e American influence,
this might ultimately lead to the disintegration of the British power
over all. Therefore it was resolved that before any negotiations were
entered into with General St. Clair, that another grand council of the
northwestern tribes should be held in the valley of the Miami of the
Lake, or Maumee, and that to that council should be summoned the
principal sachems and warriors of all the tribes. Alexander McKee, the
British Indian agent, was to be there, and Joseph Brant, and all action
taken was to be under their supervision and control.

On July 14th, General Richard Butler wrote to General St. Clair that
about eighty chiefs were present at the Detroit river, awaiting the
arrival of Brant. On August the 10th that chieftain reached Detroit, but
instead of meeting with unanimity of counsel, he found that the Wyandots
were for "a private and separate meeting with the Americans to settle
matters for themselves," while the warlike Miamis were against any peace
at all and in favor of open hostilities. After five weeks of waiting and
cajolery, Brant got them all together in the Miami valley, and the
council started to deliberate. The Hurons, Chippewas, Ottawas,
Potawatomi and Delawares stood with Brant, and in favor of surrendering
up a small portion of their country, rather than of entering headlong
into a destructive war. The Potawatomi, Ottawas and Chippewas were far
to the north and were probably indifferent; the Wyandots and Delawares
were sincerely for peace. But insuperable objections were now offered by
the Miamis, Kickapoos and the Shawnees. Horse stealing was their "best
harvest," and the plundering of the boats they would not forego. In vain
did the Wyandots urge a treaty. They presented the Miamis with a large
string of wampum, but this was refused. They then laid it on the
shoulder of a principal Miami chieftain, but he turned to one side and
let it fall on the ground without making any answer. In the end the
Wyandots withdrew and the council broke up in confusion. It was plain
that if any agreement was entered into with the American government that
it would not be through any concerted action on the part of the tribes.
Tribal jealousy and savage hate rendered that impossible.

It has been related that when Brant perceived that his confederacy was a
failure, and that he could not secure united action, that he said "that
if five of the Six Nations had sold themselves to the devil, otherwise
the