To James Madison from Josiah Meigs, 20 June 1815
From Josiah Meigs
General Land office June 20th. 1815.
Sir,
The documents enclosed with this relative to the opposition of the Indians to the survey of the Military Bounty lands in the territory of Michigan, and of the road from the Rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie to the connecticut reserve are respectfully presented.1
Surveyors have been frequently interrupted in the prosecution of their work; but I do not know that any compensation has ever been allowed them. So far as I have been informed, these interruptions have been considered as incidental to the nature of their contracts. I have the honor &c.
Letterbook copy (DNA: RG 49, Division C, Misc. Letters Sent). For enclosures, see n. 1.
1. Meigs enclosed Edward Tiffin’s letter to him of 12 June 1815 (3 pp.), stating with regret that Indians had “driven in” the men sent to survey “the lands situate on each side of the road laid out from the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie to the Western line of the Connecticut reserve, as also those who were instructed to survey the lands appropriated for satisfying the Military bounties in the Territory of Michigan,” and asking that Meigs submit the matter to JM. Tiffin enclosed a copy of deputy surveyor Benjamin Hough’s 12 June 1815 letter to him (6 pp.), reporting that Indians believed the locations of the Ohio road and the Michigan Territory boundaries to be different from those delineated in the relevant treaties, and had refused to allow the surveyors to proceed. Hough enclosed a copy of a 19 May 1815 letter to him from the Wyandot chief Tarhe (1 p.), stating that the Indians would permit the Ohio road to be surveyed “only where it was agreed by us to have it run, that is from the foot of the Rapids of the Miami to the foot of the Rapids of Sandusky—and no other place.” Meigs wrote on Tiffin’s letter: “Ansd—originals sent to Presidt. U S 20 June” (DNA: RG 49, Letters Received from the Surveyor General of the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio).