nguage, of which a translation was made by Mr. Deane and enclosed to
General Clinton."

In this address General Haldimand charged the Oneida Indians with having
"taken a different course from the rest of the Five Nations, your
confederates, and have likewise deserted the King's cause through the
deceitful machinations and snares of the rebels, who intimidated you
with their numerous armies, by which means you became bewildered and
forgot all your engagements with and former care and favour from the
Great King of England, your Father. You also soon forgot the frequent
bad usage and continual encroachments of the Americans upon the Indian
lands throughout the continent. I say, therefore, that at the breaking
out of these troubles, you firmly declared to _observe a strict
neutrality in the dispute_, and made your declaration known to Sir Guy
Carleton, my predecessor, _who much approved of it, provided you were in
earnest_.[97] I have hitherto strictly observed and examined your
conduct, and find that you did not adhere to your assertion, although I
could trace no reason, on the side of Government as well as the Indians,
why you should act so treacherous and double a part; by which means we,
not mistrusting your fidelity, have had many losses among the King's
subjects, and the Five Nations, your friends and connections."

After further reproaches, admonitions, and threatenings, General
Haldimand concluded in the following severe words: "These are facts,
Brothers, that, unless you are lost to every sense of feeling, cannot
but recall in you even a most hearty repentance and deep remorse for
your past vile actions."

The effect of General Haldimand's address was to cause a conference--Mr.
Deane, at the head of thirty-five Oneida warriors--with General Clinton,
to apologize for the absence of their brethren from the expedition, and
to make those explanations in regard to their own situation already
communicated by Mr. Deane by letter, together with the address of
General Haldimand. In his reply, General Clinton, among other things,
said: "It is not my desire that the whole of your warriors should leave
their castles. I have given a general invitation to our brethren the
Oneidas, the Tuscaroras, and such of the Onondagos as have entered into
friendship with us. In order to give all our Indian friends an equal
chance of evidencing their spirit and determination to partake of our
fortune, I am entirely satisfied that such only