Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-05-24
BLAcKsNAKE.

Those who arc in charge of the Press, have
learned 10 be careful in the article ofob,uaries;
not, | fear, 50 mnch as we ought TO be as to
precision Of our delinea,ion, bni in relation 10
the somewhat important fact OF not publishing
our post moytcm analysis I'LL ihe fortunate sub
jeet of il is really dead. All. me IL knew
the House of Assembly one day to adjourn pre-
maiurey. TO do honor to a prominent citizen,
the report Of whose decease had been brought
into the House. He who was mourned dead
yet survives an active, living man. lie who
announced the decease and pronounced the eu-
ogy, is in The grave.
There have been, within the last few weeks
contradictory rumors respecting the extraordi-
nary man whose name heads this article. Once
i, was delared BY authority that seemed com
peleni, that he was al last gathered 10 his faith
ers, and we grleved and in few days re-
speciabe gentleman of his yincinage comforted
us by the announcement that the Chieitain liv-
ed, and that the departed man was a nephew.
We mad respect unto the memory Of the nephew
hui rejuiced that the fine old tree was in the
forest yel--when, bat day or two since, other
tidings came of the death of the Father Of the
Tribe. ba
So wish to have i, in mind that am moi
seeing him through the soilened light of the
burial place. Living or dead, the Indian BLACK
SNAKE is wonderful man. lie would be a
wonderful man were il only on account Of his
great age. The three figures Of life who
reaches ,heml The greater part ofihose whose
eyes behold The beauty of this world, see, be-
fore their age needs enumeration by more than
one figure, the glores ofa better and Of those
who live On, bui at rare intervals are the joys
and griefs of century on the memory. One
hundred and eight are the years affixed in this
last report TO the Chiefs age. lie is we'll
known, by the annals of his life, 10 lay Just and
true claim TO very grea, age; aud even we,
who, frOm often experiences, have learned Ia
dislrust all lungeviy unsupported by figures Of
record, concede BLAoKsSAKE as one Of those
who have seen the full measure of their days.
But this, this is the great fact in this extra
ordinary mans history. He has connected the
majesty aud the misery Of Indian history. He
was living man when in these States the In
dian was nation so powerful that its alliance
was sought, and, what was much more pracii-
cal, its power was feared and he lived to the
days of Reservations and Trusteeships
J Taking part in the affair at Wyoming, he
knew, as warrior, in that savage, cruel battle
-BRAsDT, and with him in experiences Of af-
ter fight and foray, and stratagem and councils
the other famous men who, ifihey had the white
mans education, would have been Generals and
Statesmen And lingering in life long aner
these had passed away, he was aone-as much
alone as the pine in the modern forest. Ii is
among my keenest regrets, that could not com
ply withinyitalons given by that Indian, PrrrR
1 Wilson, one who has Sended the characieris-
tics of one race with the learning of the o,hel
Ito visit this famous man. OF singular beau.
ty of form, the old man has lived upon the land
which the lroquois yet hold--and has borne his
retirement and his years in dignity. The Iro
quois keep up the forms of the Confederacy yet
1t is but the plaid OF The clan. The writings o.
4 ScHooLcRAFT and MORGAN and YATEs and
SrRERT, have portrayed, in truthful language,
ihe intricacies of their polity and government
and the Chef--ihs Head must yet lie Of par
ticular tribe and of special family Of thatiribe
\ The last STUART died in Venice, HEERY TX
of England-and so amidst the fading, failing
race, the lineage of sovereignty is preserved
The famous veteran of whom this article makes
mention, held, believe, the position of heat
warrior Of The lroquois If lhis is so, he will
have held military position longer than any 9th
or soldier Of our age and his death, (if he haI