To James Madison from William Clark, 22 January 1816
From William Clark
Missouri Territory
St. Louis
January 22nd. 1816
Sir
By the request of the Legislative Council and house of Representatives of this Territory—I have the honor to enclose you their Resolutions, “Conserning the Indian Lands Claimed in the County of St. Gennevieve and Cape Gerredou.”1
From the partial reference to the Recorder Books at this place, it would appear that the Showonees and Delawars, by virtue of a permission from the Baron Carondelet (govr. General) dated at New-orleans the 4th. of January 1793, are autherised to Settle on any of the vacant Lands on right bank of the River Mississippi, between the Rivers Missouri & Arkansaw. Conditioned that as Soon as they Should abandon their Settlements the lands they had taken possession of pursuant to the Said promission, Should be considered vacant. I am not informed the further proceedings as respects their Claim or permission to Settle. I have the Honor to be with the highest respect Your Mo Obdt Sert
Wm. Clark
RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 107, LRRS, C-54:9). Docketed as received in the War Department in February 1816. For enclosure, see n. 1.
1. The enclosed copy of resolutions, dated 22 Jan. 1816, addressed to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and signed by James Caldwell, speaker of the Missouri Territory House of Representatives, and William Neely, president of the Legislative Council (4 pp.), stated that Shawnee and Delaware Indians maintained a disputed claim to certain Missouri Territory lands on the Mississippi River heavily inhabited by white settlers, including “a Considerable portion of the richest and most fertile part of the Counties aforesaid.” A recent proclamation by Clark, however, required the settlers to leave these lands (for the 4 Dec. 1815 proclamation, see , Territorial Papers, Louisiana-Missouri, 15:191–92). The legislature requested that Congress evaluate the Indian claim and dispose of the land accordingly, but allow the white occupants to remain until the matter was settled. Clark signed the copy of the resolutions.