States, accompanied by his steadfast friends and Chiefs of his nation,
HALF TOWN and BIG TREE. On the arrival of the Chiefs at Philadelphia,
they had an official audience with the President, on which occasion
CORNPLANTER made an eloquent and dignified address, and which called
forth an appropriate reply from WASHINGTON. To WASHINGTON he said,
referring to General SULLIVAN'S destruction of the Seneca towns: "We
called you the 'town destroyer,' but when you gave us peace, we called
you father, because you promised to secure us in the possession of our
lands. Do this, and so long as the lands shall remain, that beloved name
shall live in the heart of every Seneca." He then gives a terse and
clear statement of the means taken to induce the Six Nations to make
such extensive grants of their lands--grants, he adds, "made at a time
when you told us that we were in your hand, and that by closing it, you
could crush us to nothing; and you demanded from us a great country as
the price of that peace which you had offered us; as if our want of
strength had destroyed our rights." Referring to his own conduct and
its effect upon his tribe, he uses the following eloquent and patriotic
words: "Father, we will not conceal from you, that the Great God, and
not man, has preserved THE CORNPLANTER from the hands of his nation. For
they continually ask, where is the land which our children, and their
children after them, are to lie down upon? You told us, say they, that
the line drawn from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario, would mark it forever
on the east, and the line running from Buffalo creek to Pennsylvania,
would mark it on the west, and we see that it is not so. You, first
one and then another, comes and takes it away by order of that people,
which you tell us promised to secure it to us. He is silent--for he has
nothing to answer. When the sun goes down, he opens his heart before
God; and earlier than the sun appears upon the hills, he gives thanks
for his protection during the night; for he feels, that among men become
desperate by their danger--it is God only that can preserve him. He
loves peace and all that he has had in store, he has given to those who
have been robbed by your people, lest they should plunder the innocent
to re-pay themselves. The whole season which others have employed in
providing for their families, he has spent in his endeavors to preserve
peace. At this moment his wife and children are lying upon the ground,
and in want of food. His heart is in pain for them, but he perceives that
the Great Spirit will try his firmness in doing what is right."
WASHINGTON made an appropriate reply to this address, which he caused
to be engrossed, and was signed by himself and by Mr. JEFFERSON, then
Secretary of State, and presented to CORNPLANTER. The Chief valued this
document among his highest treasures. A lithographic copy of it has been
prepared for this occasion, and I will annex to this address, a copy of
it and of the speeches of CORNPLANTER made on that occasion. A single
remark made by WASHINGTON, I here introduce. "The merits of CORNPLANTER,
and his friendship for the United States, are well known to me, and shall
not be forgotten."
When CORNPLANTER arrived in Philadelphia, WASHINGTON was absent at his
seat in Virginia. In his absence, the Chief was cordially received by
the President and members of the Executive Council of the State of
Pennsylvania. In the _Colonial Records_ of Pennsylvania, the following
minutes appear:
"PHILADELPHIA, _Saturday, October 23, 1790_.
"Presents--His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esq., President. SAMUEL MILES,
RICHARD WILLING, ZEBULON POTTS, AMOS GREGG and Lord BUTLER, Esquires.
CORNPLANTER and five other Indian Chiefs were introduced to Council.
The President informed them, that the Supreme Executive Council of
Pennsylvania was happy to see them, and ready to hear what they had to
say. The Chief then made a short address, and asked for further time to
conclude what to say, which was granted."
Subsequently the Chief made a more extended speech, to which Governor
MIFFLIN made an appropriate reply. Vol. XVI, p. 496.
WASHINGTON continued to be the friend of CORNPLANTER to the end of his
public career, and this confidence and friendship afforded a source of
consolation to the Chief, for the dissatisfaction of a portion of his
tribe, led on by the crafty RED JACKET, who opposed some of the treaties,
and favored a continuance of the war, by the Indians, on their own
account.
