Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1843-05-04
A BEAUTIFUL SPEECH.

The Matches Free Trader contains re
port of speech Of COBB, the cele brateC
half-bre chief of the Choctaws, made ir
reply to J. ]. McRae, Esq, the agent for en-
rolling and emigrating the Indians to the
west of the Mississippi, who made speech
to the Indians, about one thousand in num-
Der. assembled at Hopahka, Informing them
that their council fires could no more be
kindled here:" that "their warriors can
have no field for their glory, and that their
spirits will decay within them:" and that il
| they should stake the hand of their great
! father, the President, which is now offered
them to lead them to their western homes,
then will their hopes be higher, their desti-
MES brighter"
The Matches Courier appropriately says
of this bit of eloquence, that, for compre.
hensiveness and brevity, for beauty of die
ton and force. for affecting sublimity and
propriety of sentiment, we have never seen
any production to exceed it. We publish
it as composition worthy to be preserved.
Brother-We have heard you talk as from
the lips of our father, the great white chief
at Washington, and my people have called
upon me to speak to you. The red man has
no books, and when he wishes to make
known his views, like his father before him,
he speaks from his mouth. He is afraid of
sOriting. When he speaks he knows
wha: he says; the Great Spirit hears
him. Writing is the invention of the pale
faces: it gives birth to error and to feuds
The Great Spirit talks we hear him in the
thunder - in the rushing winds. and the
mighty waters-but he never sorites. .s
Brother-When you were young we were
strong, we fought by your side: but our
arms are now broken. You have grown
large. My people have become sm Ill.
scarcely hear me it is not the shout Of
a warrior, but the wall of an infant. have
lost it in wailing over the misfortunes Of
my people. These are their graves, and
in those aged pines you hear the ghosts Of
the departed. Their ashes are here and
we have been left to protect them. Our
warriors are nearly all gone to. the far
country west; but here are our dead. Shall
we 60 too, and give their bones to the
wolves?
Brother-Two sleeps have passed since
we heard your talk. We have slept upon it.
You ask Us to leave our country, and tell US
it 10 our fathers wish. We would not desire
to displease our father. We respect him,
and you his child. But the Choctaws al
ways thinks. We want time to answer.
Brother Our hearts are full. Twelve
winters ago our chiefs sold our county
Every warrior that you see here was oppo.
sed to the treaty. If the dead could have
been counted. ii could never have been
made but alas though they stood around
they could not be seen or heard. Their tears
came in the rain-drops, and their voices In
" IsIora ne - ~ we 1 do !" az complain. The
Choctaw suners, but Ne never 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 our country,
you promised us land. There is your prom
ise in the book. Twelve times have the
trees dropped their leaves, and yet we have
received no land. Our houses have been
taken from US. The white mans plough
turns up the bones of our fathers We dare
not kindle our fires; and yet you said we
might remain and you would give US land.
Brother-Is this truth! But we believe.
now our great father knows our condition,
he will listen to US. We are as mourning
orphans in our country but our father will
take Us by the hand. When he fulfils his
promise we will answer his talk. He means
we'll We know it. But we cannot think
now. Grief has made children Of us. When
our business is settled we shall be men
again, and talk to our great father about
what he has promised.
Brother-You stand in tho moccasins Of q
great chief; you speak the words Of a
mighty nation, and your talk was long. My
people are small; their shadow scarcely
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 Eothing more 10 say, but
tell what have said to the tall chief of the
palefaces whose brother stands by your side.
JoHw QUINCY ApAMs.-The following is
given as an accurate account of the domes-
tic habits of the most wonderful Of living
Statesmen:
At hons John Quincy Adams Is universal.
ly respected, and on all occasions acts the
part of genuine republican. He always
rises at day break. and long before the sun
is up you will find him at his desk in his
chamber, writing, or porting over papers
which have been handed down to him by
his patriotic sire, who served his country so
zeaiously and advantageously in the stormy
DAYS of the revolution. Mr.. Adams enters
heartily into the wants of his fellow towns
men: he often officiates as moderator at the
town meetings IN Quincy, and as often acts
arbitrer in settling disputes which occur
between his neighbors. He is sportiye. and
full Of instructive anecdotes. He attends
\ church constantly, and Notwithstanding he
keeps two or three carriages. he always
walks. When the tide suits, he is fond o
| walking TO the beach, about mile from hi
house, 70 have a solitary swim in the sal
sea- and this 10 pretty we'll tor a gentleman
Of his advanced age. Mr.. Adams is ove1