Conference with the Indian Chiefs. All the Chiefs and Warriors of the different Indian Tribes met in Council the Second of December 1796, except the Soldier who was sick. When the Secretary of War addressed them in the following Speech: Brothers, The President of the United States, your father who loves you as his Children, has heard the request which some of you have made to him and agreed that you should all meet in one Assembly to strengthen before me, as a solemn Witness, that Chain of friendship which ought to connect you together and which he wishes may continue like the Sun, always bright. The great Spirit whom your father the President and the people of the United States adore, requires from Men of every colour and language that they should live in peace and love each other. Nations which engage in War and forsake this part are sure to be hurt, though they should kill a great many of those they fight against, for war is a fire that burns the large trees as well as the small ones. To avoid this terrible fire good chiefs and wise Men, whenever a dispute or difference happens between the people of their respective Nations will meet and try to have it settled, in a peaceable manner, and rather than go to War, will give up something to which they think they have a right. By observing this line of moderation and strictly performing all its promises, a Nation may avoid a War that might cost it more lives and more prosperity than the thing about which it quarrelled was worth. Your father the President wishes if any of you have any differences to settle to remember this rule and recommends it to you to hold fast the Chain of friendship which now unites you in peace and which he wishes never to be broken. Brothers, you will now proceed to Business. — Chinubbee, Sitting Warrior, a Creek, then spoke. I never thought to fall out with the Chickasaws. I will take my fathers advice and every thing shall be right. Capt Chisholm took the same Talk to my Nation as the one now delivered— all shall be thought. Captain Chisholm should be loved by us, he was the occasion of our having shaken hands. Col^o John Watts, a Cherokee: I am happy to hear my fathers Talk— it has given me a great deal of Satisfaction. Red Pole: The Children of the President of the United States who have come a great way to see him have heard what he has had to say and I hope that they are all pleased with what he has delivered to them. As for the Cherokees and Creeks, Chipewas, Potawatimes &c we are all here met together— this is more than I expected when I left home, but thanks to the great Spirit we are all here assembled together— I have spoken to the Chickasaws and Creeks— I and my Brother have already spoken to them— I now confirm what we then spoke to them— I wish that we may be all as one People, and it is the general wish of all the western Indians that they should be at peace with one another. My younger Brothers, I wish to hear you all speak— if there should be any thing necessary for me to add, I am ready to come forward and speak it. I wish that no part of my good fathers advice should ever be forgotten, and that the hatchet should continue for ever buried.— (The Deputies of the Creek Nation shook hands with the Secretary of War, in order afterwards, to shake hands with the Chickasaws.) The Dog Warrior, of the Creeks. We are all assembled here to day— it was ordered by the great Spirit above that we should meet in the presence of our elder Brothers. I, for my part, am a younger Brother— I am glad that we have now met together in this White House in the presence of the Secretary of War. I have already spoken and delivered Beads to the Chickasaws and I will now speak to them again— Talks have been some time and are now passing between the Creeks and Chickasaws— By the death of some of the Headmen the good Talks that were formerly given were lost; they have since been found— the road is open and clear between our different Nations although we have met with great losses, we do not think of them now— Talks have been sent by our Nation to the Chickasaws— The Talks of the former peaceable times have been hunted up and found— they have been sent by their Nations to the Chickasaws, and now inform them of it. This is all that I have to say— I would only wish to inquire of the Chickasaws respecting the prisoners they have taken from us. (Colbert replied they were all gone home.) I have now ended my Talk— Capt Chisholm brought us here in expectation of hearing good Talks. When the red people have done speaking, if our father has any thing to say, we will here it. Both parties should love Chisholm— he brought us here— with the Northwestern Indians we have had no disputes— we have had some small ones with the Cherokees, by the great Spirit we have since shaken hands. With the Chickasaws we have had disputes, but I now speak before all of you that we wish that all misunderstandings may be forever done away and peace firmly established between us as formerly. I will now address the northern Indians— I did not expect to meet them here— the advice we received from them was, that all the Nations of Red people shall hold fast one another by the hand— this is what I wish should be done, this talk is now straight. I wish you all to remember it. I have heard that in former times all this land belonged to the Red people— I request that there may be no more quarrels about land— for my part my lands are almost all gone— I have but a small part remaining— I request that both the red and white people would listen to and hold fast the Talks now delivered.— Moy-a-neta, a Chickasaw. I am now going to speak to the Cherokees and northern Indians, as they have passed the Talks between our Nation and the Creeks. The red people are here met together by the desire of their elder Brothers, the Whites; I advise them therefore to attend to and remember this Talk— there are the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws and the Northern Indians present. I am glad to stand up on my feet and deliver you this Talk and I am greatly pleased that you are all here to hear it— I desire that all the sharp Weapons of War may be thrown away— be lost in darkness, and never again found— Let us consider that we are all Red people and ought ever to remain in peace with each other— The sun shines bright— for my part, although I see my Skin appears to be red— yet I cannot help thinking that it is white— I have listened to the good Talks— I have now done; there is no use in long Talks— all of you have heard what I have said— and I hold this Talk with my five fingers. War Killer, a Choctaw. I request you would all be silent— I have a word to speak to you. To day we are in the presence of the Whites, the Cherokees and our elder Brothers— I hope you will all attend. To day the Sun shines bright— the day is clear. I am a Choctaw, I speak in the presence of my father to all the Red people— I am happy to find that my elder Brothers the Creeks and Chickasaws have settled their disputes, for the Chickasaws and Choctaws are as one people— they do not break their Talks— I am glad to see good