In these and subsequent transactions, which the limits of this address
prevent me from presenting in detail, CORNPLANTER exerted his power
and influence in favor of peace. As early as 1791, he advocated the
cultivation of the soil, and the adoption of the arts of civilized life,
including the education of the Indian children. In a letter of that
year to Friends in Philadelphia, he says: "Brothers, the Seneca nation
see that the Great Spirit intends they should not continue to live by
hunting, and they look around on every side and inquire, who it is
that shall teach them what is best for them to do? Your fathers dealt
honorably by our fathers, and they have engaged us to remember it. We
wish our children to be taught the same principles by which your fathers
were guided. Brothers! We have too little wisdom among us, and we cannot
teach our children what we see their situation requires them to know. We
wish them to be taught to read, and write, and such other things as you
teach your children, especially the love of peace." I may here remark,
that the Friends did respond to this call, and through a long series of
years, put forth the most disinterested and philanthropic efforts in
behalf of the Seneca nation.
In 1791, CORNPLANTER was employed by WASHINGTON, on behalf of the
government of the United States, to proceed into the country of the
North-Western Indians, then at war with the United States, on an
embassy of peace and reconciliation. This arrangement was made during
CORNPLANTER'S visit to Philadelphia in that year. Before proceeding
on his mission, he returned to his home on the Allegheny, and soon
afterwards called a Council of the Six Nations. The result of which was
the appointment of representative Chiefs of the Six Nations, to attend
a Council with the Western Indians. This Council was held at Au Glaize,
(Fort Defiance, Ohio,) in October, 1792. CORNPLANTER, accompanied by a
large number of the Chiefs of the League, was in attendance. The hostile
Indians were determined to insist upon the river Ohio as their boundary;
and besides the encroachments of the whites upon their territory,
they had other grievances of which they complained. The Shawanese,
especially, were opposed to peace, except upon such terms as they well
knew would not be accepted by the United States. Their principal orator
said: "The President well knows why the blood is so deep in our paths."
CORNPLANTER'S efforts to effect a reconciliation between the Western
tribes and the United States failed.[S]
[S] Western Annals, p. 606.
CORNPLANTER, at this period, was perhaps the only Chief of the Senecas
and Six Nations, who remained firm and unshaken in his friendship for
the United States. About this time the repulse of General HARMAR, by
the Western Indians, had greatly emboldened them, and it was with great
difficulty that the peaceful suggestions of CORNPLANTER were acquiesced
in by the Six Nations, many of whom still desired to make common cause
with the Western tribes. In company with Colonel PROCTOR, of the United
States army, he proceeded to the country of the hostile Indians, and
endeavored to reconcile them to the United States. His mission failed,
chiefly through the evil influences of BRANT and RED JACKET, aided by
the machinations of British officers. At a subsequent period CORNPLANTER
renewed his efforts for peace, and even called forth in favor of his
measures, the opinions of the Indian women, who, as is natural to their
sex, were the friends of peace. On this occasion, RED JACKET, among other
remarks, said to the United States commissioners: "You know what we have
been doing so long, and what trouble we have been at, and you know that
it has been the request of our head warrior, CORNPLANTER, that we are
left to answer for our women, who are to conclude what ought to be done."
* * * *
"Colonel BUTLER, of the British, told us he must take our writings down
to Colonel GORDON,[T] as he is a very wise man, and perhaps he may
have something to say to us that may be for our good, and we want his
assistance, as he is the man that keeps all the vessels that are on
the Lake; therefore, my brother, make your mind easy, for your request
is granted. And when we hear from our brothers, the British, then we
shall know what time to start. And you must not be uneasy, that our
brother, ABEEL, (CORNPLANTER,) can not go with you, for he is very tired,
(referring to his former journey,) and must rest awhile, and take charge
of our young warriors, to keep them in peace while they are playing--for
fear of danger."
[T] The British commandant at Niagara.
The intrigue of RED JACKET, aided by the action of the British officers,
kept CORNPLANTER from this mission. There was, as suggested by a learned
historian, Mr. STONE, (in his life of RED JACKET,) another reason lying
still deeper in the minds of the Indian women, under whose influence
these proceeding's were had. CORNPLANTER was not only the principal war
Chief of the Senecas, but he was a man of great bravery and sagacity,
and withal a sincere friend of peace. The times were critical, and the
Indians at Buffalo creek, and the adjacent country, were in frequent
alarm. They wished to retain CORNPLANTER, as he could best restrain the
warlike propensities of the young warriors, while they could repose
greater confidence, both in his bravery and discretion, in the event
of actual danger during the absence of the messengers to the Western
Indians, than in any leader of their nation. This mission failed
entirely. "The man that kept the vessels on the Lake," refused to
recognize Colonel PROCTOR in his official capacity, and prohibited the
passage of the Indian deputies to Sandusky, on Lake Erie, their place of
destination.
