The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-26
THE REAL
net on Ojibway DeniEod. Son Of tho west wina.
but = bonE-Headed Statesman.

From the Chicago Record.
WASHINGTON, June s.-whilo spending a fcw
days in Albany recently I was shown ono OF the
most valuable and interesting historical relics
in America, which Is now the trophy Of the
Mayor OF that city. 1t is tho wainpum belt OF
Hiawatha, and was made TO commemorate the
formation Of tho %lroquois federation the
league OF the Five Nations which occurred about
the middle of the fourteenth century.
Hlawatha was not a love-sick warrior and
minstrel, as Longfellow describes him. lie
was tho foremost statesman of his ago In Amor.
ca, and was several centuries ahead OF his time.
He was tho first advocate on American soil Of
international arbitration. Ho was tho first
apostle of peace in America that we know any.
thing about, and his untutorcd mind developed
the Fundamental principles of Christianity as lie
trod the Adirondacks in his moccRsins.
Tho wampum Is a belt Of bead embroidery, for
that is the meaning of the term. II represents
four squares about five inches by four inches in
mond shaped centre. They are connected hy
links; The diamond-shaped figure represents
r Ta% ent the senes%s, the Mohawk, the " S%ya,
gas, and tho .Oneidas. Later the Tuscaroras
al. the Six Nations. wv '"'' '''An'' A"'"n
1t was Hiawatha who brought about the con.
federation. He was n member OF the Onondnge
tribe, but was considered a person Of miraculous
cino man among the superstitious Indians. This
belief was corrOborated by several narrow os-
capes from death. Hiawatha was also known
and greatly esteemed by all tho tribes In New
York, New England, and eastern Canada for his
wisdom and bcnevolence. He beheld with great
grief the evils OF war, and the destruction that
attended the struggles that were constantly
going on. between the neiRhboring tribes over
little jealousies and petty ambitions and the
misgovernment and miseries which those wars
] produced. He therefore proposed u great con.
/ federation OF all the Indians north and east OF
the Allegheny Mountains. Each nation was to
retain ITS own individuality and manage its own
tons, or their foreign affairs, as one might say,
were, to be governed by u general council com.
posed OF delegates from each in proportion to
their population. His great purpose was to
pie. He intended that the confederation should
extend so as to include other tribes, until all the
races OF men should be embraced in a single
union with a common interest, and that peace
should reign everywhere. Thus he, was the
first peace commissioner in American history.
Twice Hiawatha failed 10 secure the assent OF
his own tribe because of the ambition and war
like disposition of Atotarho, chief of the Onon-
dagas, but, the latter finally agreed. to enter tho
confederation provided he should be made tho
great chief, and the chieftainship and the keeper
OF the wampum should always remain with his
tribe. Through the diplomacy of Hiawatha the
other nations were persuaded to accept these
conditions. The league was formed, Atotarho
have described was woven to commemorate one
of the greatest events in Indian history.
After accomplishing this purpose, and fearful
Of the jealousy Of Atotarho, Hiawatha left his
Mohawk into oblivion. OF his subsequent ca:
reer and his death we have no information.
Schoolcraft, the historian of the. Indians, makes
him the hero OF a great many legends. Long.
statesman into an Ojibway demigod, the son a
tho West Wind.