Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-05-28

whereas, they said, we built forts. wbich -.
cd hostile intentions, * never made them s o..
presents without asking them first for Gt,,o5
and then tJr great deal of land. Ne'
he governor recalled their aftent;o, ).
many forts which they knew had been erected
by either the British Or the French They oil
mlttcd that there was difference betwe.n
our conduct and both those nations in re,ord
to their land, which he turned to our a,ivan
tage, by showing that we never took tbe;,
land without paying them the price they q.
greed to take Tor It, and that those nations did
not acknowledge their right to anv land. and
had taken 1t whenever they wanted it witbont
paying any thlng--to illustrate which, he ~.
terred to and explained the original colombo.
ton OF America, showed the extent of thu,
possessions at that time, the acquisitions made
by both the nations alluded to, and called m
the Indians to say whether by any trestv or
tradition among them, any thing had ever been
paid either to them or their ancestors as
compensation therefor.
The governor endeavored to remove ali
their real or affected uneasiness about their
land, by telling them that we were neither
disposed to buy their lands or take any par+
thereof from them.
Laying aside every thing like mere TEN.
PoFlsing course, he convinced them, that he
perfectly understood the character of the war
they had been wagng against US !: that while
a part were committing murders and other
|depredations, all expected impunity from the
friendly professions of the rest, that they bad
done mischief last year, hoping it would 3.
exclusively charged to the Prophet or his pro.
per party, and that he apprehended some fu.
ture attempts OF similar character might BE-
made, with the expectation that they will be
charged to the Winebagoes, who are now a,
open war with US But that he should be IN.
on his watch, to detect and punish all such
conduct, and that each tribe must be resDon.
sible for the conduct of its members, or de-.
liver up, according to treaty, all offenders.
lie then adverted to all the MURDERS and
other depredatlons that had been committed
Tor the last two years demanded satisfaction
according to the treaty, and assured them that
the Oloodot our innocent feIlow-citlzens should
not be shed with in,punity.
They were anticipated in much of the
speech they most probably intended to make
we're evidently disconnected, and requested
till next dty to reply. The whole night was
spent IN consultation by the chiefs, and Como
the principal chief, WAS selected as their
speaker ter the next day.
lie manifested much humility, made many
professions of friendship, stated recent at.
tempts OF the British 20 induce them to COM
mence immediate hootilities upon rs, and tho
offer ct arms, ammunition, &c. to be deliver
ed at Fort Maiden for the object. He stated
the hostile intentions of the IVincbagoeS :but
he endeayored to wave the demand for the
nurderers, by saying that they were not to be
found, and if they could be found, that the
chiefs had not influence enough to deliver
them up: and admitted that three Of the mur.
derers were OF his own party.
The governor Immediately replied to him
IN such manner, as to give them no ground
to suppose that they could make any cal
culat:ons upon his credullty.
lie stated to them, that he positively knew
tnat had left some of the murderers at Peoria,
that they were present when he demanded
them at that place last year, and had continued
to reside there ever since. That a long time
1dU DCSU nl!OWCu lOI ltCiI dCIl'bi y, OSSo""~
we were unwilling hastily to make var, and
that the outrages were SO attroclous, that ne
would not trust to Or believe the sincerity OF
their friendly professions, unless they corro-
borated it BY some act of justice. lie remino'
ed them, that if it we're hard for them to- pun.
ish their offenders, it would be equally nara
for US to submit TO such injuries without Sa"
tisfaction. H. insisted that the murdtrerS
whom they acknowledged to be OF their Party'
should be punished, recommended tha'
the chiefs and warriors should consult to'
gether, aod told them that he would re-
ceive their answer at St Louis nc re-
suit of all which was, that Como, IN beha!'
of all the rest, and in their presence
promised, that they would either deliver up
the murderers, or kill them themselves an1
the impression of the governor, and all OF ~.
most intelligent persons, who were Presoh' ~