[Marginalia, left margin, written vertically]: [undecipherable] To the electors of the United States Brothers [undecipherable] We speak to you to acquaint you that your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was Delivered to us last [undecipherable] by our [undecipherable] of Mohhaweh, And also to acquaint you the Reasons why we [strikethrough: how] Could not meet your great men — You will Number you have people among you who have and will spread the good word of Peace, and we likewise unavoidably have such in your message you [undecipherable: informed] [undecipherable] us. Do [undecipherable: affirm] whether the Message from the [undecipherable] would [undecipherable] us or not, that we may hear the good effect of Peace by [undecipherable: them] [undecipherable: We] have Reason to doubt for we have Obstinate and foolish Young men who went out [undecipherable] by Lust of [undecipherable: living] to hunt and their [undecipherable] [undecipherable] fell into their hands & was killed wholly contrary to our [undecipherable: Duty] or Custom. Brothers we [undecipherable: Purpose] to hear Your Message and take hold of it immediately and we enjoin it on our [undecipherable: Sachems] to forward it first to the Wyandots and to the greater Nations viz the Ottawas, Chippewas and Patawatomes who we know will gladly [undecipherable] their [undecipherable] and Readily [undecipherable: accept] our [undecipherable: invitations] — that it should circulate through those greater Nations & Nations to us acquaint with their approbation & for them then to [undecipherable: Propose] & Declare that they have [undecipherable] such a message of Peace from the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable: oblige] to Conform to the [undecipherable: same] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable: President] Jefferson to make our [undecipherable] known — Our [undecipherable: Sachems] without Delay [undecipherable: forwarded] this Message to the above mentioned Nations, and they then [undecipherable: Sent] [undecipherable: Runners] to invite the [undecipherable: Sachems] and [undecipherable] Warriors of [undecipherable: Ottawa] Chippewas & [undecipherable: Patawatomes] to meet with [undecipherable: Wyandots] at [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and at the same time gave Notice that they have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Messages of the United [undecipherable: States] for which they must meet [undecipherable]. Accordingly these Nations Collected in [undecipherable: Council] for the [undecipherable] of this good message — But before they [undecipherable: came] to [undecipherable: Conclude] an alarming voice Ran with our [undecipherable: ears] that the Big Knife Come out to fight our Nations & have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the Delawares, [undecipherable: Runners] was immediately [undecipherable: Sent] to know the truth of it. This Alarm was the first Obstacle the [undecipherable] Indians had to [undecipherable] the work of Peace, & for this [undecipherable] Reason the [undecipherable: Sachems] and [undecipherable] Warriors of the four Nations [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in a Blanket. Brothers the [undecipherable: Second] Reason is this [undecipherable] we Could remove the first Obstacle the [undecipherable: five] Nations arrived and did not Speak [undecipherable: agreable] to your good Message while [undecipherable: strengthening] the arguments of those Indians which remained [undecipherable: Hostile]. [undecipherable] after the Message of [undecipherable: Brant] arrived to us [undecipherable] his [undecipherable: Nephew] a [undecipherable: Prohibitory] & [undecipherable: Cautionary] Message that the [undecipherable: Confederacy] Should not [undecipherable: listen] or Believe the message the [undecipherable] Brought for if you believe him you will be greatly [undecipherable: Deceived]. [undecipherable: He] [undecipherable: further] urged he had [undecipherable] to [undecipherable: See] the good Men of this [undecipherable: Nation] [undecipherable] they shall [undecipherable] good to the [undecipherable: Muskheenak] and they do not Speak [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the five Nations, And they Should [undecipherable] to the Big Knife to [undecipherable: Prepare] for War, and fall on the Indians at [undecipherable]. And that the President of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] this land Claim is the land from the mouth of the [undecipherable: Miami] to this land of the Same which empties itself in to [undecipherable: Lake] [undecipherable: Erie] from the [undecipherable: Bay] of [undecipherable: Miami] thence to the head of the [undecipherable: Wabash] and Down this same to the mouth of it, And that he will not lay no means [undecipherable] to the Indians appearing — [undecipherable] — [undecipherable: Brothers] the [undecipherable: fourth] Reason is, that the Big Knife are busy in [undecipherable: pursuing] this war, and have enlarged [undecipherable] [undecipherable: strengthen] the [undecipherable: fortification] — [undecipherable: But the 5^th Reason] is that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for had brought a [undecipherable] Letter from Detroit that one of the Americans arrived there with the intelligence that the big Knife brought a large quantity of goods & Liquors to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] which they will take and with [undecipherable] to attack the Indians [undecipherable] the goods and Liquors being previously poisoned after a short attack to [undecipherable: leave] the good [undecipherable] and the Indians to fall afterward by the Poison. Brothers these are the principal Reasons that engage the hostile party, and where we Debated on the matter they urged these arguments [undecipherable: forcefully] & Could not [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Otherwise — Now Brothers the matter is laid before [undecipherable: you] if you are Discouraged or out of patience it is what we can not help, but if you will Lengthen your patience and manifest Your power in Calling in your big Knife from your [undecipherable] to which Stand on our land [undecipherable] if you will then Repeat Your Message to us, we will then immediately arise and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable: frame] a peace, then we can [undecipherable: Assure] the Back Nations that you have power to Call in Your [undecipherable: Hostile] Big Knife and [undecipherable] thereby manifest your mind for peace, then the back Nations will not believe this hostile Nations, and then the hostile Nations will be obliged to be peaceable. [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Mhohequah] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Dofas] Del: in [undecipherable: Council] [undecipherable: Delawars] [undecipherable: Tukonnoth] Miami [undecipherable] 18, 1792 [undecipherable: Sachems] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Pahquonnospect] [undecipherable: Muhhkuonnecik] In behalf of the whole Confederacy Delivered on a thing of [undecipherable: wampum] Containing five Strings, [undecipherable] Purple