Fort Greenville, in the Ohio Country
A Treaty of Peace
Between the United States of America and the Tribes of
Indians, called the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanoes, Ottawas, Chipewas,
Putawatimes, Miamis, Eel-river, Weeas, Kickapoos, Piankashaws, and
Kaskaskias.
 |
| Treaty of Greenville |
To put an end to a destructive war, to settle all
controversies, and to restore harmony and a friendly intercourse between
the said United States, and Indian tribes; Anthony Wayne,
major-general, commanding the army of the United States, and sole
commissioner for the good purposes above mentioned, and the said tribes
of Indians, by their Sachems, chiefs, and warriors, met together at
Greenville, the head quarters of the said army, have agreed on the
following articles, which, when ratified by the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate of the United States, shall be binding
on them and the said Indian tribes.
ARTICLE I. Henceforth all hostilities shall cease; peace is
hereby established, and shall be perpetual; and a friendly intercourse
shall take place, between the said United States and Indian tribes.
ARTICLE II. All prisoners shall on both sides be restored. The
Indians, prisoners to the United States, shall be immediately set at
liberty. The people of the United States, still remaining among the
Indians, shall be delivered up in ninety days from the date hereof, to
the general or commanding officer at Greeneville, Fort Wayne or Fort
Defiance; and ten chiefs of the said tribes shall remain at Greeneville
as hostages, until the delivery of the prisoners shall be effected.
ARTICLE III. The general boundary line between the lands of the
United States, and the lands of the said Indian tribes, shall begin at
the mouth of the Cayahoga rier, and run thence up the same to the
portage between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum; thence
down that branch to the crossing place above Fort Lawrence; thence
westerly to a fork of that branch of the great Miami river running into
the Ohio, at or near which fork stood Loromie's store, and where
commences the portage between the Miami of the Ohio, and the St. Mary's
River, which is a branch of the Miami, which runs into Lake Erie; thence
a westerly course to Fort Recovery, which stands on a branch of the
Wabash; then south-westerly in a direct line to the Ohio, so as to
intersect that river opposite the mouth of the Kentucke or Cuttawa
river. And in consideration of the peace now established; of the goods
formerly received from the United States; of those now to be delivered,
and of the yearly delivery of goods now stipulated to be made hereafter,
and to indemnify the United States for the injuries and expenses they
have sustained during the war; the said Indian tribes do hereby cede and
relinquish forever, all their claims to the lands lying eastwardly and
southwardly of the general boundary line now described; and these lands,
or any part of them, shall never hereafter be made a cause or pretence,
on the part of the said tribes or any of them, of war or injury to the
United States, or any of the people thereof.
And for the same considerations, and as an evidence of the
returning friendship of the said Indian tribes, of their confidence in
the United States, and desire to provide for their accommodation, and
for that convenient intercourse which will be beneficial to both
parties, the said Indian tribes do also cede to the United States the
following pieces of land; to wit.
 |
| Anthony Wayne |
(1.) One piece of land six miles square at or near Loromie's
store before mentioned. (2.) One piece two miles square at the head of
the navigable water or landing on the St. Mary's river, near Girty's
town. (3.) One piece six miles square at the head of the navigable water
of the Au-Glaize river. (4.) One piece six iles square at the
confluence of the Au-Glaize and Miami rivers, where Fort Defiance now
stands. (5.) One piece six miles square at or near the confluence of the
rivers St. Mary's and St. Joseph's, where Fort Wayne now stands, or
near it. (6.) One piece two miles square on the Wabash river at the end
of the portage from the Miami of the lake, and about eight miles
westward from Fort Wayne. (7.) One piece six miles square at the
Ouatanon or old Weea towns on the Wabash river. (8.) One piece twelve
miles square at the British fort on the Miami of the lake at the foot of
the rapids. (9.) One piece six miles square at the mouth of the said
river where it empties into the Lake. (10.) Oned piece six miles square
upon Sandusky lake, where a fort formerly stood. (11.) One piece two
miles square at the lower rapids of Sandusky river. (12.) The post of
Detroit and all the land to the north, the west and the south of it, of
which the Indian title has been extinguished by gifts or grants to the
French or English governments; and so much more land to be annexed to
the district of Detroit as shall be comprehended between the river
Rosine on the south, lake St. Clair on the north, and a line, the
general course whereof shall be six miles distant from the west end of
lake Erie, and Detroit river. (13.) The post of Michillimackinac, and
all the land on the island, on which that post stands, and the main land
adjacent, of which the Indian title has been extinguished by gifts or
grants to the French or English governments; and a piece of land on the
main to the north of the island, to measure six miles on lake Huron, or
the streight between lakes Huron and Michigan, and to extend three miles
back from the water of the lake or streight and also the island of De
Bois Blanc, being an extra and voluntary gift of the Chipewa nation.
