The Iroquois; or, the bright side of Indian characterJohnson, Anna C. (Anna Cummings)
History
The Iroquois; or, the bright side of Indian character
Johnson, Anna C. (Anna Cummings)
Iroquois Indians -- Social life and customs
“Now, all that has been done for you, has been done by our women; the
rest will be a hard task for us; for the people at the setting sun are
bad people, and you have come in too much haste for such great matters
of importance. And now, Brothers, you must look when it is light in the
morning, until the setting sun, and you must reach your neck over the
land to take in all the light you can to show the danger. And these are
the words of our women to you, and the Sachems and warriors who shall
go with you.
“Now, Brother from Pennsylvania and from General Washington, I have
told you all I was directed. Make your minds easy, and let us throw all
care on the mercy of the Great Keeper, in hopes that he will assist
us.”
So there was peace instead of war, as there would often be if the voice
of woman could be heard! and though the Senecas, in revising their laws
and customs, have in a measure acceded to the civilized barbarism of
treating the opinions of women with contempt, where their interest is
equal, they still cannot sign a treaty without the consent of two
thirds of the mothers!
On another occasion the women sent a message, which Red Jacket
delivered for them, saying that they fully concurred in the opinion of
their Sachems, that the white people had been the cause of all the
Indians’ distresses. The white people had pressed and squeezed them
together, until it gave them great pain at their hearts. One of the
white women had told the Indians to repent; and they now, in turn,
called on the white people to repent—they having as much need of
repentance as the Indians. They, therefore, hoped the pale-faces would
repent and wrong the Indians no more.
At the termination of hostilities between the United States and Great
Britain, the Indians, who were the allies of the English, were left to
take care of themselves as best they could. Though they had fought
desperately in their own way, and inflicted every species of suffering
upon our people, Washington extended to them the hand of friendship and
offered them protection. His kindness won him the gratitude of the
Indian, and procured for him a boon they have bestowed upon no other
white man, except William Penn. He is permitted to enter paradise,
though not within the sacred inclosure where the red man dwells. Near
the entrance to Heaven is fitted up a beautiful garden, where bloom the
most beautiful flowers, and the grandest trees of the forest wave their
boughs. In this glorious Eden, Washington is the only inhabitant, and
walks to and fro in the flowery paths, dressed in his soldier’s
uniform, and perfectly happy, though no word ever passes his lips. The
Indian, on his way to his own Heaven, is permitted to look upon the man
whom the Great Spirit has thus honored, but no sign of recognition is
made, as nothing must disturb his meditations, or mar the perfect
felicity which he is to enjoy through eternity in his celestial
residence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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