[Copy] N^o 5 Reply of his Excellency Lord Dorchester to the Indians of the Seven Villages of Lower Canada as Deputies from all the Nations who were at the General Council held at the Miamis in the Year 1793 except the Chawanons, Miamis, and Loups. Children I have well considered your Words and am now prepared to reply. Children You have informed me that you are deputed by the Seven Villages of lower Canada and also the Upper Nations to be their mouth Deputies to the General Council held at the Miamis except the Chawanons Miamis and Loups. Children You remind me of what passed at the Council Fire held at Quebec last Summer to know what their Situation and wishes to the satisfying their Father and expressed any desire that all the grievances should be settled and if in future they should be attended to and their minds be made easy by report and by proofs Children I remember all very well I was in expectation and had the best reason to expect that a line of separation between them and the United States which would have been to their satisfaction would be immediately settled which was well known to be the only way to prevent further quarrels and another offence Children I was in expectation of hearing from the people of the United States about [undecipherable] arrangements by [undecipherable] — I flattered myself I should have been able to bring you together and make you friends I have waited long and attended with great great attention but I have not received a word from them. Children I flattered myself with the hopes that the line proposed in the year of 83 to separate us from the United States which was immediately broken by themselves selling of lands as the peace was signed and [undecipherable] upon [undecipherable] they can have no reason in an amicable [undecipherable] for above I have been disappointed. Children Since my return I find no appearance of a line remains and from the manner which the people of the United States rush on and act and talk on this side and from what I learn of their conduct towards the sea, I shall not be surprised if we are at war with them in the course of the present year and if so a line must then be drawn by the Warriors Children You ask for a passport to go to [undecipherable: Venango] a passport is only in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that next year so [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] shall be at peace with the States before you return. You shall have a passport but whether peace or war, you shall be well received by the Kings Warriors Children [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] your land to the State of [undecipherable: Vermont] I have told you that there is no line between them and us. I shall acknowledge no land to be theirs which has been encroached on by [undecipherable] the year 1783 — they have broken the peace and as they [undecipherable] not [undecipherable] it with [undecipherable] hand on ours. They have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] except of preemption [undecipherable] all their [undecipherable] towards us [undecipherable] most hostile and all the purchases made by them I consider as an infringement on the Kings rights and which a line is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] be it peace or war, they must quit all their improvements and leave the [undecipherable] not kept by us — the people must [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] become the Kings subjects — what belongs to the Indians will of course be confirmed and secured to them. Children What further can I say to you — you are witnesses that on our parts we have acted in the most peaceable manner and borne the language of the people of the United States with patience but I believe our patience is almost exhausted Given under my hand at the Castle of S^t Louis in the City of Quebec on the 10^th day of February in the year 1794 By his Excellencys Command Dorchester [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Secretary. [20 March 1794 The above was enclosed in a confidential letter received this day by the Governor from Vermont — and is believed [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable: authentic] beyond doubt.] [Docket: Copy of L^d Dorchester's Reply to the Indians of the Seven Villages of lower Canada &c Enclosed in [undecipherable] from the Gov^r of Vermont rec^d 20^th March 1794]