THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Minutes of a Council
(Ouiatonon, July 13, 1765)
Croghan, George in: "Minutes of a
Council
with the Ouiatonons, Kecopoes,
Mascoutens and Ottawas,"
Clements Library, Gage
Papers, American Series,
Vol. 39, Reel #10.
At a Meeting with the Chiefs, & principal Warriors of the Ouiatonons, Kecopoes, Mascoutens, and Ottawas
The Wolfe, a Kecopoes Chief addressed himself-
Brethren,
Shawanese, Delawares, & Six Nations, It looks as if the great Spirit has permitted this unfortunate difference to happen, & we now beg that you will listen to what we are going to say to you, & have pity on us. We are your Younger Brothers, & never had much Sense.- We the Mascoutens, Kecopoes, & Ouiatonons, had a pipe of Peace, which we all used to Smoke out of, with our Brethren of all Nations. This pipe we have now broke, by the Action we have Committed, & we sent now another for you, to smoke out of in Peace; We have smoked out of it, & request you will do the same.- Our Fathers the French, has always had pity on us, Our Women, & Children, & we hear now that he intends to help us, to Settle this unhappy difference, that we may Once more, see the Sun Shine on us in Peace.-
|
A Pipe. |
Brethren.
In breaking our Pipe of Peace, we hurt our own Heads very much, & we now send you this pipe in place, to Smoke out of it, & desire you will have pity on us, and make up this difference, that our Women & Children may live in Peace. We assure you, that when we Struck you, the Hatchet turned in our Hand, & since we have repented very much, what we have done. Brethren, In Striking you, we have Struck our selves, & the reason we dont go to beg forgiveness of you directly, is that our Fathers the French has called us to him, & promises to help us to Settle this unhappy difference with you.
|
A Pipe. |
The Count Ouiatonon, Chief Speaker, addressed himself to the English, and desired the other Nations to listen to him; This pipe which you have smoked out of, is for the Shawanese, Delawares, & Six Nations. Brother, our Fathers the French has always had pity on us, & sys he will now have pity on us, & help to Settle this difference, that our Brethren here, has brought us into (meaning the Kecopoes, & Mascoutins) for this reason, I send my Pipe, for those Nations to smoke out of, as I want much to promote the good works of Peace, between all Nations. Brother, the King your Master over the great Water, has order'd you to come to this Country, to promote Peace with all Nations; I have known you a long time, and I know your Heart is good; I desire you will on this Occasion, use your Interest with the said Nations to settle this difference, as I know you have it in your power.
Brethren. Shawanese, Delawares, & Six Nations. I am very Sorry, for what the Kecopoes, & Mascoutens has done, & beg you may listen to their requests, & have pity on them, their Women, & Children, you always say you Love Peace, I send you this pipe, to smoke out of it, & desire you'll forgive those people's folly.
|
A Pipe |
Brethren, Shawanese, Delawares, & Six Nations. We are very Sorry for what is done, we beg you may pity us, Our Women & Children, and forgive us what is past, we desire you to smoke out of this pipe, with a good Heart, well inclined to Peace & tranquility, we know you have Suffered a Loss, in having your people Killed. But we sent this pipe, for the Living & Dead, to Smoke out of it.
|
A Pipe |
They Addressed themselves to the English thus
Brother,
We the Mascoutens, Kecopoes, Ouiatonons, Ottawas, Pianckashaw's, & Twightwees, are very Sorry & afflicted to the Heart for what we have done, We & all other Nations of Red people in this Country, is but few in Numbers to what you (page 3) two White Nations (English, & French ) are, who fill many Countries; Brother, we now beg you will pity our folly, & likewise use your influence with the Shawanese, Delawares, and Six Nations, to settle this unhappy difference between us, we know you have it in your power, if you please, our Father the French has always succeeded, when he undertook to Settle any differences between Nations, & we know you have as much power as he to do it, & beg you to have pity on us, Our Women, & Children.
Brother, the great Spirit who made all things, made you, & the French first, and us after, so that we are your youngest Brethren, tis you Brother, & the French that first made this last War, in this Country, and when everything was likely to go well, & was made up between us, the Evil Spirit tempted us to do this wicked Action, in Killing & Robing our Brethren, & desire once more to have pity on us.
Brother, The French & you are as now all one people, & as you have always promoted the good work of Peace, We desire in the Name of all our Tribes, that you may now do the same on this pressing Occasion-
Addressed themselves to the French,
Fathers, You always have had us under your Care, & we have always done what soever you desired us, you know what we had done now, it's a very bad Action, & we desire you in helping us to make it up.-
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to TOC, p. 18
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