Speech of the United Indian Nations, at their Confederate Council held near the Mouth of the Detroit River between the 28^th Nov and 18^th Dec 1786. Present — The Five Nations, the Hurons, Delawares, Shawanees, Ottawas, Chippewas, Puttawatimies, Twixt-fires, Cherokees & the Wabash Confederates. To the Congress of the United States of America. Brethren of the Thirteen United States of America, It is now more than three Years since Peace was made between the King of Great Britain and you, but we the Indians, were disappointed finding ourselves not included in that Peace according to our Expectations, for we thought that its Conclusion would have promoted a Friendship between the United States & Indians, & that we might enjoy the Happiness which formerly subsisted between us and our Brothers — We have received two very agreeable Messages from the Northern United States we also received a Message from the King whose war we were engaged in, desiring us to remain Quiet, which we accordingly complied with — During the truce of this Tranquility we were deliberating the best method to form a lasting Reconciliation with the Thirteen United States. Pleased at the same time we thought that we were entering upon a Reconciliation & Friendship with a Set of People from on the same Continent with ourselves certain that the Quarrel that was between us was not of our own Making. In the Course of our Councils, we imagined we felt approaches to the Presi-dent that would promote a Lasting Peace between us. Brothers — We Still are of the Same Opinion as to the Means which may tend to Reconcile us to each other & we are sorry to find altho we had the Best Thoughts in our Minds during the before mentioned Period, Mischief has nevertheless happened between You & us. We are Still desirous of Setting our Plan of Accommodation into Execution, and we Shall further inform you of the Means — So most probable to us of Effecting a firm & Lasting Peace and reconciliation. The first Step towards which Should in our Opinion be that all Treaties carried on with the United States on our part Should be with the General Voice of the whole Confederacy & carried on in the most open Manner without any Restraint on either Side. And Especially as Lands & Matters are often the Subject of our [undecipherable] with you, a matter of the greatest Importance & of General Concern to us, in this Case we hold it indispensable, necessary that any Cession of our Lands should be made in the most Public a Manner & by the United Voice of the Confederacy, holding all Partial Treaties as void and of No Effect. Brothers — We think it is now [undecipherable] to You that the [undecipherable] which since the Peace between us has not lasted, & that the [undecipherable] good has [undecipherable] by much, having Managed [undecipherable] being [undecipherable] in our own [undecipherable], you [undecipherable] your Council, [undecipherable] where you thought proper without Consulting us. At which you [undecipherable] deferred & Treaties & have strictly rejected our Plan of having a General Conference with the different Nations, altho Confederacy had this happened we have reason to believe every thing from it now have been Settled between us in a most friendly Manner — We did even this in our Power at the Treaty of Fort Stanwix to induce you to follow this plan, as our Real intentions were at that very time to promote Peace & Concord between us. And that we might look upon each other as Secured, having given you a Cause of Provocation to be Otherwise. Brothers — Notwithstanding the Mischief that has happened — we Still Sincere in our Wishes to have Peace & Tranquility established between us. Earnestly hoping [undecipherable] the Same inclination to you. We therefore wish you would take it into Consideration, & let us speak to you on the Manner we Proposed. Let us have a Treaty with you Early in the Spring. Let us pursue reasonable Steps. Let us meet [undecipherable] other, for our mutual Convenience, we Shall then bury in Oblivion the Misfortunes that have happened and meet each other on a Footing of Friendship. Brothers. We beg Let us meet half ways and Let us pursue such Steps as become upright & honest Men, untill which times we beg that you will prevent your Surveyors & other People, from coming upon our side of the Ohio River. We have told you before we wished to pursue just steps, and we are determined there Shall always be just & reasonable in the Eyes of the world. This is the determination of all the Chiefs of our Confederacy now assembled here, notwithstanding the Accidents that have happened in our Villages even when in Council, when Several Innocent Chiefs were killed when absolutely engaged in Promoting a Peace with you, the Thirteen United States. All the above interrupted the Chiefs here present still wish to meet you in the Spring, for the before mentioned good Purposes, when we hope to speak to each other without either Excitement or menaces. Brothers We again request of you in the most Earnest Manner, to order your Surveyors & others that mark out Lands to cease from crossing the Ohio untill we shall have Spoken to you. Because the Mischief that has recently happened has originated in that Quarter. We Shall likewise prevent our People from going over untill that time. Brothers — Brothers — It shall not be our fault if the Plan which we have suggested to you should not be carried into Execution, in that case the event will be very Precarious. Yet, perhaps subjected to some Revenge we hope to be able to exculpate ourselves, & shall most assuredly with our united force be Obliged to defend those Rights & Privileges which have been transmitted to us by our Ancestors. And if we should therefore be reduced to Misfortunes, the World will tell us when they think of the amicable Proposals we now make — To prevent the unnecessary Effusion of Blood. Here are our Thoughts & firm wishes & we Earnestly desire that you will transmit it to us as Soon as [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] as it may — [Met at the Confederate Council at the Huron Village, near the Mouth of the Detroit River Dec: 18^th, 1786.] The Five Nations Hurons Shawanees Delawares Ottawas Chippawas Puttawatimies [undecipherable] Cherokees The Wabash Confederates [left margin: Speech from the United Indian Nations to the Congress of the United States of America]