Post at the Miamis.—It includes Turtle Island which I mean to occupy and to Combine all the defences of Land Batteries, Gun Boats, and the Shipping to prevent if possible Mr Wayne from obtaining any supplies from Presque-Isle or elsewhere, by that Channel, and it exhibits the Islands in the Erie and shews their very great consequence to the future navigation of the Lakes. There appears to me to be a greater difficulty in raising men in this Country as proposed for the Canadian Corps preparatory to a War than perhaps Sir should it unfortunately take place, may happen at its commencement, or during its continuance-No industry on my part shall be wanting, Sir, to fulfill your Intentions, and I trust that the King's Service shall not be betrayed by inactivity or indecision. I have a firm hope that the Legislature of this Country will in all cases arm me with sufficient Power in the defence of the Laws and His Majesty's Rights to oppose all who contravene them, and to set at defiance those principles of terror by which the late American revolution was carried into Effect and if such be the necessity to meet it with equal and commanding Security. I trust if I remain in the Military Command in this Country, that I shall be enabled to establish a defensible Military Arsenal. The States of America will at once overwhelm this Colony or they will have all to dread in their turn. I have never offered an Idea tending to contradict that line of Policy which His Majesty's Ministers have thought proper to adopt in respect to the placing of the Indian Land as an intermediate Boundary. I have shaped my course, Sir, most industriously, by your Instructions; I have reconciled the Senecas and Brant with whom otherwise He declares he never would have been connected, and as their manner is, have received the name of the Original founder of the League of the Six Nations to mark that event-The Western Indians are also attached to the King's Government while those near to Montreal, The St. Regis and Caghnawage Indians are unfortunately disaffected-but, Sir, in my provisionary establishments I have certainly been guarding against events that may happen and which I do not look upon with any degree of apprehension namely the approximation of the United States to the Lakes. I am persuaded that a successful war on this side, or possibly a repulse of the first Incursions will operate to occasion the Colonies of the United States (for such I consider all establishments on this side of the Alleganeys) and Kentucky to throw off their dependencies-but should this measure be affected by the slower yet more certain operations of Peace it is to me apparent that Competent Establishments of Troops and fortified Harbours must for a while be kept up in this Province to awe its Neighbours, whether Indians or Whites and to give to the Country efficient Protection. For Sir, tho' few men from Birth or education are apt to consider Naval Protection in a more estimable light than I do, a respect for truth obliges me to say, that its operations on a defensive system, are too precarious to be the sole, or even in my apprehension, the most certain obstacle against the designs of an able Adversary, superior in the number of Troops, and in the means of feeding them, and such will be the force of the United States, if it once be permitted to carry on offensive Warfare against this Colony. The variety of business which my Station has of late required, and which for want of proper Assistance, has totally fallen upon myself, prevents me at present, Sir, from arranging those materials which I collected for a report to the Lords of the Council for trade-but circumstances seem to require that I should give you information Sir, on one point which will be contained in that memoir. It is to establish a Factory on the Western Side of the Mississippi opposite the mouth of the Ouisconsin, this factory to have no monopolizing Privileges of trade, their Advantages to be the occupancy of the Territory purchased and the regular distribu tion of the Presents to be furnished by the Crown annually to the Indian Nations who have sold the Soil. Annual presents also must be given at Michilimackinac &c. as tributes for the passing of the Foxes River and Ouisconsin to the Several Nations; these presents to be deducted from the general allowance to the Indians and not additional. The advantages proposed are many, a Post on the Mississippi and Harbour capable of building Gun Boats are the Military ones. The present seems to be a moment in which such an establishment would be acceptable rather than give Cause of Jealousy to Spain as I gather from General Circumstances and the Letter of the Governor of New Orleans to me which without doubt has been communicated to you Sir, by the Commander in Chief. When Sir, His Majesty's forces in the late War abandoned Philadelphia, and before their arrival at New York, I offered under the general Idea of the War being terminated to lead my own Regiment and other Provincials into this Country-I then collected from information, and I now believe that it might be held by Great Britain even should Lower Canada be lost; I am still of that opinion, and tho' I most fervently pray that no such event may happen, yet in this extreme necessity, I should be far from