200 years ago this week, an important diplomatic exchange took place between the President of the United States and a number of tribal leaders Lewis & Clark encountered on their journey westward. The explorers had convinced representatives from several Indian Nations to go to Washington to speak with Thomas Jefferson — their new “father.” Yesterday we heard some excerpts from Jefferson’s speech to the Indian delegation, whom he greeted as “my friends and children.”

Following are some selections from the tribal leaders’ response to the President and the Secretary at War, whom they addressed as “fathers.” The document was endorsed by fourteen tribal representatives and preserved by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. This is approximately one fourth of the speech, which can be found in its entirety on the Library of Congress Web site.
In their own words…“…Fathers…We feel entirely our happiness at this day, since you tell us that we are welcome in the grand lodge of prosperity. We perceive that we are numbered among your most cherished children…”

“There is a long while that we wish to be acquainted with our fathers & brothers of the rising sun & we hope that, when we will return back, where the sun sets, we will dispel all the thick clouds whose darkness obscures the light of the day…”

“You do not know yet your new red children, & we see that you are as much worthy of pity as we are; flatterers came before you, made vast promises, but when far away, they constitute themselves masters, deceive you, & your children suffer…”

“We believe that you wish to pity us & to prevent our wants by sending us supplies of goods, but look sharp & tell to your men to take not too much fur for a little of goods, should they act in that way we would not be better off than we are now with our actual traders…”

“Do not believe that the number of our new brethren would be able to frighten us, were we not inclined to acknowledge you for our fathers; but we wish to live like you & to be men like you; we hope you will protect us from the wicked, you will punish them who won’t hear your word, open their ears, & lead them in the good path…”

“You say that you are as numerous as the stars in the skies, & as strong as numerous. So much the better, fathers, tho', if you are so, we will see you ere long punishing all the wicked red skins that you'll find amongst us, & you may tell to your white children on our lands, to follow your orders, & do not as they please, for they do not keep your word. Our brothers who came here before told us you had ordered good things to be done & sent to our villages, but we have seen nothing, & your waged men think that truth will not reach your ears, but we are conscious that we must speak the truth, truth must be spoken to the ears of our fathers, & our fathers must open their ears to truth to get in…”

“Fathers…Our hearts are good, though we are powerful & strong, & we know how to fight, we do not wish to fight but shut the mouth of your children who speak war, stop the arm of those who rise the tomahawk over our heads & crush those who strike first, then we will confess that we have good fathers who wish to make their red children happy & peace maintained among them. For when we are at peace we hunt freely, our wives & children do not stand in want, we smoke & sleep easy…”

The tribal leaders concluded their communication with these words to the President and Secretary at War, “We give you again the hand of friendship,” 200 years ago yesterday.

Sources:
Transcription from: Donald Jackson, editor. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents 1783-1854. Volume 1. Urbana, Chicago, London: University of Illinois Press, 1978.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/lewisandclark/lewis-landc.html#46

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