To James Madison from William Hull, 31 July 1806
From William Hull
Detroit 31st. July 1806.
Sir
I have constantly given information to the Secretary of War, respecting the state of the Territory, in relation to the Indians. Every thing is now perfectly pacific, and I hope we shall experience no future alarms. When I arrived, all business was suspended, and all the people were engaged in preparations for defence.
Much sensibility in upper Canada is excited on account of their Slaves. Some of them have recently left their masters, and come into this Territory. Their masters have applied to me, to have them apprehended by authority and sent back. I did not consider myself authorized to comply with their request. They have likewise applied to the judicial power, and received the same answer. I presume it is unnecessary to state the grounds of our opinion; I presume it will be considered as correct.
I learn, they are about making a statement to the British minister on the subject. If they state only the above facts, we agree they are true. If they should state in their representation, that t⟨he⟩ Officers of this government have given any ki⟨nd⟩ of encouragement to this practice, it will ⟨be⟩ without any foundation. So far from it, w⟨e⟩ have done all we consistently could to preve⟨nt it.⟩
If I have misconstrued the treaty,1 and misconceived ⟨my⟩ duty, it is an error of the head and not of the hea⟨rt.⟩
My wishes would be in favor of restoring the⟨m⟩ to their duty. I am with very great respect your most obedt. Servt.
William Hull
RC (DNA: RG 59, TP, Michigan, vol. 1). Docketed by Wagner as received 30 Aug.
1. Hull referred to the Jay treaty, the third article of which permitted British subjects, U.S. citizens, and Indians living on either side of the United States-Canadian boundary to cross it at will, by water or land, and “freely to carry on trade and commerce with each other.” Much to the chagrin of U.S. slaveholders, the treaty did not provide compensation for slaves taken by the British during the Revolutionary War (, 2:246; Don E. Fehrenbacher, The Slaveholding Republic: An Account of the United States Government’s Relations to Slavery [New York, 2001], 92–93). For JM’s comments on the treaty’s failure to provide restitution for removed slaves, see his 15 Apr. 1796 speech in the U.S. House of Representatives, 16:313–16.