Brothers
we all belong to one family; we are all children of the Great Spirit; we walk
in the same path; slake our thirst at the same spring; and now affairs of the
greatest concern lead us to smoke the pipe around the same council fire!
Brothers, -We are friends; we must assist each other to bear our burdens. The
blood of many of our fathers and brothers has run like water on the ground, to
satisfy the avarice of the white men. We, ourselves, are threatened with a
great evil; nothing will pacify them but the destruction of all the red men.
Brothers, - When the white men first set foot on our grounds, they were hungry;
they had no place on which to spread their blankets, or to kindle their fires.
They were feeble; they could do nothing for themselves. Our father commiserated
their distress, and shared freely with them whatever the Great Spirit had given
his red children. They gave them food when hungry, medicine when sick, spread
skins for them to sleep on, and gave them grounds, that they might hunt and
raise corn.
Brothers, - the white people came among us feeble, and now we have made them
strong, they wish to kill us, or drive us back, as they would wolves and
panthers.
Brothers, - The white men are not friends to the Indians: at first, they only
asked for land sufficient for a wigwam; now, nothing will satisfy them but the
whole of our hunting grounds, from the rising to the setting sun.
Brothers, - The white men want more than our hunting grounds; they wish to kill
our warriors; they would even kill our old men, women and little ones
Brothers, - Many winters ago, there was no land; the sun did not rise and set:
all was darkness. The Great Spirit made all things. He gave the white people a
home beyond the great waters. He supplied these grounds with game, and gave
them to his red children; and he gave them strength and courage to defend them
Brothers - My people wish for peace; the red men all wish for peace; but where
the white people are, there is no peace for them, except it be the bosom of our
mother.
Brothers, - The white men despise and cheat the Indians; they abuse and insult
them; they do not think the red men sufficiently good to live.
The red men have borne many and great injuries; they ought to suffer them no
longer. My people will not; they are determined on vengeance; they will drink
the blood of the white people
Brothers, - My people are brave and numerous; but the white people are too
strong for them alone. I wish you to take up the tomahawk with them. If we all
unite, we will cause the rivers to stain the great waters with their blood
Brothers, - if you do not unite with us, they will first destroy us, and then
you will an easy prey to them. They have destroyed many nations of red men
because they were not united, because they were not friends to each other.
Brothers, - The white people send runners amongst us; they wish to make us
enemies that they may sweep over and desolate our hunting grounds, like
devastating winds, or rushing waters.
Brothers, - Our Great Father, over the great waters, is angry with the white
people, our enemies. He will send his brave warriors against them; he will send
us rifles, and whatever else we want - he is our friend, and we are his
children.
Brothers, - Who are the white people that we should fear them? They cannot run
fast, and are good marks to shoot at: they are only men; our fathers have
killed many of them; we are not squaws, and we will stain the earth red with blood.
Brothers, - The Great Spirit is angry with our enemies; he speaks in thunder,
and the earth swallows up villages, and drinks up the
Brothers, - We must be united; we must smoke the same pipe; we must fight each
other’ battles; and more than all, we must love the Great Spirit; he is for us;
he will destroy our enemies, and make all his red children happy.”