morrow for the same Place.-I have further to Acquaint you that at the Requisition of Capt. LaMothe I have been under the Necessity of Dismissing Thomas Lusby late Black Smith to the Indian Department from that Situation, the Indians having complained of his beating and otherwise ill treating them-when they did not make him Presents for the Work he was ordered to do. I have appointed Pierre Gravel to that situation, and am happy to add he gives the Indians much satisfaction we are all impatient to hear from Detroit, we hourly Expect a Vessel when I suppose I shall hear from Colonel McKee respecting his appointment. I beg you will excuse the shortness of my Letter, Indians being this Instant in Council waiting to see me allow me to Assure you that I am &c. Joseph Chew Esqr., Secretary I.D. Montreal. Sir: WILLIAM DOYLE. FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE TO JOSEPH CHEW. RAPIDS, 10th June 1794. I wrote you on the 8th Inst and probably this may go by the same conveyance, the inclosed Message was received this Morning, and in consequence thereof the Indians here amounting to about 500 will move up immediately, there is a report that a considerable number are expected from Michilimackinac, but I have not received any account from thence on that subject. If I find in the course of the Summer that I can be spared from this place, I shall consider it my duty to visit that Post, and regulate all matters that may appear necessary for the good of His Majesty's service and comfort of the Indians resorting thither. You have also inclosed the further information of Sullivan the Deserter FROM ROBERT KERR TO JOSEPH CHEW. I am, &c. A. MCKEE. Extract of a Letter from Doctr. Kerr1 of the Indian Depart. to Joseph Chew Secrety of Indian Affairs dated Niagara 10th June 1794 on His Return from New York where he [had] been by Leave of Governor Simcoe. I Learned from a Gentleman, a Brother Officer of Governor Hamilton, that Governor Clinton has a Person in Montreal that Supplies him with intelligence, in Some Conversation this Gentleman had with Mr. Clinton he told him he did not believe Lord Dorchester's Speech to the Indians was Genuine. Clinton said it Certainly was for he had it from His Correspondent at Montreal who had never deceived yet. I endeavoured to get his Name but Could not. Mr. Williamson Agent for Mr. Poultney in the Genesee Purchase is a most Violent Man against Government, has got some 12, 9, & 6 Pounder Brass Cannon from Philadelphia-if an Attempt is Made against Oswego or against the Shipping at Kingston in the Winter he Will have a hand in it. Montreal 26th June 1794. a True Extract JOSEPH CHEW, S.I.A. 1 Robert Kerr, 1755-1825, hospital mate at Quebec, 13 Sept., 1776; served with General Burgoyne, taken prisoner at Saratoga, 17 Oct., 1777; released and arrived at Halifax, N.S., 1778; surgeon, Royal Regt. of New York, 1779-24 June, 1784; surgeon to the Loyalists in the Upper Country, 24 Oct., 1784; surgeon to the Indian Department at Niagara, 27 Apr., 1788; he married a daughter of Sir William Johnson by Molly Brant. 2 Pulteney. No. 23. Sir: FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO HENRY DUNDAS. NIAGARA, UPPER CANADA, June 14th, 1794. I was yesterday honored with your dispatch of the 15th of March, a vessel being at this moment under weigh for Kingston & Captain Fitzgerald of the 5th Regiment being ordered on Recruiting Service, & meaning to proceed to Great Britain without delay, I take the opportunity of transmitting to you the Upper Canada Gazette of the 5th of June. I do this with peculiar satisfaction as in my Speech, I have anticipated a principal Point of the directions of your last dispatch, in respect to recommending an Improvement of the Militia Bill for the purposes of the defence of the Lakes & Communications. I believe there will be no opposition to this necessary & self-evident measure, indeed there is none except on the part of Mr. Cartwright to the General Measures of Government, and he has thought fit to give notice that he shall oppose the Principle of a Bill brought in by the Chief Justice for the Constitution of the Supreme Courts of Justice; but fortunately the Arrival of Captain Shaw's Mandamus as Legislative Councillor will obviate the effects which the opposition of this Gentleman might have upon less decisive minds. In a few days, Sir, I shall do myself the honor to transmit an answer to your Dispatch by Captain Talbot, but I was unwilling to lose the Chance of this Gazette getting sooner to your Hands, in particular as Captain Fitzgerald, who is a very respectable young