"As for me my life
is short, 't is already sold to the Great King over the water," he said.
But it soon appeared that the British agents had deceived him, telling
him that the peace was a mere temporary truce, and keeping concealed the
fact that under the treaty the British had ceded to the Americans all
rights over the Iroquois and western Indians, and over their land. Great
was his indignation when the actual text of the treaty was read him, and
he discovered the double-dealing of his far-off royal paymaster. In
commenting on it he showed that, like the rest of his race, he had been
much impressed by the striking uniforms of the British officers. He
evidently took it for granted that the head of these officers must own a
yet more striking uniform; and treachery seemed doubly odious in one who
possessed so much. "I assisted the great King," he said, "I fought his
battles, while he sat quietly in his forts; nor did I ever suspect that
so great a person, one too who wore a red coat sufficient of itself to
tempt one, could be guilty of such glaring falsehood." [Footnote: State
Dept. MSS., No. 56, March 7, 1786, p. 345, also p. 395.] After this
Cornplanter remained on good terms with the Americans and helped to keep
the Iroquois from joining openly in the war.
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