being expended here, served but to awaken a still stronger desire to try
his powers, where he could have the answering sympathy of human hearts.
His fame and greatness were yet to be achieved. With the inward
consciousness of strength that would secure for him the eminence he
desired, he awaited eagerly the opportunity for its exercise. This
opportunity came.

When the storm of war had rolled by, the hour came for deliberation, and
council. England and America had concluded peace, and the jurisdiction of
the country of the Iroquois had been surrendered to the United States.
Still no provision had been made by the crown for those tribes that had
freely fought in her defence. They were left to make their own peace, or
prosecute the war on their own account. Their attitude was yet hostile. No
expedition of importance was undertaken, but the border men were
constantly annoyed by Indians, who drove away their horses and cattle, and
committed other acts of depredation. And the inhabitants of the frontier
had suffered so severely from the Indian tribes during the war, that these
acts served to awaken still deeper feelings of hostility toward them, and
led some openly to recommend that the Indians be driven from their lands,
and that these be forfeited to the State.

These councils were strenuously resisted by the general government. The
humane and considerate Washington thought it wiser to try and conciliate
them, and if possible win their confidence and esteem, claiming that their
lands, when needed, could be obtained at a cheaper rate by negotiation and
purchase, than by war and conquest.

This course, the excellence of which experience has fully demonstrated,
was finally adopted, and in pursuance of this design, a general council of
the Iroquois was convened at Fort Stanwix, in the fall of 1784. It was