Religion
Document 1795Speech to Wyandots regarding visit by Burke to discuss religion in village. Recommends moving village closer to Detroit and cabin to be occupied by Burke. Persuasive argument against joining "strangers".
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Now I have all pages. Let me compile the full transcription from the sequential pages (skipping the cover/duplicate enhanced images).
My dear Children in God; the Wyan[undecipherable]
of Sandusky.
The bearer will tell you my being on the way to visit you, and t[undecipherable] the State of religion in your Village, noth[undecipherable] but the bad weather could hinde[r] my bei[ng] among you, as I have been already at yo[undecipherable] Fathers of Detroit.
God knows that I have gre[undecipherable] pain in seeing you thus separated and dispersed, and as I love all my children in Jesus Christ I particularly love the Wyan[undecipherable] as they have always been good Christians a[undecipherable] obedient children to God and to his Chu[undecipherable].
Your ancient Father Mared[undecipherable] the Bishop of Quebec has charged me to go a[undecipherable] see you all and to give him a faithfull acco[undecipherable] of your conduct, as he loves you and alway[undecipherable] wishes to cherish you in his heart, and as [undecipherable] cannot come himself, he has purposely sent [undecipherable] to assemble you in one village as the Shephe[undecipherable] assembles his flock in one just, to have ca[undecipherable] you and to conduct you to Heaven in the manner your ancient Fathers conducted your ancestors in preference to all other nations. For this purpose my children you must come near your Brothers of Detro[undecipherable] so that I may have a small cabin to live
promised me and so have your Brothe[undecipherable] Ottawas also, you will follow their exam[undecipherable] for to separate yourself from your Brot[undecipherable] will be your ruin without resource.
I met kegs of rum on the[undecipherable] going to your place to intoxicate, to the[undecipherable] that when you will have no more se[undecipherable] you may do foolish things to separate f[undecipherable] your Brothers and in consequence ruin yo[undecipherable] ["your peo[undecipherable]"]
I was at your village of Detroit when your Envoy [underline: Leatherlips] arri[undecipherable] who to my great astonishment said in yo[undecipherable] name, that you would not hearken to yo[undecipherable] chiefs and your old Councillors ["Anciens"] who beg[undecipherable] of you to come and live with them — Wha[undecipherable] will you then hearken to strangers? me[undecipherable] who are not of your blood nor of your religion, who only look to their own inter[undecipherable] and your ruin, rather than your chie[undecipherable] and your brothers! do you not know tha[undecipherable] your nation ought to be all assembled together, to render it respectable as it sh[undecipherable] has been! do you not see that these me[undecipherable] who wish to engage you to give away yo[undecipherable] lands to your enemies only look to hav[undecipherable] good share themselves! dont hearken to them my children they are not of your blood nor of your religion nor for your interest.
I have also heard that you have received letters from the stranger who is your enemy, by which he wishes you to renounce the inheritage of your fathers, and cede your lands without even consulting your Father! what then my children let him stay at home if he is honest — If he looks for your good, why does he try to establish himself upon your lands, why does he hinder you from hunting wherever he establishes a post. ["Britts"]
Believe me its fear which makes him talk and avarice which actuates him; he fears your [underline: warriors], and he wants your lands. It is for these reasons he does ["Coming"] so much himself and thro' these rascals, who talk in his name to turn you from listening to your Father! In a word, let him agree with your father who has your interest at heart and who will never allow him to cheat you, and who has never endeavoured to [undecipherable] [underline: d'ailleurs] surprize you; in other respects who are those people who talk and strive to separate you from your Brothers and from your Fathers? are not those people come from nothing, men who have no interest in your nation, in whom you cannot trust, men who are too despicable for the King your Father to entrust with an employ and who look for a place among your among you myself until I find a good Father who will pass all his life time there.
My dear children, how much better would ye be all together rather than be thus dispersed as you are; I have been told and I have heard it with the greatest pain that there is among you two or three men who are neither of your blood nor your nation, and who have different interest from yours, men who seek to turn you from your duty and your religion, and who to all appearance seek your ruin to profit from your spoils; they make you great fine promises but they pursue their own interest and a fortune which they are desirous of making at your expence — Do not listen to them my dear children, they are serpents which you nourish in your breasts and which tear them — listen to the King your Father, listen to the Governor, and the person placed to conduct you, they love you, they dont rob you, they dont take forcible possession of your lands, they dont overload you with riches, not like these rascals, ["Vet'[undecipherable]"] who get rich at your expence. And I your Father in God I order you to listen only to the King your Father, to the Governor, and to the person named to conduct you; any other person [underline: [undecipherable]] interfering to give you council is a cheat, who looks to his private interest only and not yours.
All your Brothers of Detroit have enemies at your expence do not hearken them —
As soon as the weather per[undecipherable] I will go among you to baptize the chil[undecipherable] and comfort the venerable old men and m[undecipherable] of whom I request to take care of the you[undecipherable] people and to give them good council, in t[undecipherable] manner I order the young people to hea[undecipherable] to their superiors ["Anciens"] — I also beg of you my dear children to send me a Chief to gi[undecipherable] an account of your village, and if you c[undecipherable] send me two of your children to live wit[undecipherable] this will give me great pleasure. I wi[undecipherable] have great care of them.
I am my dear children yo[undecipherable] Father in God,
/signed/
St Antoine — }
29th January 1795 } Edmund Burke
Vicar Gen.l of Upper Cana[undecipherable]
War Office }
8th May 1795 } True copy from an official paper transmitted by Major General Way[undecipherable] to the Secretary of war —
signed
Jno Stagg. Junr
Chf Clk.
Type
Document Signed
Description
Speech to Wyandots regarding visit by Burke to discuss religion in village. Recommends moving village closer to Detroit and cabin to be occupied by Burke. Persuasive argument against joining "strangers".
Date
01/29/1795
Author
Recipient
Sent from
St. Antoine
Repository
Document number
1795012990101
Page start
1
Note
Cited in Wayne to Pickering, 03/08/1795.
Notable persons
see below
Edmund Burke
Wyandotts
Wyandots
Ottawas
Detroits
Indians
Indian Nation
bishop
brothers
strangers
Bishop of Quebec
Native Americans
Notable locations
Detroit
village
Michigan
Notable items
religion
cabin

