The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-03-31

A ReminiisceInse.

/ IH u rsa : FL
The people OF America will have cause,
years hence, TO lament that so little pains
has been bestowed upon the preservation OF
the legends and traditions belonging 10 our
early .historyA-morr especially those con-
n"cled with the Indian tribes, What new
conner In Buffalo, for instance, would ina.
Igine that only few years have elapsed
Stree red men were more plentiful in oul
streets than pale faces; and yet the writer
can almost feel the warm grasp OF Farmers
Brothers honest hand, and can recall, as on
event Of Yesterday, the councils where Red
Jaeket, swsyed BY his eloquence the sterr
warriors of the Iroquois. We shall have 8
word to say, ,!ere long about the desecatior
that has a lmost destroyed all trace even o
the spot ,whrre the Keeper Awake is burr
ed-Uut al present, only wish 10 rescue from
total oblivion tradition Of Buffalo. which
WIS rpcsllvd to our memory few evenings
since, BY an early settler hire. m
II was during the late war with Great
Britain, that the Senecas, then very numer-
Gus IN this vicinity, received visitor from
tribe owning allegiance to Britain & dwell
ling upon some reserved lands in C6nada.
The stranger represented himself as "a de-
serler from the English army, and asked an
asylum among the lroguois. His represen-
lations were plausible. but the suspicious
character of the Indians would not allow his
request TO he granted, without deliberation,
and a council assembled TO debate the ques-
lion. t,....
The then favorite council ground of the
Seneca's was upon grassy bank where now
stand the buildings known as Elicot Square.
Here, on brigh; summer Sunday, ssse mbl+d
the tribuhal of the red men, and with So
lemnity never equslleG in the deliberations
OF whites, they proceeded with their inves-
legations, The subject Of which was calmly
seated al short distance, as unmoved as
though his life hung not upon the decisions
Of that dread court. ss.
Each Seneca, whose position admitted
him to place within the council, spoke, in
brief, upon The subject. The decision was
prompt. The verdict was adverse to the
stranger, and he was sentenced to be exc
cuted as a spy. The council was broken up,
and Farmers Brother upon whom had fall
len the execution Of the sentence, stepped
slowly TO the side Of the prisoner and ad-
dressed him in low but impressive tone.
He informed him OF the result, of the coun-
Gil, of its sentence, and Offered him the ops
portunity to urge his denial Of the charge
proved against him, but warned him to pre-
pare for immediate death. ii
Strengthening his noble form, and IRA wing
his blanket more closely about him, the
stranger looked his accuser in the eye, but
spoke not word. After pause, when ii
had become evident that no defence was to
be looked for from the prisoner, Farmers
Brother retired pace. slowly cooked bis
rifle, and prese nted it directly at the face oil
the other. The latter raised his hand with a
motion as cllgnified as calm, depressed the
muzzle of the rifle to his breast and there,
without fuHher sign, held it. The next in
slant Saw the brave stretched in death upon
the grassy knoll, and the dusky judges slowly
following upon the receding footsteps OF the
sloical exrcutioner. No white man inter
lrrrd with this summary act Of aboriginal
justice, though many were. within hearing Of
the fatal shot.-Bufalo Courier.