angry at what I say: though you individually may wash
your hands in innocence, the white skin race, as a body,
are become proud, and some of you too proud: you glory
in your riches, your great and commodious houses, your
large fields and your plenty; you wear a white shift, and
sometimes ruffled; and you despise us Indians, for our
poverty, our low huts, our scanty allowance, and our dirty
shirts: but brother white skin, do your people think that
God our Maker, who is in the Heavens, will make such a
discrimination in the end? Will the White man, with his
riches, his fine house, and his white clean shirt, fare so
much better than the poor Indian in his mean cottage,
with his dirty shirt, and tattered jacket? He looks not
only on the outside, but carefully examines what is within.
A foul spirit may be concealed in a body of gorgeously
clothed; and a pure heart may reside unseen in a body
covered only with a dirty, tattered garment. God our
Maker will judge right, in respect to the worth of souls,
whatever complexion the bodies wear. But Brother, be
not angry, I have rather stepped aside from the direct
object of our present meeting, and have been addressing
you as in the place of the white skin race at large. But
I am an Indian, and have lively feelings for my nation,
especially when I see them abused. I don’t think it is
right for the White people to give so much rum to the
Indians, when they know the weakness of Indians; and
that they are not blessed with that capacity and resolution
which some white people possess, who can make use of
strong drink, without inquiry to themselves, or disturbing
the peace of society. But I must remark, lest you should
be too much lifted up, that there are to be found among
white skinned people, some, or now and then one, who has
brought himself quite on a level with Indians. And if
we Indians must bear this reproach of loving rum, the
white man certainly loves money; which will deserve the
heaviest punishment, I presume not to determine.
I consider myself as in the presence of God our Maker,