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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Joshua Sharpless diaries, Vol. 1 1798

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sensibility of its pertinence by a shamefaced good
humoured laugh. After which Cornplanter ex-
pressed a few words, indicating his satisfaction with
what had been said, & that we would now shake
hands as brothers, & directed his people to use & come
towards usto us, and shake hands by course, himself first
setting the example.

Thus this council ended after letting them know
that we should want one more general council with
them before we left them.

1st day 20th

This being first day, we believed it would
be right to sit down together, according to our usual
manner, for religious retirement, and it was conclu-
ded best to inform Cornplanter of our intentions & to
let him know, that his company & that of any other
of his people who should choose to come & sit with
us, in our way would be acceptable.

Before we had given this information Cornplanter
& his Son Henry came into our apartment and made
in substance the following apology.

Brothers, You must not think hard that we do not
keep the first day as the white people do, for we are
ignorant, & cant read & write as they can, besides we are
poor,