Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-02-04
From The New York Sun.
nae MEMoRY on RAE INDIANS

We we're pleased 10 learn, by late pa
per. that the entepnsing inhabitants OF
Pennington, CT, have recently erected a
monument, in their new burying ground.
TO the memory OF the Tunix Tribe"
once the proud possessors Of those broad
domains. Il is monumental block Of
red sand stone. standing, il appears, a.
mong fragments OF human bones, whose
being there the following inscription on
one side of the monument explains:---
In MEMORY OF THE INDIAN RACE, rs.
rEcI,LLy OF rur TuNIx II IRE, TlTE An
crENT TENANTS OF THESE GROUNDS"
The many human skeletons here dis.
covered, confirm the tradition that this
spot was formerly ON Indian burying
place. Tradition further declares it TO be
ground on which a sanguinary battle was
Tough, between the runix and Stockbridgc
tribes. Some Of their scattered remains
have been re-interred beneath this stone.
+" BY order Of the School Committee Of
Pennington this monument was erected
| in lSf0--just two centuries after the first
| English settlement.
The idea is noble one. and has been
nobly executed. What an eloquent lee
ture upon the muiabllity Of all things
earthly is contained in the last line Of the
inscription. A vapid GRAFTON would be
idle in comparison. "Just two centuries
after the frs, English settlement and
only monumental stone and flew crumb
ling bones. emain Of a once powerful and
prosperous tiibe The history OF one
tribe is the history OF all which inhabited
our northern and eastern borders. OF the
teeming thousands which once swarmed
tho vast forests, scarcely one lingerer re.
mains TO bless the bones Of his fathers.
Like the dew on the mountain,
/, Like the foam the river.
Lihe the bibb.e on the fountain.
They are gone--aEd forevef !"
| The realm which was once the Red
Mems own, has changed hands II is Ours.
We will say nothing Of our title-deed.
| Perhaps in n court of divine equity il
might not be acknowledged quite so just
as that Of its former poss"ssors But the
| fact remains. The land is ours--and the
Red Men are no more. Al that we can
now do for an unfortunate and injured race
-"the orphans Of Providence"--is to BE-
just 10 their memory. lis poor recon-
pense, but It's all.
! The lndinns arc 100 fast becoming
forgotten people. We tread daily upon
the ashes Of Wondering generations, as
though VIC knew it not. We go forth in
the morning and join in the hustle and
business Of life, forgetting that perhaps on
the very spot Of our occupation the coun
Gil fire Of old gave out its gleam, AMI
stern warriors sat around IL in deep de-
bate. We return at night 10 our social
hearth and forget that groups Of dusky
kindred are mingled there in loving en-
brace.
.Yes--the Indians are too fast becoming
forgotten people, and the fact attests not
well either to our heads or hearts. IL is
a shame to us--as a nation it is a shame
TO us--that throughout the length and
breadth Of our lund--so few mcmentoes
survive--so few monuments rise, 20 plead
for TIE memory OF a banished race. Here
and there we find an honorable exception,
as in the instance above recorded. We
remember, too, that in the little buryIng
ground attached to Hamilton College, bt
Clinton, Oneida County, in this State,
among the memorials OF the honored dead,
n beautiful marble shaft pleads for the
memory Of Shenandoah--the last chief
Of the Onedas." All ! and we remember,
too, that when we made pilgrimage TO
the Mohegan burial ground" at Nor.
wIch. CT, and sought with eager interest
for the grave Of Uncas," we found
corner stone, instead OF monument.
1t may be remembered that when Gen.
Jackson was making his Northern Tour,
and visited Norwich, the citizens request
ed him to lay the corner stone of monu-
ment soon to be erected to the memory of
their celebrated Mohegan warrior. He
ofcourse complied. The stone was laid,
and nothing has been done further. Let
the citizens take pattern by the generous
conduct Of those Of Pennington, and wipe
away the stain which now rests upon them
and will rest upon them until they have
redeemed their pledge. Let us look to this
subject. We doubt if any one can be so
lnsensible as TO deem It an idle theme, or
Let us not be unmndful OF the most inte-
resting portions Of our past history. Let
US preserve with sacred care Indian
names and associations, as connected with
our rivers, lakes, and mountains. Let
the story and the legend tell of them and
lei our monuments bear witness to coming
generations that we denied not to gal.
liant and injured foe tho poor boon Of re.
spectful remembrance.
Coon. why is the letter ID like ring7'