The department included the Six Nations and all other tribes to the northward of them.

THE INDIAN TRIBES

troops ; we desire you to remain at home, and not join either In the name and behalf side, but keep the hatchet buried deep.

of all our people, we ask and desire you to love peace and maintain it, and to love and sympathize with us in our trouble, that the path

may be kept open with all our people and yours,

to pass and repass without molestation."

" You told us it was a

family quarrel," said Abraham, the venerable chief of the upper Mohawk castle, 1 in reply ; " and that we should sit still, and mind Our great nothing but peace.

man, Colonel Johnson,

did the

same

at

Oswego

;

he desired

You likewise desired us that if application should be made to us by any of the king's officers, we would not join them. Now, therefore attend, and apply your ears We have The resolu closely. fully considered this matter. us to sit still likewise.

tions of the Six Nations are not to be broken or altered. 2

they resolve, the matter is fixed.

When

This chain is the determina

tion of the Six Nations not to take any part, but as it is a family affair,* to sit still and see you fight it out.

this as infallible,

it

being our

full

We beg you to receive

resolution ; for we bear as

much affection for the king of England's subjects on the other It is a side of the water, as we do for you upon this island. It is the result of long time since we came to this resolution. mature deliberation.