We Brothers, It is now three years since you have desired to speak with us. heard you yesterday and understand you well, perfectly well. We have a few words to say to you. Brothers, You mentioned the treaties of Fort Stanwix, Beaver Creek, and other places. Those treaties were not complete. There were but few chiefs who treated with you. You have not bought our lands; they belong to us. You tried to draw off some of us. Brothers, Many years ago we all know that the Ohio was made the boundary; it was settled by Sir William Johnson. This side is ours; we look upon it as our property. Brothers, You mention General Washington. He and you know you have houses and people on our lands. You say you cannot move them off; and we cannot give up our lands. Brothers, We are sorry we cannot come to an agreement. fixed long ago. The line has been Brothers, We do not say much. There has been much mischief on both sides. We came here upon peace, and thought you did the same. We shall talk to our head warriors; you may return whence you came and tell Washington. The council here breaking up, Captain Eliot went to the Shawanese chief, Kakaipalathy, and told him that the last part of the speech was wrong. That chief came back and said it was wrong. Girtie said he had interpreted truly what the Wyandot chief spoke. An explanation took place, and Girtie added as follows, viz. Brothers, Instead of going home, we wish you to remain here for an answer from us. We have your speech in our breasts, and shall consult our head warriors. The Commissioners then said that they would wait to hear again from their council at the Rapids; but desired that this answer might be without delay. August 2. I walked, towards evening, on the bank of the river; was discovered by a man of observation, who met me and carried me to his house... Thursday, Aug. 8. Nothing particular of a public nature passed from the 1st until this evening, when there arrived two of Captain Hendrick's men, with letters requesting some necessaries may be sent to him, and informing of the proceedings of the Indian Councils at the Miami, and the disposition of the Indian nations relative to peace and war after our speech of the 31st ult. had been interpreted to them. By the information of the letters and messengers, it appeared that all the nations were for peace, except the Shawanese, Wyandots, Miamis and Delawares; that these had at length yielded to the opinion of the other nations; and that peace would probably be made. Captain Hendrick also expressed his opinion that we should receive an invitation from all the confederated nations to meet them near the mouth of the Miami this week. Aug. 9. Twelve Munsees and Chippeways arrived. They said that they came to this side of the river on purpose to see the Commissioners of the United States. They confirmed generally the information of Hendrick's men. They said that they were on their way home, (except a Munsee who lives at Sandusky,) for they had worn out their clothes, and were tired of the long continuance of the treaty; and they expected, the greatest difficulties being got over, the chiefs (some of all the nations remaining at the council,) would now make peace. Two of the oldest of them said, that when the warriors, who were going home, were about to leave the council, they enjoined it on their chiefs to make peace, that they might without fear or interruption return to their hunting. Captain Bunbury (one of the British officers who accompanied the Commissioners) says that one of the twelve Indians who arrived to-day is an Ottawa (or Tawa, as the name is often spoken,) and that he said that the Shawanese and others are strong for war, and will not abide by a peace into which they shall be dragged by the other nations. Sunday, Aug. 11. The king's vessel, called the Chippewa, arrived from Detroit, bound for Fort Erie. Twelve Senecas, including women and children, and most of them sick, from the Indian council at the Rapids of the Miami, came in her. These Senecas are well known to General Chapin; and Jones, the interpreter, an intelligent man, gave us the like information about the proceedings of the council upon our last speech, with that received from Hendrick's men and the Munsees and Chippeways; only that the four nations who inclined to continue the war, remained obstinate when he departed from the council; that the Six Nation chiefs had twice addressed them, urging them to agree to a peace; and if they were still obstinate, would exceed their usual custom, and speak a fourth time; and if without effect, that they would then leave and go home. He says the Farmer's brother told him and his company, that they might expect to be overtaken by messengers to the Commissioners before they (the informant and his company) reached Detroit; but if none arrived before they got down to the Commissioner's quarters, that they might conclude no peace would be made. This Seneca said that excepting the four nations before mentioned, the Indians were for peace. He particularly mentioned the Six Nations, and the Seven Nations of Canada, as strongly recommending to the hostile Indians to make peace; and that, for this purpose, Captain Brandt and the Farmer's brother spoke a great deal in council. He added that of the four excepted nations near one half were disposed for peace; and that the Messasaugues, Chippeways, and Ottawas, are as strong for peace as the Seven Nations of Canada. Monday, Aug. 12. No deputation or official information from the Indian council