Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-04-29
SPEECH OF COL COBB,

Head Mingo ofthe Chocta'rs, East of the
M Mississippi, in reply to J J. Nc Rea
Esq, the Agentof the United States.
Brother-We have heard you talk as from
de lips Of our father, the great white Chief
4 Washington, AMI my peope have cal.
led on me to speak to you. The Red man
has no books and when he wishes 10 make
Known his views, like his fathers before
hin, he speaks from his mouth. He is
aIra,d OF @rYiting. When he speaks, he
knows what he says, the Great SPIRIT
bears HIM. Writing is the n'enti,n OF
NE p,lc faces; it gives birth to error and
ieauds The Great Spir, talks we hear
BIN in the thnnd"r-in the rushing WINS
and mighty waters--but he never uritcs.
Brolhcr-Wh you were young we
we're strong we fought by your side but
bur arms are now broken. You have
brown large. My people have become
tmalI.
Brother--My voice is weak; YOU can
carceiy hear me it is not the shout OF
Warrior, but the wall of an infant. have
lost it in mourning over the msiortunes Of
by people. These are their graves, and
IN those aged pines you hear the ghosts of
ihe departed. Their ashes are here, and
Ee have been left 10 protect them. Our
warriors are nearly all gone to the lar coun-
Dry west; hut here are our dead Shall VIC
30 too, and give their bones to the woivesf
Brother--1'wn sleeps have passed since
we heard you talk. We have thought up.
on it You ask US TO leave our coontrv,
and tell us it is oau fathers wish. We
would not desire to disrlease our Father.
We respect him, and you his child. But
the Choctaw always thinks. We want
time t. answer.
Broiher-Our hearts are full. Twelve
winters ago our Chiefs sold our country.
Every warrior that you see here was op.
posed to the treaty. If the dead could
have been counted, it would never have
been made; bu, alas! though they stood
around. they could not be seen or heard.
Their tears came in the rain drops, and
their voices in the wailing wind, but the
pale faces knew it NOT, aud our lands was
taken away tr
Brother-We do not now compliin.-
The Choctaw suffers, but he ever weeps.
You have the strong arm and we cannot
resist But the pale face worships the
Great Spirit. So does the red man. The
Great Spirit loves truth. When you took
or country, You promised US land. There
is ymir promise in the book. Twelve
times have the trees dropped their leaves,
yet we have received no land. Our houses
have been taken away from us. The
white mans plough turns up the bones of
our lathers.--Wc dare not kindle our fires;
and yet YOU said we might remain and you
would give US land.
Boiher-Is this truth? But We believe
now that our Great Father knows our Com
dition he will listen TO 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 answer his talk.
He means well. We know it. But we
cannot think now. GrieI has made chill
dren ofus. When our business is settled
we shall be men again, anc talk TO our
Great Father about what he has proposed.
Brother-You stand in the mra>ils oi
great chief, you speak the words Of d
mighty nation, and your talk was long -
MY people arc small; their shadow scarce
'yreaches 10 your knee; they arc scatter