly to the inhabitants, to conduct themselves like good and faithful subjects, avoiding by a wise and prudent demeanor all cause of complaint against them;
"That they act in concert with his majesty's officers, so that his troops may take peaceable possession of all the posts, and order be kept in the country; by this means alone they will spare his majesty the necessity of recurring to force of arms, and will find themselves saved from the scourge of a bloody war, and of all the evils which the march of an army into their country would draw after it.
"We direct that these presents be read, published and posted up in the usual places.
"Done and given at headquarters, New York. Signed with our hand, sealed with our seal at arms, and countersigned by our Secretary, this 30th Decem- ber, 1764. THOMAS GAGE. [L. s.]
"By His Excellency,
"G. MATURIN."
This proclamation quieted the apprehensions of the French, some of whom had fled to St. Louis on the arrival of the English. Capt. Sterling died three months after his arrival, and early the next spring the English troops went down the Mississippi, and took a vessel from Pensacola for Philadelphia, arriving there on the 15th of June, leaving the place without a gar- rison. *.
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