having yet arrived, the Commissioners judged that it would be expedient to proceed without more delay to the Miami bay or river, that they might more easily and expeditiously send to, and receive an answer from them. They accordingly wrote the following letter to Captain Ford, commanding the vessel assigned by Governor Simcoe for their accomodation. Sir, MOUTH OF THE DETROIT RIVER, Aug. 12, 1793. We have been waiting here twelve days for a reply to our last answer to the Indian nations assembled at the Rapids of the Miami. We can think of no sufficient excuse for this delay, and must therefore take measures to obtain that reply, or to ascertain whether we ought any longer to expect it. For this purpose, we judge it proper to proceed ourselves to the Miami bay or river, that the necessary communication with the Indians may be easy and expeditious; for it is time that the business of our mission be brought to an issue. We therefore request you to be prepared to sail to-morrow morning, when we propose to embark. We are, Sir, yours, &c. TIMOTHY PICKERING. Captain Jos. Ford, commanding the Dunmore. of the United States. Captain Ford having read the letter, came and informed the Commissioners that he was instructed to attend the Commissioners, but to receive his orders from Captain Bunbury; and desired us to speak to him. We spoke to Captain Bunbury and told him that Governor Simcoe had assigned the Dunmore, Captain Ford, to the use of the Commissioners, and that from what the Governor and his Secretary had repeatedly said, we had a right to conclude she was under our direction, to go when and where we thought proper, for the purpose of the treaty, except to Detroit. He said that he had his orders from Governor Simcoe, and that by those orders he could not consent that the Commissioners, or any deputation from them, should go to the Miami bay or river, until Col. McKee should give notice that the Indians were ready to receive them. But, says he, if the Commissioners choose to go to Sandusky, I will order the Dunmore to proceed thither. He read some passages in Governor Simcoe's letter to him. The Commissioners asked if he would give an extract of the letter containing his orders. He answered, that Mr. Storer might take an extract. They retired together; Capt. Bunbury read, and Mr. Storer wrote down from his mouth, the following words as an extract from the Governor's letter. Extract of a letter from Col. Simcoe to Captain Bunbury, dated at Navy Hall, 28th June, 1793. "The directing the king's vessel to carry them (the commissioners) thither. She will anchor, therefore, as conveniently as possible to the northern shore of the river, on the banks of which they propose to remain until they hear from Col. McKee. The Indians do not wish they should visit the opposite shore." Detroit River, 12th August, 1793. The above extract was this day verbally given me by Capt. Bunbury, who, though desired, refuses to sign it. Tuesday, August 13th. Being thus prevented from proceeding to the Miami Bay, the Commissioners concluded to send a message to the Indian nations at the Rapids, and a letter to Col. McKee. The message and letter here follow. (They agree with those preserved in the records of the Indian department.) These papers were forwarded by two runners, with seven strings of black and white wampum, with instructions to inform Capt. Brandt, the Farmer's Brother, the Corn-Planter, the Fish-carrier, and Great Sky, that they had the speech, and request that the chiefs might be assembled, that it might be immediately delivered. They were then to deliver the letter to Col. McKee. After this they were to find Capt. Hendrick, and notify him that they had brought a speech &c. and let him, Brandt and Col. McKee know when they were to return. They were instructed also not to divulge their business on the road. (Copies of Lord Dorchester's speech to the Indians at Quebec, delivered on 15 August, 1791, of the reply of the Western Indians to the Commissioners, dated at the foot of the Miami Rapids, 13th August, 1793, and of the reply from the Commissioners to the latter, 16th August, 1793, here follow.) As the Commissioners supposed that the Six Nations were strangers to the last speech from the council at the Rapids of Miami, they thought it their duty to write to the chiefs of those nations in the following terms, viz. Brothers, To the Chiefs of the Six Nations. Two runners were sent by us this week, with a message dated the 14th of this month to the Indian nations assembled at the Rapids of Miami. Our instructions to the runners were, to inform you that they had such a message from us; and to request you to assemble the chiefs of the other nations, and then to deliver it to you all together. From the report of the runners, we are apprehensive that they mistook our orders, and that our message has not been communicated to you. We therefore now send a copy of it. We at the same time sent a letter to Col. McKee, of which also we inclose a copy. Brothers, Our runners returned hither this evening. But a few hours before their arrival two Wyandot runners arrived with a written answer to our speech of the 31st of last month, insisting on the Ohio as the boundary between the Indian lands and those of the United States. As we have already explicitly declared that we could not make the Ohio the boundary, the business was of course at an end. However, we delivered a short speech in writing to the same runners, who set off this evening to return to the council