“Instructions for the Officers Commandg at Michilimackinac, St. Joseph &ca. Relative to their conduct with the Indians-“
Given by Sir William Johnson, Detroit,
“The Officer to keep up a good understanding with all the Indians who live near his post, & with those who may resort thither on business & to see that no injustice is dome to them in trade or otherwise-
To prevent his Garrison form having much intercourse with the Indians, or rambling abroad amongst them, as that often creates disputes & Quarrels between a soldier, & Indian for want of understanding each other-
As it will be necessary to have an Interpreter at each of the posts, the Officer will (after he arrives at a knowledge of the French Inhabitants) choose one of the honestest & best Qualified of them to serve as Interpreter when called upon, & not otherwise, who will be paid yearly what the Officer agrees with him for, which cannot be much, as it will not prevent him following his other business-
To keep up a Correspondence as well as possible with the Officers of the next posts, as also with the Commandt of Detroit, which will enable him and them to act uniformly, and have good intelligence and knowledge of the dispositions of those Nations of Indians in whose Neighbourhood they are posted – In order to prevent as much as possible abuses in trade, the Officer is to see that all Traders strictly adhere to the regulation made for that purpose, on pain of being banished, & no person is to be allowed trading with, or carrying goods to any Nation or place to the Northward, or Westward of the Detroit, except where there is a Garrison & an Officer Commmanding, who is at every such post to see that such Trader shall before he is permitted to trade, produce his passport for that purpose from Sir Wm. Johnson his Majesty’s Sole Agent and Superintendant of Indian Affairs, or his Deputy, and sealed with his seal at Arms-
On the Officers arrival at his Post, if the Indians make application to have their Arms &ca. mended, and that he judged it necessary to comply therewith, He is to order any Smith residing there, to repair the same, agreeing on the most reasonable terms with him, which Smith is annually to present an attested Accompt to it being transmitted to Sir William Johnson, who will discharge the same.”
From the Sir William Johnson Papers.
