Social Studies
text:\Brothers: You tell us that, after you had made peace with the King, our father [i.e., George III], about ten years ago, it remained to make peace between the United States and the Indian Nations who had taken part with the King. For this purpose, commissioners were appointed, who sent messages to all those Indian nations, inviting them to come and make peace. Treaties were held at Fort Stanwix, Fort McIntosh, and Miami, all which treaties, according to your own acknowledgment, were for the sole purpose of making peace those few who attended those treaties, [declared]: That they went to meet your commissioners to make peace but, through fear, were obliged to sign any paper that was laid before them; and it has since appeared that deeds of cession were signed by them, instead of treaties of peace. Brothers: Money, to us, is of no value; and to most of us unknown: and as no consideration whatever can induce us to sell the lands on which we get sustenance for our women and children, we hope we may be allowed to point out a mode by which your settlers may be easily removed [from our land], and peace thereby obtained.Brothers: We know that these settlers are poor, or they would never have ventured to live in a country which has been in continual trouble ever since they crossed the Ohio. Divide, therefore, this large sum of money, which you have offered to us, among these people. Give to each, also, a proportion of what you say you would give to us, annually, over and above this very large sum of money; and we are persuaded they would most readily accept of it, in lieu of the lands you sold them. If you add also the great sums you must expend in raising and paying Armies, with a view to force us to yield you our country, you will certainly have more than sufficient for the purposes of repaying these settlers for all their labour and their improvements. Brothers: You have talked to us about concessions. It appears strange that you should expect any from us, who have only been defending our just rights against your invasions. We want peace. Restore to us our country, and we shall be Enemies no longer. NEGOTIATIONS between the Western Indian Confederacy & U.S. Commissioners on the issue of the Ohio River as the boundary of Indian lands, August 1793 According to this document, how did the Revolutionary War affect Native Americans?