Page:Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison Vol. 1.djvu/83

Rh the mouth of Pigeon creek to Vincennes; one from the settlements between the Great Miami and the Indian boundary line to Vincennes; and one from some convenient spot on the Ohio to Kaskaskia.

To extend to the Sack nation the provisions of the treaty of Greenville.

To provide for the security of the persons and properties of the traders residing in the Indian country, and the punishment of those who injure them.

To obtain the consent of the Indians to establish houses of accommodation at the distance of twenty-five or thirty miles apart on the post road from Louisville to Vincennes, and thence to Kaskaskia.

And should it be considered practicable, to make new arrangements of the annuities. The Kaskaskias, for instance, who have only fifteen or sixteen warriors, and the Piankishaws who are reduced twenty-five or thirty, receive each 500 dollars, which is the sum allowed the Kickapoos, who have some hundreds. I think it possible to prevail upon those two tribes to give up 200 dollars each of their annuity, which may be added to those of the Kickapoos and Potawatamie; or with the addition of another 100 dollars, make an annuity of 500 dollars for the Sacks. I am persuaded, Sir, that nothing can be done with respect to any of these objects but in a general assembly of the chiefs of all the tribes. There appears to be an agreement amongst them, that no proposition which relates to their lands can be acceded to without the consent of all the tribes; and they are extremely watchful and jealous of each other lest some advantage should be obtained in which they do not all participate. A general meeting of the chiefs has been long wished for, in order to settle some disputes which have arisen amongst them, which but for my interposition, would have terminated in war. These disputes cannot (on account of the jealousies above mentioned) be amicably adjusted but by the mediation of the United States.

The meeting would be further beneficial, as it would give an opportunity of explaining to them the conditions of the treaties they have made with us, which are very imperfectly understood. I do not know of any pretensions to land on the part of