The Mena star. (Mena, Ark.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-05
PASSING OF THE IRoQUoIs.
Impressive Close OF the Existence of
Formerly Great and Power
full Indian Nation.

A unique ceremony lately occurred
at Albany, ". u, which may be said to
end definitely the existence OF what
was in time past great Indian nation.
1t was the formal surrender OF the
wampum belts which were once the
insignia OF the authority of the Iro-
1uois nation, and for a century or
more have been the cherished relics or
he descendants of those tribes. They
we're handed over to the charge OF the
,card OF regents of the University OF
lew York state to be preserved as per-
petual memorials of a people whose
name and fame have passed into his
tory.
The lroquois nation was the most
powerful and highly organized body
OF Indians existing north OF Mexico
when The country was first settled by
the white man. They are probably the
only Indians who have deserved the
name Of nation. Their home was the
western central counties of New York
state. region well adapted to the
wants Of people exerting a command
ing influence over large number OF
Indian tribes outside their own organ
ization. 1t is high and beautiful and
the rivers and lakes which drop down
from ii in nearly every direction made
1t easily accessible when canoes were
the chief means of communication
with the outside world. The power OF
the Iroquois was not. however, re-
stricted by the territory occupied by
the six tribes that composed the ma
tion. BY treaties and By conquest
they extended their influence east
ward into Massachusetts,. southwark
to Virginia. and westward nearly to
the Miss;ssssiffff,,;; ;;-;;=er while the north
ern limit of their power has never been
well defined.
Such a nation even of savage Indians
could not help but leave it's impress on
history For hundred years they
were one of the chief factors in the
settlement Of New York state by white
men. and the barrier they presented TO
western immigration long held civil
ization back. They compelled treaties
from the whites. and made alliances
with the French. the English. and the
americans in The wars they waged
With each other. One Of the indica
ions Of the comparative stage of civ
lization the Iroquois had reached was
their use CT wampum made from diff
ferent colored shells to denote its
valne as money or it's sacredness. The
white wampdm was made from the
conch or periwinkle. and the black
wampum from the hard~sheil clam. 1t
WINS ground into beads and strung on
BELTS and when used as money in 1640
six beads passed for a penny. and belts
varied in value from fire sh1lings to
ten shillings. In ratifying treaty a
belt of wampum was given to bind each
article, and on the beads were carved
arbitrary figures which formed rec
ord of the event. For this reason they
are one Of the most unique relics on
this continent.
The voluntary surrender of these
wampum belts is virtual surrender
OF the identity of the Iroquois as ma
ton. Their power long since passed
away, but they have heretofore re-
tanned a nominal organization which
has become weaker as the tribes have
become more civilized. But, now that
responsible delegations from the rem
nants of these tribes have given up
their Insignia Of authority and power,
the history Of the nation of Iroquois
Indians can be taken as a closed book
Philadelphia Press.
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