The great chief at St. Louis having sent word for us to come
down and confirm the treaty, we did not hesitate, but started
immediately that we might smoke the peace pipe with him. On our
arrival we met the great chiefs in council. They explained to us
the words of our Great Father at Washington, accusing us of
heinous crimes and many misdemeanors, particularly in not coming
down when first invited. We knew very well that our Great Father
had deceived us and thereby forced us to join the British, and
could not believe that he had put this speech into the mouths of
those chiefs to deliver to us. I was not a civil chief and
consequently made no reply, but our civil chiefs told the
commissioner that, "What you say is a lie. Our Great Father sent
us no such speech, he knew that the situation in which we had
been placed was caused by him." The white chiefs appeared very
angry at this reply and said, "We will break off the treaty and
make war against you, as you have grossly insulted us." Our
chiefs had no intention