A treaty held at Painted Post, in June, 1792, between Colonel PICKERING
and the Six Nations, was productive of peaceful and good results. It
checked the disposition of the young warriors to take part with the
Western Indians, and it led to another mission of peace, at the head of
which was the brave old Stockbridge Chief, HENRY AUPUMUT. It was also at
this treaty, that WASHINGTON, through his agent, Colonel PICKERING, made
an influential demonstration towards winning the attention of the Chiefs
to the policy of having permanent habitations, where they could cultivate
their lands, and commence the work of civilization among their people.
After this period, CORNPLANTER made another, but an unsuccessful embassy
to the hostile Indians. His efforts being unavailing, the war with the
Western Indians continued to rage until the year 1794, when, on the
20th of August of that year, Gen. WAYNE achieved his decisive victory
over them at the battle of the Miami, It was mainly due to CORNPLANTER'S
influence and exertions, that the Six Nations were not involved in that
battle, and its fatal consequences to the hostile Indians engaged in it.
Although the war with the Indians was terminated, there were perplexing
questions to settle between the United States and the Six Nations, in
which also, the States of Pennsylvania and New York were concerned.
These were principally questions of boundaries, and also in reference
to the grant of Presque Isle and the adjacent country. A Council was
held at Buffalo creek, on the 18th of June, 1794, in reference to
these difficulties. In this Council, CORNPLANTER took a conspicuous
part; his speech on the occasion is fully reported in the proceedings.
I make room for a single observation--addressing the commissioner as
the representative of the President, he said: "Brother! You know our
demands; we ask but for a small piece of land, and we trust, as you are
a great man, you can easily grant our request." It is unnecessary, on
this occasion, to give the details of this Council, nor of the Great
Council which was soon after held at Canandaigua, namely, in October and
November, 1794, at which CORNPLANTER, with other Chiefs, represented the
Six Nations. Colonel PICKERING was again the commissioner on the part of
the United States. The Friends of Pennsylvania and New Jersey had also
agents present, and exerted a highly beneficial influence.
Mr. STONE, to whose interesting work I am much indebted, speaking of this
treaty, says: "This was the last general Council held by the United
States with the Iroquois Confederacy, and a vast amount of important
business was transacted thereat. Several perplexing questions of
contested boundaries were settled, and the relations between the United
States and the Confederacy were adjusted upon a basis that has not been
since disturbed." CORNPLANTER arrived at this Council on the second day
after the day assigned for the meeting. He came with four hundred of the
Allegheny portion of the Senecas. There were sixteen hundred Indians
collected on this interesting occasion. It appears that CORNPLANTER was
subjected to some suspicions by his Indian associates, because of his
frequent interviews with Colonel PICKERING. He was reminded by one of
the Chiefs, that he was but a _War Chief_, and was exceeding the bounds
of his proper department, by partaking too largely in the conduct of
civil affairs. Colonel PICKERING interposed, and stated that the private
interviews he had with CORNPLANTER were at his special request. This
explanation was, for a time, satisfactory. Further evidences of the
distinction between the War Chiefs and Sachems were exhibited on this
occasion. RED JACKET speaks of CORNPLANTER and Captain BRANT, (the latter
was not present,) as only War Chiefs, and the proceedings show that
which does not appear in other transactions, namely: that there was a
marked distinction between the _Chiefs_ and the _Sachems_, the former
having the direction of affairs belonging to war, and the latter having
control of the civil government, under certain restrictions dependent
upon popular opinion; and it appeared that they regarded the military
power as entirely subordinate to the civil authorities. This single fact
shows that the untutored Ho-de-no-sau-nee (United People,) had made no
inconsiderable advance in the science of free government.
Subsequent transactions between the whites and the Indians, related to
the sale of the lands of the latter. Their power as a nation was gone.
