listening to a speech, in which the
Prophet professed the most pacific intentions, constantly haranguing his
retinue upon the evils of war and liquor, and holding out to them the
advantages of temperance and peace. It seems that the Governor even made
a few personal experiments to determine whether the Indians were in
earnest about their pretensions, but could induce none of them to touch
fire-water. The interview closed to the entire satisfaction of the
Governor, the Prophet promising to keep him fully informed as to
anything that might be inimical to the settlements, and receiving in
return many presents from the Governor in the way of implements of
husbandry, arms, powder and other things which the Indians claimed that
they were in sore need of. On the first of September, 1808, in a
communication to Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War, the Governor wrote as
follows: "The celebrated Shawnee Prophet has just left me after a visit
of more than two weeks. He is rather possessed of considerable talents,
and the art and address with which he manages the Indians is really
astonishing. I was not able to ascertain whether he is as I at first
supposed, a tool of the British or not. His denial of being under any
such influence was strong and apparently candid. He says that his sole
purpose is to reclaim the Indians from the bad habits they have
contracted, and to cause them to live in peace and friendship with all
mankind, and declares that he is particularly instructed to that effect
by the Great Spirit. He frequently harangued his followers in my
presence, and the evils attendant upon war and the use of ardent spirits
was his constant theme. I cannot say how successful he may be in
persuading them to lay aside their passion for war, but the experiment
made to determine whether their refusal to drink whiskey proceeded from
principle, or was only empty profession, established the former beyond
all doubt. Upon the whole, Sir, I am inclined to think the influence
which the Prophet has acquired will prove rather advantageous than
otherwise to the United States."

How vain this trust! Scarcely had the Prophet returned to his town,
before he was entertaining an emissary and spy of the British
government, who urged war on the United States. In the following spring
of 1809, the Chippewas, Ottawas and Potawatomi were being urged by the
Prophet to take up arms against the inhabitants of Vincennes, and to
destroy the settlers along the Ohio