at the Rapids. We inclose a copy of it. Brothers, Being desirous that you should be fully informed of these transactions, we have sent you copies thereof, which you may not otherwise obtain. Brothers, We came hither with the most sincere desire to make a peace that would be beneficial to the Indians as well as to the United States. And had such a peace been accomplished, we felt a confidence that the justice and humanity of the United States, according to their present views of Indian affairs, would not only have continued, but extended their beneficence to the Indian nations; and so far as depended on them, have rendered the peace as lasting as the hills. And we should have been extremely happy in laying the foundations of so much good. We have now only to return home, and report our proceedings to the President of the United States. We shall sail with the first fair wind to Fort Erie. BENJAMIN LINCOLN Mouth of the Detroit River, August 16th, 1793. Commissioners Captain Wellbank, who arrived at the Miami Rapids with the Creeks and Cherokees, went to Detroit. There he demanded of the commanding officer a passage to Fort Erie; which was accordingly granted him. His wishes were to see Gov. Simcoe, with whom he had business, or for whom he had letters. He returned to Detroit in the Chippewa, and came down to the mouth of the river the eleventh instant. On the 13th he called on the Commissioners and dined with us. As he had lived among the Indians of the Creek nation, and was conversant with the Cherokees, we made inquiries into the causes of the hostilities, and what were their complaints.. August 14th. Captain Wellbank being with us, said that his business in coming was of a mercantile nature, relative to supplying the Indians with goods; that he wished for peace, but desired that justice might be done to the Indians; that the Creeks had been dissatisfied with the high price of goods they received from the Spaniards, but they would soon obtain relief, for the chiefs had applied to the king of Great Britain, praying that they might have their supplies from the British; that an Act of Parliament had been passed for the purpose; and a port, about seven miles westward of the mouth of Apalachicola river was to be the place of entry; that the house of Panton, Leslie & Co. of Pensacola, at the close of the war in the year 1783, obtained permission from the king of Spain to supply the Indians with goods for the space of ten years. Aug. 17. Our business being over, we left the mouth of the Detroit river for Fort Erie, where we arrived the 21st. Aug. 23. Col. Pickering and Mr. Randolph having commenced their journey for Philadelphia by the way of the Mohawk river, Albany, and New York, I left Fort Erie and went to Queenstown, where we remained at Mr. Spencer's to the 28th. We then went down to Navy Hall, and there waited for the return of Capt. Bunbury of the 5th Regiment, who set off on the 24th to see the Governor and to receive his commands for me, if he had any. But being informed that he had not arrived at York, where the Governor was, on the 28th, and the wind being fair, we left Niagara the 30th of August, at four o'clock in the morning. We made that day the greatest part of our passage to Kingston, formerly called Frontenac, where we arrived on the 31st day, about ten in the morning. (Printed in the "Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Vol. V. of the Third Series, Boston, 1836, pp. 109-176.) Sir, FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE TO J. G. SIMCOE. FOOT OF THE RAPIDS, 22d. August, 1793. Our expectations of seeing a Peace accomplished between the United States and the Indian Americans are disappointed and the Commissioners departed immediately on receiving the speech of the Confederacy (marked C.) which states that a meeting would be altogether unnecessary, unless they agreed to continue the Ohio as the boundary line between the parties. I have now the honor to enclose Copies of the various speeches, &c. which have passed from the one to the other, since I last wrote to your Excellency. The Six Nations from below dissented from the other nations on the subject of the Boundary, and wanted the Confederacy to give up the lands to the United States on the East side of the east branch of the Muskingum, as far to Northward as the Ponds near the carrying place to Gayahaga, and from thence in an easterly direction to Venango, as had been formerly offered. But the other nations would not consent to it. All my endeavours were directed to accomplish a union on that point; and I did not expect it would be difficult, as they had heretofore agreed to make peace on these Terms. But whether from a jealousy of the Six Nations, who are supposed by the others to be attached to the United States, or from a conviction that it would be wrong to make such an offer before the Commissioners agreed to the Ohio generally as the boundary, I did not know; they however persisted in demanding that River as the Boundary without any Limitation. The Council would have been unanimous, had they been so fortunate as not to have differed on this single Article; tho' I doubt whether it would have made any Alteration in the Resolution the Commissioners took to depart, as soon as they were informed that the Indians would not meet them until the Boundary should be ascertained. Mr. Talbot, who will have the honor of delivering this, is able to inform your Excellency of every particular which has passed especially of the attempts which |