Gazette Of The United States

ORIGINAL SPECIMENS of ELOQUENCE.

[Continued from our last.]

THE following Speech, remarkable for the conciliatory nature of the sentiments, and the noble simplicity of the language, was delivered by the Superintendant of Indian affairs in the Southern Department, to the Lower Creeks, on the 20th day of April, 1787. The candid reader is called upon to determine, whether it does not claim a preference over many of the Speeches transmitted from ancient times, admired by the critics, and received as models for imitation in our American Colleges. It is high time to learn to place a proper value upon any thing which is really meritorious in itself; although it should happen to have been produced in our own age and country.

" FRIENDS AND BROTHERS!

" THE occasion that brings me here to see you is, I believe, partly of the same nature, as that for which you have met together. But before I enter upon the business, I cannot help expressing the pleasure I feel at seeing so many of our particular friends assembled. The Lower Towns of the Creek nation have always shewn a moderation and a prudence, which I feel and admire. If this disposition is continued it will establish such a friendship and commerce, as will be infinitely better than quarreling and bloodshed.

" There are many present, who are already informed that I am sent here by the great COUNCIL, which in Peace and War directs the affairs of all the thirteen United Nations of White Men; of which the Virginians, your neighbours, make a very small part. I come from the center of their government; at a distance from here of a whole Moon's journey, on strong horses.

" BROTHERS!

" The Virginians of Georgia, who form one of the thirteen fires of our great Council, complained at the Meeting last Autumn that their Country was attacked and their People killed by some bad men of the Creek Nation—They demanded assistance, if due satisfaction was not given against the offenders—But the old and wise Men of the great Council, the Congress, before they would send out a strong army to assist in killing their brothers the Indians, with whom they had rather be at peace, wished first to enquire into the matter, and see if all things could not be amicably settled—For this purpose they have sent me out.

" Now BROTHERS!

" From Peace may we not all reap advantages : There can be none from spilling each other's blood.-The MASTER of BREATH, lends us that BREATH but for a little while ; why then should we SNATCH it from one another SOONER THAN HE DESIGNS ? For this reason, I hope both parties will be moderate.—Perhaps it hath been a little the fault of both parties that any of the human blood hath been spilled on the occasion.-I hope that now each will yield a little to the other. When our friends of the Creek Nation, who are now at Augusta, come up, they will tell you how much I inculcated this to the White People. I was happy to find them disposed to it ; except a few of their mad young men, who are too apt to be disposed to war. But their nation will not be rigorous in their demands : they have presents in waiting for the INDIANS, who I hope will go down and receive the goods. I am convinced that this Nation will not in the end lose any thing, by confirming the Grant of such lands as many of the respectable men of the Nation have thought might be spared; and have already GRANTED :—which gift it would be unmanly to retract—if it could be done—but it CANNOT.

" BROTHERS!

" I have carefully avoided to mention any old cause of quarrels, and I hope there will be none for the future. You will find that the HEAD-Men among the Virginians have lately made provision for severely punishing any of their bad folks, who shall disturb their friends the Indians.

" I will not trouble you further, but to mention one thing, which concerns us all, and which I feel from my heart: the red People and the White are equally interested in it. We are Countrymen, we live in the same land; we breathe the same air, we should be brothers. The Kings and the People who live over the great Water will wish to subdue us all. They will use cunning and force. Perhaps at this very time there are men employed among you to set you against us. It is not so long since, but you must remember how one of these Powers made visible efforts of this kind, even upon us, the White People their CHILDREN. But to tell you what is done by others of them to People of your colour, towards the mid day sun, would fill you with horror.

Ought we not, therefore, to grasp one another with a strong arm of friendship; the more easily to repel these Foreigners ? Go down then, and receive the presents which are kept for you, as marks of friendship when you run the line ; as you have agreed. You will be assured that every care has been taken by the Virginians to prevent your receiving any offence: as you, I flatter myself, will also do by them. For my part, when I return from whence I came, I shall have the pleasure to tell the great Council of Congress this : then they, far from sending an army into the Creek Nation, will exert themselves to give Trade and the Comforts of life to you, and your Families. This will make the chain of our friendship brighter—and, indeed, will be better for us all.

" Before I make an end, I must inform you that our friend Chewocleymicho and his companions, the Hostages, are in good health and spirits. I have sent down to request they may be brought up ; that it may not appear hard to keep our friends too long from their relations. But I hope the time passes away agreeably with them : for when I left them, they had nothing to do but to drink Rum, and be merry. If there is any just cause of complaint, I now beg it may be made known ; that I may use my best endeavors to find a remedy. All we have to request is, that you go and receive your presents ; and attend at running the line, according to your agreement at the Treaty."

[We have now finished the manuscript containing "Original Specimens of Eloquence"—and consider the communication as a rich addition to our miscellany.-Should the person who favored us with it, be in possession of other SPECIMENS of ORIGINALITY, we should esteem them a very fortunate acquisition to the Gazette of the United States.]