The Coolidge examiner., 1934-06-29


soon had an opportunity 10 put into practical
effect the lesson which Il taught but who. as
usual. muTed the chance. That was nj the IA
nous Albany congress of 1854 For Rs George
". Wrong. author OF the volume The Conquest
of New France" IN The Chronicles OF America"
series. says: The English colouists showed q
political blindness that amounted 20 imbeciliy
Albany was the central point from which the
dangers on all sides might best be surveyed
Here came together In the summer OF 1854 dele
gates from seven OF the colonies 10 consider the
common peril The French were busy IN win
ming. as they did the support Of the many In
dian tribes OF the West; and the old allies ~
the English. the Iroquois. were nervous for their
own safety.
THE delegates 10 Albany tied and bound by
instructions from their assemblies had 20 listen
10 plain words from the savages. The one Eng
llshulan who. In dealing with the Indians. had
tact and skin equal 10 that OF Frontenac Of old
was an IrishmRn. Sir william Johnson. To him
the Iroquols made indignant protests that the
English were as ready as the French TO rob
them OF their lands
Outstanding among these native orators who
spoke such plain words 10 the delegates was
Teonlahlgarawe or King Hendriek OF the NO
hawks Although he Is not so well known to most
Americans as that other Mohawk leader. Thay
OF the most Important Indian figures In colonial
history. lie was born about 1872 near the pres
ent site OF westheld Masg Although he was the
son OF a Mohegan Of the Wolf clan his mother
was a Mohawk woman. so he became a member
of the latter tribe Some time between 1000 and
1892 Teoulahigarawe WAS converted 10 Chris
tanliy by a Dutch preacher named Godefridus
Delllus and given the name OF HendrIck Peters,
later shortened TO Hendrick.
As Christian preacher and q natural leader.
Hendrick rapidly rose to a position OF promi-
neuce among the Mohawks orator and a
councillor After the failure Of General Nlchol-
sons expedition against Canada during Queen
Anne's war. the provincial authorities Of New
York became fearful that the Iroquois might join
forces with the French. To prevent this and 20
gain more active support from the Mother coun-
try In carrying on the war; Col. Peter Schuyler
decided 10 make a journey 10 England and 10
take with him several Iroquois leaders. Hendrick
was one OF the nve chosen 20 20 and In April,
l7l0. Schuyler and his IroquoIs delegation ar
rived In London where they were received with
great ceremony as native kings OF the Five
Nations OF the Iroquois confederacy.
Upon their return to America King Hendrick
took an active part In the preparations for the
campaign against the French but the Treaty OF
Utrecht ended the before any important
results were accomplished fEoU luhl hAnc
Hendrick was much In the llmelght as a war
leader OF his people but more orator and
frequent speaker at councils with the pro-
vincIal authorities In Albany. For a time he
was swayed toward the cause OF the French.
but the influence OF Sir William johnson, with
whom he later became such a firm friend, kept
him loyal TO the English.
During the negotiations with the Iroquois at
the Albany congress Hendrick was the chief
speaker for the Indians In answer to charges
that the IroquoIs were leaning TO the French,
he replied hotly: "You have asked US the reason
OF our being driven Ike leaves before the wind.
The reason Is because OF your neglect of us
these three years past You have thrown US
behind your back and disregarded us, whereas
the French are always turning this way and that.
with their eyes ever upon the trail. ever using
their utmost endeavors every day. walking
softly ike the wolf In winter TO seduce and bring
our people over to them. IT'S your fault. breth-
ren that we are not strengthened by conquest,
for we would have gone and taken Crown Point
but you hndered US. We had concluded TO 20
and take it but we were told IL was too late
and that the Ice would not bear US; instead Of
this you burnt your own forts at Seraghtcga
and run away from Il, which was shame and
scandal to you. Look about your country and
see You have no fortihcations about you. no,
not even TO this city. Look at the French. They
are men. They are fcrtifying everywhere. But,
we are ashamed to say it, you are all Ike wom-
en-weak and defenseless."
But this singing indictment of the faltering