ed States and the Indian
tribes, within its territory, demands on on the part of the former,
great delicacy of action, liberality and perfect good faith. By such a
course, alone, can our national honor be preserved untarnished.

Subsequently to the treaty of 1804, the erection by the government of
the United States, of Fort Madison on the Mississippi, above the Des
Moines rapids, gave some dissatisfaction to the Sacs and Foxes. This was
increased by the British agents and traders, who instigated them to
resist the encroachments of the Americans, now beginning to press upon
their hunting grounds. Of this interference on the part of the British,
with the Indians, there can be no doubt. Governor Harrison in a letter
to the secretary of war, dated Vincennes, July 15th, 1810, says, "a
considerable number of the Sacs went some time since to see the British
superintendent, and on the first instant, more passed Chicago, for the
same destination." General Clark, under date of St. Louis, July 20th,
1810, says, in writing to the same department, "One hundred and fifty
Sacs are on a visit to the British agent by invitation, and a smaller
party on a visit to the island of St. Joseph, in lake Huron." John
Johnson, Esq. the Indian agent, at Fort Wayne, under date of August 7th,
1810, says, to the secretary at war, "About one hundred Saukees have
returned from the British agent, who supplied them liberally with every
thing they stood in need of. The party received forty-seven rifles, and
a number of fusils with plenty of powder and lead."

McKee, Dixon, and Girty were open and active agents in exciting the
Indians to attack the American frontiers. They held frequent talks with
them and supplied them liberally with goods and munitions of war. In
1811, there being a strong probability of a war with Great Britain, a
deputation of the Sauks and Foxes, visited Washington city, to see the
President, by whom they were told that in the event of a war taking
place with England, their great father did not wish them to interfere on
either side, but to remain neutral: He did not want their assistance but
desired them to hunt and support their families and live in peace.
Immediately after the war of 1812, the Sacs and Foxes, with whom, as
with Indians generally, war is the great business of life, felt that
they ought, as a matter of course, to take sides with one party or the
other, and went to St. Louis, to offer their services to the United
Stat