History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 18

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427

USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 18

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Friend ! I now present you with a belt, which has been given to us by the Hurons, who received it from our brothers, the Americans, as a seat in which we all should sit and rest. Our father at Detroit has always endeavored to lead us off from this seat; but we never listened to him-we consider it as a carpet spread for our use; and we now show it to you that you may recognize it. [A large belt with men and a house designated upon it. ]

Masass, a Chippeway chief, arose and spoke as follows :-

Elder brother! This great calumet comes, not from the little lake near us, but from the great Lake Superior to the north; from whence our great chiefs and warriors come. Elder brother ! When I returned from the treaty of Muskingum I repeated the sub- stance of its proceedings to my nation. You therefore see that your words have gone a great way; even to Lake Superior.

Brother! I live at a great distance from you ; but when you call a council I hear your voice immediately, and I come without delay. You now see all your brothers around you. We are well acquainted with what we are now doing, and what we have done heretofore. The white beads on this belt denote the number of large villages from the north who have heard your word. [A belt with nine white squares. ]

Mash-i-pi-nash-i-wish spoke as follows :-

Elder brother, and all present, listen to me with attention ! When the Great Spirit made the world, he put me at Michilimackinac, where I first drew my breath. At first I was entirely naked and destitute; and as if he had compassion on me, he pointed out to me the way to the white people. I followed his path and found them below Quebec, at the Falls of Montmorenci. I was satisfied the Great Spirit pitied us, for your whites had all pity on us, and hence we always loved you. The Great Spirit has blessed you with greater knowledge than we are possessed of-you are, therefore, entitled to great respect. When we first found the French whites we took them to our fires, and they have lived among us ever since. [A white string. ]

Elder brother ! You see all your brothers assembled here in consequence of your mes- Bages last winter. At that time the Ottawas, Chippeways, Pottawattamies, some who call themselves Sauckeys, and the Miamies, heard your words. You remember, brother, I then told you that I would withdraw the dark cloud from your eyes that you might know us again. You see I have done so, for you now behold us all clearly. At the same time I told you I would open both your ears and my own, that we might hear each other clearly. Our ears are opened accordingly, and we hear and understand accurately. I now speak to you with a pure heart. This white wampum testifies our sincerity and unanimity in sentiment. I now put your heart in its right place, as you did mine; that you may make known to the fifteen fires what I now tell you. [A blue and white string. ]

Elder brother! When I view my situation, I consider myself as an object of com- passion.

Elder brother, listen to me! As I told you last winter, if we Indians have acted wrong we are not entirely to blame. It was our father, the British, who urged us to bad deeds and reduced us to our present state of misery. He persuaded us to shed all the blood we have spilled. You, this day, see me fulfil my promise. With this belt I cover all the slain, together with our evil actions. [A white belt. ]

Elder brother, listen to me with attention! I speak in the name of all present. You see that I am worthy of your compassion. When I look upward I see the sky serene and happy, and when I look on the earth, I see all my children wandering in the utmost misery and distress. I tell you this to inform you I have never moved my fire- that I still live where the Great Spirit first placed me. [A belt.]

Elder brother, listen! The Great Spirit above hears us and I trust we shall not endeavor to deceive each other. I expect what we are about to do shall never be for- gotten as long as we exist. When I show you this belt I point out to you your children at one end of it, and mine at the other; and I would solicit the fifteen fires, and their women and children, to have pity on my helpless offspring. I now tell you that we will assist you, to the utmost of our power to do what is right. Remember we have taken the Great Spirit to witness our present actions. We will make a new world and leave nothing on it to incommode our children. [A white belt. ]

Elder brother! I now use this white wampum that the words I utter may descend to the bottom of your heart, and that of the fifteen fires.

Elder brother! I was not disposed to take up the hatchet against you; it was forced into my hands by the white people. I now throw it into the middle of the deepest lake from whence no mortal can bring it back.

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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.

