be permitted to live and hunt upon your father's lands, as long as you behaved yourselves well. My Children, which of those articles has your father broken? You know that he has observed them all with the utmost good faith. But, my Children, have you done so? Have you not always had your ears open to receive bad advice from the white people beyond the lakes? My Children, let us look back to times that are past. It has been a long time since you called the king of Great Britain father. You know that it is the duty of a father to watch over his children, to give them good advice, and to do every thing in his power to make them happy. What has this father of yours done for you during the long time that you have looked up to him for protection, and advice? Are you wiser and happier than you were before you knew him; or is your nation stronger or more respectable? No, my Children, he took you by the hand when you were a powerful tribe; you held him fast, supposing that he was your friend, and he conducted you through paths filled with thorns and briars, which tore your flesh and shed your blood. Your strength was exhausted, and you could no longer follow him. Did he stay by you in your distress, and assist and comfort you? No, he led you into danger, and then abandoned you. He saw your blood flowing, and he would give you no bandage to tie up your wounds. This was the conduct of the man who called himself your father. The Great Spirit opened your eyes, you heard the voice of the chief of the Seventeen Fires, speaking the words of peace. He called to you to follow him-you came to him, and he once more put you on the right way, on the broad smooth road that would have led you to happiness. But the voice of your deceiver is again heard; and, forgetful of your former sufferings, you are listening to him. My Children, shut your ears, and mind him not, or he will lead you to ruin and misery. My Children, I have heard bad news. The sacred spot where the great council fire was kindled, around which the Seventeen Fires and ten tribes of their Children smoked the pipe of peace-that very spot where the Great Spirit heard his white and red children encircle themselves with the chain of friendship-that place has been selected for dark and bloody councils. My Children, this business must be stopped. I will no longer suffer it. You have called in a number of men from the most distant tribes, to listen to a fool, [the Prophet] who speaks not the words of the Great Spirit but those of the devil, and of the British agents. My Children, your conduct has much alarmed the white settlers near you. They desire that you will send away those people, and if they wish to have the imposter with them, they can carry him. Let him go to the lakes; he can hear the British more distinctly. THE PROPHET TO HARRISON [August] 1807 Father, Dawson, Harrison, pp. 102 & 103 I am very sorry that you listen to the advice of bad birds.You have impeached me with having correspondence with the British; and with calling and sending for the Indians from the most distant parts of the country, "to listen to a fool that speaks not the words of the Great Spirit; but the words of the devil." Father, those impeachments I deny, and say they are not true. I never had a word with the British, and I never sent for any Indians. They came here themselves to listen and hear the words of the Great Spirit. Father, I wish you would not listen any more to the voice of bad birds; and you may rest assured it is the least of our idea to make disturbance, and we will rather try to stop any such proceedings than encourage them. Reply sent by JOHN CONNOR. [THE PROPHET] HARRISON TO HARGROVE HEADQUARTERS INDIANA TERRITORY Captain WM HARGROVE, Commanding Rangers east of the There has long been an old traveled way from this Post that crosses the White river near David Robb's place and the Patoka river at John Severns', thence in a southwest direction to the Wabash river near the point where the Little Wabash empties into the main river, thence across the main Wabash at that place which can only be crossed by canoes or check boats. This route is known by some as the Salt Route. Salt has become so scarce and high priced that a number of settlers south of White river have petitioned the Governor for an escort of soldiers to protect them whilst on the trail and at the salt works west of the Wabash river. This petition has been under consideration for several days. The Governor sent for Mr. Robb about this matter and it has been arranged that a meeting with the petitioners and other citizens would be held at Mr. Kimbles [Jesse Kimball]1 who lives on the site of the southwest of Mr. Severns', on Thursday the seventeenth day of September, 1807. You will temporarily place your command in the hands of your Ranking Sergeant and attend that meeting, taking two men and one scout with you. After due deliberation and consultation with the people present, if you think it best you can place two men on duty on the trail west of the river but their main camp must be on the east side of the Wabash when there are no parties to guard at the salt works. The scouts will remain with the two soldiers doing regular scouting duties. Instruct him to go for miles on every side of the salt works and learn the lay of the country and at night to be near the