Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-05-09
SPEECH OF COL. COBB,

SPEECH OF COL. COBB,
Head Mingo of the ChOclaws east Of
the Mississippi, in reply TO the Agent of
the U. States.
BRoTHER:-We have heard you talk
ss from the lips of our father, the great
White Chief at Washington, and my Peo.
pie have called upon me to speak to
you. The red man has no books, and
when he wishes 10 make known his
views, like his father before him, he
speaks from his mouth. He is afraid Of
writing. When he speaks, he knows
what he says; the Great Spirit hears
him. Writing is the invention Of pale
faces; il gives rise 10 error end TO feuds.
The Great spirit talks-we hear him in
the thundeT-in the rushing winds, and
the mighty waters-but he never writes.
Brother: when you were young we
were strong; we fought by your side;
but my arms are now broken You have
grown large. My people have become
small.
Brother: My voice is weak, you can
scarcely hear me, it is not the shout Of a
warrior, but the wall Of an infant, !
have lost it in mourning over the misIor.
tunes of my people. These are their
graves, and in those aged pines you hear
the ghosts of the departed. Thers ash
es are here, and we have been left io
protect them. Our warriors are neatly
all gone to tho far country west; but here
1nnl Ghal 0,,n anl UiU
their bones 10 the wOlvcs2
Brother: Two sleeps have passed since
we heard you talk. We have thought
upon it. You ask us to leave our cOun
try, and tells us il is our Fathers wish.
We would not desire 10 dispease our
Father. We respect him, and you his
child. But the ChoctawS always think.
We want time 10 answer.
Brother Our hearts arc full. Twelve
winters ago our chiefsold our country,
Every warrior you see here was OppOsed
to the treaty. lflhe dead could have
been counted it could never have been
made; but alas! though they stood a.
round, they could not be seen OF heard.
Their teas came in the rain drops, and
their voices 10 the wailing wind, but the
pale faces knew il not, and our land was
taken away.
Brother: We do not now complain
The ChOctaw suffers, but he never weeps.
You have the strong arm, and we cannot
resist. But the pale fuces worship the
Great Spirit. So does the red num-
the Great Spirit loves truth, When you
took our country, you promised us land.
There is your promise in the book
Twelve times have the trees dropped
their leaves, and yet wo have received
no land. Our homes have been taken
from US. The white mans plough turns
The bones OF our fathers, We dare not
kindle our FIRE; and ye. you said we
might remain and you would give Us
land.
Brother: Is this truthf But we be-
lieve, now our Great Father knows our
condition. he will listen 10 us. We are
as mourning orphans in our country; but
our Father will take US by the hand
When he fulfls his promise, we will an.
Swer his talk. He means veil. We
know it. But we cannot think now
grief has made children Uf US. When
our business is settled we shBll be men
again, and talk to our Great Father a..
bout what he has proposed.
Brother: You stand in the moccasins
Ofa great chief; you speak the words Of a
mighty nation, aud your talk was long. -
My people are smell; their shadow
ScaTcsly reaches to your knee, they are
scattered and gone; when | shout hear
my voice in the depths Of the woods,
but no answering shout comes back. -
my words, therefore, are few. ] have
noihlng more to say, but to tell what
have SAID to the tall chief Of the pale
faces whose brother" stands by your
side.