without reference to the treaty at Fort Harmar, which we will allow to have been, if the Indians spoke truly, (and they were not contradicted by the United States commissioners,) morally worthless. But it also appears to us that in taking offensive steps in 1790, and 1791, the federal government acted unwisely, and that it should then, at the outset, have done what it did in 1793, after St. Clair's terrible defeat-namely, it should have sent commissioners of the highest character to the lake tribes, and in the presence of the British, learnt their causes of complaint and offered fair terms of compromise. That such a step was wise and just, the government acknowledged by its after action;* and surely none can question the position that it was more likely to have been effective before the savages had twice defeated the armies of the confederacy than afterward.” According to instructions, Governor St. Clair now sent a deputy into the Indian country of the Miamies and Shawanoes, but these Indians could not, for some reason, tell him the state of their minds, being no doubt under English influence. They requested thirty days in which to send an answer to Fort Knox, (Vincennes) and gave the messenger but little reason to believe their answer would be favorable to the speeches which he had delivered to them. No sooner had the messenger returned to Fort Knox than news came that all the Indians of the Wabash, with many tribes from the lake region, had united against the Americans, and that an American captive had been burned in the village of the Miamies only a few days after the deputy from St. Clair had left. It was now evident that a new trouble was breaking, upon the frontier, and St. Clair hastened to Fort Washington (Cincinnati) to consult with Gen. Harmar in reference to another campaign into the Indian country of the hostile tribes.

*The fair minded student cannot fail to admit of the truthfulness of this comment.-ED.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE ENGLISH, THE INDIANS AND THE AMERICANS-HARMAR'S EXPE DITION-HARMAR'S DEFEAT-MEASURES FOR SUBDUING THE INDIANS - PROCTOR'S MISSION A FAILURE-JEALOUSY OF THE ENGLISH.

BEFORE giving an account of Harmar's campaign, which now follows, the reader is invited to look in upon the operations of the English in their secret measures to keep up Indian hostilities after the peace of 1783. As the narrative has shown, most of the tribes of the Northwest adhered to England during the Revolutionary contest, but when the war closed, Great Britain made no provision for the savages of the Northwest, but transferred them, territory and all, to the Americans. The United States now began to make treaties of peace with the Indians, ceding them tracts of their own lands, regarding the country of the hostile tribes as conquered and forfeited. This produced discontent, and led to the formation of the great Indian confederacy under Brant.*

In order to accomplish the ends for which this league was formed, it was necessary that the British should retain possession of the forts along the lakes. These would be required both for the protection of supplies and for defense. On the other hand, the British claimed that they had a right to hold these posts, as the Americans had broken the treaty of 1783. Again, the trade with the Indians, even though England might be at war with the United States, they regarded as perfectly fair and just. "Having thus a sort of legal right to the position they occupied, the British did, undoubtedly and purposely, aid and abet the Indians hostile to the United States." In 1785, after the formation of his confederacy, Brant went to England, and his arrival was thus announced in the London * Stone's Life of Brant.

papers: "This extraordinary personage is said to have presided at the late grand Congress of confederate chiefs of the Indian nations in America, and to be by them appointed to the conduct and chief command in the war which they now meditate against the United States of America. He took his departure for England immediately as that assembly broke up; and it is conjectured that his embassy to the British Court is of great importance. This country owes much to the services of Colonel Brant during the late war in America. He was educated at Philadelphia; is a very shrewd, intelligent person, possesses great courage and abilities as a warrior, and is inviolably attached to the British nation."

Brant visited Lord Sidney, the Colonial Secretary, on the fourth of January, 1786, and boldly stated the trouble in America. He closed his remarks with these words: "This (meaning war,) we shall avoid to the utmost of our power, as dearly as we love our lands. But should it, contrary to our wishes, happen, we desire to know whether we are to be considered as His Majesty's faithful allies, and have that support and countenance such as old and true friends expect."

