Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora IndiansJohnson, Elias
History
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
Johnson, Elias
Iroquois Indians; Tuscarora Indians
Mr. John Canada, Seneca, of Cattarauguh, President.
Mr. Wm. Patterson, Tuscarora, of Lewiston, N. Y., Vice-President.
Mr. Josiah Hill, Tuscarora, of Grand River, Secretary.
Mr. John Mt. Pleasant, Tuscarora, of Lewiston, N. Y., Treasurer.
It will be seen by the above that the Tuscaroras have not been altogether
idle on the subject of temperance. The temptations of intemperance
surrounding our reservation are great. We hope that the legislature will
aid us in enacting more rigid laws, for the temptation is working even in
cider, which seems to be more intoxicating now than in former times.
* * * * *
Friendship of the Tuscaroras to the United States.
The Tuscarora Indians have for more than a century been a firm friend to
the United States. In the Revolutionary war they took an active part for
the declaration of independence; many took part, but few were enrolled,
consequently, but few that drew pension from the United States. For
instance, Nicholas Cusick, a Tuscarora Indian; where shall you look for
another instance of friendship, greater than his, towards the
distinguished Marquis de Lafayette, or for christian principle more firm
and true than he evinced concerning his pension.
In the war of the Revolution he was under command of Lafayette. Many
years after peace was concluded, as he was passing through Washington, he
accidentally heard the name of his old commander spoken of in the office
in which he stopped on business. The moment his ear caught the sound, his
eyes brightened, and full of earnestness he asked, "Is he yet alive?"
"Yes," was the reply, "he is alive and looking well and hearty." With
decided emphasis, he said, "I am glad to hear it." "Then you knew
Lafayette, Mr. Cusick?" "Oh, yes;" he answered. "I knew him well, and
many a time in battle threw myself between him and the bullets, _for I
loved him_."
On asking him if he had a commission, he said, "Yes; General Washington
gave me one, and he was Lieutenant." This suggested to his friends that
he was entitled to a pension, and on looking over the records, the truth
of what he said was confirmed, and he received one for several years.
Afterwards, congress passed a law making it necessary that each recipient
should swear that he could not live without the pension. When the old
warrior was called upon to do this, he said, "Now, here is my little log
cabin, and it is my own; here is my patch of ground, where I raise my
corn and beans, and there is lake Oneida, where I can catch fish; with
these I can make out to live without the pension, and to say that I could
not, would be to lie to the Great Spirit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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