Redmanship in Kentucky for Fifty Great SunsSmith, Frank L.
History
Redmanship in Kentucky for Fifty Great Suns
Smith, Frank L.
Improved Order of Red Men. Great Council of Kentucky
"Our runners have been busy in paying visitations to the various
hunting grounds in this reservation, and from each hunting ground
where a Tribe of our Order exists comes the glad tidings that our
brothers are dwelling in peace and harmony.
No longer does the pale face nation look with distrust upon our
warriors, but truly the "tomahawk has been buried" and the Red Men and
pale face meet as friends.
I desire first of all to recall to your minds the motto of our beloved
"Old Kentucky", "United we stand, divided we fall," and trust this may
be adopted in our deliberations. The Improved Order of Red Men has a
mission to perform among our fellow men that we alone can perform.
We are now permited to report the establishment and institution of
more tribes within our borders, since the quenching of our last Great
Sun Council fire than during any Great Sun since our Order has been in
existence."
Great Sachem Bebout is in error. He reports the institution of 29 new
Tribes, while during Willie Walkers administration (G. S. D. 409-410)
32 new Tribes were organized.
"Our representatives at our last Great Sun's Council placed upon the
pages of our speaking book a law, in accordance with the fundamental
teachings of our Order, which provided for the creation of a fund
to be used in the establishment of a Home within our borders, which
should be a shelter for the unfortunates of our Tribes, who may not
be able to withstand the trials and hardships which attend the
unprotected in this busy, hustling commercial age in which we live.
In the Great Book of Life we find this expression, 'And a little
child shall lead them.' How true this is in this instance. The little
children of the membership of Irondequoit Tribe, No. 38, located at
Hardinsburg, were the first contributors to this fund.
After the enactment of this law, with the other laws enacted by us,
the whole was presented to the Judiciary Committee of the Great
Council of the United States for their approval, and having received
the approval of that committee were promulgated to the Tribes."
The fate of this measure has already been recorded on these pages,
and the Great Council at this time found itself with an overwhelming
sentiment in favor of the law as previously passed or a similar one,
but without the power of enactment.
Continuing, the Great Sachem said: "Realizing that the desire of
our membership is as strong, nay stronger than ever before, for the
establishment of a Red Men's Widows' and Orphans' Home in our beloved
State, I beg to suggest that your Representatives to the Great
Council of the United States be instructed to request that Great
Council to pass an enabling act which will permit you to put your
desires into execution. This request, properly presented, will, in my
opinion, appeal to our brothers, members of our noble order in other
reservations, in such a way that your request will be unanimously
granted."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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