THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Council at Detroit
(June 29, 1778)
Hamilton, Henry in: Haldimand
Papers, [B 122, p. 75] and in
Mich. Hist. Colls., vol. 9,
pp. 452-458.
_____________
Council Held at Detroit, June 29, 1778.
|
DETROIT June the 29th 1778. |
At a conference with the Ouiattonons, Quiquaboues, and Mascoutins were
PRESENT.
Lieut. Governor Henry Hamilton, John Hay Deputy Agent, Captain McKee.
Sworn Interpreters- Charles Beaubin & Isidore Chesne.
Ouiattonons.
War Chiefs- An-qua-sa-ca, Men-wee-shinga, Ree-mee-ca, Packing-qua-shinga, Cha-ha.
Village Chiefs- Qui-qua-po-quois, Me-lou-e-sou-ata, Ya-pa-ti-a.
Quiquaboues.
War Chiefs- Egh-kee-too-wa, Miquetto.
Village Chiefs- Mahinamba, Pi-e-mash-kee-canny and Thirsty Warriors.
Mahinamba spoke on a Calumet or pipe.-
Father! You see here a pipe that came from your hands, it has been round the Nations on the Ouabash, and the Illinois and has had the effect you said it would have when we smoaked of it; we felt our hearts and minds at ease. The person whom you sent with this pipe, told us, that after it had been round the Villages in our neighborhood, it should return from whence it came, for which reason we present it to you.
A Pipe.
Qui-qua-po-quois then spoke and declared the satisfaction his nation felt on receiving the above mentioned pipe; and a road Belt and invitation to come to Detroit. That they had forced their march; the Delawares having (page 453) informed them the Rebells from Virginia were on their way towards them, that they had not however met with the least obstacle in their way towards them, but found the road traced by their Father to be very plain and even.
He then spoke with a green Belt of Wampum, which denoted the uprightness of their intentions and was the custom of their ancestors.
presented a green Belt.
Ta-pa-ti-a then spoke:
Father! The road you have traced for us, so clear & good, that our women & children may follow it, we like it & think it is by permission of the Great Spirit above; that we frequent it. I am sent here by the War Chiefs of the Nation to know your will. They smoaked out of the pipe you sent us & addressed themselves to you, as there are many bad birds (evil minded people) who come whistling about our ears. We hope you will set us right and have compassion on our women and children.
Six strings of Wampum.
Ma-hi-nam-ba then presented a pipe painted green, to show the sincerity with which his nation acted towards their Father!
He then presented one of the Qui-Qua braves, & Mascoutins, saying their chiefs had authorized him to do so, and to assure their Father that they had no other will, than his, and were happy to find a Father who would take pity on them and assist them.
That, Chiefs then present had each a Tribe.
Cha-ha War Chief spoke:
Father! I am a War Chief, but speak on Wampum that came from our Village Chiefs or those remaining of them, for you know the loss we have met with. The Great Spirit was kind to us in our distress & inspired us with sense to look towards you. We return thanks to the master of Life for having taken pity on us, we are happy to have found the road good as we hope by your means, we shall soon meet some of those birds called Bigknives (Rebells but particularly Virginians) our young men will wait our return, and meet us with great Joy. Our Chiefs have never known what it is to disappoint anybody & they will not begin with you.
Eight strings of Wampum.
Lieut Governor:
Children! I have listened to you with attention. I am glad to find you did not meet with any obstacle in your way, you are wellcome, as I know the loss you have met with in the death of your great Chief Wa-bene-kiah & his son & some others, has justly grieved you very much, I shall condole with you before I enter into any discourse.
Then according to their custom condoled with them, by giving White (page 454) Wampum, black strouds &c. &c. to cover the graves and bones of their dead & told them they should get a small quantity of Rum every day while they remained here & when they went away would receive a little to take to their villages &c.
To morrow morning I shall meet you again & let you know (according to your desire) my Sentiments as well as those of all the nations in this neighborhood.
In the mean time here is a party of my children the Poutawattamies who are going to war. I am glad you will have an opportunity to see them before they go away, by which you may judge of the intentions of the rest.
Lieut. Governor then presented a war axe to Peemembikactack Poutawattamie War Chief, with the recommendation of sparing the blood of the aged, Women and Children, and that as they shewed a firm attachment to His Majesty and Government in taking up the axe at his request, it was hoped & expected they would lay it down, when required in the same obedient manner.
The above War Chief then sung the war song & expressed his resolution of paying the greatest attention to what he might hear from His Father, who was his, as well as their nations support.
An Outawa & a Chippawa War Chief being present by accident likewise sung the war song, which was followed by a War Chief of the Qui-qua-bones.
