On the 20th ultimo, I received the inclosed representation, signed

sessed one family at that place; other families at Yellow Creek, at Mingo Bottom or Old Town, at Norris's Town, at Haglin's or Mercer's Town, and at a place opposite Wheeling; that he arrested a man named Ross, who seemed to be obstreperous, and sent him to Wheeling in irons; that he was threatened by a man named Charles Norris, with a party of armed men, but upon showing his authority there was no further offensive demonstration ; and that at Mercer's Town he had learned that Charles Norris and John Carpenter had been elected justices of the peace and had acted as such.

The "opinion of the respectable inhabitants" was contained in the follow ing letter of Ensign Armstrong:

Sir:As the following information through you to the honorable the Congress may be of some service, I trust you will not be displeased therewith. It is the opinion of many sensible men (with whom I conversed on my return from Wheeling) that if the honorable the Congress do not fall on some speedy method to prevent people from settling on the lands of the United States west of the Ohio, that country will soon be inhabited by a banditti whose actions are a disgrace to human nature.

You will, in a few days, receive an address from the magistracy of Ohio county, through which most of those people pass, many of whom are flying from justice.

I have, sir, taken some pains to distribute copies of your instructions, with those from the honorable the Commissioners for Indian Affairs, into almost every settlement west of the Ohio, and had them posted up at most public places on the east side of the river, in the neighborhood through which those people pass.

Notwithstanding they have seen and read those instructions, they are moving to the unsettled countries by forties and fifties.

From the best information I could receive, there are at the falls of the Hawk Hawkin [Hockhocking] upwards of three hundred families; at the Muskingum a number equal.

At Meravens [Moravian ?] Town there are several families and more than fifteen hundred on the rivers Miami and Scioto. From Wheeling to that place there is scarcely one bottom on the river but has one or more families living thereon. In consequence of the advertisement by John Amberson [Emerson], I am assured meetings will be held at the times therein mentioned. That at Menzon's or Haglin's Town, mentioned in my report of yesterday, the inhabitants had come to a resolution to comply with the requisitions of the advertisement.

The supposed distance from this place to Wheeling, pursuing the river, is seventy miles. I am, sir, etc.,

JOHN ARMSTRONG, Ensign.

(1) Little Beaver, in what is now Columbiana county, Ohio: Yellow Creek settlement, near Wellsville; Mingo Bottom, in what is now Jefferson county, Ohio, three miles below Steubenville; Norris's Town, also below Steubenville; Haglin's was what is now Belmont county; and opposite Wheeling was in Pease township, Belmont county.

by sixty-six of them, praying for a further indulgence of time, and informing me that they had sent on a petition to Congress on the subject. In answer to whieh, I thought it most expedient to grant them one month from the 21st ultimo to remove themselves, at the expiration of which time parties will be detached to drive off all settlers within the distance of one hundred and fifty miles from this garrison, which, in my present situation, is all that is practicable.

The number of settlers lower down the river is very considerable,. and, from all accounts, daily increasing. I would, therefore (before I proceed further in this business), beg to know the pleasure of your Excellency and your particular orders upon the subject.

The following is the advertisement alluded to, which shows that the settlers were equal to self-government, and, if undisturbed, would soon have laid the foundations of a State on the Ohio:

ADVERTISEMENT.

March 12, 1785.

Notice is hereby given to the inhabitants of the west side of the Ohio River that there is to be an election for the choosing of members of the convention for the framing a constitution for the governing of the inhabitants, the election to be held on the 10th day of April next ensuing, viz: one elec tion to be held at the mouth of the Miami River, and one to be held at the mouth of the Scioto River, and one on the Muskingum River, and one at the dwelling-house of Jonas Menzons; the members to be chosen to meet at the mouth of the Scioto on the twentieth day of the same month.

I do certify that all mankind, agreeable to every constitution formed in America, have an undoubted right to pass into every vacant country, and there to form their constitution, and that from the confederation of the whole United States, Congress is not empowered to forbid them, neither is Congress empowered from that confederation to make any sale of the uninhabited lands to pay the public debts, which is to be by a tax levied and lifted [collected] by authority of the Legislature of each State.

JOHN EMERSON.

1 The representation was to the effect that the settlers desired "to act consistent with our duty to our country and the commands of the Legislature," and asked for indulgence in time for removing their families and effects. There were, however, three communications, one 5th April, one 8th, and a third, dated 15th. It is to the last Colonel Harmar specially refers. The petitioners asked delay until they could hear from their papers, which they bad forwarded to be laid before Congress. Colonel Harmar replied, allowing the indulgence mentioned in his letter, but notifying them that his orders were peremptory.

COLONEL HARMAR TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.'

FORT MCINTOSH, June 1st, 1785. Sir:-It is but lately I had the pleasure of hearing of your appointment, otherwise, the returns should have been forwarded

sooner.

The Wyandot and Delaware nations have brought in their prisoners (fifteen in number) agreeably to treaty, and the hostages left in my possession are now dismissed. These nations are friendly, and I believe wish to cultivate a good understanding with the Americans. The Shawanese make great professions of peace, and are desirous of a treaty being held with them. The Cherokees are hostile, and have killed and scalped seven people near the mouth of the Scioto, about three hundred and seventy miles from hence.

Speeches have been continually sent by the British from Detroit to the Indians since the treaty, and I have good intelligence that several traders have been among them, using all means to make them entertain a bad opinion of the Americans. One Simon Girty, I am informed, has been to Sandusky for that purpose. I have taken every means in my power to counteract their proceedings, and have directed the Indians not to listen to their lies, but to tie and bring in here any of those villians who spread reports among them injurious to the United States, in order that they may be punished.

