Dunmore's Treaty

From: Mike Walker, 2 August 2009.

Journal of the House of Burgesses, Session beginning Thursday, June 1, 1775.

SUBSTANCE OP THE PEACE AGREED TO BETWEEN THE EARL OF DUNMORE, GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA, ON THE PART OF THAT COLONY; AND THE CORNSTALK ON THE PART OF THE SHAWNEE INDIANS.

Intended to he ratified at a general meeting of the Ohio Indians, at Fort Dunmore.

This was laid on the table the same day, to be perused by the members of the House,

There it remained until Friday, June 20th, when it was taken up, considered, and a bill passed, entitled "An Act for appointing Commissioners to ratify and confirm the late treaty of peace with the Ohio Indians/' With this, the Council of State — a Senate under the Colonial form of government — refused to concur. A Committee of Conference considered the subject; and reported that an address should be presented to the Governor requesting that his Excellency would appoint persons to ratify the treaty with the Indians; and recommended to the House to vote a sum of money not exceeding two thousand pounds, for that business.

But the next day, June 24th — the last of the session — the members of the house had intelligence from the west to the effect that there was dissatisfaction on the part of the Indians, because of the failure to make provision for the treaty supplementing that of Camp Charlotte. There was hesitation no longer. That body at once took action as follows: —

(Whereas) "Certain Information having been received of the great discontent of the Ohio Indians, by reason of the delay of the Ratification of the late treaty of peace concluded upon by his Excellency the Governor, on the part of this Colony and the Cornstalk (at Camp Charlotte) on the part of the said Indians, and that the inhabitants on our frontier are under just apprehension of a renewal of an Indian war, and no steps having been pursued by his Lordship for carrying on the said treaty, or delivering up the Indian Hostages, agreeable to the terms of said treaty: —

(Therefore) Resolved, That the said treaty be immediately entered upon; and that George Washington, Thomas Walker, James Wood, Andrew Lewis, John Walker, and Adam Stephen, Esquires, or any three or more of them, be, and they are hereby constituted and appointed. Commissioners, on the part and behalf of this colony, to meet the chiefs or head men of the said Ohio Indians, as soon as the same can be done, at such place as they shall find most proper, to ratify and confirm the said treaty, on the part of this colony, and to demand and receive of the said Indians the ratification and full performance of the said treaty on their parts; and that Robert Carter Nicholas, Esquire, Treasurer, or the Treasurer for the time being, shall, and (he) is hereby directed and required to pay all such expenses and charges, out of the public money in his hands, as may be incurred on account of such treaty, provided the same do not exceed the sum of two thousand pounds, for which the said Commissioners shall account to the next General Assembly."

Ordered, that Mr. Mercer do carry this Resolution to the Council and desire their concurrence.

A message from the Council by Mr. Blair : — Mr. Speaker.

The Council have agreed to the Resolve for appointing Commissioners to ratify the treaty of peace with the Ohio Indians; and for defraying the expense thereof.

The Commissioners named above, held a meeting the same evening and appointed Captain James Wood, one of their number, to pro-ceed to the Ohio and invite the Indians to a treaty at Pittsburg, on the 12th of September, ensuing. He left Williamsburg, the day after his appointment; spent three days at his home at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley, and arrived at Pittsburg on the 9th of July. There he met many chiefs of various nations, to all of whom he explained the object of his visit. July 19th, he left Pittsburg and visited the Delawares, Mingoes, Wyandots, Shawnees, and other nations, all of whom he requested to send their chiefs to attend the treaty. He returned to Pittsburg August 11th, having been in the Ohio Wilderness for thirty-four days. His mission was eminently successful. The next day he departed for Winchester, where he arrived on the 17th, ensuing, and from there transmitted his report to the Commissioners, in whose service he had been employed. Now all awaited the coming of the Convention.

Meantime, the people of the 'District of West Augusta,' appointed a Committee of Safety. It prepared and forwarded a petition to the Continental Congress, and that body on July 12th, decided that there was too much reason to apprehend that the British Government would spare no pains to excite the several nations of Indians to take up arms against these Colonies;" and that it becomes us to be very active and vigilant in exerting every prudent means to strengthen and confirm their friendly disposition toward these Colonies." That day three Indian Departments were therefore created — The Southern, Central, and Northern — and it was provided that five Commissioners be appointed for the first, and three each for the second and third.

On the next day, Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson, and Patrick Henry were unanimously appointed Commissioners for the Central Department, which included all of the Indian nations which had been parties to the treaty of Camp Charlotte. September 14th, ensuing, Lewis Morris, then at Pittsburg, was appointed in place of Benjamin Franklin, who was unable to attend the convention at that place; and the next day. Dr. Thomas Walker, who was one of the Virginia Commissioners, was appointed by the Continental Congress in place of Patrick Henry, who declined to serve. The appointment of these Commissioners by Congress carried therewith, an appropriation of $6,666.63, from the Continental Treasury, for their expenses and the purchase of presents for the Indians.

Because of the tardiness of the Indian chiefs to arrive at Pittsburg, the treaty convention did not convene on September 12th, but, on that date Commissioners of the Continental Congress, as well as those of Virginia, were present. They organized by electing Dr. Thomas Walker, chairman of the Joint Commission, he being a member of both. On the 15th many Indians had arrived and the treaty convention was duly opened, and continued in session until October 19th — a period of thirty-four days — in all of which Thomas Nicholson and his associate interpreters were busy almost day and night. Many chieftains were present — The White Mingo for the Mingoes; Cornstalk, Nimwha, Wryneck, Silver Heels, Blue Jacket, and fifteen other chiefs for the Shawnees; White Eyes, Custaloga, and Captain Pipe, for the Delawares; the Half King for the Wyandots; Flying Crow and Kyashuta for the Six Nations; Shaganaba for the Ottawas; and many other orators of the wilderness. It was by far the largest deliberative congress of Indians that ever assembled in the valley of the Ohio. Every article in the preliminary treaty at Camp Charlotte the preceding autumn, was fully discussed by both Whites and Indians. At length all were agreed to, confirmed and ratified, and when this convention adjourned, every Indian nation from the Upper Allegheny to the Palls of the Ohio, and from that river to Lake Erie —^in short every one of the Con-federated Nations of 1771 — of those participating in the preliminary treaty of Camp Charlotte, and in the supplemental treaty at Pittsburg — entered into a pledge of peace and friendship, not only to Virginia, but to the New American Nation as well.