Revision: 1797/bri06_3.jpg

HTML

English which we have given to you, {assured} by your promises of keeping it not only for the advantages accruing to yourselves, but as we also thereby secured to ourselve the possession of the rest, and a supply for our wants which our own industry was incapable of furnishing. How comes it oh my Brother, that you wish to have me at such a critical time as that our Great Father has given our lands to the Americans who are desirous of nothing but to drain us thence and perhaps kill us like wild beasts, will he who is the {creed} of this look on with indifference and see our blood of which he has been so sparing himself shed by others? If he intended to give away our lands why did he promise to preserve them? Had we not trusted him we should have joined those nations who have lost theirs and like them have fought for our Country. Notwithstanding that we will do all our endeavor to oppose this entrance into our woods, and taking possession of our lands. Yet we know that we must fail, yet the toiling is worthy of men. We have seen the Treaty, it has been sent to me in our Nation, and we observe that our father has not only abandoned us like the smaller animals to the jaws of the Tiger and the bear, but he encourages them to devour us by saying if we commit any faults that he will drive us back to their dens and keep us there. We know that we are not all good. There are good and bad among us as among other men. If a Red man happens to commit a crime you will complain to the Americans without knowing the quality and the account will suffice. Perhaps suffice the argument favored us out of the {illegible} negros treat your slaves. Red men are actually {illegible} and the people as {illegible} will seek revenge. It is their own pain is complete {illegible}! Perhaps the ruin our Fathers bring upon us by abandoning our lands may bring again {illegible} the life of his son. {Illegible} our trading parties the Americans go before us and make us assured of their actions, which {illegible}.