Sunday, April 17, 2011

Treaty Of Greenville

The rapidly growing Caucasian nation held a loose political power over half a continent, and yet acknowledged that it did not either rightfully occupy or own a large part of the soil over which its flag waived, and that its citizens could not move unrestricted about, either on river or land, of their own free will. The newer Americans knew they could finally exterminate the red men by force of numbers if they chose to do so. But the policy would have required another generation or two of warfare and they were not inclined to follow such a plan. They believed they could acquire the country by using methods no less effective and more peaceable, so they set forth on a program of diplomacy under which the Indian were to be treated as friend and neighbor and through which the native possessions were to be secured by purchase and pressure as speedy as possible.

To the eastward of the described Indian domain lay a part of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and all the Atlantic coast region. South was the Ohio River, Kentucky, and Tennessee, already n the grasp of the Caucasians. Toward the North was Detroit and Lakes Erie and Michigan. With their obvious importance, and in the west were the Illinois towns won by Clark and the Upper Mississippi River. These possessions of the United States were all separated from one and other, and part of them were cut off from the bulk of the white population in the east, about 1/3rd of Ohio and practically all of Indiana and Illinois. Communication and access was vital. The only travel routes were Indian trails and the rivers. Consequently, a considerable part of the Treaty of Greenville was devoted to a careful description of routes over which the Indians consented that the white men might journey. In the language of the compact the said Indian tribes will allow the people of the United States free passage along five detailed travel routes. If he found himself of forbidden soil he was out of the protection of the United States and they could punish him as they saw fit.
Over them, for years thereafter, proceeded white movement in the region so penetrated, by canoe, flatboat, pack train and feet until the trails became roads.