Virginia Argus

Indian Alarm Dissipated.

FROM THE LIBERTY HALL.

Piqua, Miami county, Ohio,

SIRS:

August 27th, 1811.

Finding that a considerable number of the frontier inhabitants were alarmed at the prospect of Indian hostility growing out of the outrages lately committed in the Illinois country, I felt it incumbent on me to take such measures as would have a tendency to quiet the fears of our citizens in this quarter. I accordingly invited the Shawanoes and Wyandots to a public council at this place. A deputations from each of those tribes, with a chief of the Senecas, in all 50 persons, reached here on the 22d inst. The conference began on the 23d in the morning, and ended on the 24th at night. The result is as satisfactory as could be wished. I feel no hesitation in assuring the public that at present there is not the smallest danger to be apprehended from the Shawanoes, Wyandots, Delawares, or Miamies, and it is believed that many of the Puttawatamics may be considered as the true friends of the United States. The general government ever attentive to the safety of our citizens, are taking measures to procure satisfaction for the outrages already committed, and security for the future good conduct of the Indians.

I request the favor of you to publish, for the satisfaction of the people at large, this letter, together with the two following speeches, which were answers to my address to the deputation.

I am your ob't. serv't,

JOHN JOHNSON,

Indian Agent.

Speech of Capt. Lewis, Chief of the Shawanoe village of Stony Creek, to John Johnson and a large number of the citizens of Miami county, assembled at Piqua town on the 24th August, 1811.

MY FRIENDS, LISTEN TO MY WORDS-

We have come here this day to declare our treaties that have been made between God have appointed this day for the purpose. We request that the President of the U. S. may know these our sentiments. What I now say is from the mouths of us all, Although the Delawares, Ottaways and * * * goes are not here, what I say stands good for all. I feel great pleasure and satisfaction to stand here as a messenger of peace- all that we can say is for peace and friendship with the whites. I have no more to say.

The Black Hoof, the Speaker of the Shawanoe nation, spoke as follows:--

MY FRIENDS--I have not much to say. The Great Spirit commands us all to live in harmony and peace; he has given us this pipe of peace and this tobacco to smoke (here he handed the pipe of peace to the Agent and the principal spectators to smoke.) About this time yesterday we met on this ground, and listened to your words all day. We have all paid attention to them. We have gathered here according to your desire. Our council fire is Kindled at Fort Wayne, but we have come here to show our good will one to another. I feel happy and great satisfaction at standing here this day in the garment of peace. We feel happy and well satisfied at what was said yesterday-all our young men feel satisfied at the prospect of enjoying peace. I feel sorry to relate some things I am about to relate at this time—you are acquainted with what I am about to say. The Prophet's usual place of abode was at Greenville-it was there he first told the Indians that God Almighty had spoke to him-it was there he gathered the Indians around him. Since he has removed from Greenville, and seated himself on the Wabash, it has been his usual practice, and it is his study to gather the Indians about him for bad purposes; and I believe he will continue to do so. It is him that has been the principal cause of all the mischief that has been done. It is his practice to gather all the bad Indians he can--he goes about them to poison their minds-that war is the object of his pursuit we know. All you have related about the Prophet taking the salt is a stubborn truth. In the purchase of land you made of the Indians at Fort Wayne two years ago, we know you used no deception in it. it was a fair purchase; and that all you have related the truth : we paid attention to what you said respecting the purchase through the Prophet's influence used to receive the annuities for the land. All that you told us respecting the different treaties, from the one down to the present is true. It is also true what you said about the Quakers. Now pay attention to what we say-We acknowledge the justness of your address concerning agriculture; we know the necessity of it ; we consider ourselves as one man on that head : It is hard and difficult for us to manage our bad people--we have no power over the Prophet to do any thing with him--we have done our best with him, and all to no purpose; we have no intercourse or connection with him. You know you cannot manage your bad people. You know he has turned a deaf ear to all the President of the U. S. has said to him. It is therefore utterly out of our power to do any thing with him.

