The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-07-21
A Memorable Council.

A strange and memorable gathering
took place at Glen Iris OH the Genesee
River, not far from Buffalo, on the first
of October, lS72--no account of which
has heretofore appeared. This was the
latest, and probably the last council of
the famous Iroquois League, known as
the Five, and afterward as the Six
Nations. Mr.. David Gray, the editor of
the Buffalo Courier, who was present
at the council, prints full report of the
proceedings with illustrations, in the
July number of ScribRer. The meeting
took place in the old Long House of the
Six Nations which has been restored by
Mr.. Letchman, whose home is in the
beautiful "Glen of the Rainbow" The
speeches as they appear translated in the
Monthly, are characteristic and most in
teresting specimens of Indian oratory.
We quote as follows:
The smoke of the emblematic fire, lit
by one of the Indians, curled up from
the earthen floor of the council-house
and rose, blue pillar in the motionless
October air. The red men sat around
itsilent, looking at the consuming embers,
while through the open door sounded
from time to time the light rustic of the
falling leaf. Thenuprose Noh-sahl, and
said in the Seneca language:
Brothers: The fire in lighted. The
council has convened, and is now ready
to hear what you have to say"
The first speaker was Nicholson IL.
Parker Gai-wah-go-wayb who pro-
nounced in the uncouth, but not musical
syllables of his native tongue, and with
frequent evidence of deep emotion,
what he himself had translated as fol
lows:
Brothers: will first say few words
We have come as representatives of the
Seneca nation to participate in the cere-
monies of the day. In this ancientcoun-
cil-house, before its removal to this spot,
our fathers, sachems and chiefs, often
met to deliberate on matters of moment
to our people in the village of Ga-o-yah-
de-o Caneadeal. We are here to rake
over the ashes ON its hearth, that we
may find perchance single spark with
which to rekindle the fire, and cause the
smoke again to rise above this roof as in
the days that are past. The smoke is
curling upward, and the memories of the
past are enwreathed with it,
"Brothers When the confederacy of
the Iroquois was formed, a smoke was
raised which assembled so high that all
the nations saw it and trembed. This
league was formed, it may be- long before
the kingdom of Great Britain had any
political existence.
"Our fathers of the Ho-de-no-swan-e
Long House were once powerful ma
ton. They lorded it over vast terri
tory, comprising the whole of the state
of New York. Their power was felt
from the Hudson to the banks of the
Mississippi, and from the great basins of
sweet water in the north to the bitter
waters of the Mexican Gulf We have
oasted away to a remnant of what we
vince were. But though feeble IN mum
bers the Iroquois are represented here
We have delegates from the Mohawks
who were the keepers of the eastern door
of the long house, and of the Senecas,
who were the guardians of the western
door. When the big guns of General
Sullivan were heard in this valley, we
were one people. But the tribes of the
Iroquois are scattered, and will soon be
seen no more.
brothers: We are holding council,
perhaps for the last time, in Jenisheu.
This beautiful territory was once our own.
The bones of our fathers are strewn thickly
under its sod. But all this land has
gone from their grasp forever. The fate
and the sorrows of my people should
force sigh from the stoutest heart.
Brothers: We came here to perform a
ceremony, but | cannot make it such.
My heart says that this is not play or
pageant. 1t is solemn reality to me,
and not mockery of days that are past
and can never return. Neh-hoh-this is
ALL"
Farther on in the same article, Mr.
Gray says
Such is now the unvarying burden of
Seneca eloquence. 1t is the voice of a
moribund nation in the agonies of dis
solution but with all its faculties alive
and stung to bitter consciousness of its
state and fate. Let no one imagine that
the death of nation may be painless.
To the last member that survives, the
dying body polite bequeaths its con-
centrated capacity to feel and suffer.
The tragedy of Poland at which the
whole world has wept, is no more real
than that which has it secret scene in
the heart of abe Seneca Indian to-day.