By Louis Mitchell, Representative of the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

PDF Version of Louis Mitchell Speech

I was authorized by the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indians to come here before you for the purpose of making known to you what the Passamaquoddy Indians have done for the American people, and how we have been used by the American people and how we used them. In 1775 or 1776, in the struggle between Great Britain and America, your people came to us for assistance. You authorized Col. John Allan to speak to us and you said, “He is our mouth, believe what he says to you.” After many kind words and promises, Francis Joseph, who was the chief of the tribe at that time, accepted his offer. He promised to go and help his people gain their independence. Immediately he sent his captains to different parts of his country to notify his people to prepare for immediate war. In a few days Francis Joseph gathered an army of six hundred men. At that time, and many years before that, the Passamaquoddy Tribe was the headquarters of the Abnaki Nation………..

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