Gentleman is very well informed of the critical situation of this Country. I have the honor to be with the utmost Respect, Sir, Your most obedient & most humble servant. J. GRAVES SIMCOE. Lt. Govr. of Upper Canada. Right Honorable Henry Dundas, One of His Majesty's principal Secretarys of State. Endorsed:-Niagara 14th June, 1794. Lt. Govr. Simcoe, R. 25th August. No. 23. Ansd. (One Inclosure) FROM JOHN BUTLER TO JOSEPH CHEW. NIAGARA, 14th June 1794. Dear Sir: I received your favour of May last, prior to which some time, the Requisition for this Post had gone down & is I hope ere now with you, since then I have had some conversation with His Excellency Colonel Simcoe on the subject, who wishes the contents of it complied with, and forwarded as soon as possible, he also wishes an extra quantity of rum forwarded, say one half as much more as formerly, as from appearances of trouble among us, the Indians are constantly assembling & parties coming & going from this place. Accounts from Detroit are favourable for the Indians, and State Mr. Wayne and his army to be in a disagreeable situation as report says there are little short of 2000 Indians round him, and before the departure of the last vessel from Detroit, 30 Canoes of Mackinac Indians had arrived. those near Wayne had also cut off a convoy of Provisions and although attacked by a superior number of cavalry, fought their way out and brought 30 scalps into Detroit. Information was brought here, some days ago that the Americans had begun to erect a Fort at La Boeuf, on which Capt. Brant and Obeil' with several other chiefs set off to order them away, they have not yet returned, when they do, I'll write you the particulars, then remain I do myself the honor of enclosing to your Lordship an Upper Canada Gazette, by which you will see that I have strongly endeavoured to impress upon the Legislature of this Province the necessity of attending to the Preservation of the Water Communications & boundaries by an application of the Militia to such purposes. The Propriety of the measure is so very evident that there can be but little doubt but it will be adopted without opposition. Indeed there is an Universal Spirit of Loyalty in the Assembly, & no opposition to the general measures of Government, excepting from Mr. Cartwright, who has given notice, that he shall oppose the Principle of the Bill for establishing the Superior Courts of Justice in this Province, which the Chief Justice has thought it proper to introduce. This opposition I am rather inclined to believe springs from the Spirit of vanity & sordidness in the man rather than from any disaffection, tho' from the habit of his Education, He is constantly offering sentiments diametrically opposite to the British Constitution. In the last year an Intimation from the Agent for the flour contract that He and Mr. Hamilton being subordinately employed in that Branch of the Commissariat, depended upon my approbation, contributed to a very visible change in the language of those Gentlemen. In this Point of view, it is, that I consider the Influence naturally arising from the Commissariat in this Province, will in a few years be indispensably necessary to the carrying on the public measures with facility & tranquility; & as such subordinately to the Commander in Chief, must be vested in the hands of the Person administering the Government of the Province. I have the honor to be with great Respect your Lordship's most obedient & most faithful humble Servant, J. G. SIMCOE. Right Honorable Lord Dorchester. 1 Cornplanter. My Lord: FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER. NIAGARA, June 15th, 1794. I do myself the honor of enclosing the last advices from Col. England and the Superintendent, Col. McKee. It will appear to Your Lordship that General Wayne's Army is advancing, and that the Indians sometime in May last obtained an advantage over one of his convoys. The Indians still intimate their hopes that their English Father will assist them. Lieut. Col. England in case of Wayne's advance has desired that I will send him such orders as may save the remains of his Garrison from disgrace, and he intimates that he has no confidence in any assistance that he can draw from the Militia, should I, as I have stated may be the case, call for a further detachment from Detroit. Since the clearing up of a misunderstanding between the Chieftains of the Six Nations, Brant and O'Beal, in respect to a Message which passed from one to the other, I presume from the enclosed extract it is very likely the Six Nations will unite and oppose the United