A talk delivered by M^r Bernard to the Indians assembled at the Cussetahs, and interpreted by himself 22^d. March 1793 Friends and Brothers. I have lived many years in your land and have always endeavoured to advise you all to follow a straight path for the happiness of the nation. What I have done you all know has been from friendly motives, and not interested views. I need not tell you that I was poor for this Office that I have been honored with, but accepted it with a view of serving, a Country in which I have most of my days resided and where my connections are dear to me — consequently you must suppose I would not wish to see them suffer from the bad talks which are daily sent into your land, which if not guarded against in time will be the inevitable ruin of your nation. The peace of your land has been greatly disturbed by talks from white people that are poor and wish to make themselves rich at the expence of your blood being spilt and your nation undone — Those men who have brought you this will leave you and retire into some other Country where they will live at their ease and laugh at your credulity for being such fools. Do but look a few years back and see the manner in which the British secured you — Colonel Brown (a beloved man) is now in Providence and M^r Taite in England living in splendour and affluence on the money they received from the English for sending you to war against the Americans, and cares not should they never see you more, or even hear of your welfare. The English have not thought of you since the American War, as they have not sent you a single piece of linen as a present since they left your land. Although many of you fought for them and some beloved men have lost their lives. Had it not been for our friend M^r McGillivray who is now no more and M^r Panton who obtained liberty from the King of Spain by paying ten thousand dollars per Annum to bring goods from their land, you would have been very poor and your women and children very naked. These my friends are circumstances which ought to make deep impressions in your hearts — some of your great men have very bad eyes, they see but a very short distance before them otherwise they would distinguish their friends from their enemies and guard against the pernicious consequences attending some bad talks which I fear they have paid too much attention to and which if they persist in will be their total ruin. When a thing is past there is no recalling it therefore wise men ought to consider what they are about before it is too late — Look around my friends and consider you are surrounded with difficulties but you have still a door left open if you will but keep it so. Our great and beloved father General Washington is still your friend and will remain so if you do not draw on his displeasure by your own repeated bad conduct. While he is your friend you have no enemies to dread, the Northwestern Indians which are now amongst you I have frequently told you are only endeavouring to bring you into the same predicament into which they themselves are involved. I am glad to find there are some of my old friends here present that still possess their senses and are not to be frightened or led away by the Shawanese talks. There are some of my own Colour amongst you as detrimental to your peace and happiness as those Shawanees — Willbanks is one — a man who never did nor never will render you to any service — it is useless for me to say any thing more respecting this man as you all ought to be acquainted with his conduct from his frequent deceptions. I have always cautioned you against listening to such men and think it is time that your eyes ought to be opened and view such men with contempt — some of your own White people that are treating amongst you are encouraging your young people to steal horses from the Americans and they are buying them. Your young men—