Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-04-19

lgoy-e-wa-tha to Christianity. He resisted all
intercessicn, hurled back the argumentum ad
hominen, Your religion does not make good
men of the whites what can it do for the red
man." In 1905, at the request of a missionary,
Rev. Mr.. Cram, from Massachusetts, Red Jack
ct and his tribe held solemn council on the
question of their becoming Christians After
the missionary had done speaking, Red JACKET,
after solemn deliberation with his tribe for the
space If two hours, declined tho proposal in one
OF the most mastery speeches ever delivered into
the ears of men. Red Jacket could not at all
understand the mysteries of the vicarious sac
riiice--how he and his tribe could be any meth
od Of reasoning, in justice be made participators
II the guilt OF the crucifxion In conversation
with clergyman, who was laboring to get
little light into his benighted soul on this alb
struse subject, he observed, g Brother, if you
white men murdered the Son of the Great Spirit
os Indians we had nothing to 1o-with it, and it
is none of our affair if he had come to US we
would not have killed him We would have
treated him we'll You must make amends for
that crime yourselves" In concert with his
tribe, he made formal complaint to the.Gover-
of New York on the troublesome interference
of the missionaries, and thenceforward their
claims were respected.
In 1921, a man of the tribe died, as was sup
posed, through the influence of uitchcraf A
woman was accused, tried, and executed as the
offending agent. Complaints were made against
Sa-goy-e-wa-tha and his chiefs, and they had
their trial by the Judicial authorities of New
York. Some severe remarks wero made on the
superstition of the Indians in respect to witch
craft. But Red Jacket, who was upon the
stand, with flashing eye and knitted brow, yet
with calm tone exclaimed, What do you
denounce US as fools and bigots, because we still
continue to believe that which yourselves sedu-
lously inculcated two centuries ago1 Your d.
vines have thundered this doctrine from the pull
pit, your judges have pronounced it from the
bench, your courts Of justice have sanctioned it
with the formalties Of law and you would
now punish our unfortunate brethren for adher-
ence to the superstitions of your father Go to
them. Look at the records of your Government,
, and you will find hundreds executed for the very
crime which has called forth the sentence of
! condemnation upon this woman, and drawn
down the arm of vengeance upon her, What
: have our brothers done more than the rulers Of
, your land have done and what crime has thit
man committed by executing, in a summary way
: the laws of his country and the injunctions o
s his God ~
The meeting between Lafayette and Red Jack
h ct, when the former was last in the UniteC
e States, is represented as being affecting in tn
l. extreme. Abiding to the time that had passe
; since they met in mortal enmity on the field 0
y deadly strife the General observed to him tba
r time had much changed them since that meet
e ing. !" Ah." said Red Jacket, slime has no
}. been so severe upon you as it has upon me.
r has left you fresh countenance and hair t
t cover your head while to mo-behold-
:, and taking handkerchief from his head will
i an air of much feeling, he showed his head which
: was almost entirely bald.
7 On the 10th of January, 1880, at the age o
p eighty years, Sa-goy-e-wa-tha left the world tt
+ join those who had gone before him to th
It hunting grounds of the Spirit-ldnd. .-Llustrate'
American Biography.