Notes for Letter and enclosures from W.G. Ewing to William Medill, April 26 1847: Sheet #13

Transcription

Fort Wayne April 10^th 1847

Col. A Hamilton & Rev^d Benoist

Gent^m

As you were at Peru in Oct^r 1846 when the Miamies removed and assisted & were familiarwith the transaction, will you please state whether all or any of the Contractors (Coquillard Edsall & Ewing) permitted any of the Miamies to remain behind for the purpose of gathering their Crops & after this was done to go West. The Honble: Commissioner of Indian Affairs has been so informed, and speaks of it as follows under date of 26^th March 1847. "In addition to the 47 Indians who are said to be entitled to membership and a community of interest with either the Miamies or Pottawatomies, as they may choose to elect, among which are the family of Waw-we-assee there are still remaining in Indiana according to the official returns, Thirty Miamies concerning whose membership obligation to remove there is no dispute. These are represented to have been left for the purpose of gathering their crops and wish a full understanding that they were to join their brethren in the West, as soon as that object was accomplished." I have taken upon myself to say that so far as the Contractors were concerned, he was misinformed nor do I believe that Major Jouett gave any such permission, & I will request a statement from him. I never heard of it until this [repost?] made to Col. Medill, which I beleive to be untrue as to the Contractors or the Officers in command. 2^nd Will you please give your opinions, whether the Contractors did or did not use due diligence to get all the Indians to emigrate, and whether it was then in their power to force the few to go who had fled to Michigan or otherwise secreted themselves? My object is to submit to the Honbl Com^r