You will raise the complement of the Vessels to the War Establishment as speedily as possible, but in the intention, you will be pleased to have their Guns and Carriages with such a proportion of Ammunition as you think proper in the several Vessels; the Guns may be mounted or not, as you shall think proper.

You will be so good as to take measures for the instantaneous apprehension of all deserters from the United States, or all prisoners taken from their Armies, and released by the Indians, or sold by them to White Persons, and send them down to Fort Erie.

I enclose a reply I lately made to a speech of the Indian Nations relative to the Inhabitants of the Rivière au Raisin. In your intended visit to that settlement, I am to request that you will have an exact enumeration made of the houses and acres attached to each farm under cultivation and that you strictly forbid any more habitations to be erected, or any more land to be cultivated on any pretext whatever. It may perhaps not be expedient to remove the settlers at present, but they must clearly understand that their remaining there, is totally at their own risk and dependent on many circumstances, in particular to their strict adherence to the limitation of their present actual improvements. I need not mention to you, the encouragement you may hold out to those who shall choose to remove, and I shall be inclined to recommend to the Council, any recommendation you may choose to make for particular persons, receiving as large a portion of land as can reasonably be granted. On the other hand, it may not be amiss to intimate that settlements made in contempt of the King's Proclamation of 1763 are not only liable to involve the persons so offending in personal loss, but by the laws of England, now universally established in Upper Canada and its dependencies, to the severe punishment incurred by a misdemeanor of the highest nature. By what I hear of Mr. Pence, such an intimation may not be improper, however, you will be governed in this by your own discretion and local circumstances, as I mean this inspection of the settlement to see that it be not extended, shall be made from time to time, you will be so good as to communicate to me, your opinion in what manner it may be carried strictly into effect. &c.

Sir:

Colonel England.

FROM JOHN WENTWORTH TO J. G. SIMCOE.

I am,

J. G. SIMCOE.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, April 21st, 1794.

I have had the honor of your Excellency's letter, dated 13th Jany., which had a long passage owing to the mildness of the season which made the ice unsafe for several weeks. It is said the Federal Government intend to re-inforce Gen'l

Wayne, whose exertions must have been great to subsist his army in so remote a country. The force talked of is so great as to give colour to surmise of other objects being in view besides the Indian War. It will be very unfortunate if the Indian Allies are detached from Great Britain. The people of the United States are very sanguine in this expectation. If successful they will derive means of distressing our Frontiers in any future War, an event supposed by many not to be far distant. I am not in that sentiment, notwithstanding the impetuosity of their writings and Speeches. Private aggressions will probably take place but will not be sanctioned by the Government unless the French Democrats should obtain some signal and extensive advantages of which there is no appearance at present. Altho' the Allied Armies and Fleets found it necessary to evacuate Toulon, the French Navy and Arsenals have suffered almost irreparable loss. Had the Spaniards effected their part as well as the English, the whole would have been destroyed. Our latest advices say the combined Armies were impregnably posted for the winter, and to commence this campaign with an incredible augmentation. Our intelligence from Antigua is to 27th March. Martinico subdued, except Fort Bourbon which was closely invested, all supplies cut off. Their spring waters drained. Had proposed to surrender on condition of being restored to the K. of France. When Sir Charles Grey expressed, the surrender at discretion was daily expected. The enclosed little Map may be acceptable to you for the best information of the operations. His R. Highness P. Edward arrived in 17 days from Boston, the day before the batteries were to open on Fort Bourbon. We are told his R.H. departure from Boston was extremely critical. Had it been delayed, it is tho't he might have still been there. The British forces are entirely successful at Hispaniola. A Spanish armament was preparing against Cape Francois. Probably before this can reach you, the French will not have an island in the West Indies. We have not any late arrival from England. The King's Speech came in last night from the West Indies. By the same conveyance it is reported that Admiral McBride had sailed for this Station with ten sail of ships. It is hoped that he may have proceeded to the Chesapeake and may intercept three French line of battle ships and five large frigates and five cruisers with a convoy of 200 sail of merchantmen, bound for Europe richly laden with provisions, naval stores and West and East India produce. This would be a fatal blow to the National Convention. The Daedalus frigate, Sir Chas. Knowles, was blockaded at Norfolk by this great fleet. When relieved he proceeded to this port to convoy the homeward bound trade. In this Province we are fortifying the outposts against predatory incursions to which the militia are competent and active. This Garrison will soon be adequate to its defence if supported by a fleet. The 4th Regiment will be here next month from St. Pierre and Miquelon, which are to be entirely evacuated and left as temporary fishing posts under the Gov. of Newfoundland. I shall be happy if in the preceding I have communicated any entertainment to you, being with perfect esteem and respect.