Brother! I have thrown my hatchet into a bottomless lake, from whence it never will return. I hope you will also throw yours so far that it may never again be found. [A string blue and white. ]

Brother! After hearing all your words my heart feels easy and in its proper place. I do not speak to you about lands; for why should I! You have told us we might hunt upon your lands. You need not apprehend any injury from us-we will for the future live and hunt in peace and happiness.

Elder brother ! You see before you all my war-chiefs. They never go ahead of their commander; they ever obey and follow his orders. When I was here last winter you expressed a desire to see.them. You told me you would treat them well, but they say they have not seen this treatment and inquire the cause of this alteration. [A blue string.]

New Corn, a Pottawattamie chief, rose and spoke thus :-

Elder brother! Had you seen me in former days you would have beheld a great and brave chief, but now I am old and burdened with the weight of years.

Elder brother ! . I take you and the fifteen fires by the hand with the lively feelings of a brother. I am old but age does not prevent me from assisting in good works. I am happy and satisfied with the words you have spoken, and those delivered by my brother Indians. Our satisfaction is general ;- when a chief rises to speak I wish him to speak nothing but truth; because I feel for my young men, women, and children, whose happiness I have deep at heart. I must observe that I never received any part of the compensation given at the treaty of Muskingum. Our chiefs are all well disposed and I hope everything that passes between you and them may be marked with sincerity and truth. My nation consists of one thousand men who live at, and between Detroit and Lake Michigan. We have the Miamies for our allies, and we mutually assist each other. I am by birth a Sao; I married a Pottawattamie and have. resided amongst them. Twenty-three chiefs of that nation are inferior to me in command. [A belt.]

The General spoke as follows :-

Younger brothers! I have heard with due attention all that you this day have said. To morrow I will reply fully to you. My plate and my table are not very large. They could not entertain all present at one time but I hope to see all your chiefs in person, and in due rotation before we part. In the mean time you must acknowledge that I have helped your plates pretty well, and kept them full all around me. I will send you a little liquor this evening; but I hope you will keep your heads clear to attend to what I shall say to-morrow.

Council adjourned.

Friday, 24th July. In council. Present as before. Blue Jacket, a Shawanee chief, rose and spoke as follows :-

Brothers ! You know that we, the Seven Nations, have always been of one opinion. You know also that our uncles have always taken care of the great fire, they being the oldest nation. Our elder brother will therefore address his words to our uncle, the Wyandot, who will hand them round through the different nations.

The General rose and.spoke as follows :-

Brothers, the Ottawas, Chippeways, and Pottawattamies! Open your ears and be attentive! I have heard with very great pleasure, the sentiments delivered by Masass, as the unanimous voice of your three nations. When Mash-i-pi-nash-i-wish, your uncle, came to me last winter, I took him to my bosom and delivered him the key of all my forts and garrisons; and my heart rejoices when I look around me and see so many of your chiefs and warriors assembled here in consequence of that happy meeting. It will give infinite pleasure to General Washington, the great chief of the fifteen fires, when I inform him you have thrown the hatchet with so strong an arm that it has reached the middle, and sunk to the bottom of the great lake, and that it is now so covered with sand that it can never again be found. The belt which was given to Wassung many years since, establishing a road between you and the fifteen fires, I now return, renewed and cleared of all the brush and brambles with which time had surrounded it.

Brothers of the three great fires! You say you thought you were the proper owners of the land that was sold to the fifteen fires at the treaty of Muskingum; but you say also that you never received any compensation for those lands. It was always the wish and intention of the fifteen fires that the true owners of those lands should receive . full compensation for them. If you did not receive a due proportion of the goods, as original proprietors, it was not the fault of the United States; on the contrary, the United States have paid twice for those lands; first at the treaty of McIntosh, ten years ago, and next at that of Muskingum, six years since.

