Year: 1873




MORNING = THE sPEEoH OF WELCOME AND THE
RESPONSE.


The 25th annual session of the Great Council
Of the United States Improved Order of He'd Men
convened in this city, this morning.
The sessions are being held in one Of the spa
cious upper roomsof the Masonic Temple, which
has been neatly and comfortably fitted up for the
occasion in manner which accords with the
proper arrangement Of the wigwam. The floor
is carpeted very nicely, the tents are erected in
their accustomed places, tables and chairs and
cushioned settees are provided for the use Of the
members OF the Great Council. the tomahawks
occupy their usual position on the walls. and the
photographs of the members Of the Great Coun-
Gil are also suspended upon one of the sides Of
At $40 the Great Council of Delaware was
called to order by the Past Grand Inoohonee Jo-
seph Pyle, acting as Great Sachem, who said that
they met to perform the pleasant duty Of re-
ceiving the Great Council of the United States
for the first time on their hunting grounds in
Delaware.


Col D. R. Heisler was then appointed COM
mittee to wait upon the Great Minnewa, Cor
guard OF the Great Council Of the U. 81 and in
form him of the readiness OF the Great Council
OF Delaware to receive the Great Council Of the
US.


10 few moments Mr.. Heisler returned and
announced that the Great Council of the United
States were ready to be admitted.
Admit them," responded the Great Sachem,
and the members Of the Great Council of the
United States. clothed in their regalia, and fol-
lowed by the Delegates from the several States
marched into the room, when Great Sachem Jo-
seph Pyle received them in the following ad-
dress


Gredt Tncohonee, Chiefs and members of the


Great Council Of tie United States.
''It affords me pleasure on behalf OF the
Great Council OF Delaware and the tribes under
the jurisdiction thereof to bid you welcome to
our hunting grounds. Il is true those hunting
III
is true our Great Council cannot number 30
many tribes as some of yours it is true we can
not call our Hunters Braves, Warriors and Chiefs
by the tens of thousands as some OF you can,
nevertheless it is true that the Order Of Red Men
is living, moving active power for good in Del
aware, Many of you have met in the days Of the
past, in other hunting grounds, met you when the
Angel Of Peace smiled sweetly upon our happy
land, met you when the Demon of civil war was
devastating our common country and scattering
broadcast the seeds of discord and contention
among those who should be brothers-and am
proud as q Red Man, to say that there has al
ways been one spot where strife, contention and
hate could not enter, and where we could meet
and say with the psalmist, Behold how good
and pleasant 1t is for Brethren to dwell together
in unity


'Some of you have never met before you ap-
pear upon the floor of the Great Council for the
first time, but though strangers the bond OF
Freedom, Friendship and Charity unites us as
Brothers, and but echo the wish and express
the desire Of the entire Brotherhood in Delaware
when say thatI hope this session will be pleas
ant and agreeable to you as individuals, and
beneficial to the order at large.


1--WE have quenched the Council FIRE Of
the Great Council of Delaware, and by
authority in me vested give you possession
Great Council OF the United States, with
perfect confidence that the honor of our beloved
order is safe in your hands, and that in the pro-
eeedngs of this session there will be the no blot
fha MAJ nf hiafOru


"In conclusion, permit to say, with all the 30
lemnity be6tting this hour and to impress it upon
your minds, as well as my own, brethren, that
the eye of the entire Brotherhood through the
| length and breadth Of this pale face nation, az
well as the eye Of the Great Spirit, is upon us.
and that we will be held accountable for the leg


slation upon which we are about to enter; and
l trust that the peace and harmony that has
characterized the sessions OF tho Great Council
heretofore may alike characterize this, the first
session held in Wilmington.


"Again, Great Incohone, bid you welcome
Great Chiefs, | bid you welcome Brethren OF
the Great Council, welcome, thrice welcome. /
have DONE"


Great Incohonee James p Rely, of vir-
ginia, responded as follows
/ To The members ofthe Great Council Of Della
l1are Great Chiefs and Brothers -
81 had hoped that the response to this cordial


and warm reception would have fallen to the
| lot Of some older and more gifted member of
| the Great Council of the United States than my
| self But would doinjustice to my own person


al feelings, mo less than the united feelings of the


members Of the Great Council OF the Uni
| ted States did 1 permit the occasion to
pass without some effort TO return our
/ grateful thanks to the Great Council
Of Delaware and the members of her re-
spective Tribes for this public evidence Of her
/ sympathy and brotherly love.
Year after year, in the discharge of our du
i ties, we assemble in different Jurisdictions, and
| we have always met with warm hearts and cor
i dial friends among the brethren of our order


but this public reception OF US by the Red Men
| of Delaware, amidst her hunting grounds, lends
/ new charm to our social intercourse, and


makes US feel indeed that we are brethren
/ dwelling together in unity.


.'Acnept, sir for the Great Council of Delaware
/ and her Tribes, our warmest thanks for this kind


reception. trust, as believe. that our sojourn
| among you may be productive of good results,


and tend to bind faster the cords that unite all
| true Red Men everywhere, in the bonds of
/ Freedom, Friendship and Charity. And above
| all, may we 80 live that when the Great Spirit
i shall summon us from the councils here, it may
| be to take us to Himself. where His council fire


Of Love and Glory burneth forever in Righteous
| ness.


/ "Then wen come not back to suffer
| Where the famine and the f.Ver
Wear the heart ana waste the body.
Then our task will be completed;
| With the faithful we may follow