thinking myself subdued, or not endeavour at a proper resist ance. Lower Canada at the first appearance would seem not to depend upon the loss or preservation of the Upper Province; I am of opinion it might prove otherwise should the experiment be made. The Province of New York, by the route of Lake Simcoe and Matchadash Bay would at once possess itself of the Fur Trade. The Indians would be subdued and probably Quebec soon invaded and besieged. I merely sketch out this Idea, Sir, to shew you that I look upon Niagara and its dependencies, York and Long Point, of the utmost Importance in the greatest scale of events; that they are so or inferior considerations I think I shall establish when I shall transmit my Observations to Lord Dorchester on the St. Lawrence. This Letter will be delivered to you, Sir, by Captain Talbot, who returns to England upon promotion, and who having lived in my family ever since I have been in Upper Canada and been employed in the most confidential intercourse between me, Mr. Hammond and Colonel McKee and having accompanied me in my several Journeys is capable of communicating to you Sir, any Information you may be pleased to require, on the several subjects which I have offered to you in my various dispatches and on the existing state of this Province. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect, Sir, Your most Obedient and very Humble Servant, J. G. SIMCOE. Lt. Governor of Upper Canada. The Right Honorable Henry Dundas &c., &c., &c. FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER. NAVY HALL, June 21st, 1794. My Lord: I do myself the honor of enclosing to Your Lordship, the result of a Council held at the Buffaloe Creek by the Six Nations, and which was brought here yester day by Captain Brant. He is to return to the Council fire in eight days, when the effects which shall attend the Commission with which General Chapin is charged will fully be made known. The Indians, it is presumed, will quit the Interior Country and assemble at Buffaloe Creek. I by no means think it prudent to discourage this measure, which they state as necessary for the preservation of their women and children. I am to acknowledge the receipt of the Mandamus for calling Dr. Mountain the Bishop of Quebec, to the Executive Council of this Province. This being the only intimation which I have received of His Lordship's arrival in Canada, I shall direct the Sect'y of the Province to execute the summons, and to receive His Lordship's further commands thereon. Captn. Talbot setting off on a sudden for the purpose of soliciting Your Lordship's leave to join the Regiment to which he is promoted in Ireland, I am obliged to postpone the transmitting to Your Lordship a list of the names of such Gentlemen as I offer to your Consideration for Commissions in the Canadian Corps. I have the honor to be, &c. Rt. Honble. Lord Dorchester. J. G. SIMCOE. MEMORANDUM BY WILLIAM JARVIS.1 On the 12th of January I called on Governor Chittenden at his house in Williston on Onion River and spent that night with him in company with Colonel Fay, (his private Secretary and Secretary of the State) in the Course of the Evening the Conversation turned on the War in Europe. When Governor Chittenden expressed a very great disapprobation of the popular measures in France "that if Congress takes a part in the War in favor of France I am sure Vermont will never acceed to it but will make the best bargain they can for themselves (addressing himself to me) I beg you will give my Compliments to Governor Simcoe and tell him that the Governor and Council of Vermont are of the same Opinion that they were in the year 1781 when Colonel Fay was three weeks on board a King's Vessel in Lake Champlain negotiating a union with Canada &c., &c. when the News of Lord Cornwallis's misfortune reached Vermont and suspended the negotiation and finally put an end to it. That Vermont has nothing to gain by entering into a Combination to defend the sea Coasts, on the contrary everything to lose their Commerce (through Canada) ruined, their whole Country open to inroads of the British Indians &c." The 14th of January I called on General I. Allen2 at Colchester and on Colonel Allen3 at Fairhaven both of whom were concerned in the negotiation of 1781 who informed me that Vermont still adhered to their former sentiments with regard to their Union. J.G.S. Endorsed:-In Lt. Govr. Simcoe's (Private) of the 5th August, 1794. (1) 1 William Jarvis, born in Connecticut, 1756; cornet in Queen's Rangers, 1777-83; appointed Secretary and Registrar of Records for the Province of Upper Canada, 1792. daughter of the Reverend Samuel Peters. 2 Ira Allen. 