Younger brothers! Notwithstanding that these lands have been twice paid for by the fifteen fires, at the places I have mentioned, yet such is the justice and liberality of the United States, that they will now, a third time, make compensation for them. [A large string to the three fires. ]

Brothers, the Miamies! I have paid attention to what the Little Turtle said, two days since, concerning the lands which he claims. He said his father first kindled the fire at Detroit, and stretched his line from thence to the head-waters of Scioto; thence down the same to the Ohio; thence down that river to the mouth of the Wabash, and from thence to Chicago, on the southwest end of Lake Michigan; and observed that his forefathers had enjoyed that country undisturbed, from time immemorial.

Brothers! These boundaries inclose a very large space of country indeed; they em- brace, if I mistake not, all the lands on which all the nations now present live, as well as those which have been ceded to the United States. The lands which have been ceded

have within these three days been acknowledged by the Ottawas, Chippeways, Potta- wattamies, Wyandots, Delawares, and Shawanees. The Little Turtle says, the prints of his forefathers' houses are everywhere to be seen within these boundaries. Younger brothers! it is true these prints are to be observed, but at the same time we discover the marks of French possessions throughout the country which were established long before we were born. These have since been in the possession of the British, who must in their turn, relinquish them to the United States, when they, the French, and the Indians, will be all as one people. [A white string. ]

I will point out to you a few places where I discover strong traces of these estab- lishments; and first of all, I find at Detroit a very strong print, where the fire was first kindled by your forefathers; next at Vincennes on the Wabash; again at Musquiton, on the same river; a little higher up on that stream they are to be seen at Quitanon. I discover another strong trace at Chicago; another on the St. Joseph's of Lake Michigan. I have seen distinctly the prints of a French and of a British post, at the Miami villages, and of a British post at the foot of the Rapids, now in their possession. Prints, very conspicuous, are on the Great Miami, which were possessed by the French forty-five years ago; and another trace is very distinctly to be seen at Sandusky.

It appears to me that if the Great Spirit, as you say, charged your forefathers to preserve their lands entire for their posterity, they have paid very little regard to the sacred injunction, for I see they have parted with those lands to your fathers the French -and the English are now, or have been, in possession of them all; therefore, I think the charge urged against the Ottawas, Chippeways, and other Indians, comes with a bad grace indeed, from the very people who, perhaps, set them the example. The English and French both wore hats; and yet your forefathers sold them, at various times, por- tions of your lands. However, as I have already observed, you shall now receive from the United States further valuable compensation for the lands you have ceded to them by former treaties.

Younger brothers! I will now inform you who it was who gave us these lands in the first instance: it was your fathers the British, who did not discover that care for your interests which you ought to have experienced. This is the treaty of peace made be- tween the United States of America and Great Britain twelve years ago, at the end of a long and bloody war, when the French and Americans proved too powerful for the British: on these terms they obtained peace. [Here part of the treaty of 1788 was read. ]

Here you perceive that all the country south of the great lakes has been given up to America; but the United States never intended to take that advantage of you which the British placed in their hands; they wish you to enjoy your just rights without inter- ruption, and to promote your happiness. The British stipulated to surrender to us all the posts on this side of the boundary agreed on. I told you some days ago, that trea- ties should ever be sacredly fulfilled by those who make them; but the British, on their part, did not find it convenient to relinquish those posts as soon as they should have done: however, they now find it so, and a precise period is fixed for their delivery. I have now in my hand the copy of a treaty, made eight months since, between them and us, of which I will read you a little. [First and second articles of Mr. Jay's treaty read. ] By this solemn agreement they promise to retire from Michilimackinac, Fort St. Clair, Detroit, Niagara, and all other places on this side of the lakes, in ten moons from this period, and leave the same to the full and quiet possession of the United States. Brothers! All nations present, now listen to me!

Having now explained those matters to you, and informed you of all things I judged necessary for your information, we have nothing to do but to bury the hatchet and draw a veil over past misfortunes. As you have buried our dead with the concern of brothers, so I now collect the bones of your slain warriors, put them into a deep pit which I have dug, and cover them carefully over with this large belt, there to remain undisturbed. I also dry the tears from your eyes and wipe the blood from your bodies with this soft white linen. No bloody traces will ever lead to the graves of your departed heroes; with this I wipe all such away. I deliver it to your uncle, the Wyandot, who will send it round amongst you. [A large belt with a white string attached. ]

I now take the hatchet out of your heads, and with a strong arm throw it into the centre of the great ocean, where no mortal can ever find it; and I now deliver to you the wide and straight path to the fifteen fires, to be used by you and your posterity for- ever. So long as you continue to follow this road, so long will you continue to be a happy people. You see it is straight and wide, and they will be blind indeed who deviate from it. I place it also in your uncle's hands that he may preserve it for you. [A large road belt.]

