to Richard Butler, March 19, 1791; Isaac
Craig to Secretary of War, March 16, 1791; Secretary of War to
President, March 31, 1791.] Soon afterwards a delegation of chiefs from
the Seneca tribe of the Iroquois arrived at Fort Pitt, and sent a
message to the President, complaining of the murder of these alleged
friendly Indians. [Footnote: American State Papers, IV., 145, Cornplanter
and others to the President, March 17, 1791.] On the very day these
Seneca chiefs started on their journey home another Delaware war party
killed nine settlers, men, women, and children, within twenty miles of
Fort Pitt; which so enraged the people of the neighborhood that the
lives of the Senecas were jeopardized. The United States authorities were
particularly anxious to keep at peace with the Six Nations, and made
repeated efforts to treat with them; but the Six Nations stood sullenly
aloof, afraid to enter openly into the struggle, and yet reluctant to
make a firm peace or cede any of their lands. [Footnote: State Department
MSS., Washington Papers, Knox to the President, April 10, 1791; American
State Papers, IV., pp. 139-170, 225-233, 477-482, etc.]

Intimate Relations of the British and Indians.

The intimate relations between the Indians and the British at the Lake
Posts continued to perplex and anger the Americans. While the frontiers
were being mercilessly ravaged, the same Indians who were committing the
ravages met in council with the British agent, Alexander McKee, at the
Miami Rapids; the council being held in this neighborhood for the
special benefit of the very towns which were most hostile to the
Americans, and which had been partially destroyed by Harmar the
preceding fall. The Indian war was at its height, and the murderous
forays never ceased throughout the spring and summer. McKee came to
Miami in April, and was forced to wait nearly three months, because of
the absence of the Indian war parties, before the principal chiefs and
headmen gathered to meet him. At last, on July 1st, they were all
assembled; not only the Shawnees, Delawares, Wyandots, Ottawas,
Pottawatamies and others who had openly taken the hatchet against the
Americans, but also representatives of the Six Nations, and tribes of
savages from lands so remote that they carried no guns, but warred with
bows, spears, and tomahawks, and were clad in buffalo-robes instead of
blankets. McKee in his speech to them did not incite them to war. On the
contrary, he