English men and our Ancestors. And also to let you know our present determination. FATHER, We were about five years settled near Grenville when the Big Knife suspected us of plotting some mischief. We moved from thence and settled on the Wawbache. FATHER, We have a Belt to shew you, which was given to our King's when you laid the French on their back. Here it is, Father; on one end is your hand, on the other, that of the Red People (both hands in black Wampum, but the Indian End of the White Belt darker than the other) and in the middle the hearts of both. This Belt, Father our great Chiefs have been sitting upon ever since, keeping it concealed, and ruining our Country. Now the warriors have taken all the chiefs and turned their faces towards you never again look towards the Americans, and we the warriors now manage the affairs of our Nation; and we sit at, or near, the Borders where the contest will begin. FATHER, It is only five years ago that I discovered this Belt and took it from under our King's. Your Fathers have nourished us and raised us up from Childhood, we are now men, and think ourselves capable of defending our Country, in which cause you have given us active assistance and always advice. We now are determined to defend it ourselves, and after raising you on your feet leave you behind but expecting you will push forwards towards us what may be necessary to supply our wants. FATHER, I intend proceeding towards the Mid Day, and expect before next Autumn and before I visit you again, that the business will be done I request Father that you will be charitable to our King, women & children, the young men can more easily provide for themselves than they. He ordered the Belt to be passed round and handled & seen by every person present, saying they never would quit their Father or let go his hand. He concluded by saying that he and all those who came with him were extremely thankful for the ample presents they had received. Speech of Techkumthai to the Shawanese Prophet, delivered at Amherstburg 15th Nov. 1810. In Sir J. H. Craig's 29 March 1811. [Q 114, p 77 ] SIB, CAPT. MATTHEW ELLIOTT TO WM. CLAUS, DEP. SUPT. GEN. AMHERSTBURG, 16th November 1810. I herewith inclose you a Speech of the Brother of the Shawanese Prophet which fully convinces me that our neighbours are on the eve of an Indian war, and I have no doubt that the Confederacy is almost general, particularly towards the quarter in which the Prophet resides. In answer to their demand for a supply to their wants I can only tell them that I shall lose no time in laying their Speech before their Great Father for his directions on the subject, and I request that as soon as conveniently can be done, you will send me ample and explicit Instructions relating to my future conduct towards the Prophet & his Adherents. I am well aware that I cannot, and ought not, during the present circumstance of affairs do any thing overtly but whether it would not be proper to keep up among them the present spirit of resistance I wish to be Informed. I have already served six thousand Indians with their annual Presents, and the Expenditure of Provisions from 24th Decr. last (the period from which it appears the Annual Expenditure is calculated) to 24th Ulto. has been 70770 Rations and two months of the year yet to Run. The excess is accounted for by a greater number of Indians than usual visiting the Post, and by the Supply to the Six Nations and Mohawks before and during Red Jacket's Council, and also to those who left the Grand River in the Spring and passed by this Place. There being a great demand for Flags, I beg that some may be sent up next year as there are no means of getting the Bunting in Store made up. 18th November 1810. Since writing the above, I called the Prophet's Brother to a private conference, to explain to me more fully what he meant by "the business being done before he visited us again. "He told me that he meaned that the Confederacy would be general before that time, and that at first they intended to keep their plan a secret even from their Father, untill everything that had been fully agreed upon among themselves, when they were to inform their Father. But as Governor Harrison has pushed them to make some kind of avowal of their Intention, they thought proper now to disclose their whole plan to their Father. Frederick Fisher died on the 12th Instant owing to the effects of a violent cold. I have the honor to be &c. M. ELLIOTT, S. I. A. The Honble Wm. Claus, Dy. Supt. Genl. & Dy. Insp. Genl. Indian Affrs, &c. &c., Fort George. Endorsed: Copy. E. Captain Elliott's Letter to Colonel Claus. Amherstburg, 16th & 18th Nov. 1810. In Sir J. H. Craig's 29 March, 1811. [Q 114, p 74] SIR, LIEUT. GOV. FRANCIS GORE TO GEN. SIR JAMES CRAIG. YORK, UPPER CANADA, 29th December 1810. I have the honor to transmit herewith the Copy of a Letter * from Captain Elliott, Superintendent of Indian Affairs at Amherstburg, dated the 9th July last, and addressed to the Deputy Superintendent General. Also the copy of a letter from Captain Elliott to Colonel Claus of the 16th of October accompanied by a Speech, t made on the 7th of the same month, by Red Jacket a chief residing at Buffaloe Creek on the American side of the Niagara River opposite to Fort Erie. Captain Elliott's letter of the 16th and 18th of November accompanied by a Speech § of the Prophet's Brother (a Shawnese) has just been laid before me, and I lose no time in forwarding copies to Your Excellency. As I do not conceive that His Majesty's Interests will suffer by any waiting for your Instructions, I shall not give any directions to Captain Elliott to alter his conduct, or depart from the existing orders which guide him in his Intercourse with the Indian Nations. I have the honor to be Sir Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant Lt. Governor. His Excellency General Sir James Craig, K. B. Endorsed: In Sir J. H. Craig's 29 March 1811. [Q 114, p 65 ] * For Letter see page 289. † For Letter see page 272. For Speech see page 270. § For Speech and Letters see pages 275, 277, 278. PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE INDIAN DEPARTMENT OF UPPER CANADA FOR THE YEAR 1811, TO COMMENCE ON THE 25TH DECEMBER, 1810. INDIAN DEPARTMENT, FORT GEORGE, 10th July 1810. Approved. FRANCIS GORE, Lt. Governor. [Q 314, p 24a] W. CLAUS, D. S. G. SIR, SIR J. H. CRAIG TO LIEUT. GOV. FRANCIS GORE. QUEBEC, 2d Feby. 1811. Your letter of the 29th December did not reach me till the 30th ulto. Upon giving to the subject of it, the consideration which it merits, I am decidedly of opinion, that upon every principle of policy, our interest should lead us to use all our endeavours, to prevent a rupture, between the Indians, and the subjects of the United States. A war, especially a war of such a nature, carried on So near our Frontiers, must be attended, with infinite inconvenience to us: it would subject us to a degree of vigilance, and a state of precaution, to which our means are at this moment little adequate, and notwithstanding every care, that might be employed to avoid it, it would expose us to a continual state of suspicion and irritation (on |