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ASheNonQua to Governor of Indiana, 1811
Speech
The following is a speech delivered by A-she-non-qua, a leader of the Wea people, who are a branch of the Miami people. This speech was delivered in 1811, during a general council at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
You now tell us that we are on a wrong road, a road that will lead us to destruction. You are deceived. When I was walking along, I heard you speak respecting the Shawanoe (Prophet). You said we were of his party. I hold you and the Shawanoe both by the hand; I hold him slack. You have both told me one thing that if I would adhere to you, that my people (the women and children ) would be happy. The hearts of the Miamies are good. The Great Spirit has placed them on the choicest spot of ground; and we are now anxiously waiting to see which of you tells the truth.
Now, Father, for the first time your eyes are open. When you cast them on your children you see they are poor; some of them are even destitute of the necessaries of life. We want ammunition to support our women and children; this has compelled us to undertake our present journey.
Father, we have not let you go; we yet hold you by the hand; nor do we hold the hand of the Prophet with a view to injure you. I therefore tell you that you are not correct when you supposed we joined hands with the Prophet to injure you. Father, I listened to you a few days ago, when you pointed out to me the depredations of murder committed by the Indians on the Mississippi. I told you that I and my people had no wish to join in acts of that kind. I told you that we both loved our people, and that it gives us pleasure when we see them standing around us; that we should deprive ourselves of this pleasure if we commenced a war with each other, as a war would be the destruction of both parties You always told me that our great Father, the President of the United States, has placed you here for good purposes; that his heart is good toward his red children! How then does it happen that our Father's heart is changed toward his red children.
Father, you have called upon us to fulfil the Treaty of Greenville.* In that treaty it is stipulated that we should give information if we knew of any hostile design of a foreign power against each other. I now tell you that no information from any quarter has reached our ears to injure any of your people (except from yourself). You have told us that the thunder begins to roll.
Father, your speech has overtaken us here. We have heard it, it has not scared us; we are not afraid of what you say. We are going on to that country which has been frequented by Tecumseh, and we shall be able to know, in the course of our journey, whether he has told us lies or not: that all the Indians are of the same opinion that he is; but when we return, we shall be able to inform you whether what Tecumseh has told us be true or not.
Now, Father, you have heard what I have to say; you will hear it well what comes from me.
Father, you have told me twice you were angry with me. I went to see you with my warriors with me when we were sitting face to face, and toes to toes; you told me that the Indians on the Mississippi had struck your people, and I said nothing to you. You tell us that you sent a messenger after us; that we insulted your messenger, yourself, and our great Father. This is twice you have said you were angry with us! We have looked for the cause, but can find none.
Father, we, the Miamies, are not a people that are passionate: we are not so easily made angry as it appears you are! Our hearts are as heavy as the earth! Our minds are not easily irritated. We don't tell people we are angry with them for light causes; we are afraid if we did fly in a passion for no cause we should make ourselves contemptible in the eyes of others. We therefore hope you will no more say you are angry with us, lest you should make yourself contemptible to others. We have told you we would not get angry for light causes. We have our eyes on our lands on the Wabash, with a strong determination to defend our rights, let them be invaded from what quarter they may. When our best interests are invaded, we will defend them to a man, and be angry but once.
Father, now consider what your children, the Miamies, have said to you. You have offered the war-club to us; you have laid at our feet and told us we might pick it up, if we chosed. We have refused to do so; and we hope that this circumstance will prove to you that we are people of good hearts. We hope, Father, you will not be angry any more with us, we will not be angry with you. This is all I have to say to you at present.
You now tell us that we are on a wrong road, a road that will lead us to destruction. You are deceived. When I was walking along, I heard you speak respecting the Shawanoe (Prophet). You said we were of his party. I hold you and the Shawanoe both by the hand; I hold him slack. You have both told me one thing that if I would adhere to you, that my people (the women and children ) would be happy. The hearts of the Miamies are good. The Great Spirit has placed them on the choicest spot of ground; and we are now anxiously waiting to see which of you tells the truth.
Now, Father, for the first time your eyes are open. When you cast them on your children you see they are poor; some of them are even destitute of the necessaries of life. We want ammunition to support our women and children; this has compelled us to undertake our present journey.
Father, we have not let you go; we yet hold you by the hand; nor do we hold the hand of the Prophet with a view to injure you. I therefore tell you that you are not correct when you supposed we joined hands with the Prophet to injure you. Father, I listened to you a few days ago, when you pointed out to me the depredations of murder committed by the Indians on the Mississippi. I told you that I and my people had no wish to join in acts of that kind. I told you that we both loved our people, and that it gives us pleasure when we see them standing around us; that we should deprive ourselves of this pleasure if we commenced a war with each other, as a war would be the destruction of both parties You always told me that our great Father, the President of the United States, has placed you here for good purposes; that his heart is good toward his red children! How then does it happen that our Father's heart is changed toward his red children.
Father, you have called upon us to fulfil the Treaty of Greenville.* In that treaty it is stipulated that we should give information if we knew of any hostile design of a foreign power against each other. I now tell you that no information from any quarter has reached our ears to injure any of your people (except from yourself). You have told us that the thunder begins to roll.
Father, your speech has overtaken us here. We have heard it, it has not scared us; we are not afraid of what you say. We are going on to that country which has been frequented by Tecumseh, and we shall be able to know, in the course of our journey, whether he has told us lies or not: that all the Indians are of the same opinion that he is; but when we return, we shall be able to inform you whether what Tecumseh has told us be true or not.
Now, Father, you have heard what I have to say; you will hear it well what comes from me.
Father, you have told me twice you were angry with me. I went to see you with my warriors with me when we were sitting face to face, and toes to toes; you told me that the Indians on the Mississippi had struck your people, and I said nothing to you. You tell us that you sent a messenger after us; that we insulted your messenger, yourself, and our great Father. This is twice you have said you were angry with us! We have looked for the cause, but can find none.
Father, we, the Miamies, are not a people that are passionate: we are not so easily made angry as it appears you are! Our hearts are as heavy as the earth! Our minds are not easily irritated. We don't tell people we are angry with them for light causes; we are afraid if we did fly in a passion for no cause we should make ourselves contemptible in the eyes of others. We therefore hope you will no more say you are angry with us, lest you should make yourself contemptible to others. We have told you we would not get angry for light causes. We have our eyes on our lands on the Wabash, with a strong determination to defend our rights, let them be invaded from what quarter they may. When our best interests are invaded, we will defend them to a man, and be angry but once.
Father, now consider what your children, the Miamies, have said to you. You have offered the war-club to us; you have laid at our feet and told us we might pick it up, if we chosed. We have refused to do so; and we hope that this circumstance will prove to you that we are people of good hearts. We hope, Father, you will not be angry any more with us, we will not be angry with you. This is all I have to say to you at present.
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