Cherokee Phoenix

RED JACKET

Published April, 15, 1829

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RED JACKET

This celebrated Indian is to deliver a lecture at Julien Hall this evening, and we hope that benevolence as well as curiosity will lead many to hear him. Say what we will of this degraded race, they are a deeply injured, and deeply interesting people. The world may smile and call it romance; but to us their broken tribes and fallen chieftains are as impressive, as the mouldering (sic) pillars and temples of worlds long since departed. They are the moral deserts, the intellectual ruins of our land; and we envy not the philosophic mind which sees no melancholy grandeur in their decay.

'When we fought by the side of our white brethren, in Canada,' says Red Jacket, 'they said the chain of friendship should be made brighter ' stronger; and that the lands of the red men should be secured to them. But scarcely were the tomahawks of my tribe dry, when they said to us. 'Give us more of our land-you must go to Green Bay, and leave the land of your fathers to us.' They are coming upon us like a torrent.' Here the old chief paused a moment, and added in a tone of deep and touching sadness, 'Well, if it must be so there is not resisting the great Spirit. I will not say, what is burning in my mind, for Red Jacket is alone in the world, and would go to his grave to peace. But let them wait.- Let them wait a little till I have mingled my bonds with my tribe; for the great Spirit gave me the women and children of the Senecas, that I should take care of them, and how shall I dare to appear before Him; and tell that I have given up their lands to the stranger.'

It is useless now to regret the treatment the Indians have received; it is more sophistry to argue about the necessity which compels us; to call them cumberers (sic) of the ground; drones which should be driven out of the swarming hive; and to swell upon the precedents of other nations founded on the destruction of the aborigines.

The face is, we have land enough; and if we had not, we should have not right as men and as christians to wrest it from them. We might as well seize upon our neighbor's wealth upon the plea that we could spend it more judiciously than he.--Mass. Jou.