Speeches

"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

"Uncle! We, your cousins, the congregation of believing Indians at Lichtenau and Gnadenhuetten, rejoice at this opportunity to see and speak with you. We cleanse your eyes from all the dust, and whatever the wind may have carried into them, that you may see your cousin with clear eyes and a serene countenance. We cleanse your ears and hearts from all evil reports which an evil wind may have conveyed

"I appeal to any white to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, and said, "Logan is the

“Logan will no longer oppose making the proposed peace with the white men. You are sensible he never knew what fear is, that he never turned his back in the day of battle.  No one has more love for the white men than I have.  The war we have had with them has been long and bloody on both sides.  Rivers of blood have ran on all parts, and yet

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

The following speech and communication was recorded in the mid 1670's be Father Marquette who was travelling through the upper Mississippi valley with a small group of men. The men were visiting a village of people from the Illinois nation. The men received many messages of welcome such as the following: "Well done, brothers, to visit us!" and "How beautiful is the sun, O Frenchman, when thou comest to visit

"The strong liquor was first sold to us by the Dutch; and they were were blind, they had no eyes, they did not see that it was for our hurt.  The next people that came among us were the Swedes, who continued the sale of those strong liquors to us.  They were also blind, they had no eyes, they did not see it to be hurtfull to us to drink

"Brother, the Governor of Maryland, when you spoke of the condition of the country yesterday, you went back to old times, and told us you had been in possession of the province of Maryland above one hundred years.  But what is one hundred years in comparison to the length of time since our claim began?  Since we came up out of this ground?  For we must tell you that, long

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

"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

You then told us that we were in your hand, and that by closing it you could crush us to nothing, and you demanded from us a a great country as the price of that peace you had offered us — as if our want of strength had destroyed our rights. Our chiefs had felt your power, and were unable to contend against you, and they therefore gave up that

Brothers of the Wyandots: You have invited me to this council, and you see me standing before you. I address myself to all present.  I have heard all that has been said, and am well pleased with it.  I agree with my brothers the Wyandots, in all they have said.

Brothers of the Six Nations: You were the first to make away with your lands, on which you ought to

Brothers of the Six Nations: We heard you yesterday.  You shall soon hear our reply.  We are pleased that the council fire is established at this place by our friends the Wyandots, and that our brothers, the Six Nations, have agreed to unite with us.

Brother: I remember what you said relative to our people being dispersed.  Some of them are scattered, it is true, and I shall

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

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

I suppose you think I have left our big house. No, I am not a child. I went below to see the chief, who treated me well. I did not ask him for anything. I did not refuse his presents. But these cannot make me abandon this house, where are buried the remains of our fathers, whose tracks are yet fresh in all the paths leading to this place. No

Take away all these things and give me such as you see fit, and don't think I am a child who can be seduced with trinkets.

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

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

We, the Mississauga Indians of St. Francis or Abenaki Tribe have inhabited that part of Lake Champlain known by the name of Misiskoui, Time unknown to any of us here present, without being molested or any one's claiming Right to it, to our Knowledge, except about eighteen years ago, the French Governor Mr. Vandeuil and Intendant came there, and viewed a spot convenient for a saw mill to facilitate the

The following speech was an exchange of compliments, given by Corn Planter at the beginning of a counsel meeting, April 27th, 1791 at Buffalo Creek.

Brother Listen! It is usual for us to speak; and to you we do it as to a brother that has been absent a long time.  Now we all speak to you, and to our head warrior that left us last fall: — and we

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

Brother: The Great Spirit has spared us until a new day to talk together, for since you came here from General Washington, you, and our uncles the sachems, have been counseling together.  

Moreover, your sisters, the women, have taken the same into great consideration, because that you and our sachems have said so much about it.  Now, that is the reason why we have come to say something

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

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