Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-11-25

against the white mans encroach-
ments. Born in Ohio, near where
Xenia now stands, he was a lad
of twelve when thousand Ken
tuckians burnt the principal town
Of his tribe, and laid waste their
fields. Then the tribe removed
to another situation, from which
they we're again compelled to re-
tire. And now, when Mr.. Jeffer-
son began to take measures for
opening all the Ohio Valley to
white settlers, Tecumseh saw that
there was no help for his people
except in combined resistance.
For fonr years after this talk
with General Harrison he travelled
from tribe to tribe, endeavoring
to enlist in his scheme all the In
dians in the valley of the Missis-
sippi He would have given far
more trouble than he did--the
Moses of the Indian tribes-if he
had not had brother Aaron,
through whom he endeavored to
operate upon the superstitious
terrors of the Indian. This
"prophet," like others of his kind
had a system in which good
morals aud nonsensical doctrine
we're curiously mingled. He told
the Indians that they must return
to the ways OF their fathers. No
more whisky; no more gunpowder
and muskets; no more intermar-
riage with the whites; no more
beating OF wifes or neglect of chill
dren. But, along with this ad-
vice, he gave utterances to a
thousand preposterous false
hoods, and practiced. all sorts Of
incantations and foolish cere-
monies. Under his influence,
there was great revival OF hos
tility to witchcraft, and il any
man opposed his claims. he de-
nounced him as wizard, and had
him burned alive. Old women aud
venerable chiefs were burned,
and the Indians were gradually
wrought up to u delirium Of fa-
natieal devotion.
The prophet" was the ruin Of
the scheme. just as Aaron, while
Moses was gone up into the
mount, led the Israelites astray,
SO did this Indian priest, while
Tecumseh was absent upon one
of his tours in the South, precipi-
tate the war by attacking Gener-
al Harrison in his camp. The
disastrous battle Of Tippecanoe
frustrated Tecumseh's plan, aud
he would have Probably retired
beyond the Mississippi but for the
war of 1872, which began the
following year. The moment
he heard Of the war his resolution
was taken. He went to Canada.
offered his services to the British,
received a commission as briga-
disr-general, and saw with exul-
tation the surrender OF Detroit.
He fell, as all the world knows,
in the following year, at the bat
tie Of the Thames. 1t is not
known precisely how or from
whom he received his death
wound. We can only say with
certainty that he was not killed
by Col. Richard NJ johnson, who
so long had the credit of it, for
Col. johnson himself was badly
wounded early in the fight, and
left the field, while Tecumseh was
still fighting. His body was found
among the dead when the action
was over. Some of the Kentucki
ans paid small respect to the re-
mains Of a valiant foe; they Aayed
his magnificent body, and con-
vertsd the skin into razor straps
AN action reprobated by the
whole army.
Tho British Government, in
consideration Of his services, sent
over . valuable present to his son,
and afterward settled upon him a
pension, of which he. was still in
the enjoyment as late as the year
1841. This son, who removed
to the Western country, Inherited
nothing Of the talents or charac
ter OF his father.
Such was Tecumseh. the best
OF all Indians, and the last of the
race who cherished the dream oi
driving the white man from theii
soil.