any white man from settling on your lands without your consent, or to do you any personal injury.  He promised to run a line between your land and his, so that you might know your own; and you were to be permitted to live and hunt upon your father’s land, as long as you behaved yourselves well.  My children, which of these articles has your father broken?  You know that he has observed them all with the utmost good faith.  But, my children, have you done so?  Have you not always had your ears open to receive bad advice from the white people beyond the lakes?

“My children, let us look back to times that are past.  It has been a long time since you called the king of Great Britain, father.  You know that it is the duty of a father to watch over his children, to give them good advice, and to do every thing in his power to make them happy.  What has this father of yours done for you, during the long time that you have looked up to him for protection and advice?  Are you wiser and happier than you were before you knew him; or is your nation stronger or more respectable?  No, my children, he took you by the hand when you were a powerful tribe; you held him fast, supposing he was your friend, and he conducted you through paths filled with thorns and briers, which tore your flesh and shed your blood.  Your strength was exhausted, and you could no longer follow him.  Did he stay by you in your distress, and assist and comfort you?  No, he led you into danger, and then abandoned you.  He saw your blood flowing and he would give you no bandage to tie up your wounds.  This was the conduct of the man who called himself your father.  The Great Spirit opened your eyes; you heard the voice of the chief of the Seventeen Fires, speaking the words of peace.  He called to you to follow him; you came to him, and he once more put you on the right way, on the broad smooth road that would have led to happiness.  But the voice of your deceiver is again heard; and forgetful of your former sufferings, you are again listening to him.

“My children, shut your ears, and mind him not, or he will lead you to ruin and misery.

“My children, I have heard bad news.  The sacred spot where the great council fire was kindled, around which the Seventeen Fires and ten tribes of their children, smoked the pipe of peace—­that very spot where the Great Spirit saw his red and white children encircle themselves with the chain of friendship—­that place has been selected for dark and bloody councils.

“My children, this business must be stopped.  You have called in a number of men from the most distant tribes, to listen to a fool, who speaks not the words of the Great Spirit, but those of the devil, and of the British agents.  My children, your conduct has much alarmed the white settlers near you.  They desire that you will send away those people, and if they wish to have the impostor with them, they can carry him.  Let him go to the lakes; he can hear the British more distinctly.”