The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Carlisle, or Post-clerk View, Jan. 5

The following is a genuine and authentic copy of the talks between the commanding officer at Pittsburgh and the chiefs of the Delaware and Shawanee Indians, taken by a person of great integrity, and well skilled in the Indian languages, who was present.

At a meeting with Shingas, Tesketamen, Wingenam, Turtle-heart, Capt. Fanny, and Malakis, principal men and warriors of the Delawares, and the Great Wolf, and four other of the Shawanese: Shingas spoke as follows:

Brothers, I am glad it has pleased God that we should live to meet and speak together this day in friendship.

Then addressing himself to his own people, he desired them to observe what was said to them or their Brethren the English.

Tekemen, then taking out a large belt, spoke as follows:

Brothers. It gives us a great deal of satisfaction to have this opportunity of renewing our Ancient Friendship, and we are much obliged to you for sending us this small set of colours as a token of your friendship, by which we are this day enabled to speak together.

Brothers, Listen now with attention to what I am going to say: As it has always been your desire that we should hold fast by the Chain of Friendship, I now assure you that we have always done it, and do still hold it fast, and we hope you do the same; it is now in your power to continue it.

Brothers, On your first coming to these places, We were the first nation you contracted a friendship with; after this you extended Belts of Friendship across this country, the end of which reached those nations which are towards the setting sun; then as we were situated in the center between you and them in this country, you requested of us that we would hold fast by the middle of the Belt; this we assure you we have done with both our hands, and have holden it close to our hearts, but now I see both ends let loose, and we are now the only people to hold this Belt up by the middle. Brothers, Let us be strong on both sides, and take pity on our warriors, women and children. Let us be sincere and speak from our hearts, and be honest in every thing that now passes between us. I now take this Friendship Belt and lay it in the Fort, where we request you will assist us in preserving it.

Brothers, Do not imagine that what I now say comes from my lips only, I do assure you it comes from the bottom of our hearts! we make no doubt but this will give you the same pleasure, if you are as sincere as we really are.

Brothers, You sent us word that you were so firmly seated here that you were not to be removed.

Brothers, You have towns and places of your own, you know this is our country, and that your having possession of it must be offensive to all nations of Indians, therefore it would be proper that you were in your own country, whereby our friendship might always remain undestroyed.

Brothers, Some time ago you desired that we would go out of your way, that you may pass to those nations that have disturbed the Chain of Friendship. You yourselves are the people that have done it: In the first place, by coming with a large army into this country and building forts; we were then the first who went to meet you; having no mistrust of your doings, and nothing good in our hearts towards you, we agreed to every thing you desired, at the same time we requested of you in the strongest terms not to extend your Forts any further than this post, [Fort-Pitt] notwithstanding this, you crossed the lakes, and what passed between the nations living that way and you we are unacquainted with, but you see they have slipped their hands from their friendship with you, and as you desire to know who struck you, we take this opportunity to make you sensible of it, which I believe you cannot help thinking is true, for you have no body whatever to blame but your selves for what has happened.

Brothers, We have endeavoured to stop all parties we saw going against you; some we were able to prevail with, others we were not, who we suppose will prosecute the war against you.

Our reason for not coming two days ago to speak with you was, that we received this string of wampum, which I have now in my hands, from all the nations over the lakes, the following is what they said upon it. Grand Fathers, the Delawares,--By this string, we inform you that we intend in a short time to go through your country, with a great large body of men, on our way to the forks of the Ohio; Grand Fathers, you know us to be a foolish people: we are determined to have, eat, destroy and devour every thing that comes before us in our way.

Brothers, Here is the Wampum, you have heard what they desire is, if you go quietly home to your wise men, this is the furthest they will go, if not, you see what will be the consequences of that, We, by this, desire that you do remove off from hence in peace. Gave a String of Wampum.

Brothers, We have now delivered every thing we have to say, Consider on it, and when you have a mind to answer us, fire a gun and we will come over to hear you: We hope when this is done, to be able, each of us, to rise up and go to our respective home.

The following is the commanding officer's answer to the Delaware and Shawanee Indians, delivered at Fort Pitt, 27 July 1763.

Brothers, You must be certain of our sincerity towards you, as we have never broken our treaties with you or any of the Indian Nations since our first coming into the country, therefore observe what I shall now inform you of, in an answer to your speech delivered yesterday to me.

You complain that we have taken your country and built strong forts: Now Brothers, These forts were built to protect you and your trade, which you have been often told of; with regard to your lands, we have taken none but such as our enemies the French did possess: you suffered them for to settle in the heart of your country without molestation, why would you now pretend to turn us off of it, we who have always been friendly and kind to you.

Brothers, As for the garrison, I now tell you that I will not abandon this post. I have warriors, provisions and ammunition, in plenty, to defend it for three years against all the Indians in the woods, and we will never abandon this place as long as a White Man lives in America: I despise the Ottawas, and am very much surprised at our brothers the Delawares, for proposing to us to leave this place and to go home; you have attacked us without reason or provocation, you have murdered and plundered our Traders, you have taken our horses and cattle, and at the same time you tell us "your hearts are good towards your Brothers the English." How can I have faith in you, or believe that you are sincere? therefore now,

Brothers, I would desire you to go home to your towns, and take care of your women and children; when we have occasion to speak to you we shall send to you; if your Chiefs at any time