Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-06-14

When these ceased, to flag of the Union slowly
descended, and Nichlas proclaimed his real pres
ssnce by hosting in its stead the standard Of his
house-the dark, double-headed eagle, on yellow
ground-whose appearance, as if by magic, awoke
the cannon, both on the shore and the bay, pro-
ducing the deafening roar of two Thousand guns.
The Self-confdence which leads to those eccen-
tric movements characterizes the department of
the sovereign everywhere and at all times. Our
fances are apt to imagine him always moving in
state, and hedging himself around with guards
and attendants, with all the show and pomp of
the opurtenances Of tyranny. Such is not the
case. Why, the elected citizen, the King of
France, with powers expressly defined and re.
strfcted, feels safe only within his palace walls,
or surrounded by his soldiers, while Nicholas, the
unrestricted and irresponsible despot, maintains,
with all his intercourse with his people, the free
dom and carelessness of unmportant privacy
He is seen at all hours-in small, singlelhorse
slegh=-ih an open cafriage=on horse back or on
foot, unaccompanied and undistinguished except
by those familiar with his general personal up-
pearance or physognomy, strangers often, una
ware of his presence, pass him without respect.
/ Of At meeting of the Historical Society of
Philadelphia, recently held, Mr.. Fisher, on Behalf
OF the Committee on Indian Nomenclature, read
the following extract of letter from Mr.. j. Bid
die, of Pittsburgh in reply to the Committees
circular, which will doubtless be interesting to
portion Of our readers: a
"There are still living on the Allegheny river
some very aged Indian Chiefs. Five or six years
ago, Mr. Lyman D. Draper visited the upper AL
legheny, where he found no less than three who
were verging on one hundred years old-all of
them over ninety-seven. Among them was one
long distinguished as Blacksnake. From them
he obtained considerable information in relation
! to historical matter for a work he is now enge-
ged upon, and for which he has manuscript mat
ter, greater at all events in that relating to the
West, than can elsewhere be found.
''The last Indian Chief who flourished in the
neighborhood was Guasota. He resided few
miles up the Allegheny, and was prominent
man, Tor many years, in Indian affairs. His name
! frequently occurs in the written transactions of
the period. He was rather a specimen Of the
half civilized, than of the thorough bred Indian,
retaining all the proud lofty bearing of his blood,
which he thought improved by some of the vices
Of education. In this light, the late Mr.. Ross
used to tell some characteristic anecdotes of him.
One was on the occasion Of his being called as
witness. 1t was on the trial of the celebrated
Rrad, NIT roc,
Indian in time of peace. Guasota was Brady's
witness, and appeared before the Court with his
usual proud and imposing bearing. Upon being
offered the Bible, to be sworn, he waived it off
"Guuseta speaks in the presence of the Great
spirit, who knows and will remember the truth
of what he says, He then gave in his testimo-
ny, upon which, mainly, Brady was cleared.
'After the trial. Mr.. Ross, who had been Bra
dy's counsel, and who felt that every word Guaso.
ia uttered was false-asked him chow he could
stand up there in the presence of the Court and of
the Great Spirit, and tell such big lies as he had
done" cam I not Brady's friend! Was not
called there to get him clear! For what else did
Brady want Guasota!"
"ln one OF my excursions after records of by
gone times, | cbahced upon ah article have re-
garded as possessing value, though no way rela-
ting to the subject ofyour inquiry, but which take
the liberty Of mentioning. It's an original por-
trait of General Washington, painted during his
encampment at White Marsh, or Valley Forge.
The tents are true to fact, and are the same
unmistakables that were lately exhibited through
4 fho Tu,o
distinguishing line of features, differs materially,
however, from Stuart's and others, so common in
the country. IT is not old enough for President
Washington, but with an older look than that
which we have for Col Washington. tits an un.
doubted original, but without the name of the
painter. t ..s.. s.,... ...... ......
"'The history given of it, given me by the lady
in whose possession | found it, is, that it was
painted for the well known Indian Chief, Corn
planter, on the occasion of visit he paid to
Washington during the war. That Cornplanter
brought it out with him as far as Pittsburgh. The
lady's father was merchant here, with whom
Cornpanter dealt, and in loading his canoe with
supplies to take home, he could not make any
place to carry the portrait safely, as it was in
frame, the same it now occupies, and the old chief
said he would leave it to take up some other time.
A more favorable time never occurring, the paints
ing remained with the lady's father and as his i'm
mediate heir, fef7to her, The lady resides in
Allegheny city, where saw it some years ago.
Her father, John Wilkins, Esq, also the father of
her half brother, the present Gen. William Will
kins. .r-. d.. .
81 profess to be no way cunning about paint.
ings, and cannot speak Of the merits of this as
work of art, any further than to say, it is not
daub-but the features are unlike those we are
accustomed to. felt somewhat disposed to ex-
claim, as West is said to have done on seeing the