speech of Lord Dorchester, which was interpreted to them by Colonel Butler, together with the presents heaped on them by the British, on this occasion, induced them to give up that friendly intention.

Colonel Butler and Captain Bunbury attended the council, in behalf of the British Government. They took pains, on all occasions, to represent a war between their government and ours, as inevitable; and, although in my presence, they did not intimate that their assistance would be wanted by the King, yet, I am persuaded, that, on other occasions, every effort is made to secure it.

The presents that I brought from Philadelphia, for, and delivered to the Indians, proved very satisfactory to them; and am persuaded, that, at the present time, a continuation of the generosity of the United States will be highly serviceable.

This part of the country being the frontier of the State of New York, feels very much alarmed at the present appearance of war. Destitute of arms and ammunition, the scattered inhabitants of this remote wilderness would fall an easy prey to their savage neighbors, should they think proper to attack them.

When I was at Buffalo Creek, Governor Simcoe had gone to Detroit. He started for that place immediately after receiving Lord Dorchester's speech to the Indians.

The expenses of the Indians increase very fast. Their demands increase with the importance they suppose their friendship is

to us.

However, sir, you may rest assured, that I endeavor to make use of all the economy that I can.

I have the honor to be, with respect, sir, your obedient servant, ISRAEL CHAPIN.

P. S. My son will inform you many particulars that I thought proper to omit mentioning in this letter.

[Enclosure 10.]

Reply of the Six Nations, assembled at Buffalo Creek, on the 21st of April, 1794, to a speech from General Knox, Secretary of War to the United States, delivered by General Chapin, on the 10th February, as interpreted by Jasper Parrish, one of the interpreters for the United States.

Clear Sky (an Onondaga chief) spoke as follows:

GENERAL CHAPIN: We are happy to see that you are arrived safe at our council fire, and that you have been preserved, by the Great Spirit, in good health.

COLONEL BUTLER: We are also very happy to see you at our council fire, as representing the King.

Captain Brandt then spoke as follows:

BROTHERS: You, of the United States, listen to what we are going to say to you; you, likewise, the King.

BROTHERS: We are very happy to see you, Colonel Butler and General Chapin, sitting side by side, with the intent of hearing what we have to say. We wish to do no business but what is done open and aboveboard.

BROTHER: You, of the United States, make your mind easy, on account of the long time your President's speech has been under our consideration; when we received it, we told you it was a business of importance, and required some time to be considered of.

BROTHER: The answer you have brought us is not according to what we expected, which was the reason of our long delay; the business would have been done with expedition, had the United States agreed to our proposals. We would then have collected our associates, and repaired to Venango, the place you proposed for meeting us.

BROTHER: It is not now in our power to accept your invitation; provided we were to go, you would conduct the business as you might think proper; this has been the case at all the treaties held, from time to time, by your commissioners.

BROTHER: At the first treaty, after the conclusion of the war between you and Great Britain, at fort Stanwix, your commissioners conducted the business as it to them seemed best; they

pointed out a line of division, and then confirmed it; after this, they held out that our country was ceded to them by the King; this confused the chiefs who attended there, and prevented them from making any reply to the contrary; still holding out, if we did not consent to it, their warriors were at their back, and that we would get no further protection from Great Britain. This has ever been held out to us, by the commissioners from Congress; at all the treaties held with us since the peace, at fort McIntosh, at Rocky river, and every other meeting held, the idea was still the same.

BROTHER: This has been the case from time to time. Peace has not taken place, because you have held up these ideas, owing to which much mischief has been done to the Southward.

BROTHER: We, the Six Nations, have been exerting ourselves to keep peace since the conclusion of the war; we think it would be best for both parties; we advised the confederate nations to request a meeeting, about half way between us and the United States, in order that such steps might be taken as would bring about a peace; this request was made, and Congress appointed commissioners to meet us at Muskingum, which we agreed to, a boundary line was then proposed by us, and refused by Governor St. Clair, one of your commissioners. The Wyandots, a few Delawares, and some others, met the commissioners, though not authorized, and confirmed the lines of what was not their property, but a common to all nations.