The Colonial Minister answered him indefinitely, and when the Mohawk chieftain returned, he could give but little assurances, to his brethren, that in the event of war, they would receive aid from England. On the other hand, John Johnson, the Indian Superintendent, wrote to him in these words: “Do not suffer an idea to hold a place in your mind, that it will be for your interest to sit still and see the Americans attempt the posts. It is for your sakes chiefly, if not entirely, that we hold them. If you become indifferent about them, they may perhaps be given up; what security would you then have? You would be left at the mercy of a people whose blood calls aloud for revenge; whereas, by supporting them, you encourage us to hold them, and encourage the new settlements, already considerable, and every day increasing by numbers coming in, who find they can't live in the States. Many thousands are preparing to come in. This increase of His Majesty's subjects will serve as a protection for you, should the subjects of the States, by endeavoring to make further encroachments on you,

disturb your quiet." This letter was written in March, 1787, and two months afterwards, Major Matthews, who had been appointed to the command at Detroit by Lord Dorchester, wrote to Brant, in the name of the governor, as follows: "His Lordship was sorry that while the Indians were soliciting his assistance in their preparations for war, some of the Six Nations had sent deputies to Albany to treat with the Americans, who, it is said, have made a treaty with them, granting permission to make roads for the purpose of coming to Niagara; but that, notwithstanding these things, the Indians should have their presents, as they are marks of the king's approbation of their former conduct. In future his lordship wishes them to act as is best for their interest; he cannot begin a war with the Americans, because some of their people encroach and make depredations upon parts of the Indian country; but they must see it is his lordship's intention to defend the posts; and that while these are preserved, the Indians must find great security therefrom, and consequently the Americans greater difficulty in taking possession of their lands; but should they once become masters of the posts, they will surround the Indians, and accomplish their purpose with little trouble. From a consideration of all which, it therefore remains with the Indians to decide what is most for their own interest, and to let his lordship know their determination, that he may take his measures accordingly; but, whatever their resolution is, it should be taken as by one and the same people, by which means they will be respected and become strong; but if they divide, and act one part against the other, they will become weak, and help to destroy each other. This is a substance of what his lordship desired me to tell you, and I request you will give his sentiments that mature consideration which their justice, generosity and desire to promote the welfare and happiness of the Indians, must appear to all the world to merit.

"In your letter to me, you seem apprehensive that the English are not very anxious about the defense of the posts. You will soon be satisfied that they have nothing more at heart, provided that it continues to be the wish of the Indians, and

that they remain firm in doing their part of the business, by preventing the Americans from coming into their country, and consequently from marching to the posts. On the other hand, if the Indians think it more for their interest that the Americans should have possession of the posts, and be established in their country, they ought to declare it, that the English need no longer be put to the vast and unnecessary expense and inconvenience of keeping posts, the chief object of which is to protect their Indian allies, and the loyalists who have suffered with them. It is well known that no encroachments ever have or ever will be made by the English upon the lands or property of the Indians in consequence of possessing the posts; how far that will be the case if ever the Americans get into them, may very easily be imagined, from their hostile perseverance, even without that advantage, in driving the Indians off their lands and taking possession of them."

This assurance from the British authorities and the delay of Congress in answering the address of the confederated tribes, led to the general council which was held in 1788. In this assembly the Indians were divided, and Brant, who was thoroughly English, for the time gave up his interest in the efforts of Western tribes. From this day the Miamis were the leaders among them. Thus I might go on through the whole volume, giving evidences that the Indians were excited to hostility against the Americans by the English. But if the English acted deceitfully, the Americans met the aggressors unwisely. Had the proper persons been sent among the savages to teach them their real situation, a prolonged war would have been averted; but they did not choose to adopt this course. St. Clair called upon Virginia for one thousand, and upon Pennsylvania for five hundred militia. Of these three hundred were to meet at Fort Steuben, (Jeffersonville) to aid the troops from Fort Knox, (Vincennes) against the Indians of the Wabash. Seven hundred were to gather at Fort Washington, (Cincinnati) and five hundred just below Wheeling; the two latter bodies being intended to march with the federal troops