STATE PAPERS. 



251 



council, held at the Miamis, ex- 

 cept the Chawanous, Miamis, and 

 Loups. 



Children — You remind me of 

 what passed at the council fire, held 

 at Quebec, just before my last de- 

 parture for England, when I pro- 

 mised to represent their situation 

 and wishes to the king, their fa- 

 ther, and expressed my hope that 

 all the grievances they complained 

 of, on the part of the United States, 

 ■would soon be done away by a just 

 and lasting peace. 



Children — I remember all very 

 well : I remember that they point- 

 ed out to me the hne of separation 

 which they wishedforbetween them 

 and the United States, and with 

 which they would be satisfied and 

 make peace. 



Children — I was in expectation 

 of hearing from the people of the 

 United States what was required by 

 them ; I hoped I should have been 

 able to bring youtogether,and make 

 you friends. 



Children — T have waited long, 

 and listened with great attention, 

 but I have not heard one word from 

 them. 



Children — Iflatteredmyself with 

 the hope, that the Hne proposed in 

 the year eighty-three, to separateus 

 from the United States, which was 

 immediately broken by themselves 

 as soon as the peace was signed, 

 would have been minded, or a new 

 one drawn in an amicable man- 

 ner ; here also I have been disap- 

 pointed. 



Children — Sincemy return, I find 

 no appearance of a line remains ; 

 and from the manner in which the 

 people of the States push on, and 

 act, and talk on this side, and from 

 what 1 learn of their conduct to- 



wards the sea, I shall not be sur- 

 prised if we are at war with them 

 in the course of the present year ; 

 and if we are, a Hne must be drawn 

 by the warriors. 



Children — You ask for a passport 

 to go to New York ; a passport is 

 useless in peace ; it appears, there- 

 fore, that you expect we shall be at 

 war with the States before your re- 

 turn. You shall have a passport, 

 that, whether peace or war, you 

 shall be well received by the king's 

 warriors. 



Children— They have destroyed 

 their right of pre-emption ; there- 

 fore, all their approaches towards 

 us since that time, and all the pur- 

 chases made by them, I consider as 

 aninfringementontheking'srights ; 

 and when a line is drawn between 

 us, be it peace or war, they must 

 lose all their improvement of houses 

 on our side of it. The people must 

 all be gone, who do not obtaia 

 leave to become the king's subjects. 

 What belongs to the Indians will, 

 of course, be confirmed and secured 

 to them. 



Children— What farther can Isay 

 . to you ? You are our witness, that 

 on our part, we have acted in the 

 most peaceable manner, and borne 

 the language of the United States 

 with patience, and I believe our 

 patience is almost exhausted. 



Given under my hand, at the 

 castle of St. Lewis, in the city 

 of Quebec, on the 10th of 

 February, in the year of our 

 Lord 1794. 



(Signed) Dorchester. 

 By his excellency's command, 

 (Signed) 

 Herman Wis«ius Ryland, 

 Secretary. 



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