1764, Oct.] REPLY OF BOUQUET. 219 



for, since the beginning of the last war, ^ou have 

 made repeated treaties with us, and promised to 

 give up your prisoners ; but you have never kept 

 these engagements, nor any others. We shall 

 endure this no longer; and I am now come 

 among you to force you to make atonement for the 

 injuries you have done us. I have brought with 

 me the relatives of those you have murdered. 

 They are eager for vengeance, and nothing re- 

 strains them from taking it but my assurance that 

 this army shall not leave your country until you 

 have given them an ample satisfaction. 



" Your allies, the Ottawas, Ojibwas, and Wyan- 

 dots, have begged for peace ; the Six Nations have 

 leagued themselves with us ; the great lakes and 

 rivers around you are all in our possession, and 

 your friends the French are in subjection to us, 

 and can do no more to aid you. You are all in 

 our power, and, if we choose, we can exterminate 

 you from the earth ; but the English are a merciful 

 and generous people, averse to shed the blood even 

 of their greatest enemies ; and if it were possible 

 that you could convince us that you sincerely 

 repent of your past perfidy, and that we could 

 depend on your good behavior for the future, you 

 might yet hope for mercy and peace. If I find 

 that you faithfully execute the conditions which I 

 shall prescribe, I will not treat you with the sever- 

 ity you deserve. 



" I give you twelve days from this date to deliv- 

 er into my hands all the prisoners in your posses- 

 sion, without exception: Englishmen, Frenchmen, 



