History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 21

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton
Number of Pages: 878

USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 21

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The next business will be the distribution of the goods and presents promised by treaty. To-morrow, the Wyandlots shall receive their proportion ; the other nations will be sent for in order, as they signed, as soon as we are ready to deliver them. It will make no difference to any, who is first served, or who last; all shall have their due pro- portion. I have only to recommend a just and equal distribution among your respective nations.

Independent of this general delivery and ns a reward for the good disposition to peace, of some chiets and nations, early evinced, I shall make some further presents, which must be considered as private property, to those who shall receive them, and as testimo- nies of particular regard. In return for the generous ant unasked for present of the Chippeways, of the Isle de Bois Blanc, the Fifteen Fires will make them an acknowledg. meut to show that they will never be outdone in kindness.

I have to exhort you to take every measure to restrain your young men from the bad practice of stealing horses from those who are their friends. Some Freuchmen, who accompanied you to this place, have complained to me of having had their borges stolen since their arrival. This is ungrateful and disgraceful.

Be all now attentive ! This letter in my hand, informs me, that some very bad Indians indeed, regardless of the good work we have been engaged in, have barbarously surprised and murdered an innocent family, who thought themselves secure from harm, whilst nego- tiations for peace engaged your attention. This grieves me very much. By an article of the agreement entered into last winter, we were mutually to inform each other of any harm intended, which should come to our knowledge, and do our utmost to prevent it. And it is expressly etipolatest in this treaty, that similar conduct shall be pursued by both parties; - that for injuries done, no private or personal retaliation shall take place, but complaint shall be made by the party injured, to the other, etc

I do, accordingly, at this time, complain to you of the bad con luct of theen had people, and desire you, who live nearest to them, to exert your powers to restrain their practices, and correct their lives. I fear if they are permitted to continue uncontrolled, much mischief will ensue. They are a small lawless ban litti, who insult your authority, at the same time they injure the United States by their savage and inhuman practices. Our people, roused and provoked by their depredations and cruelties, will follow them into their country, to punish them as they merit; and should they, in their pursuit, fall in with any of you or your people who are our sincere friends, they might not be able to distinguish one from the other, and would probably wrenk their veage ince on their inno- cent brothers, and hurt them, when they meant to chastise those guilty aggressors ouly. .

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

Brothers, listen, and you also, brothers of the different nations present. The Great Spirit above, has appointed this day for us to complete all the good work, in which we have been engaged. You remember, that some time ago, our brother, the American, rose up and thanked the Great Spirit above, for conducting the good work so far as it then was; and be desired of us to know whether we would acknowledge him, the Fifteen United States, to be our father; but we have not yet returned him an answer. Now, this day the good work is completed. I inform you all, brother Indians, that we do now, and will henceforth, acknowledge the Fifteen United States of America to be our father, and you will all for the future look upon them as such-you must call thein brothers no more. The Great Spirit has crowned them with success in all their undertakings.

Father! You see we all now neknowledge you to be our father, I take you by the hand, which I offer as a pledge of our sincerity, and of our happiness, in becoming your children.

Father! Listen to your children here assembled; be strong now, and take care of all your little Ques. Sce what a number you have suddenly acquired. Be careful of them and do not suffer them to be imposed upon. Don't show favor to one to the injury of any. An impartial father, equally regards all his children ; as well those who are ordi- Dary, as those who are more handsome; therefore, should any of your children come to you crying and in distress, have pity on them and relieve their wants.

Now, all my brothers present, you see that we have acknowledged and called on the United States, as our fither. Bo strong, brothers, and obedient to our father; ever listen to him when he speaks to you, and follow his wivice. I now deliver this wampum in presence of you all, as a tuken of our being now the children of the Fifteen Fires. [A large string, blus and white. ]

The General rose and said :-

Listen ! all you nations, to what your uncle, the Wyandot, has said. [Tarkee's speech was here interpreted to each nation. ]

Listen! all you nations present. I have hitherto nil dressed you ny brothers; I now adopt you all, in the name of the President and Fifteen Greut Fires of America, as their children, and you are so accordingly. The melals, which I shall hive ho honor to de. liver you, you will consider as presented by the hands of your father, the Fifteen Fires of America. These you will hand down to your children's children, in commemoration of this day-a day in which the United States of America gives peace to you, aut all your nations, and receives you nud them under the protecting wings of her eagle.

