Litchfield enquirer., 1860-07-05
[MAsONIC sPEECH or Am INDIAN

4 masonic SPEECH OF AN INDIAN
At masonic banquet given in Chicago
I'LL, in September last, Eli s. Parker, chic
Of the Six Nations, and practicing lawye
Of Galena, ILL.,, delivered speech which il
thus spoken of in on article published in tn,
Masonic Journal -" One speech Of tn,
evening, as an incident attending it, deserves
more particular mention. It was that o
Brother Sir Knight Parker, q grandson o
Red jacket, and his successor as Chief 0
the Six Nations. He is full blood, bu
highly educated, and an eloquent speaker
| shall not attempt even an outline Of hi
speech, for, if reproduced, it should be will
its charm Of action and utterance, which
very few white men could equal He spoke
of himself as almost lone remrant Of what
was once noble race Of his struggles il
coming forward to manhood, and seeing biz
race disappearing as dew before the morning
sun. As he found bis race waning away, be
asked himself, Where shall go when the
last of my race shall have gone forever
Where shall l find home aud sympathy when
our last council fire is extinguished ? I said
I will knock at the door Of Masonry, and see
if the white race will recognize me, as they
had my ancestors, when we were strong and
the white men weak. knocked at the door
Of the Blue Lodge, and found brotherhood
around its altar. l knelt before the great
light in the chapter, and found companion
ship beneath the royal arch. I entered the
encampment, and found valiant sir knights
willing to shield me here without regard to
race or nation. went further. l knelt at
the cross of my Saviour, and found Christian
brotherhood, the GROWING charity of the
Masonic tie. I am most happy to meet you
in the grand councils of this gathering, and
sit with you ct this festive board to share
these greetings and Inequalities. / feel as
sured that when my glass is run out, and l
shall follow the footsteps of my departed
race, masonic sympathies will cluster round
my coffin, and drop in my lonely grave the
evergreen acacia, sweet emblem of better
meeting. If my race shall disappear from
this continent, have the consoling hope that
our memory will rot perish. If the deeds Of
my ancestors shall not live in story, their
memories remain in the names of your lakes
and rivers, your towns and cities, and will
call up memories otherwise forgotten"
AOW SyCS COVAO uOiO tcdIb dS uc
poured forth in words like these the utter.
ance Of full heart. Silence for time pre-.
vailed after he sat down, when lie arose and
said - l have in my possession memcnto
which l highly prize-I wear it near my
heart. 1t came from my ancestors to me, as
their successor in Office. 1t was present
from Washington to my grandfather, Red
Jacket, when your nation was in its infancy.
You will be glad to see and handle it, and I
should de wrong were not to give you the
As he spoke thus, he remoy-
ed the wampum from his neck, and drew
from his bosom large massive medal, in
oval form, some seven inches by Eve, and it
passed from hand to hand along the tables
On one side Of this medal were engraved, in
Jacket, in costume, presenting aE6 r ehs Ppee sa
peace, and Washington, with bis right hand
extended, as in the act of receiving it. On
the other side were the Masonic emblems,
with the date 1892, if my memory is cor
rect"