The Lieut Governor returned them thanks for this mark of their attachment & in particular to the Qui-qua-bones who, he said he was convinced intended acting with the same vigor as the rest of their Brethren, his children.
The weather being bad the 30th June the conference did not begin till 1st July When the above mentioned persons were present.
Lieut Governor Hamilton spoke:
Children! You are assembled here to hear what I have to say to you. I pray you to pay attention, and I shall also hear what you may have to say.
Six strings wampum to each nation.
Children! I am happy that you found the road so clear as you expressed to me the 29th June. I hope that your young men, &c., will trace the same path, & come in to see their Father. I should like to communicate to you the news we have received & what I have already communicated to all my children.
The Rebells at the beginning of these troubles had the advantage in Canada, at that time we had nothing to apprehend or to fear; & had no occasion to have a number of troops. The Indians in this neighborhood at the beginning of this affair came to me & demanded an axe to act against the (page 455) Rebells, who had rebell'd against their King & who meant to inhabit their lands. I told them, children, you had better wait untill we hear further; perhaps the King may command you to take the axe; that we may all act in concert throughout the colonies. What could they have done last war, if the King had not given them assistance? I speak to you of these things knowing you will know I speak the truth.- I speak to you who are an ancient nation- you know that last war the Spaniards joined the French & were obliged at last to ask peace.- The English Forces have taken N. York, Boston, & Philadelphia, and driven the Rebels wherever they dare face them both by land & sea, & I believe in a little time the King will bring their Necks under his feet, & whenever they acknowledge their disobedience & return to their duty, The King will then acknowledge them for his children. The rebels not contented to act against their sovereign have also acted against the Indian nations and want to dispossess them of their Lands, the King always attentive to his dutyfull children ordered the axe to be put into the hands of his Indian children in order to drive the Rebels from their Land, while his ships of war & armys clear'd them from the sea.
Children! These strings are to remind you that the King never tried to take any of your Lands, but that it was the rebels.
Six strings to each nation.
Children! I now speak to you the three nations on the Ouabach to inform you that the Ottawas, Chippawas, Hurons, Pouatattamies, Senecas, Shawanese, &c. have hold of their father's axe, & are all of one voice & will not burry it, untill the King their Father shall order peace.
Thirteen strings.
Children! It would have given me pleasure to have seen you here assembled in Council at the time it was held, but as you came too late, you will be informed of the Proceedings by some of your Friends or the Interpreters.
Children! I am glad to see you all composed. What I am now going to say is of importance to you, your wives and children. I heard that the Spaniards have given sucor to the Rebels and given them what assistance they could. Notwithstanding they were rebels against their King & enemies to the Indian nations. I have heard that the Spaniards have said to you the Indians on the Ouabach, that they owned the Lands there, & that the King of England had no claims thereto.- I desire to know from you if it be true or not? Is it possible that the Spaniards have forgotten allready that they were obliged to ask for peace from the King of Great Britain & don't they know that the King will protect his children the Indians in the security of their Lands & that no power whatever shall dispossess them.- I give you the three nations, Qui-qui-bones, Ouiattonons & Mascontins each a Belt to (page 456) assure you that the King will protect you from any power that may attempt to invade your just rights I have the King's orders to protect those that shall shew themselves his children.
I don't want to purchase your friendship with Liquor.
The King knowing that his children who act with his axe, are unable to provide for themselves, has accordingly provided for them. I am persuaded you have worn out your shoes &c., I shall therefore give you something that when you return, you people may see you have given me your hands and are well received and perhaps they may tread the path you have done. I am well assured that the Delawares have acted in favour of the rebels. I have accordingly in Council deliver'd a Belt in my name and that of all the Nations neighboring here around and in the name of the six nations, that if they still continued to favor the Rebels, that I would with all my children look on them as rebels.
The Lieutenant Governor changed their Medals and told them that they were from the King, he looks on you as his children, therefore wishes you should ware his picture, you not having any other Father but him, (Note) a medal given to Mahin-amba in lieu of a small English medal received in 1764.
A Medal to Me-lou-son-ata in lieu of a french medal.
A Do to Pi-e-mash-kee-canny in lieu of a Ditto.
A Do to Sa-pa-ti-a who had not any before.
Lieut. Govr. spoke:
Children! As you are all here present and wanting to return, I will finish what I have to say to you before we break up this meeting. I cannot but praise the behaviour of the Indian nations who have taken hold of their Father's axe and who have acted as men. I hope you'll act the same part and not redden your axe with the blood of Women and Children or innocent men. I know that men, kill men and not children. I speak to you who are men.
Fourteen strings.