Council adjourned.

August 8th. In council. Present as before. The Sun, a Pottawat- tamie chief, arose and said :-

Father ! I now speak to nequaint you, and all present, that I am perfectly satisfied with all that has been done in this council. You have told us to bring in our prisoners with- out delny. I have not one in my village-I never took any. You further told us if any of your people injured us you would punish them, and enjoined on us a similar conluet as it respected our offenders.

Father! I have not the same authority over my people that you exercise over your, They live dispersed, and it is difficult to reach them on all occasions. As you have now become our father, we are no longer objects of pity ; as your children, we shall be happy. while you continue to protect us. When the British adopted uy as children, they turle false promises, and left us to the mercy of the traders who took advantage of and rutch abused our ignorance and weakness. You have promised to send traders among us by whom we will not be abused; and we have promised to protect their lives and property We are happy, father, and thank you for your kindness to your children. I now ask you to send a trader to my village, which is a day's walk below the Wea towns, on the Wabash. You said that you would send one of your officers, to command at those town". We would wish you to send Captain Quiatanon (Prior), and should any meditated mis. chief come to my knowledge I will immediately nequaint him of it agreeably to our cont- pact. All you children present have the articles of the treaty fully and indelibly im- pressed on their hearts, and should bad birds attempt to misconstrue or pervert them, we promise, sincerely, not to listen to their desiguing, artful songs.

Father! We, the Pottawattamies present, are in three classey: One from the river Huron, one from St. Joseph's, and that to which I belong, from the Wabash ; and as you intend to give the goods designed for us, in bulk, to that nation, I am afraid the division amongst ourselves will be attended with difficulty and discontent. I pray you, father, to make the division among us, and thus preserve proportion and harmony. [A belt.]

The New Corn, a Pottawattamie chief, spoke as follows :-

My friend, when I first came here, I took you by the hand. You welcomed me, and asked me for my great war chiefs. I told you they were killed, and that none remained but me, who have the vanity to think myself a brave man and a great warrior. The Great Spirit bas made me a great chief and endowed me with great powers. The heavens and earth are my heart, the rising sun my mouth, and thus favored, I propagate my own species. [This is the Nestor of the wilderness, possessed of all the garrulity of age. ] I know the people who have made and violated former treaties. I am too honor- able and too brave a man to be guilty of such conduct. I love and fear the Great Spirit. Hle now hears what I say. I dare not tell a lie.

Now, my friend, the Great Wind, do not deceive us in the manner that the French, the British, and Spaniards have beretofore done. The English have abused uy much ; they have made us promises which they never fulfilled; they have proved to us bow little they have ever had our happiness at heart; and we have severely suffered fer placing our dependence on so faithless a people. Be you strong, and preserve your word inviolate; and reward those Frenchmen who have come so great a distance to assist us, My friend, I am old, but I shall never die ; I shall always live in my children, and child- ren's children. [A string. ]

Mash-i-pi-nash-i-wish, chief of the Chippeways, thus spoke :-

Father! The good work being now completed, we are left without a subject to employ our conversation. You see your children, the Ottawas, Chippeways, and l'ottawatta- mies, around you. Those at home will rejoice, when we inform thein, that, for the future, they will enjoy the protection of a new father. Our happiness is great in being for. mitted to address you by that emlearing appellation. Father, since we have been here. some mischief has been done. We are entirely ignorant of the perpetrators. It grieved me much and excites our anger and indignation. Time will discover to you, and to ... those wicked disturbers who richly merit puuishment. I have to request you to license a trader to reside with your children nt Ki-ka-na-ma-sung, where we shall pass the co. suing winter. I have never been guilty of stealing horses; nor shall I now commence the practice. But as I am an old man I would ask you for oue to carry me home.