(14.) One piece of land six miles square at the mouth of the Chikago
river emptying into the south-west end of Lake Michigan, where a fort
formerly stood. (15.) One piece twelve miles square at or near the outh
of the Illinois river, emptying into the Mississippi. (16) One piece six
miles square at the old Piorias fort and village, near the south end of
the Illinois lake on said Illinois river: And whenever the United
States shall think proper to survey and mark the boundaries of the lands
hereby ceded to them, they shall give timely notice thereof to the said
tribes of Indians, that they may appoint some of their wise chiefs to
attend and see that the lines are run according to the terms of this
treaty. And the said Indian tribes will allow the people of the United
States a free passage by land and by water, as one and the other shall
be found convenient through their country, along the chain of posts
herein before mentioned; that is to say, from the commencement of the
portage aforesaid at or near Loromie's store, thence along said portage
to the St. Mary's, and down the same to Fort Wayne, and then down the
Miami to lake Erie: again from the commencement of the portage at or
near Loromie's store along the portage from thence to the river
Au-Glaize, and down the same to its junction with the Miami at Fort
Defiance: again from the commencement of the portage aforesaid, to
Sandusky river, and down the same to Sandusky bay and Lake Erie, and
from Sandusky to the post which shall be taken at or near the foot of
the rapids of the Miami of the lake: and from thence to Detroit. Again
from the mouth of Chikago to the commencement of the portage, between
that river and the Illinois, and down the Illinois river to the
Mississippi, also from Fort Wayne along the portage aforesaid which
leads to the Wabash, and then down the Wabash to the Ohio. And the said
Indian tribes will also allow to the people of the United States the
free use of the harbours and mouths of rivers along the lakes adjoining
the Indian lands, for sheltering vessells and boats, and liberty to land
their cargoes where necessary for their safety.
ARTICLE IV. In consideration of the peace now established and
of the cessions and relinquishments of lands made in the preceding
article by the said tribes of Indians, and to manifest the liberality of
the United States, as the great means of rendering this peace strong
and perpetual; the United States relinquish their claims to all other
Indian lands northward of the river Ohio, eastward of the Mississippi,
and westward and southward of the Great Lakes and the waters uniting
them, according to the boundary line agreed on by the United States and
the king of Great-Britain, in the treaty of peace made between them in
the year 1783. But from this relinquishment by the United States, the
following tracts of land, are explicitly excepted. 1st. The tract of one
hundred and fifty thousand acres near the rapids of the river Ohio,
which has been assigned to General Clark, for the use of himself and his
warriors. 2d. The post of St. Vincennes on the river Wabash, and the
lands adjacent, of which the Indian title has been extinguished. 3d. The
lands at all other places in possession of the French people and other
white settlers among them, of which the Indian title has been
extinguished as mentioned in the 3d article; and 4th. The post of fort
Massac toward the mouth of the Ohio. To which several parcels of land so
excepted, the said tribes relinquish all the title and claim which they
or any of them may have. And for the same considerations and with the
same views as above mentioned, the United States now deliver to the said
Indian tribes a quantity of goods to the value of twenty thousand
dollars, the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge; and
henceforward every year forever the United States will deliver at some
convenient place northward of the river Ohio, like useful goods, suited
to the circumstances of the Indians, of the value of nine thousand five
hundred dollars; reckoning that value at the first cost of the goods in
the city or place in the United States, where they shall be procured.
The tribes to which those goods are to be annually delivered, and the
proportions in which hey are to be delivered, are the following. 1st. To
the Wyandots, the amount of one thousand dollars. 2d. To the Delawares,
the amount of one thousand dollars. 3d. To the Shawanese, the amount of
one thousand dollars. 4th. To the Miamis, the amount of one thousand
dollars. 5th. To the Ottawas, the amount of one thousand dollars. 6th.
To the Chippewas, the amount of one thousand dollars. 7th. To the
Putawatimes, the amount of one thousand dollars. 8th. And to the
Kickapoo, Weea, Eel-river, Piankashaw and Kaskaskias tribes, the amount
of five hundred dollars each.
Provided, That if either of the said tribes shall
hereafter at an annual delivery of their share of the goods aforesaid,
desire that a part of their annuity should be furnished in domestic
animals, implements of husbandry, and other utensils convenient for
them, and in compensation to usefull artificers who may reside with or
near them, and be employed for their benefit, the same shall at the
subsequent annual deliveries be furnished accordingly.