3 Ethan Allen. His wife was a EXTRACT FROM THE DAILY ADVERTISER, DATED NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1794. VOL. X. NO. 2917. NEW YORK, June 21. Whatever be the fact, respecting the report of an Action between the Americans and British, in Vermont, such an event may be expected, unless vigorous measures are pursued to restrain the just resentment of our Countrymen. It is hoped that hostilities will be suspended until Government shall authorize them, but the indignation of Americans, tho' it may be smothered, will not subside, till the Acts of aggression on the part of the British troops shall be totally repressed. The ground of the dispute between the Vermonters and the English we understand to be this-Before the independence of the United States, sundry grants of land had been made, by the Crown of Great Britain, near the Canada Line, to such Persons as would settle on the land granted. Some settlements have been made under those Grants. After the declaration of Independence, and after Vermont had erected itself into a Sovereign State, the legislature made sundry new grants of the same lands to other persons. By the treaty of 1783, these lands fell within the jurisdiction of the United States. This is an agreed point, but the British Government insists on the right of protecting the royalists or settlers under the royal grants. For this purpose they have stationed small garrisons within the United States. The Vermonters claim both the soil and the jurisdiction. Both parties seem to be wrong-the British for claiming the jurisdiction-the Vermonters for claiming the soil. So stands the dispute, but we hope it may be settled without the terrible Alternative of resorting to Arms. Endorsed:-In Lt. Govr. Simcoe's (Private) of the 5th Augt. 1794. A PROCLAMATION. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, NAVY HALL. GEORGE THE THIRD, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. WHEREAS, by certain information it appears, that several Persons in the night of the 31st of May last, about Eleven o'clock, passed by the Garrison of Niagara, in a boat or batteau, carrying with them, as it is presum'd Contraband Goods; and upon being hailed by the Centinel, refused to return an answer:Whereupon Serjeant Thomas Lawson, of the 5th Regiment of Foot, and a party of Privates of the said Regiment, were dispatched to stop the said Boat or Batteau, and detain the persons till further enquiry should be made. And whereas it appears that the persons, or some, or one of them, upon being again challenged by the said Serjeant Lawson, not only refused to come ashore, but fired upon the said Serjeant and on his party, and again in a short time afterwards fired a second time in defiance of the Laws, and in contempt of the Peace of our Lord the King. Now I do hereby give Notice, that if any person or persons will give information to any one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, of the said Party, or any of them that were in the said Boat, or Batteau, so that they, or any of them, may be brought to Justice; or if any one or more of the said party will give information to any one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, of the person or persons that fired as aforesaid S.C.-20 upon the said Serjeant and his Party, so that they may be bro't to punishment, he or they shall receive upon conviction of the Offender or Offenders, the sum of £50.0.0. Quebec Currency; And if the informer or informers should have been of the said party in the said Boat or Batteau, other than the person or persons that fired as aforesaid, he or they shall receive the King's Pardon, upon such information and conviction as aforesaid, besides receiving the above Reward. GIVEN under my Hand and Seal, this 21st of June, 1794. JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE. Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the said Province. Private. FROM LORD AUCKLAND TO LORD GRENVILLE. BECKENHAM, June 22, 1794. I feel it right to send you an extract from a letter of Mr. Elliot, heretofore Lieutenant-Governor of New York. "I have known Mr. Jay's character intimately from his outset in public life. He was originally under me in adjusting some boundary lines of the Provinces. He has good sense and much information; has great appearance of coolness, and is a patient hearer with a good memory. He argues closely, but is longwinded and self-opinioned. He can bear any opposition to what he advances, provided that regard is shown to his abilities. He may be attached by good treatment, but will be unforgiving if he thinks himself neglected; he will expect to be looked up to, not merely as American agent, but as Mr. Jay, who was in Spain, who has been high in office from the beginning. On the whole they could not have made a better choice, as he certainly has good sense and judgment, both of which must have been mellowed since I saw him; but almost every man has a weak and assailable quarter, and Mr. Jay's weak side is Mr. Jay." (Historical Manuscripts Commission, Dropmore Papers, Vol. II, p. 578.) Dear Sir: FROM JOHN JAY TO GEORGE WASHINGTON. LONDON, 23d June, 1794. My letter of this date to Mr. Randolph' contains an exact account of the present state of affairs of my mission here. I shall be disappointed if no good should result. As yet, the minister stands entirely uncommitted. From some light circumstances I incline to believe that our mercantile injuries will be redressed; but how or how far I cannot conjecture. My next conference will doubtless place things in more particular and clearer points of view. Mr. Gordon has information, which he relies upon, that the posts will not be 1Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. 2Probably Reverend William Gordon, author of a "History of the rise, progress and establishment of the Independence of the United States of America," London, 1788. He was then living in England. |