Ta-pa-ti-a then spoke:
Father- You are in the right to ask of us our sentiments, we will inform you, we acknowledge you say right when you say this island is yours, it is true, some birds have told us otherwise, but we have not paid any attention to them, we address ourselves to you, who is our true Father.
Who are the Chiefs, that pretend to be ignorant that the French King has been conquered by the English.
We the Indians on the Ouabash never pretend to go the Spanish side for succour, but come to your side as you are our Father, even the least of our (page 457) children will know that we are at present the King of England's children as we have been conquered by you. As to the Bigknives, we know them, we have rec'd your Belt in our Village, one of our chiefs is gone to take a walk with it towards them, he will soon return. All our War Chiefs are much pleased to go against the Virginians and act in concert with their brothers. Our intention is never to act against children, but against men. We thank you for saying you'll take care of us, we are assured that our young men will tread the path which we found so clear and smooth.
Lieut Governor spoke:
Children! I am glad to hear you express your sentiments, agreeably to those of the other nations.
Qui-qua-po-quois then spoke:
Father! You are in the right to think that the Spaniards try to draw us to them, the son of old Tobacco, who is a pian in company with another were on the spanish side & asked us to go, we would not, we told them we had you for a father- we saw a road and our eyes were open, & we followed your path well beaten.
Father! Believe that we the Ouiattonons, Qui-qua-bones and Mascontins are all as one man and we are sincere for you- don't imagine that altho' we go for Rum to the Spaniards that they have our hearts!
|
3rd July 1778. |
The Chiefs &c. assembled as the 1st July. The Lieut Gov. then presented an axe to Cha-ka Ouiattonons war Chiefs, told him that as he sang on the axe belonging to Peemembekeetach (a Poutawatoam War chief) he now presented him an axe for his use to act against those people who want to possess themselves of your Land it's the King's command that I put this axe into your hands to act against His Majesty's Enemies. I pray the Master of Life to give you success as also your warriors, wherever you go with your Father's axe.
Cha-ha Ouiattonon War Chief received the axe with marks of satisfaction and sang the War song & presented it to a Ouiattonon War Chief who sang & presented it to Mis-quitto, Qui-qua-bones War Chief who sang and said
Father! I have never as yet sang the war song, I am but a young man, notwithstanding I have killed men, I shall endeavor to sing.- Sings.
Lieut Governor then spoke:
I thank you Misquitto for having sharpened the Ouiattonon's axe. I present you this axe (giving a War Belt) to use against the King's Enemies. I am persuaded the Ouiattonons will sharpen it for you in return. Misquitto sings the war song & presents it to Cha-ha, Ouiattonon W. C.
Cha-ha then spoke:
Father! It gives me pleasure to see you have given the Qui-qua-bones, an axe, and that we the Ouiattonons should sharpen it as for my part I am almost ashamed to say anything as the Qui-qua-bones are greater warriors than we are. Sings.
Lieutenant Governor presented a certificate to Qui-qua-po-quois for his attachment to His Majesty & Government.
Ta-pa-ti-a spoke:
Father! We return you thanks for your attention towards us, you have asked us what time we want to return to our villages. We answer you that we want to return directly if possible. You know that we Village chiefs have nothing to say in war, when we get at our villages, shall interpret everything which occurred to our War Chiefs who know how to act in War.
Father! We hope you'll provide us with Water carriages that we may be enabled to return speedyly. we are assured that everything is at your command, therefore you can order us some with ease.
Lieut Governor:
Children! I have attended to what you have said, the same water carriages which brought you here shall take you back, as to what regards my children, I assure you I never shew more favor to one nation than another. I look on them as with one Eye and use them all alike. I have nothing more to say but to wish you all a good voyage & a safe return to your Villages.
Endorsed: Council held with the Indians at Detroit June 1778.
[B 122, p. 75.]
_____________
TO GEN. CARLETON.
SIR- I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a letter brought this evening by an Express from Monsieur de Rocheblave.
There has been a flying report at this place that there are some emissaries from France & Spain at St Joseph's, who have Belts & Messages for the Savages.
Every Intelligence confirms what I had the honor to mention to your Excellency about a year since, that the Spaniards are doing their utmost to alienate the Savages by promises & presents.
By Mr de Rocheblaves letter to me it appears that hitherto they have not gain'd their goodwill or confidence.
I have the honor to be Sir Your Excellency's most devoted and most obedient servant
|
HENRY HAMILTON. |
Detroit 6th August 1778.
Return
to TOC, p. 23
Continue to
next part of Miami Collection
[return to Miami
Collection Menu]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology Home]
Last updated: 27
March 2001
URL: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/home.html
Comments: webmaster@www.gbl.indiana.edu
Copyright 1996, Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of Indiana University