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Show 1-t APPENDIX TO PART I. [ No. 5. J JY. TV. establishment, on Lake Lrech, Feb. l8Qc StH, AS a proprictot· of the N. W. company, and clirc.ctot' of the Z ond du 1 .ac dc]lartm ·nt, I conceive it my duty as an ofltcer of the United State!-!, (in who~e terrttory you arc to .1ddrc:;::. you solely on the subject of the many houses under your inc.,tt·uctwns. t\s a member of the ~realest commcrcialuation in the world, and a conl.p<my Ion ~ renowned for their extent or connections and ~rc,ltnes~ of vtc:.ws, you cannot be ig norant of the rigor of the laws o( the duues ol un-ports of a forei gn power. . l\lr. Jay's treaty, it is true, gave the right of trade wlth the sava-ges to Dritish subjects in the U nitecl StJ.t 'S. tcrritor~c~, bu.t by no means exempted them from pay in ~· the dulles, obtammg licences, and subscribin g- unto all the rules and rC'stri ctions of our laws. I find your estnhli shments at every suitable ~1\ ace along the whole extent or the SOIIth side of Lake ~upcrior to its hcacl, from thence to tlte source of the Missi-;sippi, and down l{ ccl Hivt·r, and even extending to the centre of our newly acqnir d territory of Loui!:iiana, in which it will probab ly yet become a qnestion between ~he two governments, if om treaties wi ll <Hithorise the British subjects to e nter into the Indian trade on the same footing, as in the other parts of om fronti ers; thi-; not having been an integ ral part of the nitcd States, at the tirnc or said tre aty. Our traders to the south, on the Lowe!' l\li !:>si::;sippi, romplain to our government, with justice, ~hat the 111C111bcrs of theN. \V. compm1r, encircle them on the fronu~rs or o11r N. \V. tcnitory, ancl trade with th sava~es upon supertor tl'l'nlS, tn what they CUll rdronl who pay the duties of their goods illlpot·tcd !'rum Em.opc, and subscribe to the regulations prescribed by law. . r 'l hcse rcprc~c.:ntati.on s h;n-e at lcn!-!:th attracted the attcntwn ° ut ll' gon·mmeut to the object in qu ·stion, and with an intention to do \lltlll'•dvcs as well a<> citizen· justice, they the last year took '>0111c •.tcps to :1sce1·tain the facts, and make prO\i~:.ion :11~ait1st the grow.lllfj c\il. \Vith tbis, som gco~ raphi cn l, and ~\lso local objects in \tew "·'s (dispatched with di ·crctionary order-;, "ith a party of troops to t h1· wurc t· of the M i~nis-;ipp i . I have found, ·ir your commerce ~tn d (' .t:lhli..,hmrntc.;1 ~xtcndinp,- beyond our moc;t exaggeratcrl iclcas, 111 I in ·nlditinn to tht' inimy done om rc \'l'!Hil', by the C\',\. ion of th(• •l11• il' ,, 1 t'l~'l • ·••· whi:-; \ '" mor·~ ~.., \rt; ~ni.H'lj in~ 1 iJit'5 to the /Jt;W'' APPENDIX TO PART I. 15 and dignity of our government. The tt·an~:..1ctions alJ\I(led to, at·e the presenting medals of his llritannic maj ,·sty, ,1nd j lag.c; o1 the said govern~nent, to the chiefs and warriors l'l..'sidcm i1 . the territory of the UuHed States. If political subjects arc ~trirtly prohibitl'd to GUI' trad~rs, wl~at would be the ideas of' the exec uti · L to sec foreig-ners makmg clucfs, and distributing flags. the standard of an European powet·. The savages being accustotntd to look on th,tt st<ltHIanl, which had been the only prevailt ng one for years, ac.; that ,, hich ~lone has authority in the country, it would not be in the lca!:>t d'itoni~ hing t~ sc~ the~ revolt from the United Stc~tcc.;. limited s111,jectiOn winch IS claimed ove1· them by the American govc n 1mcut, and thereby be the cause of their receivin g· a ch..~susc t uer 1 t: althou 1~ h necessary, yet unfortunate as they have been led a~tray uy the policy of the traders o{ your country. I must likewise observe, sir, that yom establishmen ts, if pmperly known, WOUld be looked On with Hll eye of dissutisfaction by out· govemment, fat· anotht:r reason, ,·iz. the re bein g· so many furnished posts in case of a rupture between the two powers, tl1c English government would not fail to rnake u ~e of those as places of deposit of arms, ammunition, &c. to be distributed to th(; sa,·a~cs who joined th eir arms ; to the g-reat annoyance of our te rritory, aud the lo!:is of the live~ of' many of our citizens Your llags, sir, when hoisted in in closed works, ,tt•e in direct contradiction of the laws of nations, and their practice in like cases, which only admits of foreign flags hcin ~ expanded on bo~11·d of vessels, and at the rc'>idencc of Ambassadot·s, or consuls. I am not ignorant of the necessity of yout· being in such a position as to protect you from the sallies of the dnmken sava~jes, ot· the more deliberate pla11s of the jntcnded plunderer; and under tho!:ie considerations, have I considered youl' stockades. You, and the company of which you arc a member, must be conscious from the fo regoing statement that strict justice would clcman<. l, and I as<> ut·e you that the iaw directs, under similar circumstances, a total confiqcation of your· property, personal impr isonment and fines. But having di sc1·ctionary instructions and no reason to think the above conduct was di ctated through ill will or disrespect to our go emment, and conceiving it in some degree departing from the character of an officer, to embmce the fi t·st opportunity of executing tho ·e laws, I nm willing to sacrifice lilY prospect of pri vate udvanl<tj~e, con!>cious th at the govcmment look not to interest, but its c/ 1'g ?t·l ·t !J m· t 11 c trnn ·ar tJ•O n, I hr\vc thcrcl•o rc to request of you, |