I will, the day after to-morrow, show you the cessions which you have made to the United States, and point out to you the lines which may for the future, divide your lands from theirs; and as you will have to-morrow to rest, I will order you a double allowance of drink, because we have now buried the hatchet and performed every neces- sary ceremony to render propitious our renovated friendship.

Tarkee, chief of the Wyandots, arose and spoke as follows :-

Brothers, the fifteen fires, listen! and all you chiefs and warriors present. This is a day appointed by the Great Spirit above, for us; he has taken pity on us all and dis- posed us to perfect this good work. You have all heard what our elder brother has said on these two belts. We will all now return thanks to this great chief, and to the great chief of the fifteen fires, for their goodness towards us; and we will at the same time, offer our acknowledgments to the Great Spirit, for it is he alone who has brought us together and caused us to agree in the good works which have been done. My thanks are also due to you, chiefs and warriors present.

Council adjourned.

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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.

RATIFICATION OF TREATY.

Monday, 27th July. In Council. Present as before. The General arose and addressed the Indians as follows :-

Younger brothers! When we were last in council I informed you that I would on this day, describe the general boundary line that shall be proposed to divide the lands of the United States, or fifteen great fires of America, from those belonging to the Indian nations, which I will now proceed to do, in such a manner as to prevent mistakes or dis- putes in future respecting that boundary. I will therefore read and explain to you the several articles of a treaty, upon which a permanent peace shall be established between the United States of America and all the Indian tribes northwest of the Ohio.

You will therefore, younger brothers, open your ears to hear, and your hearts to understand the articles of agreement which I hold in my hand.

[Here the General read the proposed articles of treaty, and in expla- nation of the third, made the following observations :]-

Younger brothers ! I wish you clearly to understand the object of these reservations. They are not intended to annoy you, or impose the smallest degree of restraint on you, in the quiet and full possession of your lands, but to connect the settlements of the people of the United States, by rendering a passage from one to the other more practi- cable and convenient, and to supply the necessary wants of those who shall reside on them. They are intended at the same time, to prove convenient and advantageous to the different Indian tribes residing and hunting in their vicinity, as trading posts will be established at them, to the end that you may be furnished with goods in exchange for your furs and skins at a reasonable rate.

You will consider that the principal part of the now proposed reservations were made and ceded by the Indians at an early period to the French ; the French, by the treaty of peace of 1763, ceded them to the British, who, by the treaty of 1783, ceded all the posts and possessions they then held, or to which they had any claim, south of the great lakes, to the United States of America. The treaty of Muskingum embraced almost all these reservations, and has been recognized by the representatives of all the nations now present, during the course of last winter, as the basis upon which this treaty should be founded.

Younger brothers! I have now proposed to you articles of a treaty calculated to insure our future friendship and happiness; and which may continue till time shall be no more. I present this belt, emblematic of the ten articles which compose it, to your uncles the Wyandots. [A belt. ]

Tarkee, chief of the Wyandots, arose and said :-

Brothers, the fifteen United States, listen ! and you, my nephews, the Delawares, brothers Ottawas, Chippeways, Pottawatamies, Shawanees, and Miamies! This is the day the Great Spirit has appointed for us, wherein we have completed the good work of peace. We have opened our ears and we all understand well what has just now been said. We have paid the utmost attention to all your words in describing the boundary between the United States and us Indians, and the roads you have made which shall lead through our country to the different posts and reservations you have mentioned. We thank you for your information, and we are persuaded you have acted with great equity and moderation in dividing the country as you have done; we are highly pleased with your humanity towards us.

