Indian Biography, Or, an Historical Account of Those Individuals Who Have Been Distinguished Among the North American Natives as Orators, Warriors, Statemen, and Other Remarkable Characters (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1834 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. The Seneca Chief, Red-jacket--Circumstances under which he succeeded Corn-planter in his influenceAnecdotes of the latter--Red-Jacket's earliest oratorical triumph--His speech at the Treaty of Canandaigua--Account of Farmer's-brother, and Brandt--Red-Jacket's political and religious principles--Speech to Mr. Alexander, in 1811--Speech to Mr. Richardeon--Remarks on the causes of his heathenism in the conduct of the whites--His military career--Speech in favor of declaring war against the British, in 1812--Seneca Manifesto--Red-Jacket's interview with Washington--His interview with Lafayette--His Memorial to the New-York Legislature--Speech to a Missionary in 1825--His deposition and restoration ill 1827--Visits to the Atlantic cities--Death and funeral obsequies--Anecdotes. The Indian orator of modern times, par excellence, was the New-York Chief, Saguoaha, or the KeeperAwake, but by the whites commonly called RedJacket;--a man who, with whatever propriety he might be entitled 'the Last of the Senecas, ' has at least transiently renewed, in these latter days, the ancient glory of the Mingoes. "Thy name is princely,"--a popular writer has said of him, --Though no poet's magic Could make Red-Jacket grace an English rhyme, Unless he had a genius for the tragic, And introduced it in a pantomime; Yet it is music in the language spoken Of thine own land; and on her herald-roll, As nobly fought for, and as proud a token As Coeur-de-Lion's of a warrior's soul." Talisman for 1830. This, by the way, is considerably nearer the truth than the statement in a preceding stanza: Tradition's pages Tell not the planting of thy parent tree; But that the forest tribes have bent for ages, To thee and to thy sires the subject knee. Better historical, if not poetical a...