Talks on all sides delivered in the presence of all— I hope they will continue— As a Choctaw I am a Man of one Talk and will always stand to it. I hope that the Talks and the Lands may never be stained and that no blood be ever again shed, but of such Animals as we find in the Woods and which the great Spirit has given us for our sustenance. We Choctaws get our living by hunting— and in search of Game are often obliged to pass to the Cherokee country— when we pass through that, we arrive at the hunting grounds of the Northwestern Indians, who sometimes do us damage— I am glad to meet them in council this day— I hope they will never again do us any injury. Uncles the Cherokees, listen. When I was a Boy there was a friendly white Talk— this has never been stained. I now renew it with a string of white Beads and hope it will be everlastingly remembered. I have had no dispute with my Brothers the northern Indians— I hope they will never forget this friendly Talk, but that it may be ever remembered as I speak it in the presence of the Representative of my great father. (String to Red pole.) I hope that this Talk may be published to all the Nations and that they may never be afraid to meet each other on their hunting Grounds. Col^o John Watts, a Cherokee. I request my elder Brothers the Whites— the northern Indians to listen— my Brothers the Chickasaws— my Nephews the Choctaws to listen— the Creeks also to listen. I have attended for some time past to what has been said— I now request of you attention. We are now assembled here, and although we are of different languages— yet our Skins are all alike— We are assembled in the presence of the Whites— I hope the Red people will support the Talks they have delivered— for my part I am determined to support them— the Talks have been made in the presence of the Whites— I hope that each has spoken sincerely— I hope that peace may be preserved and maintained— for our parts we have suffered by both parties— our blood has been spilled— it affected me greatly to see our blood flow upon the Ground— it would have affected the heart of any Man— yet I did not take up the hatchet. I applied to proper persons for Information, and was told that mistake and not intention was the occasion of it— I determined to apply to my father when I came here as this was the place where the Chain of friendship could be brightened. The red people are all here on our own business. I have been in Council before and heard the Red people deliver their Talks and brighten the Chain of friendship. I now take hold of it a second time, and will continue to hold it fast and I deliver these Beads to the Chickasaws in token thereof. (Beads.) I speak now to my Nephews the Choctaws who never did us any hurt, they never so much as scratched us with a pin— they never even laid hold of a hair of our heads. I deliver them this String of Beads that they may witness this Talk and be an evidence against any of the Nations who may hereafter attempt to break it. (A String.) Red Pole. Younger Brothers, the Creeks, Chickasaws &c. You have listened to me some days ago when I met you at your Lodgings. My father has also heard the Sentiments of his western Children. You my Brothers the Cherokees have also heard me speak. You see the two things of Wampum which I hold and which I mean to make known on my return to the Wyandots, Delawares and Shawas. The Chickasaws have also two Strings of the Wampum which they will explain to their people the Potawatimes the same— and the Miamis two Strings also— you may therefore rest assured that what you have said to us shall be communicated to all your western Brethren and as I have said before, you have all heard the Speeches of your Western Brethren which they never deviate from. Brothers, I now return you all thanks for the Talk you have delivered this day, in the presence of our fathers the Americans— I am glad that you have all spoken with one voice— I am certain nothing can be more pleasing to the people I represent than to hear the Talks delivered this day— I came here on good business and find that there is a great deal of good business done. Brothers, you that are all present. I thank the great and good Spirit, the preserver of all Mankind for permitting us to meet here together this day. Brothers, I will now inform you of a small part of what I have said to your Great and good father— and also mention what he said to me. Our Great and good father, who is indeed a Great Man, has taken care of us his red Children— he has provided laws against persons intruding on our land— he told me our lands were good and that we should take care of them— the Speech spoke for itself— if our lands were not good, the Americans would not have become so great a Nation as they now are— I hope the requests made on behalf of my Nation may be granted. I told the Secretary of War that I loved my young Men too well to think to have the laws of the United States put in force against them. Our only way therefore is to prevent our bad people from injuring the Persons and stealing the property of the Citizens of the United States. The President has requested us to do more than it is mentioned in the Treaty— to keep up a good understanding between the Red and White people— he has promised in the name of his people that he will exert himself to keep up a good understanding not only between the White and Red people— but also among the Red people one with another. I hope the chiefs will not bear the empty names of chiefs but will exert themselves in like manner. (Gives a single string to the Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee & Choctaw.) I wish to inform my Brothers and the Secretary of War that the Black Chief has promised to explain the Talks to his people. There is a prisoner remaining among the Shawas that was taken by them from the Cherokees— I will send a Man to that Nation and will endeavour to get him released, if I can obtain it— I will furnish him with the means of returning home. This is all that I have to say. Blue Jacket. Father and Brothers, I speak to you all that are here present. I thank you for the Talks you have delivered this day— you have heard our Chief speak— what he says is permanent with us— I as a War Chief only will back what he says and every thing he undertakes. Red Pole. I am hungry, it is time to break up. Opoiamingo, a Chickasaw. I wish to remain a little longer. The Red people have all finished their Talks— I hope they will remember them when they are at home— and if any of their blood is spilt, to inquire into the reason before they strike— by that means peace will be preserved— if any of the Red people should meet with any damage— let them find out the persons who did it and ask for satisfaction, before they attempt to take it— I do not speak to the Red People— I include the Whites also— the Country is over-run with them, and they will be apt by their encroachments to do mischief. This is all I have to say. The Secretary of War. I will communicate this Talk to your father the President and will always preserve it as a Testimonial of what has been said this day.