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lake and lake Huron, thence along the middle of said water communication into lake Huron; thence through the middle of the said lake to the water communication between that lake and lake Superior, thence through lake Superior northward of the isles Royal and Philipeaux to the long lake, thence through the middle of said Long lake and the water communication between it and the lake of the Woods to the said lake of the Woods, thence through the said lake to the most northwestern point thereof and from thence on a due west course to the river Mississippi, thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the said river Mississippi until it shall intersect the northernmost part of the 31st degree of north latitude. South by a line to be drawn due east from the determination of the line last mentioned in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the Equator to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint river; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's river and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's river to the Atlantic ocean. East by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix from its mouth in the bay of Fundy to its source and from its source directly north to the aforesaid Highlands, which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic Ocean from those which fall into the river St. Lawrence; comprehending all islands within 20 leagues of any part of the shores of the United States and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part and East Florida on the other shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean excepting such islands as now are or heretofore have been within the limits of the said province of Nova Scotia.

Thirdly, That as the Indians notwithstanding a solemn treaty of neutrality with Congress at the commencement of the war; notwithstanding all the advice and admonition which could be given them during its prosecution, could not

be restrained from acts of hostility and wanton devastation, but were determined to join their arms to those of Great Britain and to share their fortunes, so consequently with a less generous people than Americans they would be made to share the same fate and be might be compelled to retire with them beyond the lakes; but as we prefer clemency to rigor, as we persuade ourselves that their eyes are open to their error and that they have found by fatal experience that their true interest and safety must depend upon our friendship; as the country is large enough to contain and support us all, and as we are disposed to be kind to them, to supply their wants and to partake of their trade, we from these considerations and from motives of compassion draw a veil over what is passed and will establish a boundary line between them and us, beyond which we will endeavor to restrain our citizens from hunting and settling, and within which they the Indians shall not come but for the purposes of trading, treating or other business equally unexceptionable.

Fourthly, That the following line or lines shall be proposed to be mutually agreed upon and established between the United States and the several tribes of Indians who shall be affected thereby; or lines as nearly correspondent-therete as the Indians can be prevailed upon to adopt and approve of; that is to say,

[Beginning at the mouth of the great Miami River, which empties into the Ohio, thence along the said river Miami to its confluence with the Mad river; thence by a direct line to the Miami fort at the village of that name on the other Miami river which empties into lake Erie; thence along the last mentioned river to lake Erie, comprehending all the lands between the above mentioned lines and the State of Pensylvania on the East, Lake Erie on the North and the River Ohio on the South East.

That if the Indians shall object against the lines above described, the said commissioners shall receive and report to Congress the

proposition for a settlement of boundary to be made on their part, that the Sense and farther direction of the United States in Congress assembled may be had thereon.]

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Fifthly, That the commissioners for the northern and [middle departments, or such other persons as may be appointed by Congress], unite together in holding one convention with the Indians inhabiting the districts aforesaid and their allies and dependants for the purposes aforesaid, and only yield to seperate conventions in case of inevitable necessity.

Sixthly, And whereas the Oneida and Tuscarora tribes have adhered to the cause of America and joined her arms in the course of the late war, and Congress have frequently assured them of peculiar marks of favour and friendship, the said commissioners are therefore instructed

to take particular care to distinguish the lands claimed as the inheritance of those tribes, to have them ascertained and enter inte stipulations that they shall be reserved for the sole use and benefit of those tribes-until they shall think it for their own advantage to dispose of the same,

[to reassure the said tribes of the friendship of the United States and that they may rely that the lands which they claim as their inheritance will be reserved for their sole use and benefit until they may think it for their own advantage to dispose of the same.]2

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Provided that if those tribes shall voluntarily agree to exchange their present claims for a district more remote from the settlements of our citizens, and such exchange shall not be deemed disadvantageous by the State claiming the jurisdiction it shall be lawful for the Commissioners to ratify such exchange for the better security of the said Indians.

Seventhly, And whereas the Legislature of the State of New York have granted lands in Onondaga and Cayuga to certain officers and privates in the service of the United States not only as bounties for

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1 The committee report, however, says "northern and western districts."