Henceforth, if they were called together as a nation, or as separate
tribes, it was only through the agency of individuals or companies, who
desired to obtain grants of their lands. A treaty of this character was
held at Big Tree, in 1797, (the site of the present town of Genessee New
York,) in reference to a claim of ROBERT MORRIS, of Pennsylvania, the
assignee of the State of Massachusetts, of an alleged pre-emption right
to a portion of the territory of the Seneca tribe.
Without entering into the details of this treaty, or others of a similar
character, I refer to it because it developed one of the principles of
government of the Confederacy, heretofore but little known or noticed.
An appeal was taken by the women, from the opinion and decision of the
Sachems. CORNPLANTER being the principal War Chief, presented the appeal,
whereupon the Council was re-opened, and the proceedings were recognized
by the Sachems, FARMER'S BROTHER being their speaker, as being in
accordance with their laws and customs. The re-consideration resulted in
a change in the treaty beneficial to the Indians.
CORNPLANTER, at the head of his nation, as its principal War Chief, had
resisted the encroachment of the whites to the extent of his abilities.
But as we have shown, when the fortune of war, under the superior power
of the Thirteen Fires, rendered further resistance impossible, he had,
as a wise statesman, made the best terms of peace he could procure. After
the Revolutionary war, he desired to maintain friendly relations with the
United States; and to accomplish this object, he was ready, when urgent
necessity required it, to part with considerable portions of the Indian
territory. His course of conduct, in these transactions, was severely
criticised by rival Chiefs, and under their influence, his popularity,
with the main portion of his tribe, and with the other members of the Six
Nations, was seriously reduced, if not entirely destroyed.
It was during the period of his decline in power and authority, that
it is said he endeavored to regain his influence by inducing his
half-brother, Ga-ne-o-di-yo, (otherwise called "Handsome Lake,") who was
a Seneca Sachem, to assume the character of a prophet. It does not appear
by any satisfactory evidence, that CORNPLANTER had any agency whatever
in respect to the alleged revelations made by his singular and talented
relative. In the account which Ga-ne-o-di-yo gives of the trance which
led to his revelations, after stating that he had been ill for a long
time, he says: "I resigned myself to the will of the Great Spirit, and
nightly returned my thanks to Him, as my eyes were gladdened at evening,
by the sight of the stars of Heaven. I viewed the ornamented Heavens
at evening, through the opening in the roof of my lodge, with grateful
feelings to my Creator. I had no assurance that the next evening I could
contemplate His works; for this reason my acknowledgments to Him were
more frequent and sincere. When night was gone, and the sun again shed
his light upon the earth, I saw and acknowledged, in the return of day,
His continued goodness to me and to all mankind. At length I began to
have an inward conviction, that my end was near. I resolved once more
to exchange friendly words with my people, and I sent my daughter to
summon my brothers, Gy-ant-wa-chia, (CORNPLANTER,) and Ta-wan-nears,
(BLACK-SNAKE,) to come to my cabin." The daughter hastened to deliver
the message, but before she returned with Ta-wan-nears, (CORNPLANTER was
not at hand,) the Sachem had fallen into a state of insensibility, and
lay for many hours in that condition; after his recovery, he announced
to his tribe what he regarded as a revelation of the Great Spirit to the
Indians,[U]
[U] MORGAN'S League of the Iroquois. A most interesting work, dedicated
to Colonel PARKER, a Seneca Indian, now an officer of the United States
army, attached to the staff of General GRANT. Chapter 3d of this book is
devoted to the pretended revelation of Ga-ne-o-di-yo, and the doctrines
of the religion he inculcated.
As CORNPLANTER was the half-brother of the prophet, he was supposed to
be in some way connected with these revelations, more especially, as
the prophet strongly inculcated the principles of temperance, to which
the Chief had been, for many years, a devoted advocate. RED JACKET, and
others, used these transactions to the disadvantage of CORNPLANTER,
and from thenceforth he ceased to take any part in the affairs of the
Six Nations, and but little in that of the Seneca tribe generally,
but devoted himself chiefly to his own clan of that tribe. This clan,
or part of his tribe, had for many years been under his official and
personal direction. Reference, before this period, is often made to the
ABEEL Senecas, and in a map published in 1792, by READING HOWELL, a
considerable portion of the country on the upper waters of the Conewango,
and near Chatauque lake, is designated thus: "O'BEALS--Cayentona."[V]
[V] This map is in the possession of the Pennsylvania Historical Society;
it was recently presented by SAMUEL AGNEW, Esq.
