The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-06-03

S1lhOihg Wy d'ceoAe anu NS-
erepid fuecenor, opechaneanoush role immediately
to his natural elevation, in pite Of the mpong inAu-
ence of deficient and inheritance.
Obtain retained indeed the nominal authority {:
The Indians, hutane and Jun 70 each Other had 10
objection to his title Of great werowanee, to any
other title he thought proper to aiiune. But tleir
attendance in council is 70 completely diferet-
onal, that Jingle member of tribe may rejea the
determination of the whole nation, and refufe to take
part in any projects they have adopted. Before fueh
Judges, the active and enterprizng Opeehancanough
had every thing to hope. The whole coniederacy
were jealous of the Englih and anxious for their
dearuaon He .fconded the national impuile, and
| offered to direa their vengeance. The addrefs and
courage dtplayed in conducting the maiiacre, and i'll
his iubleqIent enterprises, fulfilled the public conf
dence; and among the Enslilh, he was universally
regarded is formidable antagonin, than even
Powhatan.
But whatever Judgment fhall be pronounced on their
respective merits after caBdid review of their at
ons il hall be thought that the palm houd be adj
judged TO Po%ha,au, by rcalon of the imputed glo-
riss OF his youth ard his manhood, which, although
they were achieved before the coming of the Engfh
lived in the tradition of all the tribes and were con-
| iirmed by the relpe9 and reverence his preience,
ard even his name, every where nipired. However
the deeion hii 80 "a 1t regards their general actions
1t mutt be admitted that no Jingle feat of Powhatan,
can match with the death Of Opechancanough. Hiilo-
ry informs b. innumerabe examples, tina, great ac-
tons may be eaiily achieved by the afToeiaton of
numbers the ardor and incentive Of example, and the
proipca OF power: But it reiervei for the truly
great foul to preierve it. pois and Failure the gloom
OF dungeons, aud even in the embraces of death.
| The death Of Powhatan comparatively happy.
! Has country was at peace He furrounded by
his family: He could tranfmit his power to his de-
Pendants; and he aured that his remains would
be depoted with the proper ceremonies, in the bar
row of his tribe.
| opeehancano ugh lived to fee the deRraion of his
people and tor any purpole of glory iecurity,
might have juRy conidered hnlelf as at the Ian of
his race. He aborea under the tortures Of mortal
wound, eribittered by the nrmities of age and ag-
gravaed By tenfe of his deplorabe condition. iii the
midi of enemies he Detected and excluded from the
fight and contributions of his brave companions: Yet
not all the gloom of his adverGty, could hroud the
n,ajeffy of his mind
at the age of one hundred years; blind, unable to
itand; wounded, and captive Opechancanough
continued to be an hero. Then it was, as if all his
faculties were routed and collected for the purpoe of
NEEDING glory on his latter moments that he utter
ed the noble reproo a1anG fir William Berkeley for
irfierng his ntirm,ies be nulted by the gaze of
vulgar curiotty. The Spartans or the Roics have
produced no equal TO this fituation.
| am aware that the bare attempt to paint the mo-
raj qualities of an Indian, will be derided by the
iqueamiihnefs of civilization II will be obie that
! opechancanough was favage; that all favages have
the fame charsacr the elements of which are cum
nIng treachery, ferocy and iuperftion that thele
iurnlih an appearance by far inple and uniform
tor the varieties Of characters and that every thing
beyond them is al ded by the imagination OF the au-
thor Thefe objections are ipecous, but thar is ALL
he American Indian is different order of favages,
as far removed in his moral qualities from the peo-
PIE OF the other quarters of the globe he is in his
Perion and complexion ; and I fatisfed, that the
hiitory ofthis people would form the mot intruttve
chapter in the hifory Of man
Dig'!Rtiou The death ofths great leader was the
eff6s Poso- Ggual for the dilTou,on of the famous
61i4" fN4- coniederacy, which had been formed by
HEy. the genius of Powhatan, aud which had
been cemented by the coming of the Englilh, and
the hyperion mind of opechancanough Having
loit their leader, the ieveral tribes reapled into
their former Rate of patriarchal government which,
as being ieis complex than that of federation, was
more congenia to their habits and principles: Poibly
too, there was no chief in their eaimation wor
thy to be the iucce!Ior of the chief Of Pamunkey.
The preilure of war, and the difficulty of rafting pro-
vilions amonglt apeople, Whole improvdence never
looks beyond the moment, additional motives
for this fepara,icu