"'We told them again, that we judged we were exceedingly injured, that they might as well kill us as take away our property and the necessaries of life. We have asked why they treat us thus? What has become of our repeated addresses and supplications to them? Who hath shut the ears of the King to the cries of his children in America? No soft answer—no pleasant voice from beyond the waters has yet sounded in our ears.
"'Brothers,—Thus stands the matter betwixt Old England and America. You, Indians, know how things are proportioned in a family between the father and the son—England we regard as the father, this island may be compared as the son.
"'The father has a numerous family, both at home and upon this island; he appoints a great number of servants to assist him in the government of his family; in process of time, some of his servants grow proud and ill-natured—they were displeased to see the boy so alert, and walk on so nimbly with his pack; they tell the father, and advise him to enlarge this child's pack—they prevail; the pack is increased, the child takes it up again; as he thought it might be the father's pleasure, speaks but few words, those very small, for he was loath to offend the father. Those proud and wicked servants, finding they had prevailed, laughed to see the boy sweat and stagger under his increased load. By and by they apply to the father to double the boy's pack, because they heard him complain; and without any reason said they, he is a cross child, correct him if he complains any more. The boy intreats the father, and addresses the great servants in a decent manner that the pack might be lightened; he could not go any farther; humbly asks if the old fathers, in any of their records, had described such a pack for the child; after all the tears and intreaties of the child, the pack is redoubled; the child stands a little while staggering under the weight, ready to fall every moment; however, he intreats the father once more, though so faint he could only lisp out his last humble supplication—waits awhile—no voice returns. The child concludes the father could not hear—those proud servants had intercepted his supplications or stopped the ears of the father. He therefore gives one struggle and throws off the pack, and says he cannot take it up again, such a weight will crush him down and kill him, and he can but die if he refuses.
"'Upon this, those servants are very wroth, and tell the father many false things respecting the child; they bring a great cudgel to the father, asking him to take it in his hand and strike the child.
"'This may serve to illustrate the present condition of the King's American subjects or children.
"'Amidst these oppressions, we now and then heard a mollifying and reviving voice from some of the King's wise counselors, who are our friends and feel our distresses; when they heard our complaints and our cries, they applied to the King; they also told those wicked servants that this child in America was not a cross boy; it had sufficient reason for crying; and if the cause of its complaint was neglected, it would soon assume the voice of a man, plead for justice like a man, defend its rights, and support the old covenant chain of their fathers.
"'Brothers, listen!—Notwithstanding all our intreaties, we have but little hope the King will send us any more good talks by reason of his evil counselors; they have persuaded him to send an army of soldiers, and many ships of war, to rob and destroy us. They have shut up many of our harbors, seized and taken into possession many of our vessels; the soldiers have struck the blow, killed some of our people; the blood now runs of the American children; they have also burned our houses and towns, and taken much of our goods.
"[A black belt.]
"'Brothers!—We are now necessitated to rise, and forced to fight, or give up our civil constitution, and run away and leave our farms and houses behind us. This must not be. Since the King's wicked counselors will not open their ears, and consider our just complaints and the cause of our weeping, and have given the blow, we are determined to drive away the King's soldiers, and to kill and destroy all those wicked men we find in arms against the peace of the Twelve United Colonies upon this island. We think our cause is just; therefore we hope God will be on our side. We do not take up the hatchet and struggle for honor and conquest, but to maintain our civil constitution and religious privileges, the very same for which our forefathers left their native land and came to this country.
"[A black belt.]