Listen, you chiefs and warriors present! Our elder brother has made proposals to us which require the greatest deliberation among us all. I do now request of you to consult upon this business without delay, that we may be enabled to return an answer to our brother to-morrow. Make no delay in deciding. This is all I have to say.

The Little Turtle, a Miami chief, arose and said :-

Listen, you chiefs and warriors, to what I am about to say to you! To you I am speaking. We have heard what our elder brother has said to us this day. I expected to have heard him deliver these words ever since we have been here; for which reason I observed that you were precipitate on your part. This is a business of the greatest consequence to us all; it is an affair to which no one among us can give an answer. Therefore I hope that we will take time to consider the subject; that we will unite in opinion and express it unanimously. Perhaps our brothers the Shawanees, from Detroit, may arrive in time to give us their assistance. You, chiefs present, are men of sense and understanding: this occasion calls for your serious deliberation; and you, my uncles the Wyandots, and grandfathers the Delawares, view our situation in its true point of consideration.

Council adjourned.

Tuesday, 28th July. In Council. Present as before. Tarkee, chief of the Wyandots, arose and said :-

Elder brother! You told us yesterday to deliberate seriously on the subject of your communications to us. We, the Wyandots, Delawares, and Shawanees, have not yet formed our opinions; more time is required to consider of so important a matter. To- morrow morning we will be prepared to answer you; our minds will by that time be made up.

The Sun, a Pottawattamie chief, spoke as follows :-

Elder brother! If my old chiefs were living, I should not presume to speak in this assembly; but as they are dead, I now address you in the name of the Pottawattamies; as Masass has spoken in the name of the three fires, of which we are one, I have to express my concurrence in sentiment with him. It is two years since I assisted at the

treaty of Vincennes. My voice there represented the three fires. I then said it would require three years to accomplish a general peace ; I am now of a different opinion, for I am confident it will be completed at this meeting.

Elder brother! I now bury the hatchet forever, and tell you that all the bad and imprudent actions which have been committed were not done by me, the Indian.

Elder brother! You now see why I have done wrong. This war-belt caused us to spill much blood through this country. The Great Spirit has at length put a period to the influence of this pernicious belt. You must know that it was presented to us by the British, and has involved us for four years past in misery and misfortunes. I am rejoiced to think it can never again lead us astray, even if a fresh war should break out with redoubled fury. We have already the loss of too many chiefs and warriors to lament, who fell a sacrifice in this destructive contest.

Elder brother! You have been told that the Pottawattamies are always foremost in mischief. I now tell you, that was not a true representation. The Pottawattamie sits in the centre; nothing takes its beginning from thence. It is the three people who lived at the Miami villages who assumed to themselves the privilege of going before. But this cannot be unknown to you.

Elder brother! I shall now dispose of this belt. I live too far from the lakes, and my arm is not long enough to throw it into the centre of any of them; neither have I strength sufficient to tear up a big tree and bury it beneath its root; but I will put it from me as effectually by surrendering it into your hands, as by doing with it anything else. You may burn it if you please, or transform it into a necklace for some handsome squaw, and thus change its original design and appearance, and prevent forever its future recog- nition. It has caused us much misery, and I am happy in parting with it. [A war belt. ]

Elder brother! I have now made you acquainted with the determined resolution of the three fires, and if any other nation should pretend to tell you that their strength and influence can hereafter stir us up to war, do not believe them; for I now tell you that we, the three fires, are not only immovable in our determination, but being the most powerful people, have nothing to dread from their compulsion.

The New Corn, a Pottawattamie chief, arose and said :-

All you nations present, I must tell you that I am much surprised that you cannot agree in opinion on the good work now before you. You do not act well; you undo to- day what you did yesterday. It would appear as if you were ashamed to come forward with one voice. Why do you hesitate? You know good works are always better when executed with decision. I now entreat you all to join hand and heart and finish this good work with our elder brother.

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History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 18

Author: R. Sutton & Co. Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Number of Pages: 427

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427