30. Indian Speeches
BY GEORGE WASHINGTON
(1754)[76]
ABOUT two miles from this, on the southeast side of the river,
lives Shingiss, King of the Delawares. We called upon him to invite
him to a council at Logstown. Shingiss attended us to Logstown. As
soon as I came into town I went to Monacatoocha (as the
Half-King[77] was out hunting). I
informed him that I was sent as a messenger to the French general, and
was ordered to visit the sachems of the Six Nations so that they might
know my errand.
I gave him a string of wampum and a twist of
tobacco, [78] and desired him to send for
the Half-King, and for other sachems, which he promised to do by a
runner in the morning. I invited him and the other great men present to
my tent, where they stayed about an hour, and returned.
About three o'clock this evening, the Half-King came to town.
I went up and invited him, with an interpreter, privately to my tent. I
desired him to
relate some of the particulars of his journey to the French commandant,
and of his reception there.
When he went to the fort, he said he was received in a very
stern manner by the late commander, who asked him very abruptly
what he had come about and told him to declare his business. So the
Half-King said he made the following speech:—
"Fathers, I am come to tell you your own speeches, what your
own mouths have declared.
"Fathers, in former days you set a silver dish before us,
wherein there was a leg of a beaver.[79]
You desired all the nations to come and eat of it, to eat in peace and
plenty and not to be churlish to one another.
"And you said that if any such disturbing person should be
found, you there laid down, by the edge of the dish, a rod with which
you would scourge them.
"And you said that if your own father should get foolish in
your old days, you desired that we might use it upon you as well as on
others.
"Now, fathers, it is you who are the disturbers in this land, by
coming and building your towns, and taking our land away unknown to
us and by force.
"The Great Being above allowed the land to be a place of
residence for us. So, fathers, I desire you to withdraw, just as I have
desired our brothers the English to withdraw, for I will keep you at
arm's length.
"I am not afraid to send you off this land."
The French general made this reply:—
"Now, my child, I have heard your speech; you spoke first but
it is my time to speak now. Where is my wampum that you took away
with the marks of towns on it?[80] This
new wampum with which you
have ordered me off the land, I do not know that wampum. But you
need not put yourself to the trouble of speaking, for I will not hear you.
"I am not afraid of flies or mosquitoes, for that is what Indians
are. I tell you I will go down the Ohio river and build upon it according
to my command.
"If the river should be blocked up, I have forces sufficient to
burst it open and tread under my feet all that oppose me, together with
their allies. My force is as the sand upon the sea shore. Therefore here
is your wampum; I sling it at you.
"If people will be ruled by me they may expect kindness, but
not otherwise."
[[76]]
Washington, then only twenty-two years old, was
sent out by the British to warn the French not to build forts on the
Allegheny and Ohio rivers.
[[77]]
Half-King, a famous Indian chief.
[[78]]
In dealing with the Indians presents always must
be given.
[[79]]
In conference with other Indians, or with white
men, the Indians gave symbolical presents,—a hatchet for war, a belt for
peace, etc.
[[80]]
That is, the French commander said that the
Indians had accepted wampum from the French towns, and therefore
could not complain of them.