BROTHER: This idea we all held out at our council, at Lower Sandusky, held for the purpose of forming our confederacy, and to adopt measures that would be for the general welfare of our Indian nations, or people of our color; owing to those steps taken by us, the United States held out, that when we went to the Westward to transact our private business, that we went with an intention of taking an active part in the troubles subsisting between them and our Western brethren; this never has been the case. We have ever wished for the friendship of the United States.

BROTHER: We think you must be fully convinced, from our perseverance last summer, as your commissioners saw, that we were anxious for a peace between us. The exertions that we, the Six Nations, have made towards accomplishing this desirable end, is the cause of the Western nations being somewhat dubious

as to our sincerity. After we knew their doubts, we still persevered; and, last fall, we pointed out methods to be taken, and sent them, by you, to Congress; this we certainly expected would have proved satisfactory to the United States; in that case we should have more than ever exerted ourselves, in order that the offers we made should be confirmed by our confederacy, and by them strictly to be adhered to.

BROTHER: Our proposals have not met with the success from Congress that we expected; this still leaves us in a similar situation to what we were when we first entered on the business.

BROTHER: You must recollect the number of chiefs who have, at divers times, waited on Congress; they have pointed out the means to be taken, and held out the same language, uniformly, at one time as at another; that was, if you would withdraw your claim to the boundary line, and lands within the line, as offered by us; had this been done, peace would have taken place; and, unless this still be done, we see no other method of accomplishing it.

BROTHER: We have borne every thing patiently for this long time past; we have done every thing we could consistently do with the welfare of our nations in general-notwithstanding the many advantages that have been taken of us, by individuals making purchases from us, the Six Nations, whose fraudulent conduct towards us Congress never has taken notice of, nor in any wise seen us rectified, nor made our minds easy. This is the case to the present day; our patience is now entirely worn out; you see the difficulties we labor under, so that we cannot, at present, rise from our seats and attend your council at Venango, agreeable to your invitation. The boundary line we pointed out, we think is a just one, although the United States claim lands west of that line; the trifle that has been paid by the United States can be no object in comparison to what a peace would be.

BROTHER: We are of the same opinion with the people of the United States; you consider yourselves as independent people; we, as the original inhabitants of this country, and sovereigns of the soil, look upon ourselves as equally independent, and free as any other nation or nations. This country was given to us by the Great Spirit above; we wish to enjoy it, and have our passage along the lake, within the line we have pointed out.

BROTHER: The great exertions we have made, for this number of years, to accomplish a peace, and have not been able to obtain it; our patience, as we have already observed, is exhausted, and we are discouraged from persevering any longer. We, therefore, throw ourselves under the protection of the Great Spirit above, who, we hope, will order all things for the best. We have told you our patience is worn out; but not so far, but that we wish for peace, and, whenever we hear the pleasing sound, we shall pay attention to it.

(The belt and speech, sent by General Knox, were then returned to General Chapin).

[Enclosure 11.]

Speech of General Chapin to the Six Nations.

BROTHERS: I am happy in this opportunity of meeting you in so general a council, but am sorry to find that your exertions for bringing about a peace to the Westward, have been checked by the rumor of a British war. Lord Dorchester's speech, which has been explained to you, has been the cause of your uneasiness; and pains have been taken to increase that uneasiness, by filling your heads with an idea that a war between Great Britain and America is inevitable. For my own part, I do not believe that a war will take place. I am sure that our President and our Congress are averse to it; and that, if peace can, with honor, be maintained by the United States, that war is not their wish.

BROTHERS: I still hope and believe, that the black clouds that are gathering around us, will shortly be dispersed, the sun will again shine bright, and you will be able to keep your seats with comfort to yourselves.

BROTHERS: Even if the storm should thicken, why need your minds be troubled? Why need you be called from your seats, in order to forward the pretensions of Great Britain?

BROTHERS: You have not yet heard the voice of the President; he has not yet told you that we are going to take up the tomahawk. Until you hear this voice, I hope you will keep your seats, and not suffer your minds to be troubled by any fear of war.