. That he had uniformly been the friend
of the red men, and that it was the first time in his life that his
motives had been questioned, or his actions impeached. It was the first
time in his life that he had ever heard such unfounded claims put forth,
as Tecumseh set up, by any chief, or any Indian, having the least regard
for truth or the slightest knowledge of the intercourse between the
Indians and the white men, from the time this continent was first
discovered. That as to the claim of Tecumseh that all the Indians were
but one nation, and owned the lands in common, that this could not be
maintained; that at the time the white men arrived on the continent they
had found the Miamis in possession of the Wabash; that the Shawnees were
then residents of Georgia, from which they had been driven by the
Creeks; that the lands in question had been purchased from the Miamis
who were the original owners of it; that if the Great Spirit had
intended that the tribes should constitute but one nation, he would not
have put different tongues in their heads, but taught them all to speak
a language that all could understand; that the Miamis had been benefited
by the annuities of the government and that the Seventeen Fires had
always been punctual in the payment of them; that the Shawnees had no
right to come from a distant country and control the Miamis in the
disposal of their own property."

An event now took place, that but for the quick presence of mind and
decisive action of the Governor, might have terminated in bloodshed.
Harrison had taken his seat and Barron had interpreted his reply to the
Shawnees, and was turning to the Miamis and Potawatomi, when Tecumseh
excitedly sprang to his feet and told Barron to tell the Governor that
he lied. Barron, who as a subordinate in the Indian department, had
great respect for his superiors, was seeking to mollify the harshness of
this language, when he was again interrupted by Tecumseh, who said: "No!
No! Tell him he lies!" The Governor noticed Tecumseh's angry manner, but
thought he was seeking to make some explanation, when his attention was
directed to Winamac, who was cocking his pistol, and a moment later,
General Gibson, who understood the Shawnee language, said to Lieutenant
Jennings: "Those fellows intend mischief; you had better bring up the
guard." In an instant all was confusion. The warriors on the grass
sprang to their feet brandishing their war clubs and tomahawks; Harrison