In 1797, CORNPLANTER again visited Philadelphia, the seat of government
of the United States. His principal object appears to have been to pay
his respects to President WASHINGTON, and take an official leave of him
on his retirement from the public service. His address to WASHINGTON, on
this occasion, is marked with his usual good sense and eloquence. This
address was fortunately preserved among the papers of THOMAS MORRIS, son
of ROBERT MORRIS.[W]
[W] See _infra_, page 90.
General WASHINGTON'S answer was not preserved. As he entertained the
highest respect and esteem for CORNPLANTER, no doubt his words to the
Chief were expressive of his kind regards for his Indian friend, and his
best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the Seneca tribe.
From henceforth the career of CORNPLANTER was unconnected with the
general history of his country. He fixed his permanent residence upon the
tract of land on the Allegheny river, granted to him by the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania. The grant from the Commonwealth is dated March 16, 1796.
In the patent the tract is designated "Planter's Field," and his town is
called "Jennesadaga." It became his home in life, and is now his resting
place in death. Here he directed his efforts to the civilization and
moral improvement of his people, and as an efficient means to produce the
result inculcated the principles of temperance--to which he had himself
been long devoted.
In 1802 he visited President JEFFERSON, at the city of Washington,
for counsel and encouragement. In Mr. JEFFERSON'S excellent and
characteristic letter to him, he expresses his approbation of
CORNPLANTER'S conduct, and adds: "Go on then, brother, in the great
reformation you have undertaken. Persuade our Red Men to be sober,
and to cultivate their lands; and their women to spin and weave for
their families. * * * It will be a great glory to you to have been the
instrument of so happy a change, and your children's children, from
generation to generation, will repeat your name with love and gratitude
forever. In all your enterprises for the good of your people, you may
count with confidence on the aid and protection of the United States,
and on the sincerity and zeal with which I am animated in the furthering
of this humane work. You are our brethren of the same land; we wish you
prosperity, as brethren should do." Thus encouraged, our Chief devoted
his time and energies to the best interests of his people, and under his
influence and example they made considerable advances in civilization and
moral improvement.
When the war of 1812, with England, broke forth, CORNPLANTER, although
then far advanced in years, yet he offered his services to the United
States, to go on the war path, and accompanied by two hundred warriors of
his nation, repaired to Franklin, Venango county, when he learned that
Colonel SAMUEL DALE was about to march from that place to the frontiers
with the Venango regiment. Arriving at Franklin, he called upon Colonel
DALE, and desired a statement of the causes and objects of the war,
which being satisfactorily explained to him, he made an address, in
which he said: "That many years ago a boy came over the great waters and
settled among his people of the Six Nations; sometime thereafter the
father followed to keep him in subjection; the Indians helped the father,
but the boy was too much for both, and drove the father home. And now,
when the father had become an old man, and the boy a strong man, and a
good neighbor to his nation, he wished to show his friendship for the
Thirteen Fires by taking his two hundred warriors to assist to drive the
old man across the great waters."--Colonel DALE was obliged to inform the
Chief that he had no authority to receive his warriors into his regiment,
or take them to the frontiers. CORNPLANTER insisted that his warriors
ought not to stay at home and live idly in their wigwams whilst their
white friends and brothers were upon the war path. So persistent was he
in sending his warriors, that he could only be satisfied by the promise
of Colonel DALE to send for them when their services were required,
and when he should receive authority from the government to muster the
Indians into the service of the United States, and that in the mean
time he was to go home to his seat at Jennesadaga and have his warriors
ready to respond at a moment's call. They were not called for by Colonel
DALE, but CORNPLANTER, sent a considerable number of his warriors to the
American army; they acted as scouts, and were highly serviceable on the
frontiers, and in the Niagara campaign. His son, HENRY ABEEL, led these
warriors; he held the the commission of major, and did good service to
the United States in that war.