Black Hawk
The Treaty of 1804
B
lack
Hawk's account of the treaty, as related in his autobiography:"Some moons after this young chief descended the Mississippi, one of our people killed an American--and was confined, in the prison at St. Louis, for the offence. We held a council at our village to see what could be done for him--which determined that Quash-qua-me, Aa-she-pa-ho, Ou-che-qua-ka, and Ha-she-quar-hi-qua, should go down to St. Louis, see our American father, and do all they could to have our friend released: by paying for he person killed--thus covering the blood, and satisfying the relations of the man murdered! This being the only means with us of saving a person who had killed another--and we then thought it was the same way with the whites!
The party started with the good wishes of the whole nation--hoping they would accomplish the objective of their mission. The relatives of the prisoner blacked their faces, and fasted--hoping the Great Spirit would take pity on them, and return the husband and father to his wife and children.
Quash-qua-me and party remained a long time absent. They at length returned, and encamped a short distance below the village--but did not come up that day--nor did any person approach their camp! They appeared to be dressed in fine coats, and medals! From these circumstances, we were in hopes that they had brought good news. Early the next morning, the Council Lodge was crowded--Quash-qua-me and party came up, and gave us the following account of their mission:
On their arrival at St. Louis, they met their American father and explained to him their business, and urged the release of their friend. The American chief told them he wanted land--and they had agreed to give him some on the west side of the Mississippi, and some on the Illinois side opposite the Jeffreon. When the business was all arranged, they expected to have their friend released to come home with them. But about the time they were ready to start, their friend was let out of prison, who ran a short distance, and was shot dead! This is all they could recollect of what was said and done. They had been drunk the greater part of the time they were in St. Louis.
This is all myself or nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has been explained to me since. I find, by that treaty, all our country, east of the Mississippi, and south of the Jeffreon, was ceded to the United States for one thousand dollars a year! I will leave it to the people of the United States to say, whether our nation was properly represented in this treaty? or whether we received a fair compensation from the extent of country ceded by those four individuals? I could say much about this treaty, but I will not, at this time. It has been the origin of all our difficulties."