t, and courteous style of
the oration delivered by Chief John Jones, and will give to my readers
some idea of the intelligence of an educated Indian:--

"Brothers, you have been called from all your parts of Canada, even from
the north of Georgian Bay. You are from your homes, your wives, and your
children. We might regret this, were it not for the circumstances that
require you here.

"Fellow-chiefs and brothers, I have pondered with deep solicitude our
present condition and the future welfare of our children, as well as of
ourselves. I have studied deeply and anxiously, in order to arrive at
a true knowledge of the proper course to be pursued to secure to us and
our descendants, and even to those around us, the greatest amount of
peace, health, happiness, and usefulness. The interests of the Ojebwas
and Ottawas are near and dear to my heart; for them I have often
passed sleepless nights, and have suffered from an agitated mind. These
nations, I am proud to say, are my brothers, many of them bone of my
bone; and for them, if needs be, I would willingly sacrifice anything.
Brothers, you see my heart." _[Here he held out a piece of white paper,
emblematical of a pure heart.]_

"Fellow-chiefs and warriors, I have looked over your wigwams throughout
Canada, and have come to the conclusion that you are in a warm place
_[query, too hot to hold you]_. The whites are kindling fires all round
you _[i.e. clearing land]_.

"One purpose for which you have been called together, is to devise some
plan by which we can live together, and become a happy people; so that
our dying fires may not go out, _i.e._ our people become extinct, but
may be kindled, and burn brightly, in one place. We now offer you any
portion of the land we own in this region, that we may smoke the pipe
of peace, and live and die together, and see our children play and
be reared on the same spot. We ask no money of you. We love you; and
because we love you, and feel for you, we propose this.

"My chiefs, brothers, warriors. This morning" _[the speaker now pointed
with his finger towards the heavens]_, "look up and see the blue sky:
there are no clouds; the sun is bright and clear. Our fathers taught us,
that when the sky was without clouds, the Great Spirit was smiling upon
them. May he now preside over us, that we may make a long, smooth, and
straight path for our children. It is true I seldom see you all, but
this morning I shake hands with you all, in my h