1757, October 8, Willanawa's Talk

The following data is extracted from Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760.

Wee the Cherokees have always received good Talks from our Brother the Governor of South Carolina, till this Last, which is Concerning the Spilling of Blood, Wee hope Neverthelefs, that we shall ever for the future, have Contrary Talks, Wee hope our Ears will always be Open, to hear what Our Father King George, and our Brother in Carolina says to us.

The Governor of Chotee is present, and hears my Talk, He Loves his People, As his Father King George Order'd him, to Love and Regard all the English & Cherokees, who are Brothers and all his Children,

The People of Tellico have Lately been Rogues, The Talks that they dayly receive from the English shall be remember'd, as Long as the Sun shall Shine,. It is true the Savannahs have been hearkened to Lately in our Nation, it is Now past and for the future Our Ears shall be shut to them, And open to Nothing, but what our Friends the English shall tell us. The Tellico People have Lately Talked Good, And promised, not to hearken any more to the Savannahs. And they haope, that when they have confirmed their Talks by Killing some of them, that the Governor will believe them, and think no more of the white Blood that was Spilt in their Town,. This is what we tell you Now and we hope you will consider it shou'd the Savannah's or any other Enemy Come tp Molest, Either you or Us we are Determined to Share the Same fate with you Our Brothers; Tho we have lost many of our Old Warriers at War, We have some left yet and are Neither afraid of the French themselves Nor any of Their Allies, we have long been at War with them, And should any Savannahs come into Tellico, their Talks shall not be minded, And the Tellico People are resolved to Kill them. We Desire as we and the White People at Tuskegee are all Brothers, That the Governour wou'd send us Anumition __ in Case anything shoud happen, that we may help one Another. We have often Acquainted the Governor that we have nothing either to help our Brothers, or Defend Ourselves but our bare hand,
we hope he will now consider it, and send a supply to our whole Nation, if he does this we doubt not, but we shall with eafe Copnquer our Enemies, we hope soon to hear from him, and to see something to Defend Us, which we woud be glad, he wou'd send up a few Whitemen who Understands the Woods, to go to War with Us, that they might be Witnesses of what we Do.

Source: Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760

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