not see what passed, there was a Mist before our eyes which you have expelled and as this Obstacle is removed nothing can prevent us from joining our hearts to yours for the good of the Confederacy, whatever we have done is for your interest as well as our own, who look upon as remaining in this Country, we are sorry that some tribes will not pay any attention to any thing that opposes their Views of War, but it is our Business to put them right, and if we can by a peace obtain our just rights, it ought to take place and we will not join those few People if they will be so unreasonable as to wish to involve us in trouble when we have no object to Contend for. BROTHERS; It makes me happy that the Conduct of the Deputies meets your approbation we certainly Acted to the best of our knowledge, and what we delivered was the result of Councils before we left this, and if they changed their Minds afterwards, we ought not to be Blamed. We were not authorised to fix the Boundary line but to know from the Commissioners if they were impowered to make a Boundary. BROTHERS; What you have said respecting bringing the present matter to a Conclusion appears to us reasonable, the Season is far advanced and after having come a great way we are remaining here to little or no purpose, we therefore agree with you that those people who are impowered to treat with us should be nearer. BROTHERS; We thank you for the Confidence you have put in us, we will continue to act for the good of the Confederacy from which nothing shall make us Deviate. 3 Strings Wampum. BROTHERS; You the Ottawas, Pottewatamies, and Chippewas, we have now settled so far with Sincerity in the Presence of the Great Spirit who we hope will Assist us. BROTHERS; Will you make known with this Belt our Sentiments to the rest of the Confederate Indians. A Large White Belt. The Chiefs accordingly went to the Council house and sent twice to the Chiefs of the other Nations, but they paid no attention to the Message, upon which they Broke up, and came and informed the Six Nations, who in the evening communicated the Business to the Hurons and asked their private opinion in a friendly manner. They Complimented us and promised to give us an answer the next morning. 26th; The Hurons instead of answering the Six Nations according to their Promise were employed till 12 o'Clock in private Councils with the other tribes. About 12 o'Clock the Confederacy met in General Council, when after the usual Ceremonies the Hurons Chief (Chenolou) Spoke as follows; BROTHERS; Of the Six Nations & you our younger Brethren the three tribes of the Lake Indians, we request your attention to what we the Shawanoes, Hurons, Delawares, Viz. have to say in answer to what you informed us of yesterday evening. BROTHERS; We are sorry that you have broke the Confederacy, and removed the Council fire, you have made the Council fire Drunk, you well know the Determination of the Council of the Glaize last fall and which you are now Acting contrary to. This is Scandalous & Shamefull, we hope you will consider seriously of this Meeting and have patience, it is no matter how long, Sandusky was appointed as the place of meeting and there only it can take place, at that Place we the Hurons will Deliver our Sentiments which nobody is at present acquainted with, a private Consultation then took place between the Six Nations & Lake Indians when the Six Nations proposed that as Objections were made, they should in the present instance give way and agree to Sandusky, but the Lake Indians disaproved of it and said their Cloaths were worn out and they could not go further, in their opinion the treaty ought to take place at the Mouth of this River & that the Ground where the treaty was held could make no difference. The Six Nations agreed to this Proposal and I was requested to Deliver it in Council. BROTHERS; You the Hurons have answered what we informed you of yesterday evening, we then asked your private opinion. You must certainly understand us, we did not remove the fire place we only gave it as our opinion that the Treaty might be nearer the whole of our Speech is calculated for the good of the Confederacy and so far from Breaking it we are now come here to make it Stronger which we have often done before, and we only complain of the Hardships we labour under in being kept here to no purpose, in the Course of two Months that we have been here this is only the third Public Council. We understand that the Confederacy were to Consult here what terms they would make Peace upon, when they met the Commissioners at Sandusky, but we have not yet been made acquainted with any Determination and as the time is passing away it is our opinion that the treaty should be held nearer. BROTHERS; You said well, when you mentioned that the Fire got Drunk, as we observed that Drinking prevailed and perhaps the Smell of the Rum made the Council fire Drunk. BROTHERS; You say the General Council of the Glaize cannot be altered, had not unnecessary delays taken place, we should not have named a place nearer but finding the time trifled with, we wished to bring the treaty to a Conclusion as soon as we Conveniently could, you must remember that you proposed