82 The Winning of the West 



furnished the savages with arms and munitions of 

 war. 



The Canadians themselves were excited and 

 alarmed by Dorchester's speech, 10 copies of which 

 were distributed broadcast ; -for the general feeling 

 was that it meant that war was about to be de- 

 clared between Great Britain and the United States. 

 The Indians took the same view as to what the 

 speech meant ; but to them it gave unmixed pleasure 

 and encouragement. The British officials circulated 

 it everywhere among the tribes, reading it aloud to 

 the gathered chiefs and fighting men. "His Ex- 

 cellency Governor Simcoe has just now left my 

 house on his way to Detroit with Lord Dorchester's 

 speech to the Seven Nations," wrote Brant the Iro- 

 quois chief to the Secretary of Indian Affairs for 

 Canada, "and I have every reason to believe when 

 it is delivered that matters will take an immediate 

 change to the westward, as it will undoubtedly give 

 those Nations high spirits and enable them by a 

 perfect union to check General Wayne." 11 In April, 

 Lieutenant-Colonel John Butler, of the British Army, 

 addressed a great council of chiefs near Buffalo, 

 beginning, "I have now a speech to deliver to you 

 from your father Lord Dorchester, which is of the 

 utmost consequence, therefore desire you will pay 

 strict attention to it." 12 He then delivered the 

 speech, to the delight of the Indians, and continued : 



10 Canadian Archives, Joseph Chew to Thomas Aston Coffin, 

 Montreal, February 27, 1794. 



11 Canadian Archives, Brant to Chew, April 21, 1794. 



12 Canadian Archives, Butler to Chew, April 27, 1794. 