Wille-baw-kce-lund, a Delaware chief, spoke as follows :--

Father! Listen to a few words from the Delawares. This is the speech you gave us when you first came into this country ; and when we first met together in council. la this, you told us, we should live in peace and friendship with each other and join our bands firmly together. It seems they were bailly hound ; for the ties were soon brukin We know not exactly how, or when, they were destroyed. We will now renew them so strong a manner that they will last forever, and bury in oblivion all past misfortunes Be strong in this good work and it will never fail. This belt was presented to uy from brothers; and our king now shows it to you that you may recognize it.

Okia, a Pottawattamie chief, arose and spoke as follows :-

Father! I come from the river fluron, near Detroit. My fathers have long posent that country. The other Pottawattamies present live on the St. Joseph's, and it direction. All my old chiefs are dead; you therefore see young chiefs only from In! towns who are unaccustomed to speak in council. You told us you would deliver ! presents in bulk to the Pottawattamie uation. In this case I am afraid my people " not get a due proportion, and I am too proud to complain to you, should they be uni distributed ; therefore, as I live detached from the others and internal to return home the Chippewnys, by the way of Fort behance, I beg my father would let me leave my | portion separately ; for wr have many young women noi children at home to whom i shall be very happy to deliver the presents of their father. I wish much te carry t.in

HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.

me a copy of the treaty to show my people. Living so far from the rest of my name I can derive no advantage from the one you have given to our nation generally ; and I should be r hamed and mortified to return without one. I would request a trader for my village, sud would wish for Mr. La Chambre, with whom we are long acquainted. [A belt. ]

Te-ta-boksh-ke, king of the Delawares, spoke as follows :-

Father! You have in your prison a man (Newman) who came in to us a year ago, and proved the preservation of many of our women and children, by the information he gave us: for this we cannot help feeling grateful. Now, your children, the Delawares, all beg of you to spare the life of this man ns he has been instrumental in saving inny of us from destruction. We hope, father, you will grant this first request of your children, the Delawares. [A string. ]

The General arose and spoke as follows :-

My children, the Pottawattamies! I wish you to endeavor to make among yourselves an amicable and fair division of the goods intended for you. It would be a very difficult task for me to perform with justice. You are acquainted with your own people and their numbers. I am not well enough informed on this head to make a truc apportionment. I wish all the other nations to act in a similar manner, ani to make a distribution to the satisfaction of their respective people. I wish each nation to appoint two confidential people from among themselves to receive the goods, and to give receipts to the store- keeper, who will thereby convince me of his having justly delivered them.

Council adjourned.

August 8th, afternoon. The medals, silver ornaments, etc., were delivered. No material or other than complimentary conversation took place.

August 10th. In council. Present as before. The Red Pole, a Shar- anee chief, spoke as follows :-

You, my uncles, the Wyandots ; my grandfathers the Delawares, and all you nations present ; you see, we are now here from all parts of this great island. You happily accomplished the good work before we the Shawanees arrived: I thank you all for it. I now present to your view the wampum given to me by our elder brother, now become our father. He gave it to us from his heart, and I hope you will, for the future, view him as our true fatber. We must, for the future, live in harmony with him, and one another. The Great Spirit gave us this land in common ; he has not given the right to any one nation to say to another, this land is not yours, it belongs to me.

Father! I bare heard everything which has been bere transneted. Peace is firmly established. It affords me satisfaction and happiness that the hatchet is cast away for- ever. I have reason to believe that the mischief which has been lately done bas been committed by a small party of Shawances, who have been in the woods a long time hunt- ing. It grieves as much that while we are here accomplishing the good work of peace, some of our own people are yet deaf to our lvice. Ant to convince you that we will never permit such practices, I now offer to leave with you, my aged father, as a hostage, and proccel immediately, myself, to call home those people, and take measures to prevent their future misconduct bilave just returned from an absence of two years, to the southward, and in that period, my young men, uncontrolled by their other chiefs, have fallen into bad practices ;- but they shall have an immediate end.

All my brothers present! As the peace is now entirely completed, and as our father ; of the Fifteen Fires, has a lopted us, as his chil Iren, and called us by that name ; I now tell him, in presence of you all, that we, the Shawanees, do acknowledge the Fifteen Fires as our father ; and that henceforth we will always regard him as such. [A white string.] .