the Meeting long ago, had that taken Place we would have had time to have gone to Sandusky. BROTHERS; It appears Strange to us and we think you wrong to say that you will not deliver your Sentiments until you come to Sandusky. This is the place that was appointed for the sentiments of the Confederacy to be made known to each other, you must here explain your opinion and when we meet the Commissioners, we must Speak with one Voice, this is what was agreed upon at the Glaize last Fall. BROTHERS; We hope you will make your mind easy with respect to the Lake Indians and the Six Nations, they are come here at your request to assist you in making peace for this our Country and they have no object in View but your Good. BROTHERS; You recommend Patience to us, you are at home with your Families but you must remember that we have not the same Conveniency. BROTHERS; We assure you before the Great Spirit that we do not mean the least Deviation from the Confederacy, and our hearts are true to their Interest. A White Belt. At this time we placed a Moon of Wampum and a Dish with one Spoon in the Council which Signified that the Country was in Common. Captain Johnny then spoke as follows; BROTHERS; We Return you the Six Nations thanks for your Speech and for renewing our Ancient Customs, we hope you are satisfied, let us therefore proceed in the Public Business, we must now form another Speech to the Commissioners. The tribes then withdrew to Consult, the Shawanoes, Hurons, Miamis, Delawares, etc. together. The Six Nations and Lake Indians by themselves when they were Seated the Shawanoes Chief Spoke as follows; BROTHERS; We are withdrawn here to form another Message to the Commissioners, we must Strike a Boundary line, that line must be the one agreed upon at the Treaty of Fort Stanwix. I must here observe that the opinion of the Six Nations was not Asked, which I thought strange as in a matter of such importance the opinion of all the tribes should have been asked. The Shawanoes Chief then asked me to put down in writing the Words that were to form the Message. But afterwards the Chief of the Wyandots formed the Message & Lieut. Selby put down the Words in Writing, I was then asked to Sign the Message which I refused as I disapproved it, it was then proposed that young men should be the bearers and the Six Nations were Desired to turn out two, but instead of this the Principal Chief of the Shawanoes and the Delawares went to meet the Commissioners. 28th; The Message was sent to the Commissioners. Aug. 5th; The Chiefs returned from the Commissioners who they told when they received their Answer that they might go home or return to Mr. Washington, and they would then have returned had it not been for Captain Elliott. The Chiefs this day gave an Account of their Proceedings with the Commissioners and Delivered the Answers. The Six Nations observing from the actions of the aforementioned Indians that no Treaty was intended, as their Situation began to be unhealthy they prepared to Return home, some Shawanoes Chiefs upon this came to the Six Nations and requested them to stay a few days longer as in a Day or two they would come to a final Determination. To which the Six Nations readily agreed. 7th; The Confederacy met in General Council, Capt. Johnny Speaker, about this time the Creeks arrived, after repeating what the Six Nations had said some days ago respecting the Moon of Wampum and the Dish with one Spoon, he produced four Strings of Wampum and a Pipe and tobacco which a Warrior of the Creeks took and Spoke as follows; BROTHERS; I am happy that a Council was held at the Glaize last Fall and that in consequence thereof the Confederacy are now met, and I am now come to strengthen the Union and altho these our Strings are small they are full of meaning, our Confederacy is like a house with four Doors and all the Indian Country is in common, it appears to be most exposed to the Eastward but we are determined that no part of it shall suffer if in our power to support it. 4 Strings Wampum. BROTHERS; This is our Pipe, I now take it up to Smoke as a Warrior which I am, our Nation has Smoked it. The White people to the Eastward are encroaching upon our lands, we are Determined to oppose them and we are able to Drive them Back, we shall not sit down until fall, altho we have got up it is not our whole strength. Part of our Force is at present sufficient to repell them, the rest will be ready to Defend any other encroachment. This Pipe is sent to the Northern Part of the Confederacy who we expect will smoke it that the Southern part may observe the smoke in the Sky, and those that do not smoke it, we shall look upon as not belonging to the Union & who do not mean to Defend their Country. A Pipe & Piece of Tobacco. The Pipe & Tobacco was delivered to the Seven Nations of Canada, who with the Six Nations answered as follows; BROTHERS; You have presented us a pipe requesting us to join in the war, but we must defer answering you on that subject until we have settled the Business we are come here upon and our answer will in a great Measure Depend upon the Result of the proposed treaty with the Commissioners, the Pipe must therefore be put away for the Present. The Pipe returned. The 7 Ñations told the Shawanoes they hoped no more delays would be made and requested they would appoint a Place near at hand, for Meeting the Commissioners. The Shawanoes replied that what they had said was very reasonable, they then appointed a place about eight miles below this, and proposed that Lieut. Selby should write a Letter which they would send the next Day for the Commissioners, when they came to dictate the Letter Lieut. Selby told them that they ought to answer Part of the Commissioners' Speech before they sent the Letter. The Indians then proposed a Meeting Next Day to form an Answer to the Commissioners. 