His Excellency Lt. Governor Simcoe.

1On San Domingo.

Yours, &c.

J. WENTWORTH.

FROM THE SIX NATIONS TO GEN. KNOX.

Reply of the Six Nations assembled in Council at Buffaloe Creek the 21st April, 1794, to a Speech from General Knox, Secretary of War for the United States, delivered by General Chapin on the 10th of February last, as Interpreted by Jasper Parish, one of the Interpreters for the United States.

Clear Sky, an Onondaga Sachem, spoke as follows.

General Chapin:

21st April, 1794.

We are happy to see that you are arrived safe at our Council fire, and that it has pleased the Great Spirit above to preserve you in good health.

We are also happy in seeing you Colonel Butler, as the Representative of the English.

Captain Brant then arose and spoke. Brothers:

You of the United States listen to what we are now going to say to you, likewise you the representative of the English.

Brothers: We are happy to see you Colonel Butler and you General Chapin setting side by side, with the intention of hearing what we have to say, we wish that no business should be transacted by us the Six Nations unless it be done openly and above board.

Brother: You of the United States make your mind easy on account of the long time your President's word has been under our Consideration, when we received them we observed to you as it was a business of the utmost importance, of course would require a serious reflection and length of time to be considered of which we have done.

Brother: The answer you brought us from Congress is not agreeable to our expectation, this is the reason we have so long delayed answering it, the business would have been done with expedition, had the United States in any wise approved of our proposals, we should then have been able to have accepted your invitation and would have collected our associates, and repaired to the Venango, the place proposed by Congress for meeting us.

Brother: We are sorry that it is out of our power now to attend, were we even to go, your Commissioners would conduct all business as they should think proper, this has been too much the case at every Treaty held with you.

Brother: At the first meeting you had with us (after the conclusion of the war between you and Great Britain) at Fort Stanwix, your Commissioners settled every thing as they thought would best suit them and be most conducive to their own interest, they pointed out a division line and at once confirmed the same, without waiting to have our opinion of it, and whether it would be approved by us or not, holding out that our Country was ceded to them by the King of England, this language confused the minds of our Chiefs and deterred them from making any reply. They still saying if we did not consent to their proposals that their Warriors were at their back and that they well knew we should receive no protection whatever from the King of England, such has been the Language held out by your Commissioners at every Treaty held with us at Fort McIntosh at Rocky River, and in short at every place we have ever met you to transact business.

Brother: Such has been your proceedings with us from time to time, such the ideas held out to us, owing to which Peace has not been established, but much mischief been done to the southward as you well know.

Brother: Ever since the conclusion of your war with the English, we the Six Nations have exerted ourselves to keep Peace, we look'd upon it that it would be for the interest of you the United States, as well as for ours. The confederate Nations were advised by us to request a conference with you, in order that steps might be taken to bring about a peace, between the States and the Western Brethren. This request was made and congress appointed Muskingum, as the place, which from its central situation we agreed to, we there proposed a Boundary line, but your Governor St. Clair did not think proper to approve of it. The Wyandots, some Delawares and a few others, not authorized by our Confederacy to transact any business, went at this time and confirmed a line as claimed by you, although no part of those lands was their property, nor the property of any individuals but common to all Indian Nations.

Brother: This was fully explained at our council held at Lower Sanduskie, (long previous to the last recited transaction) for the purposes of forming our confederacy and adopting such rules as would be beneficial to all Indian Nations, our attendance to the Westward therefore has been frequent, to arrange matters for the mutual welfare of all the Nations of our own Colour umbrage has been taken at this (attendance) by the United States who supposed we went thither to take an active part in the war, with our Brethren against them but this has never been the case.

