After the principal Sachems had, at these Conferences, been brought to a good Disposition, his Excellency advised with the Gentlemen of the Council, and the Commissioners from the _Massachusets Bay_, on what might be proper to be said to the _Six Nations_ in the publick Speech, which he now proposed to make to them. Col. _Wendell_ and Mr. _Wells_ had arrived from _Boston_ about the End of _July_, and soon after they came to Town, his Excellency ordered the Gentlemen of the Council to communicate to them all the Information which had been received, with respect to the _Indian_ Affairs: And they had frequent Conferences together from Time to Time, as Occasion required: It was likewise thought proper to communicate, what his Excellency intended to say to some of the Sachems of each Nation, who were thought most hearty in the _British_ Interest; who said, that it was well conceiv'd as could have been done, had they themselves advised upon the Subject; only as it had been advised to observe in the first Draught, That some of his Majesty's Subjects had been instigated by the _French_ to rise in Rebellion against the King; that they had been defeated by one of the King's Sons; that these poor People were now utterly ruined, and had nothing left but to bewail their Folly in the Misery that was brought upon them, by suffering themselves to be deluded by the Promises of the _French_; they said, that they did not understand the Affairs on the other Side of the Sea, nor did they trouble their Heads about them; and as they had no Method of retaining what is spoke to them but by their Memories, they were afraid that this might perplex their Memories, and make them less attentive to what was properly their Business; and advised, that it should be left out; which accordingly was done.
Another Difficulty remained; the publick Interpreter had been taken dangerously ill in his Return to _Albany_, and was at this Time confined to his Bed. Tho' several were employed, who had Knowledge sufficient in the Language of the _Six Nations_, to make themselves be understood, and to understand what was spoke to them; yet none of them were so much Masters of the Language, as to speak with that Propriety and Distinctness that is expected, and usual on so solemn an Occasion. It was thought therefore proper, to make one of the Sachems understand the Speech, by the Assistance of the common Interpreters, that he might be able to deliver it Paragraph by Paragraph, as it should be spoke. At first a _Mohawk_ Sachem was pitched upon; but the Sachems themselves told us, That for some time past a kind of Party-Division among the _Six Nations_ had subsisted: That the _Mohawks_, _Onandagas_, and _Senekas_, form'd one Party; and the _Oneydoes, Tuscaroras_, and _Cayugas_, the other: That, as the _Mohawks_ might be suspected to be more partial to the _English_, it would be of more Use to employ one of the other Party; and an _Oneydo_ Sachem was proposed for that Purpose. This Man was easily enough made to understand the Speech, and he repeated it several Times over in private, and was instructed where to make the proper Stops. After the Speech was delivered, some of the Commissioners for _Indian_ Affairs, and other Persons present at the Delivery, who understood both Languages, acknowledged, that this _Indian_ had acquitted himself of his Trust faithfully, and had delivered the Sense of the Speech clearly and distinctly.