1811/11/13 Miami, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Wyandot Chiefs to James Madison
Title
1811/11/13 Miami, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Wyandot Chiefs to James Madison
Date
November 13, 1811
Provenance
Lewis Cass
References
http://www.clements.umich.edu/exhibits/online/american-encounters/american-encounters5-6.php
Original Format
Petition in clerk's hand with original totem signatures of tribal leaders. 8pp on 4 [?] sheets.
Text
[Label:] The Indian tribes to the President of the United States
[p. 1] To the President of the United States of America
We the undersigned Cheifs and warriors of the Mawwa Chipowa Potawawtomie and Wyandots Nations, living within the United States of America upon the waters of the Lakes and vicinity, on behalf of ourselves and Nations, request our Father the President of the United States listen to Our desires
It is well known to our Father the President that we your red Brethern cannot make known our mind and complaints by writing, not having acquired that art nor have we the Information necessary to understand what white people put upon papers, we are therefore easily duped and imposed upon by the white people
We are confident that our Fa[ther]
[p.2]
the President is desirous that we should be fairly and Honestly dealth with, in whatever we have to do with Government and that our annuities due us from the United States by Treaties should be paid us punctually, And that no part either of the goods and merchandize or money should be detained or kept back from us, but that the whole to the last farthing should be paid and delivered us for the benefit of ourselves and wives and Children.
In order that your good Intentions may be carried into effect you have appointed Agents to reside at Detroit. If they act correctly they will do no more then there duty and what you expect from them, But
But father we have had much Intercourse with white men and now and then find an Honest man, but generally speaking
[p.3]
white people appear fond of feathering their own nest and after plucking the red birds for the purpose of accomplising their purposes
Father what security have we for your Agents whom you permit to handle our annuities and monies, they require us to sign papers what they call vouchers and receipts without ever shewing us the Invoices of our goods, and declare that they Honestly deliver us our goods and monies we of course are obliged to make our marks upon the papers they present us. Otherwise we are told that we may march about our business without our payment
Father we have been told last summer and again now this fall, that our monies have not been sent on and that we must take goods in lieu for the monies offered
[p. 4]
to us at an exorbitant price or wait untill our monies are sent on by you, your Children have been under the necessity to comply with your Agents measures to the injury and damage of your Children their wives and offspring and Wyandot Brethern excepted they have been fairly dealth with this season and last season
But Father we are not sensible or sure what we sign or weither we are fairly dealth with -- We do not feel allways satisfied with the correctness of your Agents
Father it may be asked how this may be remove and your red Children people made satisfied that they are not wronged and cheated, We will tell you father how this object which we have as much at Hearth can be brought about
Father permit us your Children
[p. 5]
to name a friend of Ours a white man who can read and write, who shall be present as Our special agent to act for us who shall be entitled to Inspect the original Invoices of our goods compare sd goods with such Invoices, Count our money examine the vouchers and receipts before they are offered us to sign
Father then and not till then shall we be satisfied that we are treated fairly by -- We wish not to say more of the Agent of the United States then that they are not elected by us we have not any confidence in them. They may nevertheless be Honest, yet we are not, nor can we be confident that they are so If they act fairly Our Agent will not [ ] them by attending to our Interest
[p. 6]
If they are disonest he will be a check agent then, on practising it upon us in future -- We shall be satisfied and all uneasiness between us and the whites will evapourate
Father it is sincerely our wish to live in peace and harmony with our white brethern, This agent will cost us money as we are desirous of recompensing him for his troble, but we are confident that our father will compesate him, taking in consideration your red Bretherns pitifull situation
Father after much consultation on this subject, We have finally agreed and do agree to nominate Jacob Vis[ ] of [De]troit our agent under full conviction [th]at our father the President will appr[ove]
[p. 7]
of our nomination and give him athority to act for us as above requested no receipt or voucher purporting to be signed by us for annuities or monies Unless our Agent do sign it as a witness be allowed Detroit 13th November 1811
[names and totem signatures of Miami, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Wyandot Chiefs]
[p. 1] To the President of the United States of America
We the undersigned Cheifs and warriors of the Mawwa Chipowa Potawawtomie and Wyandots Nations, living within the United States of America upon the waters of the Lakes and vicinity, on behalf of ourselves and Nations, request our Father the President of the United States listen to Our desires
It is well known to our Father the President that we your red Brethern cannot make known our mind and complaints by writing, not having acquired that art nor have we the Information necessary to understand what white people put upon papers, we are therefore easily duped and imposed upon by the white people
We are confident that our Fa[ther]
[p.2]
the President is desirous that we should be fairly and Honestly dealth with, in whatever we have to do with Government and that our annuities due us from the United States by Treaties should be paid us punctually, And that no part either of the goods and merchandize or money should be detained or kept back from us, but that the whole to the last farthing should be paid and delivered us for the benefit of ourselves and wives and Children.
In order that your good Intentions may be carried into effect you have appointed Agents to reside at Detroit. If they act correctly they will do no more then there duty and what you expect from them, But
But father we have had much Intercourse with white men and now and then find an Honest man, but generally speaking
[p.3]
white people appear fond of feathering their own nest and after plucking the red birds for the purpose of accomplising their purposes
Father what security have we for your Agents whom you permit to handle our annuities and monies, they require us to sign papers what they call vouchers and receipts without ever shewing us the Invoices of our goods, and declare that they Honestly deliver us our goods and monies we of course are obliged to make our marks upon the papers they present us. Otherwise we are told that we may march about our business without our payment
Father we have been told last summer and again now this fall, that our monies have not been sent on and that we must take goods in lieu for the monies offered
[p. 4]
to us at an exorbitant price or wait untill our monies are sent on by you, your Children have been under the necessity to comply with your Agents measures to the injury and damage of your Children their wives and offspring and Wyandot Brethern excepted they have been fairly dealth with this season and last season
But Father we are not sensible or sure what we sign or weither we are fairly dealth with -- We do not feel allways satisfied with the correctness of your Agents
Father it may be asked how this may be remove and your red Children people made satisfied that they are not wronged and cheated, We will tell you father how this object which we have as much at Hearth can be brought about
Father permit us your Children
[p. 5]
to name a friend of Ours a white man who can read and write, who shall be present as Our special agent to act for us who shall be entitled to Inspect the original Invoices of our goods compare sd goods with such Invoices, Count our money examine the vouchers and receipts before they are offered us to sign
Father then and not till then shall we be satisfied that we are treated fairly by -- We wish not to say more of the Agent of the United States then that they are not elected by us we have not any confidence in them. They may nevertheless be Honest, yet we are not, nor can we be confident that they are so If they act fairly Our Agent will not [ ] them by attending to our Interest
[p. 6]
If they are disonest he will be a check agent then, on practising it upon us in future -- We shall be satisfied and all uneasiness between us and the whites will evapourate
Father it is sincerely our wish to live in peace and harmony with our white brethern, This agent will cost us money as we are desirous of recompensing him for his troble, but we are confident that our father will compesate him, taking in consideration your red Bretherns pitifull situation
Father after much consultation on this subject, We have finally agreed and do agree to nominate Jacob Vis[ ] of [De]troit our agent under full conviction [th]at our father the President will appr[ove]
[p. 7]
of our nomination and give him athority to act for us as above requested no receipt or voucher purporting to be signed by us for annuities or monies Unless our Agent do sign it as a witness be allowed Detroit 13th November 1811
[names and totem signatures of Miami, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Wyandot Chiefs]
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