THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Copy of Speeches
made by the Indians
(to Lt. Col. Wilkins)
In: (Enc. in Johnson's Letter to
Hillsborough, Aug. 26, 1769),
The Papers of Sir William
Johnson, vol. 7,
pp. 132-139.
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nous fait les reproches que tu nous fait, je pance quelques personnes qui te font les reporte contre nous par Jalousie, C'es pourquoi tu ne Veux que nous voyons le jour que par rencontre.- Cette Branche de porcelaine Affirme ma Parole.- Conseil de Hannanas Chef de Guerre et De Village.- Mon Pere |
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N. By this they mean that the Message & belt to them was of such a Nature as to prevent all future Intercourse with the English. The remainder of this speech is very severe & is in fact, That we are unable to hurt them, but that they can easily destroy our People.- |
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aparament que tu crois que je ne serai pas capable De rien Lorsque tu me privera de poudre et De balles, tu dois scavoir que je scais me servir de Bois pour faire mes armes et que avec ce meme bois ye tue Des hommes, tu dois etre persuad que mon pere les francois ne me laisserai pas mourir et quil me donnera mes besoins, ye mourrai en tenant sa main si tu me fait la Guerre, tu me prens pour une Bete qui est prive de la Raison, Croy tu qu'en ayant n'y poudre ny Balles je murrai de faim, non, et Dans le Collier que tu nous envoi il y a un homme qui nous bouche Le Chemin, Crois tu que nous ne comprenons pas cela quoique je n'ai pas autant d'esprit que toi.- Voila pourquoi je te dis ce que je te Dis, tu Crois que je suis Orphelin, mes tous les Gens De ces rivieres et tout les peaux rouges apprenderont ma mort, vient ici je te dirai mon sentiment, tu me parle des Etoilles et que tu es aussi nombreux qu'elles sont au Ciel, les Etoilles qui tombent ne font point de mal, et bien moi je suis comme les arbres Dans les forests Et (page 136) Lorsque un arbre tombe il fiat Du mal et tue un homme.- Cette Procelaine affirme ma Parole. Fin- |
The Speeches made at the Ilinois & at other places are generally taken by French Interpreters, who are men of very little learning, this will account for the badness of the French & the errors of Orthography, It being an Exact Copy.- It is to be observed that in all Speeches even at the Eve of a War, the Indians use some softening Expressions to Extort favors, but as amongst themselves the bar expression that they are Angry is always Considered as a Declaration of War. Their Sentiments will appear pretty obvious from the foregoing Speeches.-
It should also be noted that the first of these Speeches comes from the Old Sachem, & is of Course more humble & mild than those of the Head Warriors which follow, & agreable to Whose Characters Expresses more truly the sense of the Nation.
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INDORSED |
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Copy of Speeches
from |
Translation
My Father:
I have received the word which you sent me. You are right in uttering the just reproaches which I hear from you since your mind is clearer than mine, but tell me for what reason you utter these reproaches. Some of my young people have been killed on account of the Nation, and why do you utter these reproaches? Before my young people were killed, I said to you that they (page 137) excited my pity, and that they were as glad to live as I. When I came to see you that autumn, that was to engage in an honest transaction, but I was deceived. Since you received me badly, I shall tell you my feelings better in my village; if you wish to know what I have in my hart, you can come to speak to me. I have resolved to die with the French and English and am sorry that I was not present when the Pottawatamies committed an offense, a thing which has caused me much regret, but I was not there, for I would have risked my life to save those of the nation which I love. Do you think, my father, that I do not feel as much sorrow as you when all the nations are slaying me every day? I have not an evil mouth. My forefathers always taught me to feel pity for our women and our children, I have a good heart and I follow this principle, which they always taught me, to feel pity for our young people. Since they are quite naked, I have always, when speaking to my father, asked him to give me a drop of his milk to make my young people rejoice. You ought to have been beforehand with me in this. And why do you cast blame on me? Am I the author of the injuries which you may have received? If there are bad people, I am not the cause. I look on you as my father. When I have had people of my nation killed, you have always covered my dead. Why should I bear you ill will? None of the nations along the rivers have ever covered my dead; it is you alone. For what reason do you bear me ill will? You have told me myself that w were recommended to you by our former French fathers. I am astonished that you are so quickly made angry. Is that the recommendation which our fathers made to you?
When you told me that, I believed that you would always sustain me as our French fathers used to do, but I see by your threats that you do not look upon me as your son. If you are obliged to speak to me, you would give me pleasure by having only one interpreter- that would be better, and not to employ several who may interpret badly what is said to you. I shall be pleased to have you come to speak to me yourself if you pity our women (page 138) and our children; and, if any redskins do you harm, I shall be able to look out for you even at the peril of my life.
This, my father, is what I have to say to you.-
End of the first response of Chief Maringouin.-
Second Speech of Chief Maringouin.-
I am thinking of what you said to me. I am no way in the wrong, that you should speak to me in this manner. While I am in sorrow and weeping, evil passion may overcome me and I may strike anything I find. Apparently you wish me to do mischief wherever I may be since I am soon to die.- You tell me in reproach that you restrained the Shawanese; but I restrained the upper nations. Since you entered this country you alone have caused the misfortunes which have come upon us. A proof of what I say is that the road of the Illinois here is covered with the bones of my brothers. I believe that you would look upon me as your son, if I were like the Shawanese, the Delawares, the Iroquois, and many other nations which hold some of your people among them as slaves. But you see none in my nation; and because of an insult which someone has offered, you make many threats against us. I see people living beyond us who have offered you gross insults, who have waded in your blood up to the knee, and for a slight injury you made great threats against us. My road is fine, no evil is done there, but today I see only my bones everywhere.-
Speech of the great Cadenette
Chief of war and of the village
My Father:
I will not go to see you, because, if I saw the bones of my brothers, that might rouse my anger. If you want to speak to me, it would be better for you to come hither. My father, the French, told me to follow his road, and that I would find no ambushes in it, but while you are here we see only the bones of my nation everywhere and those of my brothers. I should have done you injury a long time ago it I had followed what the other (page 139) nations advised. But since you are on the lands of our fathers the French, and I should have been sorry to spill a drop of your blood, that is why I hold my heart in. Why do you blame my nation and utter the reproaches which you cast at us? I think there are persons who out of jealousy bring stories against us to you. That is why you let us live just by chance. This belt will sustain my word.
Speech of Hananaa, Chief of war and of the village
My Father
Apparently you think that I shall not be capable of anything when you deprive me of powder and ball. You must know that I know how to use wood to make my weapons and that with this same wood I kill men. You must be convinced that my father the French will not let me die and that he will satisfy my wants. I shall die holding his hand if you make war on me. You take me for a beast that is destitute of reason. Think you that, having neither powder nor ball, I shall die of hunger? No, and in the belt which you send us there is a man who shuts up the road between us.2 Do you think that we do not understand that, though I have not as much wit as you?
This is the reason that I say to you what I say. You think that I am an orphan; but all the people of these rivers and all the redskins will learn of my death. Come, I will speak my feelings. You talk to me of the stars, and say that you are as numerous as they are in the sky. The stars that fall hurt nothing. As for me I am as the trees in the forests; and, when a tree falls, it does harm and kills a man. This belt supports my word.
End.
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1 Johnson's letter of August 26th to the Earl of Hillsborough, printed in Doc. Rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 8:183-86.
2 (1, p. 139) See fourth marginal note opposite the French.
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