Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-28
DEiUTIFII. SPEECH.

| The Natchez Free Trader contains a report Of &
speech Of Col Cobb, the celebrated half bred Chief o
the Choctaws, made IN reply to }. j AlcRae, Esq
the agent for enrolling and cmgrating the Indians Il
the west Of the Mississippi, who had made speech
10 the Indians, about one thousand i'll number, assem-
bed at HopaEka, informing them that ''ther council
fires could no more be kndled here; that "ther
rors can have field for their glory, and that the
spirits will decay within them, and that if they
should take The hand of their great father the Pres
dent, which is offered 10 them, TO lead them t.
their Western homes, then will their hopes be hi cher,
| their destnies brighter
The Naiclez Courier appropriately says Of this Bit
Of ecguence, that ior comprehensiveDess and brevy;
for beauty OF dctjon aud force; for affecting sablim
~ and proprety of sentiment, we have seen any
production TO excel it, We pa5llsh it as composition
worthy 10 be preserved.
SrEcCH or COT COBB,
Head Mingo Of the Choctaws East Of the Mississippi,
in reply to The Agent Of the L. 6.
BRorHKR: We have heard you talk as from the lips
OF father, the great White Chief at Washington,
and my people have called upon Inc TO speak to you
The Red man has books, and when he wishes to
make known his views, like his fathers before him, he
speaks from his mouth. He is afraid of acritiag-
When he speakS he knows what he says; the Great
Spirit hears him. UriGn. is the invention Of the pale
faces; it gives birth and TO feuds The Great
Spirit taiks-we hear him in the tbunder-in the
rushing winds and the mi hty wateFs-but he never
nYj,ts.
BROTHER: When you were young We were strong ;
Tough, by your side but on, arms nre now broken.
You have grown large. My people have become
small
BRoTmrR: My voice is weak; you scarcely hear
me 1t the shout OF warrior but the wall Of
infant have lost 1t III mourning the misfor;unes
of my people These are their graves, and in those
aged pines you hear The ghosts Of the departed. Their
ashes here, and we have been left to project them
Our warriors have nearly all gone to the far county
West; but here are our dead. Shall we go too, and
give their bones 10 the wolves'
BROTHER: Two sleeps have passed since heard
you talk. We have thought upon it. You ask us to
leave orr country, and tell US 1t is Fathers wish.
We would not desire to displease Father. We e.
spect him. aad ycu his child. But the Choc;aw always
thinks. We want time TO answer.
BRoTnEE Our hearts are full. Twelve Winters 90,
our Chiefs sold our country. Every warrior that you
here opposed 10 the treaty Ii the dead could
have been counted, it could never have been made;
but alas. though they stood around, they could not be
seen or heard. Their tears in the rain drops and
their voices in the wailing wind, but the pale faces
knew it 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 face wor-
ships the Great Spirit. So does the red 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 we have received no land Oar houses
turns up the bones Of fathers We dare not kndle
our ires and yet you said we might remain, and you
would give US lard
BROTHER Is this truth But we believe now our
Great Father knows our condon-he will listen 10
Us. We are as mourning orphans in our counlry-but
our Father will take Us by the hand. When he fufs
his promise, will answer his talk. lie well.
We know it. But we cannot think now Grief has
made children of US. When our business is settled,
ne shall be men again, and talk TO our Great Father
about what he has proposed
BRorHER You stand in the mocasins of great
Chlef-you speak the words Of mighty nalion and
yoaE talk was long. My people ere smal!-heir sha.
DO" scarcely reaches 10 your knee-they scattered
and hen shout, hear Gny voice in tbe depths
Of the ~nods, but no answering shou; comes back
Wig wofds, therefore. few. have nothing 10
say hut tell what have said TO the tail Chef Of the
pale faces, whose brother stands by your side.
William Tyler, Of Virginia. the President, Of the
United States, recently appointed Of the Choc,aw Commits