ARTICLE V. To prevent any misunderstanding about the Indian
lands relinquished by the United States in the fourth article, it is now
explicitly declared, that the meaning of that relinquishment is this:
The Indian tribes who have a right to those lands, are quietly to enjoy
them, hunting, planting, and dwelling thereon so long as they please,
without any molestation from the United States; but when those tribes,
or any of them, shall be disposed to sell their lands, or any part of
them, they are to be sold only to the United States; and untill such
sale, the United States will protect all the said Indian tribes in the
quiet enjoyment of their lands against all citizens of the United
States, and against all other white persons who intrude upon the same.
And the said Indian tribes again acknowledge themselves to be under the
protection of the said United States and no other power whatever.
ARTICLE VI. If any citizen of the United States, or any other
white person or persons shall presume to settle upon the lands now
relinquished by the United States, such citizen or other person shall be
out of the protection of the United States; and the Indian tribe, on
whose land the settlement shall be made, may drive off the settler, or
punish him in such manner as they shall think fit; and because such
settlements made without the consent of the United States, will be
injurious to them as well as to the Indians, the United States shall be
at liberty to break them up, and remove and punish the settlers as they
shall think proper, and so effect that protection of the Indian lands
herein before stipulated.
ARTICLE VII. The said tribes of Indians, parties to this
treaty, shall be at liberty to hunt within the territory and lands which
they have now ceded to the United States, without hindrance or
molestation, so long as they demean themselves peaceably, and offer no
injury to the people of the United States.
 |
| Signatures at the Treaty of Greenville |
ARTICLE VIII. Trade shall be opened with the said Indian
tribes; and they do hereby respectively engage to afford protection to
such persons, with their property, as shall be duly licensed to reside
among them for the purpose of trade, and to their agents and servents;
but no person shall be permitted to reside at any of their towns or
hunting camps as a trader, who is not furnished with a license for that
purpose, under the hand and seal of the superintendent of the department
north-west of the Ohio, or such other person as the President of the
United States shall authorise to grant such licenses; to the end, that
the said Indians may not be imposed on in their trade. And if any
licensed trader shall abuse his privilege by unfair dealing, upon
complaint and proof thereof, his license shall be taken from him, and he
shall be further punished according to the laws of the United States.
And if any person shall intrude himself as a trader, without such
license, the said Indians shall take and bring him before the
superintendant or his deputy, to be dealt with according to la. And to
prevent impositions by forged licenses, the said Indians shall at least
once a year give information to the superintendant or his deputies, of
the names of the traders residing among them.
ARTICLE IX. Lest the firm peace and friendship now established
should be interrupted by the misconduct of individuals, the United
States, and the said Indian tribes agree, that for injuries done by
individuals on either side, no private revenge or retaliation shall take
place; but instead thereof, complaint shall be made by the party
injured, to the other: By the said Indian tribes, or any of diem, to the
President of the United States, or the superintendent by him appointed;
and by the superintendent or other person appointed by the President,
to the principal chiefs of the said Indian tribes, or of the tribe to
which the offender belongs; and such prudent measures shall then be
pursued as shall be necessary to preserve the said peace and friendship
unbroken, until the Legislature (or Great Council) of the United States,
shall make other equitable provision in the case, to the satisfaction
of both parties. Should any Indian tribes meditate a war against the
United States or either of them, and the same shall come to the
knowledge of the before-mentioned tribes, or either of them, they do
hereby engage to give immediate notice thereof to the general or officer
commanding the troops of the United States, at the nearest post. And
should any tribe, with hostile intentions against the United States, or
either of diem, attempt to pass through their country, they will
endeavor to prevent the same, and in like manner give information of
such attempt, to the general or officer commanding, as soon as possible,
that all causes of mistrust and suspicion may be avoided between them
and the United States. In like manner the United States shall give
notice to the said Indian tribes of any harm that may be meditated
against them, or either of them, that shall come to their knowledge; and
do all in their power to hinder nd prevent the same, that the
friendship between them may be uninterrupted.
ARTICLE X. All other treaties heretofore made between the
United States and the said Indian tribes, or any of them, since the
treaty of 1783, between the United States and Great Britain, that come
within the purview of this treaty, shall henceforth cease and become
void.
In testimony whereof, the said Anthony Wayne, and the Sachems
and War Chiefs of the before-mentioned Nations and Tribes of Indians,
have hereunto set their Hands, and affixed their seals. Done at
Greenville, in the Territory of the United States, north-west of the
river Ohio, on the third day of August, one thousand seven hundred and
ninety-five.