Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-23
KING OF THE .ROQUOIS.
The Genius of One Irishman Gave This
Continent to Great Britain.

IN the dramatic struggle between
| France and England for the mastery Of
this continent 1t was one lrishman's gen.
Jus that gave tile magnificent prize 10
Great Britain.
Ii the great Iroquois confederacy.
known rs the six Nations" had thrown
its power upon the side Of the French it
IS morally certain that England would
have gone to the Latin rather than to
the Saxon: But the 1roquois sided with
the English, and that fact was the DEATH
knell of French aspirations.
1t was the great good serse. consCm-
mate tact and marvellous personality OF
Sir William Johnson that won over ami
held fast. the friendship of the powerful
red men.
It was disappointed love affair that
sent johnson to America. In the land of
the Shamrock land that he loved with
all his heart and where, doubtless, he
would have been content to remain. he
fell in love with a beautiful girl who was
unable to reCiprocate his affection and.
broken hearted, the young man sailed Tor
the New World.
He was Only twenty-three when he
landed in New York. but young as he was
he was entrusted with a most important
task-tnat of the management of a large
landed estate in the Mohawk Valley be-
longirt, to his uncle. Sir Peter Warren
Sir Peter could not have picked out u
better man to look after his interests in
the New World. Johnson attended to his
responsible trust in a way that was both
buSinesslike and horora BILE, and his uncle
never regretted the confidence he had put
In the meantime Johnson went into
business for himself, and at a point some
twenty-five miles west Of Schenectady be-
gan a systematic Indian trade. IL all OF
his dealings with the red men he was
scrupulously fair. never permitting his
agents to wrong them in any way. He
also automatically and yet firmly held
the red men to the rule OF strictest jus
tice He never cheated them himself, nor
wonld he allow them to cheat him.
JohnSnn'S absolute integrity appealed 10
q Ind
him implicitly. The savagCs felt that ut
last they had struck a palefaCe who In
tended. come what might, TO speak ana
act truly and honorably.
The wild Mohawks had such reverence
for the Great-hearted, good-natured lr1sh-
man that they made him q SaChem and
when Sachem johnson spoke the braves
listened and obcyed.
BY the time of the breaking out of hos
tilities between the French and English,
johnson lad made the powerful masters
of the Mohawk Valley such fast friends
that it REQUIRED hut word from him 70
make them the friends also of Great
Britain.
The French would cheerfuIly have Civ
en- billions to have procured an 1ronuoS
alliance. hut the mingled blarncy and fair
dealing of the Irishmar defeated the real
iZation of their WISH and with that the
consurlrnntion OF their high designs upon
this North American continent.
After the treaty. of 1865, as n token OF
it's appreciation of his services during tne
son 100000 acres Of land north of the Mo-
hawk River which had previously peen
knishted bv the King, and full OF honnr5
Sir William died at Johnstown. n. L.
1874. in his flftyninth year.-NeW YORK
American.