You, my uncles, and grandfather, have settle'l with our father, the boundary line, in a manner which meets my entire approbation. I am perfectly satisfied with is; and it appears you had our common interest in view.

Father! As all the nations are now present, they can never hereafter deny their own work, nor sny, that other people acted for them, without authority. I, therefore, recom- mend to them to fulfil, strictly, their agreements, and adhere religiously to their engage- ments. [A belt. ]

The General arose and spoke as follows :-

Children, all you nations, listen! By the seventh article of this treaty, all the lands now ceded to the United States, are free for all the tribes now present, to hunt upon, 80 ong as they continue to be peaccable and do no injury to the people thereof. It is therefore, the common interest of you all, to prevent nuy mi-chief being done upon those bunting grounds. Those people who have committed the Inst outrage ou our pencenhle inhabitants, had been hunting on those grounds, and, after finishing their hunt, proceeded to the commission of the bad actions of which I have complained. These practices for the reasons I have already given you, must have an immediate en.l.

The Red Pole hay bebsvedl like a camdil, honest man, in acknowledging the errors of his people, and in promising to restrain them immediately. He has done more: he has offered to leave his own father as n hostage, until he can inform me of his having called them home. But I will not separate him from his old father ; I will depend upon his bonor for the performance of his promise. [A white string to the Red Pole. ]

All you, my children, listen to me! The great business of peace so long aud ardently wished for by your great and good father, General Washington, and the Fifteen Fires, and I am sure, by every good man among you, being now accomplished; nothing re-

mains but to give you a few words of advice from a father, anxious for the peace and happiness of his children. Let me earnestly exhort you, to restrain your young people from injuring in any degree, the people of the United States. Impress upon their minds the spirit and meaning of the treaty now before us. Convince them how much their future welfare will depend upon their faithful nud strict observance of it. Restore to me, as soon as possible, all my flesh and blood which may be among you, without dis- tinction or exception; and receive now from my hands the ten hostages stipulated by the second article to be left with me, as a security for their delivery. This unequivocal proof of the confidence that I place in your honor, and in the soletnu promises you have made me, must satisfy you of iny full persuaviou of your sincerity. Send those teu young men to collect your prisoners; let them bring them to me, and they shall be well re- warded for their trouble. I have here a particular account of the number remaining among you, and shall know when they are all restored.

I now fervently pray to the Grent Spirit, that the peace now established may be per- manent ; and that it may hold us together in the bonds of friendship until time shall be no more. I also pray, that the Great Spirit above, may enlighten your minds, and open your eyes to your true happiness, that your children may learn to cultivate the earth and enjoy the fruits of peace and industry. "[A white string. ]

As it is probable, my children, that we shall not soou meet again in public council, I take this opportunity of bidding you all an affectionate farewell ; and of wishing you a safe and happy return to your respective homes and families. [A string. ]

Bu-kon-ge-he-las, a Delaware chief, spoke as follows :-

Father! Your children all well understand the sense of the treaty which is now con- cluded. We experience, daily, proofs of your increasing kinduess. I hope we may all have sense enough to enjoy our dawning happiness. Many of your people are yet among as ; I trust they will be immediately restored. Last winter our king came forward to you. with two, and when he returned with your speech to us we imme lintely prepared to come forward with the remainder. All who know me, know me to ben man and warrior : and I now declare, that I will, for the future, be as strong and steady a friend to the United States, as I have heretofore been an active enemy. We have one bad young man among as, who, a few days ago, stole three of your horses. Two of them shall this day be re- turned to you; and I hope I shall be able to prevent that young man from doing any more mischief, to our father, the Fifteen Fires.

Mash-i-pi-nash-i-wish, chief of the Chippeways, spoke as follows :-

Father! I have heard, and understood all that you have said. I am perfectly satisfied with every part of it; my heart will never change. No prisoners remain in our hands, in the neighborhood of Michilimackinac. Those two Frenchmen present (Messieurs Sans Cruinte and Pepin) can witness to the truth of this assertion.

