Biographical Memorials of James Oglethorpe: Founder of the Colony of Georgia, in North America.Harris, Thaddeus Mason
History
Biographical Memorials of James Oglethorpe: Founder of the Colony of Georgia, in North America.
Harris, Thaddeus Mason
Georgia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Oglethorpe, James Edward, 1696-1785
Major McCALL, after giving an account of the visit of the Indians to
England, makes this declaration: "Tomo Chichi acknowledged that the
Governor of the world, or _Great Spirit_, had given the English great
wisdom, power, and riches, so that they wanted nothing. He had given
the Indians great extent of territories, yet they wanted every thing.
Therefore he exerted his influence in prevailing on the Creeks to
resign such lands to the English as were of no use to themselves, and
to allow them to settle amongst them; that they might be supplied with
useful articles for cultivation, and necessaries of life. He told them
that the English were a generous nation, and would trade with them on
the most honorable and advantageous terms; that they were brethren and
friends, and would protect them against danger, and go with them to
war against their enemies." Vol. I. p. 46.
Mr. WESLEY, in his Journal, writes July 1st, 1736: "The Indians had an
audience, and another on Saturday, when Chicali, their head man, dined
with Mr. Oglethorpe. After dinner I asked the grey-headed old man,
'What he thought he was made for?' He said, 'He that is above knows
what he made us for. We know nothing. We are in the dark. But white
men know much. And yet white men build great houses, as if they were
to live forever. In a little time white men will be dust as well as
I.' I told him, 'if red men will learn the good book, they may know as
much as white men. But neither we nor you can know that book, unless
we are taught by Him that is above; and he will not teach you unless
you avoid what you already know is not good.' He answered, 'I believe
that; He will not teach us while our hearts are not white [pure]; and
our men do what they know is not good. Therefore he that is above does
not send us the good book.'"
About TOMO CHICHI, the following is given in SPENCE'S _Anecdotes_, p.
318. (Ed. Lond. 1820.)
"When General Oglethorpe was conversing with a sensible old native of
Georgia about prayer, the latter said that 'they never prayed to God,
but left it to him to do what he thought to be best for them; that the
asking for any particular blessing, looked to him like directing God;
and if so, must be a very wicked thing. That, for his part, he thought
every thing that happened in the world was as it should be; that God,
of himself, would do for every one what was consistent with the good
of the whole; and that our duty to him was to be content with whatever
happened in general, and thankful for all the good that happened to us
in particular.'"
The speech of Tomo Chichi, on presenting _the feather of an Eagle_ to
Oglethorpe, is very expressive in his own laconic explication. By a
little paraphrase it may be understood to import: "The Eagle has a
sharp beak for his enemies, but down on his breast for his friend. He
has strong wings, for he is aspiring; but they give shelter to feeble
ones, for he is naturally propitious."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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