The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-01-25
NO. lG.
Tecumseh's Honor.

A correspondent of the Detroit Free
Press, gives some interesting anecdotes of
the great Indian warrior and prophet Te-
cumseh:
awhile the enemy was in full posses
sion of the country around Monroe and
Detroit, Tecumseh, with large band of
his warriors; visited the River Raisin.-
The inhabitants along that river had been
stripped of nearly every means of subsis-
tance. Old Mr.. Rivard "a Frenchman,)
who was lame, and unable by his labor
to procure living for himself and fami-
ty, had contrived to keep out of sight of
the wandering bands of savages, pair
Of oxen, with which his son was able to
procure scanty support for his family.
1t so happened that, while at labor with
the oxen, Tecumseh, who had come over
from Maiden, met him in the road, and
walking up to him." said:
any friend, must have those oxen.
Ny young men are very hungry, and they
have nothing to eat. We must have the
oxen"
Noung Rivard demonstrated. lie told
the chief that if he took the oxen, his
father would starve to death.
"Well," said Tecumseh, "we are the
conquerors, and every ything we want is
ours | must have the oxen; my people
must not starye; but will not be so mean
as to the rob you of them. l will pay
you one hundred dollars for them, and
that is far more than they are worth; but
we must have them"
Tecumseh got white man to write an
order on the British Indian Agent, Col.
Elliott, who was on the river some dis
tance below, for the money. The oxen
were killed, large fires built, and the for
est warriors were soon feasting on their
flesh.
Young Riyard took the order to Col.
Elliott, who promptly refused to pay 1t,
saying
"We are entitled to our support from
the country We conquered. Twill not pay
it."
The young man, with sorroWful heart,
returned with the answer to Tecumseh,
who said
"To-morrow we will 90 and see"
In the morning he took young Rivard,
and went to see the Colonel. On meeting
him he said:
"Do you refuse to pay for the oxen L
boughti!p
Yes" said the Colonel; and be reiter-
ated the reason for refusal.
II d0atght them" said the chief, "for
my young men, who were very hungry, [
promised to pay for them, and they shall
be paid for. have always heard that
white nations went to war with each 9TH
er, add not with peaceful individuals; ;that
they did not rob and plunder poor peo-
/ ple | will not"
"Well," said the Colonel. ''I will not
pay for them
"You can DO as you please" said the
chief, ''but before Tecumseh and his war
riors came to fight the battles of the great
King, they had enough to eat, for which
they had only to thank the Master of life,
and their good rifles. Their hunting
grounds supplied them with food enough;
to them they can return"
This threat produced sudden change
in the Colonel mind. The detection of
the great chief, be well knew, would i'm
mediately withdraw all the nations of the
Red men from the British service; and,
without them, they were nearly powerless
on the frontier
"Well +" said the Colonel, "if mustpa
l will"
Give me hard money" said Tecum-
sch, "not rag money-army bills"
The Colonel then counted out hun
drcd dollars in coin, and gave them to
him. The chief handed the money to
young Riyard, and then said to the Col
onel-
"Give me one dollar more"
1t was given; and handing that also to
Rivard, he said
"Tako that, it viii pay you for the time
you have. lost in getting your money"