"'Trusting that this covenant should never be broken, our fathers came a great distance beyond the water, laid out their money here, built houses, cleared fields, raised crops, and through their own labor and industry grew tall and strong.
"'They have bought, sold, and traded with England, according to agreement; sending to them such things as they wanted, and taking in exchange such things as are wanted here. The King of England and his people kept the way open for more than one hundred years, and by our trade became richer, and by a union with us, greater and stronger than the other kings and people who live beyond the water.
"'All this time they lived in great friendship with us, and we with them; for we are brothers—one blood.
"'Whenever they were struck, we instantly felt as though the blow had been given to us—their enemies were our enemies.
"'Whenever they went to war, we sent our men to stand by their side and fight for them, and our money to help them and make them strong. That we have done this, Brothers, you have been all witnesses to in the last war. You know we assisted them in taking Niagara, Cataroqui, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and Canada; and lastly, when they had no more enemies upon this island, we went to fight, and helped them to take many large islands that lay in the hot countries, where they got more than thirty cart-loads of silver. They thanked us for our love, and sent us good tokens, and renewed their promise to be our people for ever; and when the war was over, they said, children, we thank you that you have helped to make us great. We know that it has cost you a great deal of money; and therefore, children, we give you a present, that you may maintain your warriors.
"'Brothers and Friends, open a kind ear.—We will now tell you of the quarrel betwixt the counselors of King George and the habitants and colonies of America.
"'Many of his counselors are proud and wicked men. They persuade the King to break the covenant chain, and not to send us any more good talks. A considerable number have prevailed upon him to enter into a new covenant against us, and have torn asunder and cast behind their backs the good old covenant which their ancestors and ours entered into and took strong hold of.
"'They now tell us, they will slip their hands into our pocket without asking, as though it were their own; and at their pleasure they will take from us our charters or written civil constitution, which we love as our lives; also our plantations, our houses, and goods, whenever they please, without asking our leave. That our vessels may go to this island in the sea, but to this or that particular island we shall not trade any more. And, in case of our non-compliance with these new orders, they shut up our harbors.
"'Brothers:—This is our present situation—thus have many of the King's counselors and servants dealt with us. If we submit, or comply with their demands, you can easily perceive to what a state we will be reduced. If our people labor on the field, they will not know who shall enjoy the crop; if they hunt in the woods, it will be uncertain who shall taste of the meat or have the skins; if they build houses, they will not know whether they may sit round the fire with their wives and children; they cannot be sure whether they shall be permitted to eat, drink, and wear the fruits of their own labor and industry.
"'Brothers and Friends of the Six Nations, attend!—We upon this island have often spoke and intreated the King, and his servants the counselors, that peace and harmony might still continue between us; that we cannot part with, or lose our hold of, the old covenant chain, which united our fathers and theirs; that we want to brighten this chain, and keep the way open as our fathers did; that we want to live with them as brothers; labor, trade, travel abroad, eat and drink in peace. We have often asked them to love us, and live in such friendship with us as their fathers did with ours.