ians, Security of the Genl: Commerce and perhaps the saving of the Countrey to the State, and probably in a few months enable us to act again on the offensive. I should be against suffering Families to settle promisly in any part of the Illinois at present, but the Establishment of the said post is so necefsary, and as it Cannot be Compleeat without the Families, I think it your Duty to give the aforesaid Incouragement and such Instructions as would confine the people for some time to a Fort. before you could consnlt Government it might be too late. Sustenance for some time will be procured with difficulty, but I cannot think of the consequences of losing poffeffion of the Countrey without a more determined Resolution to Risque every point Rather than suffer it (for they the English, cannot execute any matter of very great importance among the Savages without it. I know your concern to be Eaqual to mine. if you Concur with me in sentiment, let me know Amediately, or such Amendment as you might think more advantageous. I am Sir, with Real Esteem, Your very Humble Servt. Lieut. Col. J. M. P. LeGras to Govenor of Virginia. Translation. from the original in the State Capitol at Richmond, Va. WILLIAMSBURG, May 22nd, 1780. Sir:--The integrity with which your honorable assembly dispenses justice to the faithful subjects of the States emboldens me to represent to you the wrong impression you will receive from the papers with which Mr. Simon Nathan is charged in case your goodness orders payment. The inhabitants of St.Vincennes & the country of the Illinois ignorant of the act of Congress have sold their harvests to the army of Col. Roger Clark and have re ceived in payment piastres of the Continent, upon the footing and for the value of the Spanish piastres. Persons in authority (by your orders) have circulated them as such and have assured us authentically that there would be nothing lost. They have even passed counterfeits. In the position of magistrate of this district, my duty and benevolence prompt me to beg you to take pity upon a people who by this loss find themselves reduced to the most urgent necessities. In addition to this there has been published at St. Vincennes an order by command of Col. Jean Todd to oblige the residents to receive this money as Spanish piastres and many have been imprisoned for having refused. Some time later the before mentioned Col. John Todd required me, as it appears from his letter, to stop the circulation in view of the quantity of counterfeit orders that many are circulating which I have done, to avoid confusion without lessening (or preventing) the value of the good. Earnestly hoping that the States will pay this money according to the denomination. I have the honor of being very respectfully, Sir, Your very humble and very obedient servant, J. M. P. LE GRAS, Lt. Col. Thos: Jefferson to the Hon: the Speaker of the House of Delegates From "Calendar of Virginia State Papers," Vol. I, 360. IN COUNCIL, June 14th, 1780. Sir: In a Letter which I had the Honor of addrefsing you on the meeting of the present General Afsembly, I informed you of the necefsities which had led the Executive to withdraw our Western troops to the OhioSince the date of this letter, I have received the inclosed of the Second instant from Coll: Todd, communicating the measures he had adopted in conjunction with Colo: Clarke to procure such a Settlement contiguous to the Post which shall be taken as may not only strengthen the garrison occasionally, but be able to raise provisions for them. as the confirmation of these measures is beyond the powers of the Executive, it is my duty to refer them to the General Afsembly. it may be proper to observe that the grant of Lands to Colo. Todd was made on a supposition that the post would be taken on the North side of the Ohio, whereas I think it more probable it will be on the north side in the Lands lying between the Tanessee, Ohio, Mifisiffippi and Carolina boundary. These lands belong to the Chickasaw Indians, who from intelligence which we think may be relied on, have entered into a war with us. The expenditures of the Illinois have been deemed from some exprefsions in the act establishing that county not subject to the examination of the board of Auditors as the Auditing these accounts is very foreign to the ordinary office of the Council of State, would employ much of that time and attention which at present is called to objects of more general importance, and as their powers would not enable them to take into consideration the justice and expediency of indemnifying Col. Todd for his lofses and services, as desired in the enclosed Letter from Him, of the thirteenth instant, they beg leave to submit the whole to the consideration of the General Assembly-I have the honor to be with great respect & esteem, Sir, Your most obedient, & most humble servant. John Todd, Indian Agent, to Gov. Jefferson: Sir: I think it my indispensable duty to lay before you a true state of our situation in this Country since my arrival, which probably may throw some lights on the various reports which may reach you through channels not so well acquainted with its real wants as I am. On my arrival at the Falls of the Ohio, Col. John Todd gave me instructions to proceed to Kaskaskies, in order to take charge of the goods when arrived, which were purchased by M. Lindsay for this department, with farther orders to divide them into two parcels, one of which for the troops, and the other to be disposed of to our friendly indian allies: considering it better to sell them on reasonable [terms] than dispose of them in gifts; Horses and ammunition being articles much wanted for the Troops, I contracted for and received a quantity of lead and some horses before the arrival of the goods, and having discretionary powers, was constrained to accept of orders drawn. on me for provisions which could not otherwise be obtained. Since the goods came into my hands, the troops and Inhabitants at this place not having received the expected supplies from Government, and being well assured that without some timely relief the post and settlement must be evacuated, I was also constrained at divers times to issue quantities of the goods intended to be disposed of to our Indian Allies, in order to furnish them with the means of subsistence. The few troops that are now here are too inconsiderable to guard themselves: nor are the inhabitants much better, notwithstanding they remain in great spirits in expectation of relief from government, and have with great bravery defeated a very large party of Savages who made a regular attack on the village, at daybreak on the morning of the 17th ult. Col. Clark has divided his few men in the best manner possible so as to preserve the Country. the apprehension of a large body of the enemy in motion from detroit towards the falls of Ohio, has called him there with what men he could well spare from this Country, before he had well breathed after the fatigues of an expedition up the Mississippi-and Col. Crockett not arriving with either men or provisions, as was expected, has really involved both the troops and settlers in much distress, and greatly damped the spirits of industry in the latter, which till lately was so conspicuous. I see no other alternative, from the present appearance of our affairs, but that the few goods I have left, after supplying the troops, must all go for the purchase of provisions to keep this settlement from breaking up: and how I shall ever support my credit, or acquit myself of the obligations I have bound myself under, to those of whom I have made purchases for the troops before the arrival of the Goods, I know not. Our Credit is become so weak among the French inhabitants, our own, and the spaniards upon the opposite side of the Mississippi, that one dollar's worth of provision or other supplies cannot be had from them without prompt payment, were it to save the whole Country; by which you will perceive that without a constant and full supply of goods in this quarter to answer the exigencies of Government, nothing can ever be well affected but in a very contracted manner. I observe that the distance the settlers, who come in general to this Country, have to travel, impoverishes them in a great degree. They come at the expense of their all, in full hopes and expectations of being assisted by Government. Were these hopes cherished and supplies of necessaries of all kinds furnished them in the manner of the neighboring Spaniards, to be paid in produce, such as might answer for the troops or for exportation, many good consequences would be attendant. emigrants, on such encouragement, would flock to us in numbers, instead of submitting to the Spanish Yoke; the principal part of their new settlements would join us; all those from the Natchez in particular only wait the encouraging invitation to re |