The Madisonian., 1840-02-20

ceiyed that in such circumstances, The paciiic
soirit Of our Government, while Il iinperec'y
attained It's object, never wholly staid ihe "oih
Of desolaiion, augmented greatly the Iaoors oi
the Governor. With (t has been well saiol
the, savage war-whoop yelling on one hand
and a Government commanding peace on inc
other-wiih feeble settlement claiming pro-
lection nj one point and band oil martial DOT
derers demanding to be led to battle on ah-
other-while the agents OF nation al peace
with our own urged on the savages, ana her
military posts Supplied them with arms
there can scarcely be imagined post requr-
ing the exertions of greater skill, prudence
and firmness, than that Of the Governor OF
Indiana For him there could be neither re-
pose nor safety. lie led the life ol warrior,
vet discharged the duties Of the civil magls-
irate. While executing the laws. and found
ing the institutions OF new State, ne was
continually called TO encounter danger m the
defence OF the homes Of the people Though
compelled 10 restrain the Indians and the
whites by force of fauthoriiy, Il was his duty TO
interpose with each as minister OF beneyo-
lence on the pan Of the United States.
Yet all these muliifarious and most arduous
duties GoyemorHarrson fulfilled with tlity
and with honor, and while aHordng eth lent
protection to the citizens OF the country, ana
thus displaying all the talents OF great states
man and brave officer, he never sullied hls
name with any act of military violence or gfa-
tui,ous cruelty so that when war al length
could no longer be ayerted, and II became IN
cumbcnt on him TO lead the forces OF the err
ritory into the field, he bore thithcr the stain
less banner of,--not wanton assailaot oi the
rights Of others, but the patriotic defender OF
his country's altars and fireside
INTERCOURSE WITH TEcUMTHE AND THE
PROPHET.
For, strenuously as the United States Go
vernment, and Governor Harrison, acting
under its orders, stroye 10 avert war, II be-
came inevitable, through the operation OF
causes over which he had no control name
~, the persevering aggressions OF Great Brl-
tain on the commerce and public rights OF the
United States, which ended in war between
the two nations, prcluded by Indian hostilities
in the Northwest.
At all times, as before stated, both during
the Revolution and afterwards, as the incl
dents of ST Glars and Wayne's campaign
etlnced, British agents were active IN stirring
up against US the Indians within the Unled
States. The anticipation Of new war with
the United States, redoubled their activity;
and they found efficient agents among the In
dians themselves, in two Shawnee Chiefs,
Tecumhe and his twin brother, the Prophet
Tecumthe first began. 10 be mucknown In
1906. He had conceived andmatnred design
---the same which Pontiac had attempted in
vain,-to combine all the western tribes for
the destruction of the western settlements.
He was daring, energetic and sagacious in
character, a shrewd thinker, fluent speaker,
an able warrior, and skilful negotiaior, ami
mated by the most incxtngulshabe hatred
against the United States. He had for his
co-adjutor his BROTHER O-II-wa-chi-ca, called
the Prophet, who, though inferior TO Tecum-
the in most respects, was yet capable OF add
ing his brother efficiently, by reason of his,
influence over the supersli,ious Indians as
medicine man. pretending to be inspired by
the Great Spirit, and endowed by him with
power and wisdom, 10. expel the white men
from the Valley Of the Mississippi, to redeem
the red men from their present degradation,
and 10 restore 10 them their ancient exclusive
power in the New World. They surrounded
themselves with lawless band of desperate
and reckless men, the outcasts of different
tribes whom they at length established at a
principal rendezvous on the Wabash near
the mouth Of the Tippecanoe,-a place which
gradually acquired the name Of the Prophets
Town.
Meanwhile, they were indefatigably en-
ployed in disturbing all the councils success
sively held, and endeavorng TO prevent every
treaty attempted to be made. They took up
and propaga,ed the false idea, that all the
lands in North America were the common
property of all the tribes, and that no sale of
any part could be valid without the consent Of
all ; and made this pretext for interfering,
whenever treaties were to be negotiated by
the United States with any portion of the
Indians. Thus, by nsiigating the Indians to
acts of violence, and by filling their minds
with fallacious notions OF their power and
their rights, Tecumlhe, with the Prophet,
constantly thwared, and at last, to their own
ruin, succeeded in defeating, all the efforts of
General Harrison 10 maintain the peace of
the frontiers.
General hosuities first began TO be open
" threatened on occasion of treaty made
by the Delawares, Miamis and Poiowdtames,
in 1909 at Fort Wayne, ceding to the United
States tract of land on the Wabash. When
this treaty was made, Tecumthe was absent;
but on his return, he threatened with death
some of the chiefs concerned in the treaty
Hereupon, Governor Harrison despatched
message TO inquire the cause Of dissatisiac-
ton with the treaty. and TO assure him that
any claim he might have 10 the lands which
had been ceded, were not effected by the
treaty; tha, he might come to Vincennes and
exhibit his pretensions; and if they were
lovnd 10 be valid, the land would either be
given up or an ample compensation made for