The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-23

ks5eS@FsS ly enriched our national heritage.
HXxSSSa Since that time the event has
been observed annually in Illinois
and the idea of American Indian day has spread
to other states. Although it has not yet become
established either as holiday or day for gen.
eral observance throughout the country, it is
sufficiently well known to remind Americans of
the present day of honor due to the Original
Americans" and on American Indian day, there
may pass before us a pageant of those indi-
viduals who played part in making the history
of this nation and who richly deserve to be
remembered for what they were or what they did.
1.-THE mark of our contact with the Indian is
upon us indelibly and forever" writes Norman
B. Wood in his Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs"
He has not only impressed himself upon
geography, but on our character, language and
literature. Bancroft our greatest historian, Is
not quite right when he says, The memorials Of
their former existence are found only in the
names of rivers and mountains These memori-
ais have not only permeated our poetry and
other literature but they perpetuated in
much of the food we eat, and every mention Of
potatoes, chocolate cocoa, mush, green corn, sue
cotash, hominy and the festive turkey is a trib-
ute to the redman, while the fragrance of the to-
bacco or Indian weed we smoke is incense to
their memory.
ION one occasion, according to Aesop, man
and lion got into an argument as to which of
the TWO was the stronger, ana, CnuS cOnCenQ1ng,
they walked together until they came to a statue
representing a choking and subduing a
lion. There exclaimed the man, that proves
my point, and demonstrates that man Is
stronger than a lion. To which the king Of
beasts replied, When the lions get to be sculp-
tors, they will have the lion choking and over
coming the man..
"The Indians are neither sculptors, painters
nor historians. The only record we have of
m of
hardest-fought battles, or sublimest flights of
eloquence, are the poor, fragmentary accounts
recorded and handed down by their implacable
enemies, the all-conquering whites"
1T is hard, indeed, for one enemy to do
other justice. The man with whom you are en-
gagged in death struggle is not the man to
write your history; but such has been the his
toran of the Indian His destroyer has covered
him up in an unmarked grave, and then written
the story of his life. Can anyone believe that
the Spaniards, cruel, hardhearted and remorse-
less as the grave, who swept whole nations from
the earth, sparing neither man. women chill
dren, could or would write true story Of their
silent victims?
"Is it not reasonable to believe that had Phil
ip, Pontiac, Cornstalk, Tecumseh. Black Hawk
or Chief Joseph been able to fling their burning
thoughts upon the historic page, it would have
been very different from the published account"
II ever an Indian painter, sculptor or historian
rises to tell the full story of the achievements of
men and women of his race through the medium
of expression which he chooses, what magnif-
cent record he can set down! In it will be the
story of such patriots as King Philip Of the Wam-
panoags, Pontiac of the Ottawas, Tecumseh Of
the Shawnees, Black Hawk of the Sank and
Foxes, Osceola of the Seminoles, Sitting Bull of
the Sioux, Captain Jack of the Modocs and
Standing Bear of the Poncas. In it will be the
story of such great captains as Cornstalk of the
Shawnees, Little Turtle of the Miamis, Red
Cloud Crazy Horse and Gall of the Sioux, Chief
Joseph of the Nez Perces and Dull Knife and
Little Wolf of the Cheyennes. AS for orators, he
can set forth the names of Logan of the Cayugas,
Red Jacket of the Senecas, Satanic of the Kiowas,
and Running Antelope of the Sioux and be sure
that they will compare favorably with those of
any other race of men.
The speech of one of them has become immor-
tai. For it was Logan who sent this message to
Lord Dunmore of Virginia.
81 appeal to any white to say II he ever
entered Logan's cabin hungry and he gave him
not meat; If ever he came cold and naked and
he clothed him not. During the course of the
last long and bloody war. Logan remained idle
in his camp, an advocate Of peace. Such
my love for the whites that my countrymen
pointed l passed and said, Logan is the
friend of the white man. / had even thought to
have lived with you but for the injuries of one
man. Colonel Cresap the last spring, In cold
blood and unprovoked. murdered all the rela-
lions Of Logan. not even sparng my women and
children. There runs not drop of my blood
in the veins of any living creature This called
on me for revenge. I have sought 1t. I have
killed many. have fully glutted my vengeance.
For my country rejoice at the beams of peace;
but do not harbor a thought that mine is the
joy of fear Logan never felt fear. He will not
turn his heel to save his life. Who is there
to mourn for Logan? Not one!"
OF this speech. Thomas Jefferson once said
II may challenge the whole orations of Demos
themes and Cicero. and of any more eminent
orator-if Europe has furnished more eminent
to produce single passage superior to the
speech of Logan" And succeeding generations
of Americans have endorsed the words of the,
Sage of Monticello.
Although Sitting Bull Of the Sioux Is better