We are determined to pay no regard to any thing but the study of peace; that we will pursue, and have pity on our women & children, to clothe, feed and take care of them, The Delawares, Ottaways, Wyandots, Senecas and Miamies are of the same mind with us. It is not in the heart or mind of one of us to pursue any thing but peace with the whites, for the good of our women and children. When we take into consideration our rising generation, we are satisfied that nothing but peace will make them prosperous and happy. We are standing here and view ourselves as one man with the whites--the treaties have always considered us as Americans, and that we look upon ourselves to be such now-we are dropped on one Island, and that we ought to be bound in the ties of friendship. Your interest and ours is inseparable ; it would be duplicity in us to hide or conceal any evil thing that is coming on you, and we thank you for that part of your speech to us yesterday. The advice of the Americans to us for a long time has been good, but never was brought into effect until now. You may depend upon it, if we know of any mischief coming on you, we will give you early information of it, as we consider your interest and ours the same. At the same time some distant Indians might injure you without us knowing it-if we have only the smallest prospect of danger, even like the whistle of a bird against you, you may depend on receiving information of it.

We feel determined on living at the place we reside at we have not at this time the most distant idea of going any where else. The Wyandots are the same with us, we are all one man. They are determined on residing at their habitation--we are near neighbors, close together, and that ought to be the strongest motive for us to live in the ties of friendship.

If a war breaks out between you and G. Britain, we are determined to follow your advice on that subject yesterday. If we should join the English, it will only involve us in difficulties. Your advice to us yesterday was to remain neutral; that part we are determined to follow. We have already tried the British, and found they left us in difficulties. At the same time, if the British offer us presents of goods, we will receive them, but no further. We are sitting here together with you, and the British are at a great distance; and that is a great reason that friendship should continue between you and us. As the treaty entered into at Greenville gives us the liberty of hunting on these lands, we are glad you mentioned that to us yesterday, and we wish to use that privilege as friends and neighbors. The young men will hunt while there is any game, and it is right for them to come among you as friends-and we request you to publish this for the information of our white brethren. We are sorry, and our feelings have often been hurt at the whites ordering us not to hunt on their lands, although we believed ourselves peaceably. Game will not be plenty long, and our young men will be done coming along you. We expect when our young men come in, they will be used as brothers, not as strangers-and that when they are among you provisions will be given to them. You must not be suspicious of any of the Shawanoes coming in among you, or the Miamies- I speak for them as well as for ourselves.

In your speech yesterday, you told us the President of the United States expended more
that he had our happiness next to his heart--
and that the Quakers wished to assist us.
What you said concerning the Quakers to us
yesterday we believe is entirely true, and we
want them to come on and assist us as soon
as possible--we request you to inform them
his immediately. You informed us yester-
day that the President would enable us to have
our children educated, if we were so inclined.
It's true that God has made us all. There
is one Great Father, and there is no dif-
ference in his eyes respecting the colour of
skins; the Great Spirit has made our frames,
and at the same time has given us organs to
praise him with; so has he done with the
whites--as God has so made us, and that you
are so far superior in information to us, it ap-
pears to be your wish that we should partake
of the same knowledge and learning that you
have. We do not feel to have the least objec-
tions to it, we feel entirely willing that our
children should be educated; by this means
we will all grow into one solid branch, and
our friendship will become more united, until
we all land in heaven together.
For a long time we have not taken into view
our bad acts, and the evil that whiskey was
doing among us; the President of the United
States and yourself have often cautioned us
against this evil, we never took it to heart be-
fore; we have had a consultation respecting
this evil, and are now all of one mind, men,
women and children, and are determined to
knock in the heads of all kegs brought to our
towns. The trade has been carried on by
smuggling, we will now make our people tell
the names of the persons and the places where
they get the whiskey, in order that they be
made known among the whites: it is the sole
desire of all the chiefs here present, that you
and all the white people, would do your best
endeavors to stop our people from getting any
whiskey in future. We will do our endeavors
with you to stop all the roads, that whiskey
may not reach us. We are now opening our
eyes from the evil, we still have the treaty of
Greenville in our minds, and have the paper
in our hands. When we were at the Federal
City, we took the President by the hand, ne-
ver to be separated; he never was to draw
his hand out of ours nor ours out of his, that
our friendship never was to cease, and if we
drew our hands out of his it was a final sepa-
ration, and never to be united again. The
President desired us to take no thought for
any thing but peace, never to give our minds
up to war or destroying our fellow creatures:
he told us to pay no attention to any bad men
or their advice: to be industrious and live in
peace. This advice was to the Wyandots
and all the Indians. These papers were gi-
given to us, and we were directed to pay the
strictest attention to what they contained.
[Here the speaker handed the Agent sundry
letters and papers from the President and
Secretary at War, &c.]