the living orators of their local and national assemblies: their children at an early period of life attended their council fires, in order to observe the passing scenes, and to receive the lessons of wisdom. Their rich and vivid imagery was drawn from the sublime scenery of nature, and their ideas were derived from the laborious operations of their own minds, and from the experience and wisdom of their antient sages.

The most remarkable difference existed between the Confederates and the other Indian nations, with respect to eloquence. You may search in vain in the records and writings of the past, or in the events of the present times, for a single model of eloquence among the Algonkins, the Abenaquis, the Delawares, the Shawanese, or any other nation of In-: dians, except the Iroquois. The few scintillations of intellectual light-the faint glimmerings of genius, which are sometimes to be found in their speeches, are evidently derivative, and borrowed from the confederates.

Considering the interpreters who have undertataken to give the meaning of Indian speeches, it is not a little surprising, that some of them should approach so near to perfection. The major part of the interpreters were illiterate persons, sent among them to conciliate their favor, by making useful or ornamental implements-or they were prisoners, who learnt the Indian language during their captivity. The Reverend Mr. Kirkland, a Missionary among the Oneidas, and sometimes a public interpreter, was indeed a man of liberal education; but those who have seen him officiate at public treaties, must recollect, how incompetent he was, to infuse the fire of Indian Oratory into his expressious-how he labored for words, and how feeble and inelegant his language. Oral is more difficult

than written interpretation or translation. In the latter case, there is no pressure of time, and we have ample opportunity to weigh the most suitable words, to select the most elegant expressions, and to fathom the sense of the author: but in the former case, we are called upon to act immediately-no time for deliberation is allowed; and the first ideas that occur must be pressed into the service of the interpreter. At an antient treaty, a female captive officiated in that capacity; and at a treaty held in 1722 at Albany, the speeches of the Indians were first rendered into Dutch, and then translated into English.* I except from these remarks, the speech of the Onondaga Chief, Garangula, to M. Delabarre, delivered on the occasion which I have before mentioned. This was interpreted by Monsieur Le Maine, a French Jesuit, and recorded on the spot by Baron La Hontan; men of enlightened and cultivated minds; from whom it has been borrowed by Colden, Smith, Herriot, Trumbull and Williams. I believe it to be impossible to find, in all the effusions of antient or modern oratory, a speech more appropriate and more convincing. Under the veil of respectful profession, it conveys the most biting irony; and while it abounds with rich and splendid imagery, it contains the most solid rea soning. I place it in the same rank with the celebrated speech of Logan; and I cannot but express astonishment at the conduct of two respectable writers, who have represented this interesting interview, and this sublime display of intellectual power, as "a scold between the French general and an old Indian."

On the 9th February, 1690, as we are informed by the tradition of the inhabitants, although history has fixed it on the 8th, the town of Schenectady,

* Oldmixon's British Empire. 1 vol. p. 254. † Colden and Smith.

which then consisted of a church and sixty-three houses, was surprised by a party of French and Indians from Canada-a dreadful scene of conflagration and massacre ensued-the greater part of the inhabitants were killed or made prisoners-those that escaped fled naked towards Albany, in a deep snow which fell that very night, and providentially met sleighs from that place, which returned immediately with them. This proceeding struck terror into the inhabitants of Albany, who were about to abandon the country in despair and consternation. On this occasion, several of the Mohawk chiefs went to Albany, to make the customary speech of condolence, and to animate to honourable exertion. Their speech is preserved in the first volume of Colden's History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada and even at this distant period it is impossible to read it, without sensibility, without respecting its affectionate sympathy, and admiring its magnanimous spirit, and without ranking it among the most respectable models of eloquence which history affords.*

In 1777 and 1778, an association of our own citizens, in violation of law, contracted with the Six Nations for the greater part of their territory, on a lease of nine hundred and ninety-nine years, at an insignificant annual rent. These proceedings were, on the motion of the President of this Society,† declared void in March, 1788, by the authorities of the State-and when their true character was made known to the Indians-when they found that their country, in which were interred the bones of their ancestors, was sacrificed to the overreaching cupidity of unauthorized speculators, the greatest anxiety and consternation prevailed among them. The Senecas and Cayugas repaired to Albany to confer

with the governor; but having no speaker at that time of sufficient eminence and talents for the important occasion, they employed good Peter, or Domine Peter, the Cicero of the Six Nations, to be their orator, and he addressed the governor and other commissioners in a speech of great length and ability-it was replete with figurative language; the topics were selected with great art and judgmentI took down the speech from the mouth of the interpreter; and notwithstanding the imperfect interpretation of Mr. Kirkland, consider it a rare specimen of Indian eloquence.*

Within a few years, an extraordinary orator has risen among the Senecas; his real name is Saguoaha, but he is commonly called Red Jacket. Without the advantages of illustrious descent, and with no extraordinary talents for war, he has attained the first distinctions in the nation, by the force of his eloquence. His predecessor in the honors of the nation was a celebrated chief, denominated the Cornplanter. Having lost the confidence of his countrymen, in order, as it is supposed, to retrieve his former standing, he persuaded his brother to announce himself as a prophet, or messenger from heaven, sent to redeem the fallen fortunes of the Indian race. The superstition of the Savages cherished the impostor; and he has acquired such an ascendancy, as to prevail upon the Onondagas, formerly the most drunken and profligate of the Six Nations, to abstain entirely from spirituous liquors, and to observe the laws of morality in other respects. He has obtained the same ascendancy among the Confederates, as another impostor has acquired among the Shawanese and other Western Indians; and like him, he has also employed his influence for evil, as well as for good purposes. The Indians universally Appendix, No. 3.

believe in witch-craft-the prophet inculcated this superstition, and proceeded through the instrumentality of umpires, selected by himself, to designate the offenders, who were accordingly sentenced to death. And the unhappy objects would have been actually executed, if the magistrates at Oneida, and the officers of the garrison at Niagara, had not interfered. This was considered an artful expedient to render his enemies the objects of general abhorrence, if not the victims of an ignominious death. Emboldened by success, he proceeded, finally, to execute the views of his brother, and Red Jacket was publicly denounced at a great council of Indians, held at Buffaloe Creek, and was put upon his trial. At this crisis he well knew that the future colour of his life depended upon the powers of his mind. He spoke in his defence for near three hours. The iron brow of superstition relented under the magic of his eloquence: he declared the prophet an impostor and a cheat- he prevailed -the Indians divided, and a small majority appeared in his favor. Perhaps the annals of history cannot furnish a more conspicuous instance of the triumph and power of oratory, in a barbarous nation, devoted to superstition, and looking up to the accuser as a delegated minister of the Almighty.

I am well aware that the speech of Logan will be triumphantly quoted against me, and that it will be said, that the most splendid exhibition of Indian eloquence may be found out of the pale of the Six Nations. I fully subscribe to the eulogium of Mr. Jefferson, when he says, "I may challenge the whole orations of Demosthenes, and Cicero, and of any more eminent orator, if Europe has furnished more eminent, to produce a single passage superior to the speech of Logan." But let it be remembered that Logan was a Mingo chief, the second son of Shikellemus, a celebrated Cayuga chief, and