Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-30
Our Debt To The Delawares.

The day is long past when the feel
ing that the-only good Indian-is- ia
dead-Indian governs our attitude to-
| ward the Red man. 1t may be that
the time which has elapsed since the
Indian was an ever-present menace to
the advance of civilization, has soft
ened the feeling of resentment which
| followed the slaughter OF innocent
men, women and children on the from
tier to such an extent that We do not
| realize the sacrifices the pioneers
made in peopling the rich Western
country. Be that as it may, the feel
| ing that perhaps after all the Indian
| did not always get that which was
due him, and that he employed only
| the methods which his wild life had
taught him We're the only effective
methods to right his manifold wrongs,
| is governing our present attitude to-
| ward him. 1t is, therefore, with little
| resentment that we hear of an at
| tempt on the part of representatives
| Of the Delaware Indians to recover
money which should have been paid
| to them for their lands. The merit OF
! the specific claims presented is not
matter to be passed upon without
having heard the evidence but APP
pended to the memorial setting forth
the claim is a statement as to the
moral consideration which the MEM
oria lists declare support the claim,
lati0n Of the many deeds performed
by the DelaWarcs for the white man,
it is Il deeply interesting document.
The mcmorialiStS represent that 1t
was the Delaware Indians that grant
ed T. the colOniStS the states OF New
Jersey and Delaware and admins
tered to tneir first settlers succor and
comfort: ii was the Delaware Indians
that made the memorable treaty with
William Penn at Philadelphia, in 1862,
knc"n as the treaty that never was
sworn Ia and never was broken: it
was the Delaware Indians that de-
feat.d Braddock at Pittsburg and
taught the colonists that British SOL
diers were not invincibe; it was the
Delaware Indians, whose descendants
now reside in the Cherokee Nation,
who We're not only loyal but also rem
der@d valiant services to the colonists
in the Revolutionary war. through
whose influence the northwestern In
dams were induced to remain neutral
in the Revolution, war of 1872. and Ia
ter wars; it was the Delaware Indians,
whose defendants now reside in the
Cherokee Nation, that, in 1914, received
from General Harrison a silver pipe as
memorial of peace and friendship
and as an acknowledgment of their
friendship and loyalty in the war OF
1872; it was the Delaware Indians that
assisted in bringing about peace in the
Florida war and furnished the us sol
diers that successfully turned the tide
of that war; it was the Delaware In
dan3 that protected the frontiers in
by testimonials of John r. Taylor,
Major Neighbors and others and in
recognition thereof We're given land
grants by the state Of Texas; it was
the Delaware Indians that escorted
Fremont to california; it was a Della
ware Indian that pulled down the
Mexican flag at Monterey: it was
Delaware Indian that saved the life of
Colonel Reading in the Mexican war
and received. as reward. silver
tomanawk: it was the Delaware In
dams that escorted and guided Cen
eral Emory from Texas to FIT Leaven-
worth. and. by reason of so doing, lost
all their possessions left behind; it
was the Delaware Indians that induced
part of the Cherokees and Creeks to
remain loyal to the United states in
the late Civil war and furnished their
refugees with shelter and sustenance;
i; was the Delaware Indians of whom
the commissioner of Indian affairs.
in his annual report of 1862. said:
"'AS an instance of their loyalty, T
will mention this fact: OF POI Della
wares between the ages OF Is and ~,
40 nave volunteered and are now in
the military service of the United
States. 1t is doubtful if any communal
ty can show Il larger proportion of
volunteers than this.
Protecting Our Food.
Whatever is to be said concerning