The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-01

SUI. A1leT he was
grown, the young man went to Albany
to see his parent, but though the white
man treated him well enough, he
omitted the gifts which mean so much
to the Indian heart, and sent him back
no wiser, and certainly no happier,
than he had come.
Cornplanter, however, was Indian by
inclination, and soon threw all his in
terests into those of the tribe, becom-
ing chief. In this capacity he proved
to be one of the greatest Seneca lead
ers, and the British forces owed much
to Cornplanter's ability during the
Revolutionary war.
In 1779, General Sullivan and his
American troops invaded the Seneca
country. The Indians were powerless
to stay the advancing army, which
burned and destroyed as it went, show
ing the Seneca that the colonies were
strong and that they had chosen badly
when they united reluctantly though
1t had been) with the British cause.
''The great fighting chief" as
Hewitt calls him, tried to make stand
on the shores of Canandaigua lake,
and endeavored to rally his men to
the fight, hoping to drive off the Amer
lean 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. Cornplanter was furious at
their cowardice. Placing himself be-
effort to revive their enthusiasm, but
to no avail. Red jacket, the leader of
the retreating Indians, could not be
dissuaded, and branding him as
coward, Cornplanter was forced to see
him go, 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 allowed these ces-
sions 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 recogni-
ton of his valuable services to the
white people. He owned more than
this amount of land adjoining the
grant, forming a fine holding on the
banks of the Allegheny river.
Thus far. he had fiourished, but he
had not always been happy. The
treaties which he had signed, ceding
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, al
though they had willingly chosen him
to represent them. though knowing
that he was friendly to the whites.
His favorite son, on whom Cornplanter
had lavished every advantage (per-
haps trying to make up for his fathers
neglect of himself) became 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 beautiful
sword and belt, relics, medals, and
other gifts. The Spirit told him that
he was wrong to preserve these or to
associate further with their givers. He
had prospered through the white men.
it is 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 attribut-
able 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 peo-
pie, 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 q century of
life. and wondered what it had gained
him. And so, on February is. 1886.
Cornplanter went to find the answer
to his questions, at the summons of
the Great Spirit.
&c. 1882. Western Newspaper Union.)