302 DEATH OF PONTIAC. [1766. 



ished their praises, may challenge the world to 

 outmatch their bigoted adherence to usage and 

 ceremonial. 



On the following day, the council began in 

 earnest, and Sir William Johnson addressed Pon- 

 tiac and his attendant chiefs. 



" Children, I bid you heartily welcome to this 

 place ; and I trust that the Great Spirit will permit 

 us often to meet together in friendship, for I have 

 now opened the door and cleared the road, that all 

 nations may come hither from the sunsetting. This 

 belt of wampum confirms my words. 



" Children, it gave me much pleasure to find 

 that you who are present behaved so well last year, 

 and treated in so friendly a manner Mr. Croghan, 

 one of my deputies ; and that you expressed such 

 concern for the bad behavior of those, who, in 

 order to obstruct the good work of peace, assaulted 

 and wounded him, and killed some of his party, 

 both whites and Indians ; a thing before unknown, 

 and contrary to the laws and customs of all nations. 

 This would have drawn down our strongest resent- 

 ment upon those who were guilty of so heinous a 

 crime, were it not for the great lenity and kindness 

 of your English father, who does not delight in 

 punishing those who repent sincerely of their faults. 



" Children, I have now, with the approbation of 

 General Gage (your father's chief warrior in this 

 country), invited you here in order to confirm and 

 strengthen your proceedings with Mr. Croghan last 

 year. I hope that you will remember all that then 

 passed, and I desire that you will often repeat it 



