Indian Council at rapids of Miami River response to Federal Commissioners' speech of 31 July

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Indian Council at rapids of Miami River response to Federal Commissioners' speech of 31 July

From the Indian Council at the foot of the rapids of Miami, written 13 August, delivered by two Wyandot runners, arrived to Commissioners 16 Aug. This is reply to the Federal Commissioner's Speech of 31 July 1793. Reason for delay was need to conduct multiple interpretations to Nations and the need to answer fully. Refer to treaties held at Fort Stanwix, Fort McIntosh and Miami and commissioners' statement that papers from these treaties were sent to a General Council of the States, who then proceeded to dispose of the land ceded. They reply that the states' intent was not to make a treaty, but to force the attendees to sign over land.
Regarding General St. Clair's meetings in 1789, the General Council stated that it was agreed that no land sales would be considered binding unless approved by the General Council. Nevertheless, the commissioners at that time persisted in collecting a few chiefs of two or three nations and held a treaty for the session of an immense country. Those who made these sales were not authorized to do so.
How can we have peace, when the day before the Treaty of Ft Harmar, the commissioners were told that the consent of the General Council was required in order to convey any lands to United States?
On the United States wish to have confirmation of lands ceded by Treaty of Ft Harmar and to George Rogers Clark and the promise of money and goods in exchange. Authors note that money is of no value, and to most Indians, it is unknown. As no consideration can induce the sale of land, Council suggests the following:
Take all that money to be given to the Indians, and all the money spent to maintain your armies and use it to pay the settlers to move off of our land.
Council members state that they want peace too, but in order to have peace, they must have their land back.
They do not acknowledge the authority of the King of England to hand over Indian land to the United States by a treaty of peace [Treaty of Paris].
On the subject of pre-emption and the United States claim of having exclusive right to purchase Indian land, Council members state that they never made any agreement on this matter.
At the General Council at the Glaize in the fall of 1792, it was agreed to meet if the commissioners agreed that the boundary line must include the Ohio river. State that they will not meet unless there is satisfaction on this point.
Point out that they are asking for restoration of a small part of what was once their great country. They can retreat no farther, because the country behind is not sufficient to afford food. Thus, they state their resolve to leave their bones in this small place.
Only if the commissioners concede on the Ohio River boundary issue, will the Council be persuaded that there is justice in mind. The Ohio River boundary issue was something the Council calls the "great point" and it is their wish that the matter had been understood by the federal commissioners before they left their home. Signed by Wyandots; Pottawatomies; Seven Nations of Canada; Delawares; Shawanese; Miamis; Ottawas; Chippewas; Senekas of Glaize; Connoys; Munsees; Nantakokies; Mohicans; Messagues; Creeks; Cherokees;

1793

08

13

Rapids of Miami River

Mouth of Detroit River

Indian Council at the foot of the rapids of Miami

Wyandot

runners

Federal Commissioners

Beverley Randolph

Timothy Pickering

Benjamin Lincoln

General Arthur St. Clair

General Council of the States

George Rogers Clark

Western Indians

King of England

Wyandots

Pottawatomies

Seven Nations of Canada

Delawares

Shawanese

Miamis

Ottawas

Chippewas

Senekas of Glaize

Connoys

Munsees

Nantakokies

Mohicans

Messagues

Creeks

Cherokees

Government of United States

Ohio River

Fort Stanwix, Fort McIntosh

Miami River

Fort Harmar

United States

Sandusky

Mouth of Detroit River

Lake Erie

Glaize

England

Canada

Upper Canada

Ontario

New York

Ohio

Fort Stanwix Treaty, Fort McIntosh Treaty

Miami Treaty

Treaty

pre-emption

Treaty of Paris

General Council at the Glaize

boundary line must include the Ohio river

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