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"We are become a small people and much lessened by the war. If
the people of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticutt
and New-England who have all put their hand to the Covenant Chain
will joyn with the inhabitants of this place we are ready to go and root
out the French and all our enemyes out of Canada.... We renew the
covenant chain in behalfe of the whole House, the Mohaques, Oneydes,
Onondages Cayouges & Sinnekes." "We now entreat you to Join us in our Request to ye. Genrl.
and Govr. wh. is, that they Assist in keeping bright, and Strong
ye. Covenant Chain, which is to say [that] of late [the Covenant
Chain] seems to contract a great deal of rust." “You who are wise must know, that different Nations have different
conceptions.” "The immediate objects are the total destruction and devastation
of their settlements and the capture of as many prisoneers of every
sex and age possible. It is essential to ruin their crops in the
ground and prevent their planting." "To remove the animosities which have arisen during the late
war ... considering our loses, the debts we have incurred and our
former friendship, it is reasonable that you make to us such a cession
of your lands as will aid us in repairing and discharging the same." "It gave me great pain to hear last year that some of our young
men had on their own accord and without our consent gone into your
country and purchased your lands ... They are disobedient children
who have violated the laws made by their fathers ..." "We did not expect that you, after advising us to shun private
treaties with individuals and avoid selling our lands to your disobedient
children, that you would yourself purchase lands from a few of our
wrong-headed young men, without the consent or knowledge of the chiefs." "I call upon you to point out a single instance in which we
have not acted fairly, openly and honestly with you, as brothers
should do with each other, or in which we have failed to fufill our
agreements with you." “We heartily recommend Union and a good agreement between you, out
[English] bretheren … Our wise forefathers established union and
amity between the Five Nations; this has made us formidable; this has given
us great weight and authority in our neighboring nations. ““It would be a very strange Thing, if six Nations of ignorant Savages should be capable of forming a Scheme for such an Union, and be able to execute it in such a Manner, as that it has subsisted Ages, and appears indissoluble; and yet that a like Union should be impracticable for ten or a Dozen English Colonies, to whom it is more necessary, and must be more advantageous; and who cannot be supposed to want an equal Understanding of their Interests.” “If the Iroquois … want to become citizens of the United States they must renounce allegiance to their own people. . . . neither the state of New York nor the United States can break them [the reservations] up without the Indians' consent, or through conditions analogous to those of war. They have always been recognized as nations…. “The conclusion is irresistible that the Six Nations are nations by treaty and law, and have long since been recognized as such by the United States and the State of New York, and an enlightened public will surely hesitate before proceeding to divest these people of long-established rights without their consent – rights recognized and confirmed in some cases by the immortal Washington and by more than a hundred years of precedents and legislation.” "In this Land Rights Action we seek justice. Justice for the waters. Justice for the four legggeds and the wingeds, whose habitats have been taken. We justice, not just for ourselves, but justice for the whole creation. "
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