9th; The Six Nations received a Message that a General Council was to be held when we were Met, Captain Johnny the Shawanoes Spoke as follows, to the Six Nations; BROTHERS; We acknowledge that you the Six Nations formed the Present Uuion, you also joined the Creeks & other Nations to the Southward, you remember the Treaty held at Sandusky shortly after the War, and that the King our Father recommended to us to live in Peace with our Neighbours, at that time you recommended the strictest union as the only means of Preserving our Country and making ourselves respectable, you advised us that whenever a treaty was proposed by the United States, we should all be present, you said you knew the Americans would have Lands, and as the whole Country was in Common whatever was done in presence of the Confederacy would remain firm, if a Meeting was called in the Six Nations Country, we were to attend there & if called here, you were to come to us, but I am sorry to add that this Advice has not been followed, small Treaties have been held at Fort McIntosh and other places, to which all our troubles since are owing. BROTHERS; At a meeting of the Confederacy some years ago, on account of the misunderstanding between us and the Americans we agreed to meet them on the Muskingum in 1787, but this was not conducted properly only a few attended and it created fresh trouble, after this inattention to what had been agreed upon in Genl. Council, you the Six Nations left the affairs of the Union to the management of us the Shawanoes, Delawares, & Twightwees. 4 Strings White Wampum. BROTHERS;— Last Fall we met at the Glaize where we strengthened & renewed our union, at that time you the Six Nations arrived with a Message from the United States, setting forth that they wished to have a treaty, we acceded to their request and appointed Sandusky as the place of Meeting. We then mentioned the Conditions upon which we would make peace, and stated that the old Boundary line which is the Ohio should be continued if the Americans agree to that line, we shall be convinced they are in earnest, and wish a lasting Peace. BROTHERS; We are willing to meet the Commissioners of the United States but our Boundary must be Old line which is the Ohio River, this is our real Sentiments. We now expect to hear also your Sentiments. A Bunch Wampum. A Chief of the 7 Nations then said; BROTHERS; We have just heard what the Shawanoes, Delawares, & Twightwees have said. We are ready to Deliver our sentiments but as the Six Nations are better acquainted with the past transactions we think they should Speak first. Having consulted with the Six Nations, I delivered their sentiments as follows; BROTHERS; I am happy to have at last an opportunity of Speaking to you together it is what I have long wished for, we are now required to deliver our sentiments which is very proper, but that is not to say that we should adopt the opinion of any one part, and by Comparing our ideas together we will be enabled to form a Judgement of our real interest, whatever opinion appears best calculated to support that should be observed, I therefore only request your attention to such part of our Words as appears calculated to promote our future Welfare. BROTHERS; In the first place I am under the necessity of repeating some part of what you have said respecting our former transactions. When we were at Sandusky, we, upon looking back and weighing the situation of the Indians, gave our opinion for uniting them as you have observed, it was apparent that nothing but that was left to preserve our rights and our Country, we also thought it proper that if the United States wished to treat with us that we should all attend on such an occasion as we will know that Partial treaties would never be observed, and that nothing could be permanent without the Concurrence of all the Nations in a General Council, you have acknowledged the truth of this in mentioning the small treaties that took place at Fort McIntosh and other places. In consequence of this we advised you to attend a Treaty at the Muskingum, but after this was agreed to difficulties were started by the Miamis, who said they would not attend as the Great Nations above were not present, we had then agreed upon that river as the Boundary, and you the Hurons in particular were of our opinion, when we answered at Sandusky that the Hurons here present and some Delawares had sent word to the American Commissioners that their Nations would at all events agree to his terms, which afforded General Sinclair an oppor |