Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-05-12
BEAUTIFUL SPEECH.

Inc Natcnez Free Irnder connins n report OF
speech of Col. Conn, the celebrated halfbreed
chief of the Choctaws made in reply to J. j. Me
Rae, Esq. the agent for enrolling aud emgrating
the Indians to the West of the Mississippi, who
made speech 70 the Indians about one thousand
in number, assembled at Hopanka informing
them that "ther council fires could no more he
kindled here = that their warriors can have no
field for their glory, aud TINT their spirits will de-
cay with them :" and that il they should "take 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 des
times brighter"
The Natchez Courier appropriately says Of this
bit of eloquence that, for coniprelIrrsveness and
brevity, for beauty of dicon aud force, for affect
ing sublimity aud propriety OF sentiment, we have
never seen any production 20 excel il. We pub
s'I It as a composition worthy to be preserved.-
MAJ Intel.
Speech Of Col. Cobb, head .Ningo Of The Chocta,os,
east ofhs Mississippi in reply 10 the agent of
The United .StdieS
BRoTHER,-We have heard you talk ms 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 fathers before him, he speaks from his mouth.
He is afraid of ,oriting. When he speaks he
knows what he says the Great Spirit hears him.
Writing is the invention of the pale faces it gives
birth to error aud to ieuds. The Great Spirit
iaMs-we hear him in the thunder--in the rush
ing winds, and the mighty waters-but he never
,oriies.
Broher 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 small.
Brother my voice ia weak you can scarcely
hear the it is not the shout of warrior, but the
wall of an infant have lost it il mourning
over the misiortunes Of my people. These are
their graves, aud in those aged pines you hear
the ghosts OF the departed. Their ashes are here
and we have been left to protect them. Our war
riols 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 you talk. We have slept upon it. You
ask us to leave our country, aud tell us it is our
Fathers wish. We would not desire To dispease
our Father. We respect him, aud YOU his child.
But the Choctaw always thinas. We want lime
to answer
! Brother Oar hearts are fall. Twelve winters
ago our chiefs sold our country. Every warrior
that you see II 'ar was opposed to the treaty. II
the dead could have been counted, it could never
have been made; but alas though they stood
around they could not lie seen or rearo, Their
tears came in the rain drops and their voices in
the wang wind, but the pale faces knew it no,
and our land was taken away.
Brother we do not complain. The Choctaw
suffers, but he 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 promise in the hook. Twelve times have
the trees dropped their leaves, aud yet we have
received no land. Our houses have been take
from us. Tie white mans plough turns up the
bones OF our iaihers We dare not kindle our
fires; aud 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 u.s. We ARE as mourning orphans in our
country; but our Father will take us by the
hand. When he fuis his promise, we will an.
swer his talk. He means well. We know it.
But we cannot think now. Grief has made chill
dren Of us. When our business is settled we
shall meet again, and talk to our Great Father
about what he has promised.
Brother You stand in The mo;aSins of a grea
chief; YOU speak the words of IL mighty nation
aud your tall, was long My people are small. -
Their shadow scarcely reaches to your knee =
are scattered aud gone when | shout hear IN,
voice in the depths of the woods, but no answer
ing sheut comes back. Ny words, therefore, al,
few have nothing more to say, but tell what
have said To the tall chief of the pale faces Whose
brother stands by your side.