Memorandum of instructions on treaty negotiations given to Captain Hendricks by Colonel Pickering.
Item
Type
Copy of document
Title
Memorandum of instructions on treaty negotiations given to Captain Hendricks by Colonel Pickering.
Description
Instructions from the Commissioners to Captain Hendricks. Hostile Indians claim boundary as Ohio; commissioners suggest that Hendricks consider the following in order to explore Indian flexibility on this matter.
1. Admit that some commissioners set up extravagant claims. Emphasize that current commissioners will confine selves to moderate tenets.
2. Former treaties went to great council of United States. Previous chiefs sold land to whites. Will be difficult to give that land back to Indians. Admit that some land sold from west line of Pennsylvania, down Ohio to great Miami.
3. Consider if commissioners relinquish claims west of great Miami and pay for lands east of Miami.
4. Consider prospect of commissioners giving up land south of line established by Treaty of Ft McIntoch and Ft Harmar.
5. What advantages do you wish by claiming United States land? Furs and skins you can obtain by hunting. Consider that commissioners will pay money in goods or provisions; is this better than war? Cannot you hunt on same lands?
6. Keep minds open to talks. Do not fix terms of peace until you hear them. United States wants to find out what is true and what is right.
Note on bottom of document indicates that commissioners wrote these instructions for Hendricks, but after Hendricks left Navy Hall. Pickering wrote the instructions at Chippewa and overtook Hendricks at Fort Erie. Hendrick translated and destroyed original.
1. Admit that some commissioners set up extravagant claims. Emphasize that current commissioners will confine selves to moderate tenets.
2. Former treaties went to great council of United States. Previous chiefs sold land to whites. Will be difficult to give that land back to Indians. Admit that some land sold from west line of Pennsylvania, down Ohio to great Miami.
3. Consider if commissioners relinquish claims west of great Miami and pay for lands east of Miami.
4. Consider prospect of commissioners giving up land south of line established by Treaty of Ft McIntoch and Ft Harmar.
5. What advantages do you wish by claiming United States land? Furs and skins you can obtain by hunting. Consider that commissioners will pay money in goods or provisions; is this better than war? Cannot you hunt on same lands?
6. Keep minds open to talks. Do not fix terms of peace until you hear them. United States wants to find out what is true and what is right.
Note on bottom of document indicates that commissioners wrote these instructions for Hendricks, but after Hendricks left Navy Hall. Pickering wrote the instructions at Chippewa and overtook Hendricks at Fort Erie. Hendrick translated and destroyed original.
year created
1793
month created
06
day created
04
author
sent from location
Niagara
recipient
sent to location
Navy Hall, Niagara
in image
note
This document is enclosed in instructions to the commissioners appointed to deal wih the hostile Indians north of the Ohio, in the form of a journal of their proceedings, submitted to the House of Representatives on December 4, 1793. This document is an integral part of [Public Reports] and other communications of the Secretary of War, 12/99/1793.
notable person/group
Timothy Pickering
Captain Hendricks
Timothy Pickering
Federal Commissioners for Treaty Sandusk
y Benjamin Lincoln
Beverley Randolph
Colonel Pickering
congress
notable location
Niagara
Navy Hall
Chippewa
Ohio River
United States
Pennsylvania
Great Miami River
whites
Indians
Little Beaver Creek
Ft. McIntosh
Ft Harmar
Ft Erie
notable idea/issue
Sandusky conference
Treaty of Paris
document number
1793060440155
page start
32
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (2 pages) | NOP01 (506 pages) | Collection: Third Congress: Transcribed Confidential Reports and Other Communications Transmitted by the Secretary of War to the House of Representatives, 3d Congress, 1st Session, 1793, Vol. II [3C-B2] (RG 233) {M1268, roll 14} | M: 1268, R: 14, p 32-33 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Timothy Pickering | Niagara | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Captain Hendricks | Navy Hall, Niagara | [n/a] |