The winds of change are upon the Native American people as their livelihoods,
their country, now lie in a state of flux. In his speech to Governor Isaac I. Stevens, Chief
Seattle speaks like the diplomat he must be, linking his people and their native ways to
the White Chief and his new ways. Seattle’s diction, tone, and use of figurative language
collectively underscore his purpose—to convey his resignation, cooperation, and
acceptance of the white man’s terms for a new, albeit less “extensive,” country for his
people