States in taking possession of Presqu' Isle, or if established there, which is doubtful, their remaining on the Communications between it and Fort Franklin. I am much indebted on this and many other occasions to the assistance of Captain Bunbury. I have thought it proper to acquiesce in Captain Brant's request that I should assist him with a carpenter to build a Log Council House for the Mohawks, as had been promised by General Haldimand. I also mean to construct a pettyauger for the service of the Grand River, occasionally to carry a six pounder, and to be manned by the white Inhabitants who live at that place. The People in the Genessees have stopped some other passengers at the Three River Point, they work about Oswego, but no attack on that place as yet seems to be seriously intended. The firing reported to have been heard by Captain Baker and his crew, on Lieut. Brooking's arrival at Oswego, he found to be imaginary. Capt. Schoedde, commanding at Oswego, has requested some Indians may be attached to his Post. I recommend this desire to Your Lordship's consideration, being inclined to think that an expence of this nature, incurred under the management of Mr. Price, the Interpreter, may be of serious public utility. I enclose for Your Lordship's perusal, letters which have lately passed between me and the Abbé Des Jardins, and one' on my part, which closed the correspondence that I held with that Gentleman and Mr. de la Corne, when they left this Province the last year, and which in a summary manner may serve to explain to Your Lordship the transactions between this Country and those Agents. I have consulted with Mr. Munro, respecting the timber cut at Oswegatchie, and I find from him that the King's Subjects, in particular of Lower Canada, agree with the Indians for the purchase of timber from the Lands possessed by these People, faithfully pay to them the Price contracted for, and carry it down to Montreal. It appears therefore to me neither practicable nor expedient to prevent this traffic. I am sorry to learn the disaffection of the St. Regis and the Caghnawaga Indians from the British Interests is universally credited by the Gentlemen who reside in the neighbourhood. I have pressed the Six Nations to send them a Message and to remind them of their promised assistance. Captn. Brant says the Message must be a harsh one. 1 See p. 260. I enclose for Your Lordship's perusal the proceedings of the Court which was directed to enquire into the state of the Indian Store. Mr. Sheehan, the Storekeeper, has been some time in the States, where I gave him permission to go on an urgent family business, and from thence he is daily expected to return. I shall immediately forward the explanation he shall give of his deficiency for Your Lordship's consideration. In the mean time, I beg that you will be pleased to direct such a supply of Indian Goods for this Post as at this very critical period it seems most particularly to require. It is believed that the People of the United States have already collected anchors and a considerable quantity of cordage for the purpose of building craft at Le Boeuf, on the road to Presqu'Isle. Under these circumstances, I wait with some anxiety for Your Lordship's decision on the proceedings and approach of the United States to the Lakes in this most important quarter, which necessarily in their result, should General Wayne establish himself on the Miamis River, will involve those considerations which I submitted to Major General Clarke, when Your Lordship was hourly expected, and which were obviously intended for your determination whenever you should arrive at Quebec. I have the honor to be, &c. Rt. Honble Lord Dorchester. My Lord: FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER. J. G. SIMCOE. NAVY HALL, 15th June, 1794. I beg leave to enclose an extract of a letter from Lieut. Col. England, Commanding at Detroit, to Lieut. Smith, Asst. Dy. Qr. Master General. I approved of the Batteaux he represented he had been obliged to have built, and I have authorized a Bounty to be given to the Seamen, as mentioned in his letter. It is natural to suppose that if the Troops of the United States possess themselves of Presqu'Isle or any port or Post on the Lake, they will endeavour to occupy all the Harbours on the South Shore of Lake Erie. I hope Your Lordship will be pleased to order that every material necessary for the construction of such Craft as are intended to be built on either of the Lakes may be sent up as soon as possible. I have the honor to be, &c. J. G. SIMCOE. Rt. Honble. Lord Dorchester. |