[Archival notice: Illegible Text. Some or all of the pages of this file are wholly or in part illegible.] [Endorsement: 1799 — Kaskaskias — Copy Petition & Jones' letter exposition of French designs Collot.] [Endorsement: by Col. Jones N^o 22 10 Jan^y 1799.] Kaskaskias, 10^th January 1799 Sir, Presuming on the acquaintance which I had the honor of forming, in a small degree, with you in Philadelphia in 1795, I take the liberty of addressing you on behalf of the ancient Inhabitants of the Illinois Country, and to beg your support in favor of a petition (a Copy of which is inclosed) from them to Congress: The original of which is this day forwarded to the Governor of this Territory, in order that he may cause it to be presented. As there are, perhaps but few of the members of Congress acquainted with the local Circumstances of the Country, it may not be thought an impropriety, that I should give a short detail, to enable you to judge more fully of the Justice of the Petitioners and the Claim the Petitioners have to the Benevolence of the United States. This Place which in 1779 was in a very flourishing Condition and annually exported some hundreds of Barrels of Flour, is now so [undecipherable] can now, from the many misfortunes the Inhabitants have met with, scarcely raise a Sufficiency for their own Consumption — from that Period 1779 the Village has been gradually on the decline and I am sorry to say, that this was first occasioned by the many injuries the Inhabitants received from the Troops under the Command of Gen^l Clark — The Troops from their first arrival until the latter end of 1782, had very little provisions but what were furnished them on the Credit of the State of Virginia at first voluntarily but afterwards taken by force — There are Instances now where a poor mans only [undecipherable: pair] of oxen were shot down in his Cart or Sleigh in the [undecipherable] and where a family suffering from Cold in the most inclement Season, had the only Load of Wood they [undecipherable: possessed], taken away from their door by the Soldiers for the use of the Garrison — Certificates and other vouchers were given to those fortunate enough to obtain [undecipherable] however the depreciation and loss of some of the holders were such which induced a number of them to prefer going to Virginia who after [undecipherable] and incurred having received the money, payment, or Certificates or otherwise [undecipherable] a single person who really [undecipherable] to have ever received any Compensation — The Inhabitants sent various Petitions to Congress complaining of the above mentioning this Paper one of which dated 20^th may 1781 was [undecipherable: rejected] for a time & [undecipherable] as I am informed presented and was [undecipherable] as it contains what I have just stated — to those Petitions [undecipherable] never received any answer — The Certificates were rendered useless and [undecipherable: proved] to other Circumstances, which it would be too tedious to mention, They are become very poor, so much so that [undecipherable: scarce] a man, whose whole property is not sufficient to pay his [undecipherable: taxes] which, in their Petition they beg to be dismissed from. The [undecipherable] was what [undecipherable] likely to have [undecipherable] in the County two years ago, may have made [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] on the minds of many [undecipherable] — and as far as I can [undecipherable] those Impressions, I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] are removed now, that few, if I believe not [undecipherable: every] one of that [undecipherable: description] in the [undecipherable: face] of this Petition were [undecipherable: complicated] [undecipherable] their [undecipherable]. I have to [undecipherable] some [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] Construction of the whole and from every [undecipherable] there remains no doubt in my mind, but that it was [undecipherable] and forwarded by the French General [undecipherable: Collot] who it is known left this Country some short time after [undecipherable] was conversant with the [undecipherable: Generals] of the [undecipherable: Republic] of his nation, by one of whom [undecipherable: (Adet)] I am [undecipherable] as were for the purpose of [undecipherable] the [undecipherable: Country] after poisoning the minds of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] back to the established Government, [undecipherable] some French Americans lately arrived from Kentucky not having a foot of Land in the County, he found a [undecipherable] inclined to [undecipherable] Credulous [undecipherable] and from [undecipherable] [undecipherable] away the notion he made, however improbable it [undecipherable] than that a French Army would in a given [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] People. That Louisiana was to be [undecipherable: ceded] to them and that they would take the [undecipherable: possession] of the River. That [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was [undecipherable] the French [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was to have obtained [undecipherable: large] quantities of land