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

I have heard all the proceedings relating to this treaty. I express my perfect satis- faction at its happy conclusion. When I relate at home, the important event, muy people will stretch out their arms towards you; and when I shall have informed them that you have promised to cberish them as your children, they will rejoice at having acquired a new, and so good & father.

Council adjourned sine die.

It appears from a "return of the numbers of the different nations of Indians present at, and parties to, the treaty of Greenville," that there were one hundred and eighty Wyandots, three hundred and eighty-one Delawares, one hundred and forty-three Shawances, forty-five Ottawas. forty-six Chippeways, two hundred and forty Pottawattamies, seventy. three Miamies and Eel Rivers, twelve Weas and Piankeshaws, and ten Kickapoos and Kaskaskias-making a total of eleven hundred and thirty.

Immediately after the signing of the treaty, General Wayne seut the following proclamation

To the Cherokees now settled on the head waters of the Seinto.

Whereas, T, Anthony Wayne, Major-General, commanding the army of the United States, and sole Commissioner for'settling a permanent peace with all the Indian tribes northwest of the river Ohio, having accomplished that great and good work, an I having this day signed and exchanged articles of a peruvinent peace, with the Chippeways, Orta- WAS, Pottawattamie4, Wyandots, Delawires, Shawances, Miamies, Eel River, Weas, and Kickapoo nations of Indians :

Do, herchy, once more invite you, the Cherokees, residing on the waters of the Scioto, to come forward, immediately, to this place, not enter into similar articles of peace : for which purpose, I now send Captain Longhair, a principal Cherokee chief, to con luet you to headquarters, where you shall be received in friendship, and treated with kindness and hospitality. Captain Longhair will give you the particular respecting this tresty, ns also those of n tresty of peace lately minde between the United States and the Chero- kee nation, so that you now stand alone and uuprotectel, unless you comply with this last invitation.

Given at Headquarters, Greenville, 3.1 August, 1795.

AXTHONY HAYNR.

In consequence of the above message, some of this party of Cherokee returned to Greenville, with Captain Longhair, and afterwards accompa-

HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.

nied him home, to their nation. The remainder promised to hunt peace- ably on the Scioto, until their corn was fit to gather, when they would quit this side of the Ohio forever, and return to their own country.

At a private conference on the 12th August with the Miamies, Eel River, and Kickapoo Indians, the Little Turtle, in the name of the others, observed, that as they intended soon to depart and return to their respect- ive homes, he took this opportunity of repeating to the General, that he, himself, and the Indians with him, were perfectly acquainted with every article of the treaty ; that no part of it had escaped their serious and anxious deliberation ; that, in the early stage of the negotiation, he had not comprehended the moderation and liberality with which he was now convinced, it is dictated; that to this cause, and to a duty which he con- ceived he owed his country, must be attributed the opposition he exhib- ited on sundry occasions; that he was persuaded his father would not think unkindly of him for it, for he had heard him, with much pleasure, . approve of the freedom with which he delivered his sentiments; that he was a man who spoke as he thought, and a man of sincerity ; and that he embraced this last occasion, to declare, that as he was fully convinced that the treaty was wisely and benevolently calculated to promote the mutual interest and insure the permanent happiness of the Indians, and their father the Americans, so it was his determined resolution to adhere, religiously, to its stipulations.

He asked for traders to reside at their different villages, and mentioned the names of some, who, from the confidence they had in their integrity, they wished might be licensed and continued by the United States, as traders among them ; he hoped (for the Weas particularly) that a fort would be immediately established at Quiatanon, and promised every assistance they could afford, to the establishment ; that he, himself, would reside near Fort Wayne, where daily experience should convince bis father of his sincere friendship; and that, as he intended to rekindle the Grand Council Fire at that place, by means of which, the different nations might communicate with each other as usual, he requested his father to give orders to the commandant of Fort Wayne, to inform him from time to time, of any measures which the Great Council of the Fifteen Fires might adopt, in which the interest of their children should be concerned ; and he asked, that Mr. Wells might be placed there as a resident inter- preter, as he possessed their confidence, as fully as he did that of their father.

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History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 21

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton Number of Pages: 878

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton
Number of Pages: 878