The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-01

lGLC OL Ills u1Al L
Seneca son. After he was grown
the young man went 10 Albany to
see his parent. but though the white
man treated him well enough, he
omitted the gifts which mean Sc
much to the Indian heart, and sent
him back no wiser, and certainly nc
happier, than he had come.
Cornplanter. however, was Indian
by inclination, and soon threw all
his interests into those Of the tribe,
becoming a chief. In this capacity
he proved to be one of the greatest
Seneca leaders, and the British
forces owed much to COrnplanter's
ability during the Revolutionary
war.
In 1870, General Sullivan and his
American troops invaded the Seneca
country. The Indians were power
less to stay the advancing army,
which burned and destroyed as II
went, showing the Seneca that the
colonies were strong and that they
had chosen badly when they united
reluctantly though it had been)
with the British cause.
The great fighting chief" as
Hewitt calls him. tried TO make a
stand on the shores of Canandaigua
lake, and endeavored TO rally his
men to the fight, hoping TO drive off
the American troops. As their army
advanced, however, many Of the
Seneca lost heart. They began a
retreat, melting away from the spot
where they feared to die. Compliant
er was furious at their cowardice.
Placing himself before them, he har-
angued them in the effort to revive
their enthusiasm, but TO no avail.
Red Jacket, the leader of the re-
treating Indians, could not be dis
suaded. and branding him as a cow
ard. COrnplanter was forced to see
him 90, taking many Senecas with
him.
The chief was party TO many of
the treaties between the Seneca
and the United States, in which
their lands were conveyed to the
white men. At first, the Indians al
lowed these cessions Of land as
being necessary. and placed no
blame on Cornplanter for his part
in the treaties. AS their chief, he
visited Philadelphia in 1870 to tell
General Washington the story Of
his people and the grievances of
which they complained. Six years
later, the chief was given a tract
of $40 acres by Pennsylvania, in
recognition OF his valuable services
to the white people. He owned
more than this amount Of land ad-
joining the grant, forming a fine
holding on the banks of the Allie
gheny river.
Thus far, he had flOurished, but
he had not always been happy. The
treaties which he had signed, ced-
ing Seneca land to the white men,
finally caused the Indians TO hate
him. In fact, he was in danger of
murder at times from the incensed
Seneca, although they had willingly
chosen him to represent them
though knowing that he was friend
ly TO the whites. His favorite son,
on whom Cornplanter had lavished
every advantage (perhaps trying to
make up for his fathers neglect of
himself) became a drunkard. His
pension, Of $3.50 year, was uncer-
tain. The blame of his people
weighed on him, whether he knew
it to be justified or not. He was a
very old and very lonely man.
Then, in his age, the Great Spirit
of the Indians came to him and
spoke. White men had given him a
beautiful sword and belt, relics,
medals, and other gifts. The Spirit
told him that he was wrong to pre-
serve these or to associate further
with their givers. He had pros
pered through the white men, ii
was true, but he had also suffered
through them. Had they never come
into his life. he would have avoided
all the troubles which beset him
troubles which were clearly at
tributable to the white men and
their ways.
The old chief broke the sword
and burned the belt. All his life
he had been associated with the
white people. and had gained and
lost from the contact. He was an
Indian-that half of his blood which
was white had been given, long ago,
in white mems service. He looked
back on almost a century of life,
and wondered what it had gained
him. And so, on February Is, 1896,
COrnplanter went to find the answer
to his questions, at the summons OF
the Great Spirit.
(G. 1882. Western Newspaper Union.)