Red Jacket, 1816

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 Nations.  We then thought appearances looked squally.  We thought the United States and Great Britain were looking with jealous eyes at each other.  It appeared to us a tremendous and destructive storm was approaching, bearing blood and carnage upon its wings.  We then told you that if we were not on our guard we should feel that storm.  We also told you that it was the policy of the red coats1 to request at such times the aid of the Indians.  We admonished you to take warning from the past, and told you to recollect the calamities which have befallen our nations in the wars of the pale faces.  We then, therefore, solemnly requested you to be neutral in that contest.  We advised you not to listen to their requests, but to sit still on your seats.

At length the tremendous storm burst, and first in this quarter you were disturbed by the Virginians.  Others of our brothers who listened to the voice from the other side of the water, and some of your warriors, united with the Virginians.  Those warriors you took without consulting your elder brethren, the Six Nations.  The consequence was, your whole land, and the place of your council fire, was smeared with blood.  Our ancient records were dispersed, and many were wholly lost.  Thus are we situated.  There is now a delegation present from the Indians at large.  A great council fire is kindled, whose smoke shall ascend to the heavens; and we now appoint this the place for kindling a great council fire, where all important business shall be transacted.  In token we give you a large belt of wampum, brown and white, intermixed with strings.

Brothers: When we received your message to attend at this time and place, you requested a full representation should arise from their seats, for the purpose of making some general arrangement for the benefit of the Indians.  We have attended agreeably to your request —and shall now make some communications to remind you of former transactions.  Whenever the two white nations are about falling into difficulties, we discover different languages are held out by the British that we must adhere to them, and when the storm is near by, they will present you with a sharp iron. This has always been the course of the red coats.

Brothers: You must be sensible that this continent was the gift of the Great Spirit.  But in consequence of the wars that have taken place, we have been the perpetual sufferers.  In all wars within my memory, we have lost territory by taking up the hatchet.  The British have sold our country to buy peace.  By the experience of the past let us learn wisdom, and close our ears to British counsel.  War may again happen; and when it does you will be invited to mate with the British.  If we continue to listen to their counsel, we shall soon be exterminated.  Let us guard against this by forming a permanent union which shall protect us in future.  To decoy you into their measures, the British allure you with many fanciful trinkets.  But these are trifles when compared with our general and individual happiness.  We now earnestly request you will exert yourselves to extend the sound of our voices to our brethren who are absent from this council.

Warriors, Listen! You recollect that we have now established at this place a council fire, to be under the care of the Wyandots.  I request you to submit to the direction of the sachems, and not through pride to attempt to control them.  It is planted in the centre of your country.  Do not be flattered away by any white people who may wish to purchase your land.  To command respect you must possess extensive territory.  Keep your seats sufficiently large that you may not be crowded on any side by the whites.  And do not ever attempt to transact any business except at this place, and then in the presence of the sachems.  I hope that you will aid and assist the sachems in bringing back from the other side of the water those of our brothers who have gone astray to the British.  Take them by the hand in friendship, and forget their errors.  They will add to your strength.

My younger Brethren of the Shawanese: I now address myself to you.  When we were created by the Great Spirit, we were all of one color.  But it was his pleasure that we should speak different languages, and be placed in different countries.  You must be sensible that you are foreigners.  A number of years since you came to this country, and were taken under the protection of our brethren the Wyandots, who gave you a pleasant seat, where you enjoyed a delightful country, and shared in common with them the game of the forest. These proceedings came to the knowledge of the Six Nations.  You had not resided here long before you became uneasy, and you have been first to produce disturbances, and been forward to effect the sale of lands which did not belong to your nation.  You have been the authors of other diff1culties between the red and white people.  You have been forward in the late difficulties, by listening to the voice from across the waters.  Where is now your head sachem?  Where a part of your people? They lent an ear to the red coats, and are now in exile beyond the waters.  We admonish you to recall them — unite them with their brethren — form a band of union with the Wyandots.  Settled on the seats of the Wyandots, your friends, listen to their counsel.  It will be good.  Listen also to the counsels of the Six Nations, your elder brethren.  Do not attempt to transact important business, involving the rights of others, unless at the great council fire, and with the approbation of the Wyandots.

Sachems of the Munsee and Delaware Indians: You are sensible that you are not the original proprietors of the country you now enjoy.  You came from the east.  We know the country you came from.  Youwastedaway your inheritance and became wanderers. We gave you a seat on White river, where is plenty of game and pure water.  And notwithstanding this, your nation is dispersed.  Some of your people have taken up the hatchet, united with the red coats, and are now across the water.  We request you will collect yourselves in one body, and settle yourselves on your lands at White river.  Do this, and we will then unite ourselves together under one confederacy.  We shall then have strength and be respected as well by the whites as by the more western nations.