The honorable the Commissioners for Indian Affairs, previous to their departure, left me instructions to drive off all surveyors or settlers on the lands of the United States, in consequence of which a party has been detached, who drove them off as far as seventy miles from this post. The number lower down the river is immense, and, unless Congress enters into immediate measures, it will be impossible to prevent the lands being settled.

I have written, some time since, upon the subject, requesting particular orders how to conduct myself, as it is out of my power to sweep them further than the distance of one hundred and twenty or one hundred and fifty miles from hence. This is a matter of so

1 Major-General Knox, recently appointed to the War Department.

2 Treaty of Fort McIntosh.

3 A renegade white man, who had taken up his residence with the savages, and became more inimical to the interests of his own race than even the natives themselves.

much importance, that perhaps you may judge it necessary to remind Congress of it.1

COLONEL HARMAR TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

FORT MCINTOSH, July 16th, 1785.

Sir:-On the 11th inst., I was informed that three chiefs and twenty-five Indians of the Six Nations had arrived at Fort Pitt, and wished very much to speak with the commanding officer.

3

Agreeably to their request, I rode up to Pittsburgh and met them in council, when, to my great surprise, the Cornplanter, the principal chief, had the original articles of the treaty which was concluded with them at Fort Stanwix along with him, and, toward the close of the speech, said they were burdensome, and wished to deliver them up. I have the honor to inclose you their speech, and my answer to it.1

1 MS. Harmar Papers. The letter was referred in Congress to a committee consisting of Mr. Grayson, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Pettit, and Mr. King, who brought in a report approving the conduct of Colonel Harmar, authorizing him to remove his troops, and take post at or near the Ohio, between Muskingum and the Great Miami, "which he shall conceive most advisable for further carrying into effect the before-mentioned orders;" and appropriating six hundred dollars for the purpose of transporting the troops and their baggage. See Journals of Congress. It was under this order that Fort Harmar was erected near the mouth of the Muskingum.

2 Cornplanter, Gioshuta [or Guyasutha] and Hockushakwego (Allface).

3 The treaty of Fort Stanwix, concluded 22d October, 1784, between Oliver Wolcott, Richard Butler, and Arthur Lee, commissioners, and the Sachems and Warriors of the Six Nations.

Cornplanter opened the council, and was followed by Allface and Gioshuta. Allface said, "Brothers, it was the great King, our father [Great Britain], who provoked us to all the mischief we have done, but now we take no advice from him, and wish to sit in council with the Americans as we formerly did." He then said the reason all the prisoners had not been delivered up, as stipulated, was because many of their young men were absent when both the treaties of Stanwix and Fort McIntosh were made, but they would be delivered, and they desired to have the boundaries clearly established. He produced the articles of the treaty, signed at Fort Stanwix. You may see by this that we are great men, representing the Six Nations." Gioshuta speaks:

Brothers, we thank God for having the pleasure to sit in council this day with our brothers, the Americans.

Brothers, you may reflect on us for the past troubles we have occasioned, but you must blame the great King; and we are sorry we did not take ad

It is reported that a Mr. Brant has lately arrived from London, who, with the commanding officer of the British in that quarter, has informed the Six Nations that their lands were never ceded to the Americans by the King of Great Britain, in consequence of which, these chiefs complain of being accused by their nation of treachery, and say they are in danger of their own people.

They have left Fort Pitt highly satisfied, to appearance, with the answer to their speech, but, so long as the British keep possession of the posts, it is very evident that all treaties held by us with the Indians will have but little weight with them.

vice from the thirteen brothers, but we hope you wont think of any thing that is past.

Here is the belt that was delivered us at Fort Pitt. I now take it in my hand to let you see I am sincere. We see every thing you told us has come to pass, and what you tell us now or in future we will attend to. We, the Six Nations, are as strong as ever.

Brothers, the reason I wish the Thirteen Fires should hear what I say now is, because I was the man who had the fire removed from Fort Pitt. Now I wish it brought back to Fort Pitt.

Brothers, it was the great King who gave you all our country. Brothers, as I know the King gave you this country, we would all be glad how soon you could divide it, that we may all know our parts. We know your speeches were all good, that you said you would not cheat us of our lands. We believe you.

(A belt of wampum.)

Cornplanter speaks:

Brothers, the Thirteen Fires, you may think what you please, but I look up to God for every thing I do, and hope to do every thing for the best. It is hard with me. I was a chief man at Fort Stanwix, and my people blame me much, for the English have told our people that the great King never sold our lands to the Thirteen Fires, but, brothers, I am still strong, and will do every thing that was agreed to at the treaty. Brothers, I want one favor, which is, that you would write to our people, informing them, for certain, that the country belongs to the Thirteen Fires.

I wish I could deliver up to you these papers (the articles of the treaty, etc.), for they give me a great deal of trouble, on account of the lies the English have told our people.

(A string of wampum.)

In his speech, in reply, Colonel Harmar said:

66

'Brothers, you may, for certain, inform the Six Nations that the King has by treaty given away all your lands to the Thirteen Great Fires, and whoever advised you to come to this place to deliver up the articles of the treaty which you solemnly made at Fort Stanwix, are not your friends, but are endeavoring to ruin you.

"Brothers, it will not be long before we shall take possession of Niagara