works or with the soldiers at their camp east of the river. The salt makers are to be instructed to have certain days to make salt and that they must go to the works in a body of not less than fifteen men, one-half of that number to be at all time ready for military duty, subject to the orders of the Sergeant which you place in command, to protect the others while the work is in progress. That from this relief the camp guards must be furnished day and night. The two soldiers are to remain on duty as long as you shall think it will be necessary to have a guard. After the first of December there is but little danger of Indian raids. This side of the Wabash is considered sufficiently safe for so large a 1. Jesse Kimball, of an old New England family, was born at Preston, Conn. Mar. 19, 1760; served in the Revolution; moved to N. Y.; served in the legion under Wayne; located at Henderson, about 1793 and thence moved to Gibson Co. Ind. in 1804. "Jesse Kinball", Ind. Mag of Hist. XVIII No. 1 Morrison and Sharplis, The Kimball Family, Index number of cautious men to travel at any time. After the meeting you will send a report of the proceeding to this office. By directions of the Governor JOHN GIBSON, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory RESIGNATION OF A COUNCILLOR In General Assembly, Indiana Territory Har. Pa. 422 The House of Representatives being informed by Pierre Menard from the County of Randolph of his resignation as a member of the Legislative Council of this Territory; proceeded by Ballot to the nomination of two persons to the President of the United States, to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Council, occasioned by the resignation of the said Pierre Menard, when upon counting the ballots: George Fisher1 was declared duly nominated. The House then proceeded in like manner to the nomination of another person when upon counting the Ballots James Finney was declared duly nominated.2 By Order JESSE B. THOMAS, Speaker of the House of Representatives PETITION FROM INDIANA, SLAVERY Sept 19, 1807 House of Representatives Collection portfolio 180 In the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Indiana Territory: Great solicitude has been evidenced by the Citizens of this Territory on the subject of the introduction of Slaves. In the 1. George Fisher was appointed sheriff of Randolph County (II) Aug. 1, 1800. He was the best known physician in the Illinois country. He came from Virginia to Kaskaskia at an early day and spent his life in the immediate neighborhood. He died in 1820. He was a member of the Ill. constitutional convention and sat in the First assembly. Reynolds, Pioneer Illinois, 358 2. James Finney was appointed a justice for Randolph county by Harrison, Nov. 19, 1806 and on Oct. 7, 1807 was made judge of the Common Pleas. Executive Journal, Ind. Index year 1802 a special convention [Dec. 25, 1802 above] of Delegates from the respective Counties petitioned Congress for a suspension of the sixth article of Compact, contained in the Ordinance of 1787: in 1805 a majority of the members of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives remonstrated with Congress on the subject. [Feb. 7, 1805, above] In 1806 the Legislative Council and House of Representatives passed sundry resolutions [Feb. 14, 1806, above] which were laid before Congress, declaratory of their sense of the propriety of admitting slaves: and as the Citizens of the Territory decidedly approve of the toleration of Slavery the Legislative Council and House of Representatives consider it incumbent on them, briefly to state, on behalf of themselves and their constituents, the reasons which have influenced them in favor of the measures. In the first place candor induces us to premise that in regard to the right of holding slaves a variety in opinion exists; whilst some consider it decent and Just to acquire them either by purchase or conquest, others consider their possession by either tenure as a crime of the deepest stain; that it is repugnant to every principle of natural Justice of political rights and to every sentiment of humanity. Without entering into the merits of this controversy it need only be remarked that the proposition to introduce Slavery into the Territory is not embraced by them. It is not a question of liberty or Slavery. Slavery now exists in the United States and in this Territory. It was the crime of England and their misfortune. And it now becomes a question merely of policy in what way the Slaves are to be disposed of, that they may be least dangerous to the community, most useful to their proprietors, and by which their situation may be most ameliorated. As the law of Congress prohibiting the further importation of slaves into the United States takes effect the first of January next [1808], it is evident that the proposed toleration will not increase the number in the United States. It is believed, and has not experience verified the fact? that such is the number of slaves in the Southern States that the safety of individuals as well as the political institutions of those States are exposed to no small hazard. However desirable it may be to emancipate them, it can never be done until they are dispersed; it would be equally impolitic for the whites as for the slaves;-The great current of emigration is con |