* A fair copy of the report to this point, as adopted, together with Articles Seventhly, Eighthly and Ninthly, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folios 229-237.

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recruiting and enlisting, but to appease the discontents which prevailed for want of their pay and as a reward for their meritorious services, the said Commissioners are therefore further instructed to take care as far as will be consistent with the publiek peace that in the establishment of the proposed lines the said military-grants be not prejudiced or impeached; but if it shall appear that the per sisting in such grants and appropriations may so far irritate the Indians as to expose these United States to the dangers and calami ties of an Indian war; that then it will be proper for the Commis sioners to report the difficulties which shall so occur in their negocia tion to the Legislature of the State of New York, and in such ease it is earnestly recommended to the Legislature of the State of New York to revise the laws by which such appropriations have been made, so as to prevent the calamities of a new rupture with the Indians.

Eighthly, That the Superintendant of finance be directed to furnish such quantity of coarse goods, part of those belonging to the United States, as shall be necessary as presents to the Indians at Recommitted. the proposed negociation; and that the Commissioners lay before Congress estimates of the quantities of cloathing and other articles which will be requisite for the purposes aforesaid to the end that Congress may give the necessary orders for the delivery of such articles as are on hand, and for providing such as may not be in the publick magazines.1

That the Commissioners Secretary at War be instructed to obtain information and lay before Congress Estimates of the clothing and other articles required for the proposed negotiation, and that he appoint a suitable person to receive those articles and direct him to deliver them to the orders of the Commissioners, and to produce said orders with attested receipts as vouchers in the adjustment of his accounts at the Treasury Office.

That the Secretary at War be directed to report what sum in goods, it would be proper to limit direct the Commissioners at the proposed treaty with the Indians, to give as a compensation for the cession of territory which Congress have directed to be negociated for with the Indians.

1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Nɔ. 30, folios 35-43. It was first read September 19, and printed. The printed copy was considered in Congress, and is in No. 30, folio 193. The amendments made thereon, which are printed within brackets in this text, are in the writing of Elias Boudinot.

That the Superintendent of Finance be directed to furnish such a quantity of coarse goods part of those belonging to the U. S. as in concurrence of the Secretary at War may be deemed necessary at the opening of the proposed treaty, not exceeding dollars

in value: And that the Commissioners lay before Congress Estimates of the further quantities of clothing and other articles which in said treaty they may find requisite for carrying the same into execution not exceeding Dollars, to the end Congress may make

necessary provision for supplying the same.1

The Committee consisting of Mr [James] Duane, Mr [Richard] Peters, Mr [Daniel] Carroll, Mr [Benjamin] Hawkins, and M2 A[rthur] Lee to whom were referred a Report on Indian affairs and the several other papers enumerated in the report which the said Committee presented to Congress on [the 19th September] last, having further considered of the matters referred to them beg leave to subjoin the following additional instructions and propositions to their said former report.

That the said Commissioners of the northern and middle Districts be instructed to obtain a particular account of the French inhabitants at Detroit, Illinois, and other villages within the territories of the United States, and that they give assurances, in the name of the United States, to those inhabitants that they shall be protected in the full enjoyment of their liberty and property.

That the said Commissioners be also instructed to obtain information of the numbers and places of residence of the citizens of the United States who have seated themselves on the north west side of the Ohio; to signify to them the displeasure of Congress that they have taken this step, with which the publick interest and repose are so intimately connected, without permission or authority; to-cau tion them to abstain from acts of violence or injustice towards the Indians and to live peaceably among themselves; untill a plan shall be instituted, under the authority of the United States, for granting settling and governing that country. That the said Commissioners be also instructed to discourage to the utmost of their power, all further intrusions into any of the territories of the United States

1 These three motions, the first and second in the writing of Arthur Lee, and the third in that of Abraham Clark, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folios 187, 189 and 191. They are undated, but the indorsement and the record in Committee Book No. 186 show that they were committed this day, "with the article 81 in the first report on Indian affairs," to Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, Mr. [Benjamin] Hawkins and Mr. [Arthur] Lee, who delivered a report October 24.

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