Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison/Harrison to Secretary of War Troubles between the Indians and Indian traders

by William Henry Harrison

Harrison to Sec. of War

Vincennes, February 19th, 1802

Dawson, Harrison, 12-15

If this measure, is not effected, I apprehend some serious consequences. It has already become a subject of discussion among the people of the territory, whether an Indian is punishable by our laws for a murder committed on their own lands, or on a road leading through their country; the negative of this question is strongly maintained by many; and, should it reach the Indians, it will be no longer safe to pass the roads which connect the several settlements of the Territory. I have taken much pains to find the drift of the talks, which the British agents in Canada so frequently send to the Indians residing within our limits. The report mentioned in the postscript of my letter of the 3d December last, came from Mr. Wells^[1] the person who attended the Indian chiefs who were lately in Washington. I have since seen the chief who is said to have been the bearer of the talk alluded to. Upon my interrogating him, he denied that he had received any particular message from M'Kee,^[2] the British superintendant for Indian affairs for Upper Canada, whom he acknowledged to have visited. But he made so many complaints of the usage which the Indians had received from the Americans, and some of them were of a nature so far above his capacity, that I am sure they must have been put into his mouth by the said M'Kee, or by some of the British merchants.— Among other grievances, he mentioned the high price of Indian goods, which he attributed entirely to the duty which was laid upon the importation of those goods at Detroit, and which he said was contrary to the practice under the British government, and intended to impoverish and reduce the Indians. Indeed, other chiefs have frequently informed me that they had heard we resolved to destroy them, that we might take possession of their lands. This idea I am confident has been infused into their minds by the British agents or traders, which last enjoy every opportunity to prejudice the Indians against us. They have even attempted to make the Indians believe that the United States intended to destroy them by means of the small pox, which was to be communicated to them by the goods which they receive from us. I have never been able to fix the spreading of these lies upon any one of the traders, they manage their business with so much art; but when I do make such discovery, I shall make an example of him, by instantly depriving him of his license, and sending him out of the Indian country. In order the better to find out what is going forward among the Indians, I have endeavored to attach some of the best informed traders to our interest; but, generally speaking, they are unprincipled men, and entirely devoted to the British, by whom they are supplied with all their goods. Could this be otherwise—could the valuable skin and fur trade which our territory supplies, be diverted to the ports of the United States, instead of Canada, it would not only give a handsome emolument to our merchants, and increase our revenue by the additional consumption of imported goods, but it would also confirm the dependence of the Indians upon us. The principal objection made by the traders to whom I have recommended the carrying of their furs and peltry to the ports of the United States, is, that there are none of our merchants who make the importation of Indian goods, or purchase of furs and peltry their business, and of course they are not always certain of making sale of their coinmodities, or of obtaining in return goods suitable for their purpose; both of which, they are sure of when they go to the British merchants, who are exclusively employed in this kind of traffic.

1. Capt. William H. Wells was stolen by Miamis at age of 12; parents lived in Ky; married daughter of Little Turtle; broke away from Indian alliance and joined Wayne's army; killed in Fort Dearborn massacre Aug. 15th. 1812; Wells County. Indiana, named in his honor. Griswold. History of Ft. Wayne, 136.
2. Alexander McKee was born in Penn; wealthy citizen of Pittsburg at outbreak of Revolution; fled from Pittsburg to join the ranks of enemy; as reward made captain and interpreter of Indian Dept. in employ of British. Known as stimulator of war between Indians and Americans 1790-'95. Butterfield, History of Girty's, 43-49; Griswold. Hist of Ft. Wayne; Michigan Pioneer and Historical collections. Index.