DOCUMENTS RELATIVE TO A SEAMAN CLAIMED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. Mr. Monroe to Mr. Foster. Department of State, June 10, 1812. SIR, I have the honour to transmit to you for the information of your government, the enclosed papers, (No. 1 and 2) in relation to William Helby, alias William Bowman, a sailor belonging to the United States sloop of war the Hornet, for whom lord Castlereagh, on the 20th of February, when his lordship supposed that vessel was in a British port, informed Mr. Russell that a writ of habeas corpus would be issued and enforced by the legal authorities of Great Britain. I have the honour, &c. &c. Augustus J. Foster, &c. &c. &c. JAMES MONROE. Navy Department, June 8, 1812. SIR,-Having seen the deposition of Elizabeth E. Bowman, in the case of William Bowman, alias William Helby, alias William Elby, said to have been compelled by force to enter on board the Hornet, I wrote to captain Lawrence, commander of the Hornet, for information on the subject, and have received from him the paper which I have the honour of transmitting herewith. It can be scarcely necessary for me to remark that neither the laws nor usages of our country would sanction any compulsory means to induce persons to enter the navy of the United States. I am, with great respect, &c. PAUL HAMILTON. The Honourable the Secretary of State. United States' ship Hornet, New York, June 2, 1812. I DO hereby certify, that in consequence of not being able to get a birth on board a merchant ship, and being absolutely in want of bread, I was induced to enter as a seaman on board the Hornet, and for that purpose repair ed to her rendezvous, then opened in Philadelphia, and voluntarily entered with lieutenant Cassin, on the third July, 1811, to serve the United States of America, honestly and faithfully for the term of two years, unless sooner discharged. At the time I shipped, I declare that I was perfectly sober, and that as soon as I had received my three months advance I went on board the gun-boat then lying off the navy yard, for the purpose of receiving the men shipped for the Hornet, accompanied by the officer commanding her, and the landlord of the rendezvous; and I solemnly declare that no force whatever was used to compel me to enter the service, or to get me on board the gun boat. Witnesses WILLIAM HELBY. JOSEPH SMOOT, Midshipman United States Navy. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS, RELATIVE TO EXCITEMENTS, ON THE PART OF BRITISH SUBJECTS, OF THE INDIANS, TO COMMIT HOSTILITY AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE EVIDENCE OF SUCH HOSTILITY PRIOR TO THE LATE CAMPAIGN ON THE WABASH. JUNE 13, 1812. REPORT. THE Committee, to whom was referred so much of the President's message as relates to Indian affairs, report: That the attention of the committee has been directed to the following inquiries: 1st. Whether any, and what agency the subjects of the British government may have had in exciting the Indians on the western frontier, to hostilities against the United States. 2d. The evidence of such hostility, on the part of the Indian tribes, prior to the late campaign on the Wabash. 3d. The orders by which the campaign was authorized and carried on. The committee have obtained all the evidence within their power relative to these several inquiries. The documents accompanying the President's message to Congress, of the 11th instant, contain all and some additional evidence to what had been obtained by the committee, in relation to the first inquiry. Those documents afford evidence as conclusive as the nature of the case can well be supposed to admit of, that the supply of Indian goods furnished at fort Malden, and distributed during the last year by the British agents, in upper Canada, to the Indian tribes, were more abundant than usual; and it is difficult to account for this extraordinary liberality, on any other ground than that of an intention to attach the Indians to the British cause, in the event of a war with the United States. That the Indian tribes should put to hazard the large annuities which they have been so long in the habit of receiving from the United States; that they should relinquish supplies so necessary to their comfort, if not to their ex istence, by a hostile conduct, in the absence of all other evidence, is not the least convincing proof that some agency has been employed to stimulate the savages to hostilities; and having pursued a course of conduct which must lead to a forfeiture of those advantages, renders it at least probable that they had assurances of receiving an equivalent elsewhere. Additional presents, consisting of arms and ammuni tion, given at a time when there is evidence that the British were apprized of the hostile disposition of the Indians, accompanied with the speeches addressed to them, excit ing disaffection, are of too decisive a character to leave doubt on the subject. With regard to the second subject of inquiry, the com mittee are of opinion that the evidence accompanying this report, together with the official communication made to the Executive, by the British government, affords such evidence of the hostile views and intentions of the Indians, as to render it the duty of the President of the United States to use the necessary means of protecting the frontiers from the attack with which they were threatened. Accordingly, in pursuance of the provisions of the act of Congress, entitled "An act for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions," the Executive ordered the fourth regiment of infantry, with one company of riflemen, under the command of colonel Boyd, from Pittsburgh to Vincennes, subject to the farther orders of governour Harrison, who was authorized, with this force and such additional number of companies from the militia as should be deemed necessary, to establish a new post on the Wabash, and to march against and disperse the armed combination under the prophet. These considerations, together with the documents, are respectfully submitted. War Department, Dec. 19, 1811. SIR,-In answer to the call of the honourable committee of the House of Representatives, contained in your letter of the 25th ultimo, for "all evidence tending to show what agency the subjects of his Britannick majesty may have had in exciting the Indians on the western frontier to hostility with the United States; the evidence of hostility towards the United States on the part of the Shawanee prophet and his tribe, and which it is presumed gave rise to the expedition under the command of governour Harrison; and the orders or authority vested in governour Harrison by the government of the United States, under which the expedition is carried on ;" I have the honour to state, that the information received by this department, relative to the subjects of inquiry, is contained in the correspondence of the governours of the Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois territories, and of other officers and agents of government, on the northern and western frontier, extracts from which, embracing the objects of inquiry of the honourable committee, together with the memorials of the inhabitants of the Indiana and Illinois territories, are herewith transmitted. On the information and representation of facts therein contained, the fourth regiment of infantry, with one company of riflemen, under the command of colonel Boyd, were ordered from Pittsburgh to Vincennes, subject to the further orders of governour Harrison, who was authorized, with this force and such additional number of companies from the militia as should be deemed necessary, to estab lish a new post on the Wabash, and to march against, and I have the honour to be, &c. Michilimackinac, 24 May, 1807, captain Dunham, of the Ditto, Jeffersonville, Falls of Ohio, Vincennes, St. Louis, U. S. army. 30 Aug. 1807, Dunham and others. 14 April, 1808, governour Harrison. 5 April, 1809, general Clark. 30 April, 1809, general Clark, with an Fort Wayne, St. Louis, Vincennes, Sandusky, Detroit, Vincennes, 14 June, 1810, 16 June, 1809, governour Hull. Harrison. ditto. ditto. ditto. St. Louis, Fort Wayne, 20 July, 1810, general Clark. Hull. 7 Aug. 1810, captain Johnston. 6 Feb. 1811, governor Harrison. 24 May, 1811, general Clark. 2 June, 1811, Saliene, Indian Interp. |