The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-04-25
Philip OF Pokanoket.

Massasoit, Chief Sachem Of the
Wampanoags. died in 1860, leaving
two sons, Wamsutta and Metacom.
Wamsutta drank too heavily of New
England rum and died, but Metacom
lived long enough to make the New
Englanders remember him forever.
1t Is not by his name of Metacom
but by that of Philip or, as he was
often called, king Philip" that Mas.
sasoit's younger son figures in history
"a name that was for near a genera
ton terror from Cape Cod to the
Berkshire Hills.
For thirteen years after he became
Chief Sachem of his tribe Philip
busted himself with the problem:
How shall we red men get rid Of the
people from across the great waters,
VINO have come here to drive us from
our homes and the graves of our
fathers?"
1t was simply matter Of patriotism.
From all accounts there was no par.
ticular reason why Philip should have
gone to war. Conditions in 1914,
when King Philips War" began, were
as fair for the Indians as they were
In 1860, the year Of the death Of his
father. No contracts had been brok.
en- on the part of the white men, no
hostilities had been entered into by
the settlers against the natives, and
SO far as any one could see there
was no reason why the peace which
Massasoit had maintained for half a
century should not be indefinitely pro-
longed.
But Philip was a patriot, be loved
his country and his people; he saw, as
plainly as he saw the sun In the
heavens, that that country was rapid.
ly being taken away from them, and
that his people were. slowly hut surely
being exterminated, and he resolved to
strike, let the consequences be what
they might.
The savage" chieftain stood exact.
ly where Patrick Henry did hundred
years later, when he said: Give me
liberty or give me DEATH"
The storm broke on Sunday, June
20, 1875, and for three years New Eng.
land was in the grip Of a mortal ter
ror! United by the eloquent appeals
OF Philip, the red men were battling
for their right to live as freemen in
their own land.
The historians of the day-and their
imitators since-united in consigning
Philip and his confederates to the hot.
test corner in Hades. They were, we
are told, pack Of red deviles," human
only in shape, at heart so many tends.
exulting In blood and torture; but
history, like its creators, is anything
but infallible.
AS might have been expected, Phil.
ip's fight against the New England
Confederacy" was a failure. The chill.
dren OF the forest were brave and bad
a good cause, but the white men had
the organization and science which
made them proof against the red mans
valor. With the persistent, cold-blood.
ed determination that reminds liz NJ
Joshua and Agog, the Puritans. once
they were started, did not let up unt,,
the Indians were virtually extermIn.t.
ed.
Hts comrades all gone, Philin. with
a handful Of followers, was driver -
bay near his old home at Bristo, Nj
White men were all about him ana ~
cape seemed impossible. One OF his
men suggested surrender, but no soon.
er was the word spoken than the nm.
NSachem lifted his toma.
hawk and struck him dead. A IittIo
later and ball from the musket ~
a traitor Indian pierced his heart ana
he fell upon his face in the watar
with his gun under, him."
Thus persisted t'Philip of poka
noket." The day was the tweIfth =, !
August, ie7s.-Rex Thomas B. Greg. |
49, IN "a