The Life of George Washington, Vol. 2 (of 5) - Commander in Chief of the American Forces During the War - which Established the Independence of his Country and First - President of the United States by John Marshall
page 421 of 492 (85%)
page 421 of 492 (85%)
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foolish, in my old days, I desire you may use it upon me as well as
others. "Now, fathers, it is you who are the disturbers in this land, by coming and building your towns; and taking it away unknown to us, and by force. "Fathers, we kindled a fire a long time ago, at a place called Montreal, where we desired you to stay, and not to come and intrude upon our land. I now desire you may despatch to that place; for be it known to you, fathers, that this is our land and not yours. "Fathers, I desire you may hear me in civilness; if not, we must handle that rod which was laid down for the use of the obstreperous. If you had come in a peaceable manner, like our brothers the English, we would not have been against your trading with us, as they do; but to come, fathers, and build houses upon our land, and to take it by force, is what we can not submit to. "Fathers, both you and the English are white, we live in a country between; therefore, the land belongs to neither one nor the other. But the great Being above allowed it to be a place of residence for us; so, fathers, I desire you to withdraw, as I have done our brothers the English; for I will keep you at arm's length. I lay this down as a trial for both, to see which will have the greatest regard to it, and that side we will stand by, and make equal sharers with us. Our brothers, the English, have heard this, and I come now to tell it to you; for I am not afraid to discharge you off this land." This he said was the substance of what he spoke to the general, who made this reply. |
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