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1794 WD 11 mo. 2 1 own advantages, we are tender hearted, & desirous of Peace, you told us what you would give us for our Land to brighten your end of the Chain; if you will relinquish the piece of land we have mentioned our friendship will be permanent, you say you are not proud, neither are we, Congress expects we are now settling the Business with regularity, we wish both parties may have something to say in settling a peace, at the time we desir'd a conference, we also requested the Quakers should come forward, as they are promoters of peace, & we wanted them to be Witnesses, [crossed out: to what part] we wish to do nothing in private, we have told you of the rusty part, which the file passed over, & wish you to take up the file & rub it very hard, you told us if it would not do without, you would apply oil, we all depend on you, whatever is done we regard as final & permanent, we wish you to take it under Consideration, and give us an answer. __ The Commissioner then replied, If I understand you right, your minds are easy excepting the strip of land between the Lakes. in margin: Comr. Speaks

Brothers, You say you are anxious for peace, so are the People of the United States with all the Indians on the Island, we profess it not only with our Lips, we speak it from our hearts, you say relinquish the 4 mile path from lake to lake & a lasting peace will take place, the other day I gave you strong reasons why we could not give it up, I told you if I could not rub out the rusty spots, I would cover them over, (alluding to the money offer'd), you seem to be sensible why the United States stand in need of a passage from Lake to Lake, I thence concluded you would have no objection if the land remain yours to our cutting a road, & if we do so it will be very inconvenient, unless we can have Taverns to accommodate travellers, as the Distance is great, you know they have a road & accommodations on the opposite side of the River, and as there can be no accommodations between the Lakes, unless we have the previlege, the 4 mile