Gazette Of The United States

PHILADELPHIA

The Chiefs of the Five Nations, last Monday week, met the Governor in the Council-Chamber, to return a formal answer to his address, delivered to them, in the same place, on the 28th ult.

SAGOYEWATHA, or RED JACKET, first addressed his Excellency, as follows:

Brother Onas* Governor,

OPEN your 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 an 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 address, has not had a proper effect upon our hearts. We assure you it is far otherwise.

Brother, Onas Governor,

In your address to us the other day, in this ancient Council-Chamber, where our forefathers have often conversed together, several things struck our attention very forcibly. When you told us this was the place in which our forefathers often met on peaceable terms, it gave us sensible pleasure and more joy than we could express.

Brother, Onas Governor,

Though we have not writings like you; yet we remember often to have heard of the friendship that existed between our forefathers and yours. The picture to which you drew our attention+ brought fresh to our minds the friendly conferences that used to be held between the former Governors of Pennsylvania, and our Tribes, and showed the love which your forefathers had of peace, and the friendly disposition of our people. It is still our wish, as well as yours, to preserve peace between our Tribes and you, and it would be well if the same spirit existed among the Indians to the Westward, and through every part of the United States.

Brother, Onas Governor,

You particularly expressed, that you were well pleased to find, that we differed in disposition from the Indians Westward. Your disposition is that for which the ancient Onas Governors were remarkable. As you love peace, so do we also; and we wish it could be extended to the most distant parts of this great country.

Brother, Onas Governor,

We agreed in council this morning, that the sentiments I have expressed, should be communicated to you, before the delegates of the Five Nations, and to tell you, that your cordial welcome to this city, and the good sentiments contained in your address, have made a deep impression on our hearts, have given us great joy, and from the heart I tell you so. This is all I have to say.

AGWELONDONGWAS, or GOOD PETER, next addressed the Governor.

He first congratulated the delegates of the Five Nations upon so happy and friendly a meeting, and on having so good an opportunity of showing their peaceable disposition, and of answering the Governor's friendly address, which had given them so much pleasure; then turning to the Governor he began:

Brother, Onas Governor,

I take part in the joy you feel, in meeting your brothers of the Five Nations at this day on such peaceable terms, and I rejoice with my brethren of the Five Nations, on the same account. This meeting brought to my recollection the days when our forefathers were united as brethren.

Brother, Onas Governor,

Let me tell you how much I wish, that the hearty friendship which subsisted between our forefathers should subsist equally between their children. What is there more desirable than that we, who live within hearing of each other, should unite for the common good. This is my wish. It is the wish of my nation, although I am sorry I can't say, of every individual in it; for there are differences of opinion among us, as well as among our white brethren.

Brother, Onas Governor,

Your country is happy. It has a complete and firm government, whose peace is secured, and where all obey your voice.

We are in a different situation. Our government is not established like yours, and though many attend to the voice of our councils, yet some don't, especially the young men. They sometimes, however, also do hear us.

Brother, Onas Governor,

I have been long acquainted with some customs, and in a degree with the nature of your governments, and especially with the government of this State, and of the difficulties you had in establishing it; and I wish you to remember, that your forefathers laboured much, notwithstanding those difficulties, to live in peace with us, and protect us, notwithstanding our weakness.

I hope, Brother, Onas Governor, that we shall derive some lasting benefit from this visit to your city, and carry home with us an impression on our minds, that will make us keep Onas in mind. This is all I shall say.

The Governor then delivered the following reply:

Brothers,

You have spoken the language of friendship and peace.

I rejoice to find that our sentiments, upon the present occasion, are much alike; for I am persuaded, that the happiness of your nations, as well as of the United States, will be best promoted by a mutual regard, and the liberal exchange of good offices.

I hope, indeed, that, when the other Indian Nations behold the effects of the harmony established between us, they will endeavor to obtain the same blessings, by treading in the same path.

* Title given to Governors of Pennsylvania.

+ A copy of the well known print of Penn's treaty with the Indians, painted by a young artist in this city, with which they were much pleased.