Address to the Indians
Worthington C. Ford, ed., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 vol. 5, June 5 - October 8, 1776 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1906), 430-431.[1]
Contents
Manuscript text, 6 June 1776
Page 1
Journals of the Continental Congress
Page 430
The present[s] being provided for the Indians, they were called in, and the speech agreed to, was delivered as follows:
BROTHERS,
We hope the friendship that is between us and you will be firm, and continue as long as the sun shall shine, and the waters run; that we and you may be as one people, and have but one heart, and be kind to one another like brethren.BROTHERS,
The king of Great Britain, hearkening to the evil counsel of some of his foolish young men, is angry with us, because we will not let him take away from us our land, and all that we have, and give it to them, and because we will not do every thing that he bids us;1 and hath hindered his people from bringing goods to us; but, we have made provision for getting such a quantity of them, that we hope we shall be able to supply your wants as formerly.BROTHERS,
We shall order all our warriors and young men not to hurt you or any of your kindred, and we hope you will not suffer any of your young men to join with our enemies, or to do any wrong to us, that nothing may happen to make any quarrel between us.BROTHERS,
We desire you to accept a few necessaries, which we present you with, as tokens of our good will towards you."The presents being delivered, the Indians begged leave to give a name to the president; the same being granted, the Onondago chief gave the president the name of Karanduawn, or the Great Tree, by which name he informed him the president will be known among the Six nations.
1 In the original report this sentence follows: "he hath taken up the hatchet to strike us, and given money to a people who are strangers to us, to come from a far country, and fight against us.2
2 This report, in the writing of George Wythe, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 351. It was presented and agreed to on June 6.
Page 431
ǁAfter which the Indians took their leave and withdrew.ǁ
See also
References
- ↑ Worthington C. Ford, ed., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 vol. 5, June 5 - October 8, 1776 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1906), 430-431.
