Speeches

Forty years ago my mother died.  She captured by Comanche, nine years old.  Love Indian and wild life so well no want to go back to white folks.  All same people, God say.  I love my mother.  I like white people.  Got great heart.  I want my people follow after white way, get educate, know work, make living when payments stop.  I tell ’um they got to know pick cotton, plow corn.  I want ’um

"We love you white men, but we have fear of your success because it is so dry.  This is a pretty country but you white men take it away from us. The only thing this country is good for is red ants, coyotes, and cattle men."

 

"Friend and brother; it was the will of the Great Spirit that we should meet together this day.  He orders all things, and he has given us a fine day for our council.  He has taken his garment from before the sun, and caused it to shine with brightnes upon us; our eyes are opened, that we see clearly; our ears are unstopped, that we have been able to hear distinctly the words that you

Brothers: We have been preserved in health, strength and spirit, to meet you again at our council fire. The Great Spirit has protected us, and we are thankful again to meet you.  You will recollect, brothers, that we listened with attention to what the com missioner said, and to the words of our great father through his mouth.  As this council was called by the voice of our great father, you barely

Brother: We understand that you have been appointed by our great father the president to make these communications to us.  We thank the Great Spirit for this pleasant day given us for our reply, and we beg you to listen.

Brother: Previous to your arrival at this council fire, we were told that our great father had appointed a commissioner to meet us.  You have produced your commission, and it has been read and ex

Brothers of the Council — Listen!  You must recollect that a few years since some delegates from your elder brethren, the Six Nations, came to you.  That council fire was kindled at Browns-town, by the mutual consent of the Six Nations; but we then requested that all important business should thereafter be transacted at this place.  A few years after this, another delegation came to this council fire from your elder brethren, the Six

Brothers: We are happy to meet you both at our council. We of the Six Nations transact all our business openly, and not under the curtain.  I have observed with what attention you have listened to me. I hope you will be willing to unite with us in bringing back our friends from beyond the water, and making us one band.  Then we shall become one great family of children, under our great father, the

Brother Con-neh-sauty: Yesterday, when you made your proposals, the Oneidas accepted them, and thanked you.  They spoke for those Oneidas, Onondagas, and Tuscaroras who all lie under one blanket. We, the Senecas, have considered them, and are now going to speak.

Yesterday, when you proposed four establishments, and that there should be three men for each, you mentioned the rewards to be given to a certain number who should learn quickest — of the biggest

I now request the attention of the president of the United States, by his agent.  Colonel Pickering, now present.  A few days since, when the American chief had spoken to us, he gave us to understand that General Knox and Colonel Pickering should be the agents to negotiate with us, on things which concern our welfare.  Let me call for your compassion, as you can put all down upon paper, while we have to labor

Brother Onas Governor: Open unprejudiced ears to what we have to say!  Some days since you addressed us, and what you said gave us great pleasure.  This day the Great Spirit has allowed us to meet you again in this council chamber.  We hope that your not receiving our immediate answer to your address will make no improper impression upon your mind.  We mention this lest you should suspect that your kind welcome and friendly

Brother from Pennsylvania: You that are sent from General Washington, and by the Thirteen Fires: you have been sitting side by side with us every day, and the Great Spirit has appointed us another pleasant day to meet again.

Now listen, Brother! You know what we have been doing so long, and what trouble we have been at; and you know that it has been the request of our head warrior, that we are left

Tell him, (said he to the interpreter), Tell Colonel Proctor that some of his language is soft, but that other parts of it are too strong.  The danger before us is great.  Our enemies are drunk, and they will not hear what we say like a man that is sober; and we consider that, whatever number of the Six Nations accompany him (Colonel Proctor), will be in the same danger with himself, and it is

Brothers, the Wyandots from the Americans, we have heard your talk, and will not listen to it.  We will not forsake the standard of our British father, nor lay down the hatchet we have raised.  I speak the sentiments of all now present, and I charge you, that you faithfully deliver our talk to the American commander, and tell him it is our wish he would send more men against us, for all that has

"For more than seventy years, I have hunted in this grove and fished in this stream, and for as many years I have worshiped on this ground. Through these groves, and over these prairies in pursuit of game, our fathers have roamed, and by them this land was left unto us an heritage forever. No one is more attached to their home than myself, and no one among you is so grieved to leave it

Fathers, after the insinuations of the commandant of Detroit, I accepted your invitation with distrust, and measured my route with trembling feet toward this 'Council of Fire.'  Your reception proves his falsehood, and that my fears were groundless.  Truth and him have been a long time enemies.

My Father, I present myself this day before you this day to talk which gives me much pleasure, I speak of War I For I have already begun, I have sent back the Americans from La Prairie du Chien & then I came here to drive them away.  Since then I find this Island more solid than when they were here. I believe that I am now under a clear sky. Last year I undertook

My Father,

When I heard the good news which my father the Red Head communicated to me I took the same road as my deceased Father used to take to come here; and my arrival is a fine day to me; for I see the good works of my English Father.

You ordered your children to lift the Tomahawk; But as for me I have not yet taken it in hand; it is neither through

Father! I hope you will listen to your children that come from the town situated between the two Creeks. We are of the same mind with our brethren who have Just, we beg you will have pity on us in our distress, we who inhabit the little Sciota, we are in want of many things, chiefly, Blanketts, Spirits, powder, Ball & knives.

At a council of the chiefs, head men, and warriors of the Creek nation, convened by authority, the talk of the president was communicated by the agent. After a profound silence of many minutes duration, Speckled Snake, a warrior whose head was whitened with the frosts of more than a hundred winters!  And who supported himself on the shoulders of two young men, it is supposed, arose, and spoke as follows:

Brothers! We have

My warriors and my children! Hear! It is cruel, it is very cruel! A heavy burden lies on my heart, it is very sick. This is a dark day.  The clouds are black and heavy over the Oneida nation and a strong arm is heavy upon us, and our hearts groan under it.  Our fires are put out, and our beds are removed from under us.  The graves of our fathers are destroyed, and their

George Washington was sent as an ambassador to meet with the French in current day Pennsylvania in 1753.  When he and his men were about 140 miles south of the French location, Washington met with Tanacharison to ask about his recent trip to meet the French.  Tanacharison (Half King) recited the following speech he delivered to the French commander:

“Fathers, I am come to tell you your own speeches; what your own mouths have

In 1807, Captain William Wells sent a messenger to deliver a message to Tecumseh and his band of people that were staying in Greenville, OH. Tecumseh responded with the following response: "Go back to Fort Wayne, and tell Capt. Wells that my fire is kindled on the spot appointed by the Great Spirit above ; and if he has any communication to make to me, he must come here."

Father & Brothers Hurons! Brother Hurons.  You say you were employed by our Father and your own Chiefs to come and have some conversation with us and we are happy to see you and to hear your and our Fathers speech.  We heartily thank you both for having taken the condition of our poor women and children to your considerations: We plainly see that you pity as by the concern you show for our welfare

My Father, It is a long time past that you know us who are called Manominies, & I suppose you are acquainted with our behaviour towards the whites, & particularly towards our English Father.

Shall I tell you my Father that when I beheld the great fire which shined on this Island, its light brought to mind times that are passed & I said to myself, This then is the Fire whose assistance gives life

We have, and we believe it is best for us and for our brethren.  We have no wish to be involved in a war with our father, the Long Knife, for we know by experience that we have nothing to gain by it, and we beg our father, the British, not to force us to war.

We remember, in the former war between our fathers, the British and the Long Knife, we were both defeated