western borders of the United States, and all others to whom
this writing may come.
Brothers,
Hearken to the speech which your friends, called Quakers,
assembled in
Philadelphia, from several parts of Pennsylvania and
and New Jersey Y. now
send to you, by their brethren John
Parrish
William Savery
William Hartshorme
Brothers
When our grandfathers came with Onas
to settle in this land, more than one hundred years ago, they kindled a
large Council fire with your grandfathers, and sat together round it, in
much good will and friendship; smoking the Calumet pipe together,
and they told your grandfathers, that they were men of peace, and desire
to live among you in peace and love, and that their children might also
be careful always to live in the same love one with another, as brothers
of one family.
This Council fire was kept burning with a clear flame
many years, which gave
a good light all around the Country; and the
chain of friendship, which was
made at the same time, was kept clean
from rust by our fathers, and your
fathers; until about forty years ago
an evil spirit whispered bad stories in
the ears of some of your people,
and of some of the white people; so that
the light of the ancient council fire
was almost full out, and the old chain
of friendship was made dull, and
rusty,
Brothers,
Our Grandfathers told your grandfathers that the great and
good
Spirit, who made them, and all people, with a design that they might
live on
the earth for a few years in love, and good will one towards another,
had
placed his law in the hearts of all men, and if they carefully attended
to
its inward voice, it would keep them in love and friendship, and teach
them
to shun and avoid every thing that would occasion them to trouble
and
hurt one another.
Brothers,
Do you not find, that after you have been angry, &
quarrelsome,
and done any bad action that you are made uneasy and sorrowful,
and that
when you are sober and serious, and do good actions, that your
minds feel