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son: I am come to tell you the good news, and to see that justice be done you in all commercial dealings.

"In the next place I speak to you, ye warriors of the great party of the Choctaw nation. You were like sons separated from their father, and removed at a great distance from his protection; but by persisting in obedience you were entitled to his love. The great king always acknowledged you, but now he receives you into his family, and offers you all the favors and privileges of his sons. While you continue dutiful and obedient, the eyes of your father shall be upon you, and his hand shall be open to relieve your wants; under his care you shall enjoy all the blessings of peace and safety; you shall receive no injuries from friends, nor be exposed to any dangers from enemies; your arms shall be kept bright, your hunting lands no man shall be permitted to take from you, and there shall be abundance of corn about your villages.

"But as for you, ye Choctaw warriors of the six villages, you were like children early lost : while you were wandering out of the way, without knowing your brothers you blindly struck them. You found a father indeed, who adopted you, and you have long served him with zeal, and shown many proofs of your courage. You have received from your French father, such poor rewards for your services as he could bestow; but all the while you remained under his care you

were hungry, naked and miserable. He gave you many fair words and promises, and having long deceived you, at last is obliged to leave you in your present forlorn and wretched condition. Now your true father has found you, and this day stretches forth his arms to receive you under his protection. He has forgotten your offences, he knows your weakness and forgives your errors he knows your wants and is disposed to relieve them. I have but one tongue, and always speak the truth, and as I bring good news, I hope my words will not be blown away by the wind. The great king is wise, generous and merciful; and I flatter myself with the hopes that you will never forget your obligations to his goodness.

"It is my duty to watch over Indians, and protect them against all manner of danger and oppression for this purpose, my ears shall be always open to your complaints, and it shall be my study to redress your grievances. I must warn you to beware of all quarrels and outrages, by which you would certainly forfeit the royal favor, and plunge yourselves again into misery. I hope you will always observe my advice, and conduct yourselves accordingly, that I may be able to transmit good accounts of your behaviour to England. It is only by the permission of the great king that your wants can be supplied, and that traders can come into your villages with guns, powder, balls, knives, hatchets, flints, hoes,

clothes and other necessaries. These things you cannot make yourselves, and no other nation will be allowed to furnish you with them therefore the great king has a right to expect your gratitude and obedience; for all he requires, is with a view to your own tranquillity and happiness.

"As you are all received into the family of the great king, it is expected that Indians will not only live in friendship and peace with white men, but also with one another: in imitation of his majesty's good example, you must forget all injuries and offences, and throw aside all national jealousies and antipathies. The king expects that the great chieftains, to whom he has given medals and gorgets, will consider them not merely as ornaments, but as emblems of the high offices they bear, and the great trust reposed in them; all presents made you are in consideration of the good services expected from you: therefore, ye wise and great leaders, I expect you will use your authority like fathers, and restrain your young men from acts of violence and injustice, and teach them that the only way to merit honor and preferment, is to be just, honest and peaceable; and that disgrace and punishment will be the consequences of disorderly practices, such as robbing plantations, and beating or abusing white people.

"Ye warriors who have no commissions, I speak to you also in the name of the king, and I hope you will reverence his authority and love

your brethren. Listen at all times to your wise rulers, and be careful to follow their advice and example; by their wisdom and justice they have arrived at a high pitch of preferment, and stand distinguished by great and small medals: if, like them you wish to be great, like them you must first be good; you must respect them, as children do their father, yielding submission to their authority, and obedience to their commands: without the favor of your chiefs, you will neither get your wants supplied, nor reach the station of honor. An armourer will be sent into your nation, to clean and repair your rifles, but he will have instruction to mend arms for none but such as shall be recommended by their chief, it being proper that such leaders should have it in their power to distinguish those that are peaceable and obedient, from the obstinate and perverse.

"I am to inform you all, that I will send a beloved man into your towns, who will be vested with authority to hear and determine all differences between you and the traders; to deliver all messages from me to you, and all talks from you to me and as he will come to promote your welfare and tranquillity, I hope you will receive him kindly, protect him against all insults, and assist him in the execution of his office.

"When the French governor took his leave of you, he advised you to look upon yourselves as the children of the king of Great Britain; the

advice was good, I hope you will remember it forever. The great king has warriors numerous as the trees of the forest, and stands in no need

of your assistance; but he desires your friendship and alliance to render you happy he loves peace and justice, but he will punish all murders and rebellion; be careful therefore, to keep your feet from the crooked and bloody path; shun all communication with Indian tribes who lift the hatchet against their white brethren; their talks, their calumets, their belts of wampum, and their tobacco, are all poisonous; if you receive them into your towns, be assured you will be infected with their madness, and be in danger of rushing into destruction: be cautious above all things, of permitting great quantities of rum to be brought into your villages; it poisons your body, enervates your mind, and from respectable warriors, turns you into furious madmen, who treat friends and enemies alike. Mark those persons, whether they be white or red, that bring rum among you, for bad men; who violate the laws, and have nothing else in view but to cheat, and render you despicable and wretched.

"Lastly-I inform you that it is the king's order to all his governors and subjects, to treat Indians with justice and humanity, and to forbear all encroachments on the territories allotted for them. Accordingly, all individuals are prohibited from purchasing any of your lands; but as you know that your white brethren cannot feed you when

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