Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-05-04
nj Z s O R u u A n e o
A BEAUTIFUL SPEECH.

The Natchez Free Trader contains \ 70
port OF speech of Col Cobb, the ceIebrsted
half breed chief Of the Choctaws made in re-
ply 10 y. }. McRae, ESQ.,, the agent for enroll
my aud emigrating the Indians to the ives: of
the Mississippi, who had made speech TO the
indians, about one thousand in Numbers ne.
Semoied at ioPahka, informing them that
"their council fires could no more be kindIed
mere" that "their warriors can have No Geld
Tor Their glory, and that their spirits will de-
cay WITHIN them," and that if thew should
lake the hand OF their great father, the Pres;.
den' which is now offered to them, to lead TO
.neir western homes, then will their homes he
higher, their destines brighter.''
Inc Natchez Courier appropriately saws of
'his hit OF eloquence, that for comprehensive
ness and brevtv; for beauty of diction. and
force for affecting subIimity and proprietv Of
sentiment, we have never seen any production
TO excel it. We publish it as composition
worthy to preserved.-.N o. Picayiue.
SPEECH OF COL. COBB.
Head .hingo Of the Chocta,cs, east of the Mis-
sisstpp', IN reply to the Agent of tic U,ite4
States.
BRoTHER--We have heard you talk as from
the lips OF our father, the great White Chief at
Washinsson, and my people have called unon
"rr 10 speak 10 yo~. 'rL4...l ...,. f,aI P mo-
books, and when he wishes TO make known
his views. like his fathers before him. he speaks
from his mouth. He is afraid of writiu0
When he speaks, he knows what he saws. The
Great Spirit tafks-we hear him in the ,hun-
der-in the rushing winds and the mighty wa
ters-but he never urites.
orother When you were young we were
strong we fought by your side but orr
arms are now broken. You have grown large.
My people have become small.
Brother: My voice is weak: you can scarce
~ hear me; 1t is not the shout of a warrior.
but the wall Of an infant. have lost it in
mourning over the hislortGnes of NV people.
These are their graves, and in those aged pines
you hear the ghosts of the departed. Their
ashes are here, and VIC have been left 10 p-o-
tect them. Our warriors are nearly all gone
TO the lar country west; but here are our dead.
shall we go too, and give their bones 10 the
| wolves
Brother, Two sleeps have passed since we
heard you talk. We have thought upon it.
1 GU ask us to leave our country. and tell US it
Is our Fathers wish. We would not desire
to displease our Father. We respect him, and
you, his child But the Choctaw always
tiihhS. we want tLWe TO answer
Brother: Our hearts are full Twelve win
tiers ago our Chiefs sold our country. Every
warrior that you see here was opposed to the
treaty II 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 the wailing wind, bu,
the pale face knew il not, and our land was
| taken away
Brother: we do rot now complain. The
Chocsaw suffers, but he never weeps You
have the strong arm and we cannot resist
| put the pale face worships the Great Spirit
SO does the red man.-The Great Spirit loves
Hu'h; when you took our country, you pro-
missed us, land. There is your promise in the
book, Twelve times have Tie, trees dfobpe,
their leaves, and yet we have received no land
Our houses have been taken FROM hs, Tn
white mans plough turns Up the bones OF on
fathers. We dare not kindle our fires am
yet you SAID we might remain and you woul
give us land.
Brother: Is this irath2 But we beiisR
now our Great Father knows our condition
he Will listen to us. We are as mourning or
Phans IN our coun,ry-butour father will TAX
shy The fahd. When he ful6ls his brb.nise
we VIII answer his talk He means vel
we Know 1t. But we cannot think iiow
oriei has made children of us. When our bus
mess Is settled we shall BE men agan; an
talk to otit Great Father about what he has pro
posed.
Brother: You stand in the mocasins of
great Chief, you speak the words Of a might
patton, and your talk was long. My peopl
are small their shadow scarcely reaches {
your knee they are scattered and gone
when shout hear my voice in the depths {
the woods but no answering shout comes bacl
My words, therefore, Ore few. have hoihin
more to say but to tell what have said 10 tn
tall Chief of the pale faces, whose brother
stands by your side.
*Wiliam Tyler, OF Virginia, brotbor 10 II
+ President of the United States, recently appojn
ed one OF the Choctaw Commissioners.
r II