Year: 1860

At Masonic banquet given IN Chicago'
H., in September last, Eli S. Parker,
Chief of the Six Nations, and Il practicing
lawyer at Galena, Illinois, delivered q
speech, which is thus spoken of in al
article published in the Masonic Journal;


"One speech Of the evening, as also an
incident attending it, deserves more par
ticular mention. 1t was that of Brother
Sir knight Parker, grandson of Red
Jacket, and his successor as Chief OF the
Six Nations. He is full .blooded Chief,
but highly educated, and an eloquent
speaker. l shall not attempt even an
outline of his speech, for, if reproduced,
it should be with its charm of action and
utterance, which very few white men
could equal. He spoke of himself as al
most lone remnant of what was once
noble race, of his struggles in coming for
wad to manhood, and seeing his race dis
appearing as dew before the morning sun.
As he found his race thus waning away,
he asked himself, where shall / go when
the last of my race have gone forever !?
Where shall find home and sympathy
when our last council fire is extinguished,


"I said, / will knock at the door Of
Masonry, and see if the white race will
recognize me, as they had my ancestors,
when we were strong and the white men
weak. | knocked at the door of the
Blue Lodge, and found brotherhood
around its altar Iknelt before the great
light in the chapel and found companion
ship beneath the royal arch: L entered
the encampment, and found valiant sir
knights willing to shield me here without
regard to race or nation. went farther.
l knelt at the cross Of my Saviour, and
found Christian brotherhood, the crow
ming charity Of the Masonic tie. j am
most happy to meet you in the grand
councils of the gathering, and sit with
you at this festive board, to share these
greetings and hospitalities. / feel as
sured that when my glass is run out, and
i shall follow the footsteps of my depart
ed race, Masonic sympathies will cluster
around my coffin, and drop in my lonely
grave the evergreen accacia, sweet en-
blem of better meeting. IL my race
shall disappear from the continent, have
the consoling hope that our memory will
not perish. If the deeds of my ancestors
shall not live in story, their memories re-
main in the names of your lakes and riv-
ers, your towns and cities, and will call
up memories otherwise forgotten


"Fcw eyes could hold their tears as he
poured forth in words like these the
utterance OF full heart. Silence for q
time prevailed after he sat down, when he
arose and said: Il have in my possession
a memento which | highly prize wear
it near my heart. 1t came from my an
cestors as their successor in office. 1t
was a present from Washington to my
grandfather, Red Jacket, when your ma
ton was in its infancy. You will be
glad to see and handle it, and should do
wrong were not to give you the oppor-
tunity." And as he spoke thus, he re-
moved the wampum from his neck, and
drew from his bosom large massive
medal, in oval form some seven inches by
five, and it passed from hand to hand
along the tables. On one side Of this
medal were engraved, in full length, the
figures of two chiefs; Red Jacket, in cos
tune, presenting the pipe of peace, and
Washington, with right hand extended,
as in the act of receivingit. On the 9TH
er side were the Masonic emblems, with
the date 1892, if my memory is correct. "