To James Madison from William Harris Crawford, 18 June 1816
From William Harris Crawford
War Department 18th June 1816.
Dear Sir.
In adopting regulations to prevent the abuses which have been practised in issuing provisions to the Indians, at the military posts esblished [sic] upon the frontier, or within territories, I was led to examine the amount of issues to the inhabitants of Detroit, and its vicinity, which commenced upon the recovery of that territory from the enemy in the year 1813. The issues were Continued thro’ the last year, upon the importunate representations of Governor Cass in their favor. He was however informed that they would be discontinued at the expiration of the year.1 As it was bel[i]eved that the Crops were not very abundant, and that the difficulty of finding employment and of earning a Subsistence would be greater in the winter than upon the return of Spring, the issues were continued until at that time the contractors were ordered to discontinue them. The inclosed letter & regulation was recd. this day; and according to the governor’s request submitted for your decision.2 There is no reason to suspect abuse in this case. Had the necessity of continuing the supply of provisions to the inhabitants of Detroit been anticipated during the session of Congress, application ought to have been made to that body for relief. I doubt extremely of the legality of the application to this object of the money appropriated for the military service. The emergency in the first instance might have justified the measure, and the peculiar situation of the territory thro’ the last year might be urged in its execuse [sic] Now however it seems that the necessity is founded in the habits & manners of the people, which in all human probability can not be changed for many years. It appears now to assume the form of a permanent application of the public money to the support of the poor of that territory, which has been appropriated by the legislature for other objects.
As the issues have been discontinued, if the wishes of Governor Cass are yielded to, a new order must be issued to the Contractor. I have the honor to be your most obt. & very humble Servt
Wm: H Crawford
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM. For enclosure, see n. 2.
1. On 7 May 1816 Crawford informed Lewis Cass that instructions had been given that “the issue of rations shall be confined to the troops of the United States and to the ordinary supply of such of the Indians as may visit that post [Detroit].” “Great abuses,” Crawford continued, “are believed to have existed in relation to the issues to the Indians, in almost every section of the Country,” and he requested that Cass keep him informed about the situation (, 10:633).
2. Cass acknowledged receipt of Crawford’s 7 May 1816 letter on 31 May and asked that Crawford submit to JM Cass’s “view of the situation of this Territory, and its Inhabitants, that the extreme distress, which must result from now withdrawing the bounty of the Government, may be averted.” The governor explained at length why the Indian trade had failed to produce economic development in Michigan. The farmers pursued wasteful agricultural practices and neglected domestic manufactures, and Cass feared that without a change in the nature of the people and their customs, it would be many years before the numbers of “indigent helpless people” could be reduced. Accordingly, he urged the administration to open more land offices in Michigan and to sell more of the public lands so that “we should soon have a population from the United States which would gradually teach the Canadiens our acts and industry, which would support the expenses of the Government in a time of peace, and defend the country in the event of war.” Cass further explained why the late war had increased “the number of indigent persons” in Michigan, and he requested that the territorial government be given more power to raise revenue to help defray its costs. Enclosed with the letter was a copy of the regulations Cass had issued on 23 Sept. 1815 to govern the administration of poor relief in Michigan (ibid., 642–46).