Brother: You must be fully convinced from our steady perseverance, that we were truly desirous of a Peace being established, this your Commissioners must have seen during the last Summer, the exertions we the Six Nations have made towards accomplishing this desirable object, has made the Western nations rather dubious, as to our sincerity, after we even knew their Sentiments on this head we were still not discouraged but proceeded as we before had done, in what to us appeared reasonable and right, last fall we pointed out steps to be taken by Congress and sent them forward by you, which we expected would have proven satisfactory, but to our great disappointment did not, had our advice taken place we should then have more than ever exerted ourselves, in order that our offers should be confirmed by our confederacy, and strictly adhered to, from our offers being rejected we are again placed in a similar situation to what we were when we first entered on the business.

Brother: You must recollect the number of Chiefs who have waited on Congress at divers times, they have pointed out means to be taken, and held out the same Language uniformly at one time as another which was, that you should in part withdraw your Boundary line and claims to our Land, had you done this Peace would have taken place.

Brother: We have bore every thing patiently for a long time past, we have done every thing we consistently could, with the welfare of our Nations in General notwithstanding the many advantages that has been taken of us by individuals making purchases of our Lands, whose fraudulent conduct towards us, Congress has never thought proper to enquire into, that we might be rectified and our minds made easy, our patience is now worn out, you see the difficulty we labour under and that it is impossible for us to rise from our seats, to attend your Council agreeable to the invitation we have received, the boundary line pointed out we think is a just one, and with which you might be well satisfied, without claiming any of our Lands west of that line. The Trifle that has been paid by Congress, can be no object in comparison to what Peace would be.

Brother: We are of the same opinion with the People of the United States, you call yourselves free and independant, we as the Ancient inhabitants of this

Country and sovereigns of the soil, say that we are equally as free as you, or any other nation, or nations under the sun, this Country was gave to us by the Great Spirit above, we wish to enjoy in peace and that we may have an open passage along the Lake within the line we pointed out.

Brother: The great exertions we have made for this number of years in endeavouring to accomplish Peace between you and our Western Nations which we have unfortunately not been able to bring about, our patience is now exhausted and we are discouraged from persevering any longer. Therefore throw ourselves under the protection of the Great Spirit above who we hope will order all things for the best. We tell you our patience is exhausted still we wish for Peace, and whenever persons duly authorized, come here with full powers to proclaim the pleasing sound we shall be ready to pay attention.

(Here a large Belt was returned which accompanied the message from General Knox.)

Endorsed:-Reply of the Six Nations to a speech from General Knox, 21st. April 1794.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JAMES MONROE.

MONTICELLO, Apr. 24. 94.

of

The spirit of war has grown much stronger in this part the country, as I can judge of myself, and in other parts along the mountains from N.E. to S.W. as I have had opportunities of learning by enquiry. Some few very quiet people, not suffering themselves to be inflamed by the kicks & cuffs Gt. Britain has been giving us, express a wish to remain at peace. But the mass of thinking men seem to be of opinion that we have borne as much as to invite eternal insults in future should not a very spirited conduct be now assumed. For myself, I wish for peace, if it can be preserved, salve fide et honore. I learn by your letters and Mr. Madison's that a special mission to England is meditated and H. [amilton] the missionary. A more degrading measure could not have been proposed; and why is Pinckney to be recalled? For it is impossible he should remain there after such a testimony that he is not confided in. I suppose they think him not thorough fraud enough: I suspect too the mission, besides the object of placing the aristocracy of this country under the patronage of that Government, has in view that of withdrawing H. from the disgrace & the public execrations which sooner or later must fall on the man who partly by erecting fictitious debt, partly by volunteering in the payment of the debts of others, who could have paid them so much more conveniently themselves, has alienated for ever all our ordinary & easy resources, & will oblige us hereafter to extraordinary ones for every little contingency out of the common line: and who has lately brought the P. [resident] forward with manifestations that the business of the treasury had got beyond the limits of his comprehension:-Let us turn to more pleasing themes.

(The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Edited by P. L. Ford, Vol. VI. pp. 503-4.)