EXTRAOEDINARY SPEECH BY AN INDIAN.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1721, 9 July 1874, Page 2

EXTRAOEDINARY SPEECH BY AN INDIAN.

At-a Masonic banquet given in Chicago. 111, a short time ago^ Ely S Parker, a chief of the Sis Nations, and a practising lawyer of Galena, delivered a speech, which is thus spoken of in an article in the Masonic Journal: —"One speech of the evening, as also an incident attending it, deserves more particular mention. It was that of Br. Sir Knight Parker, a grandson of Red Jacket, and his successor of the Six Nations. He is a full-blooded chief, but highly educated, and an eloquent speaker. I_ shall not attempt even an outline of his speech, for, if reproduced it should be with if s charms of action and utterances what very fow white men can equal. He spoke of himself as almost a lone remnant of what was once a noble race; ef his struggle in coming to manhood, and seeing his race disappearing as the dew before the morning sun. As he found his race thus wasting away, ho asked himself, ' where shall I find home and sympathy, when our last council fire js extinguished ? I said, I will knock at the door of Masonry, and see if,, the white race will recognise me, as they did my ancestors, when we were strong . and the white man weak. I knocked at the door of the Blue Lodge, and found brotherhood around its altar. I went before the great light in the chapter, and found companionship beneath the Boyal Arch. I entered the encampment and found there valiant sir k nights willing to shield me here without regard to race or nation. I went further. I knelt at the cross !of my Saviour, and found Chfistian brotherhood, the crowning charity of ' the Masonic tio. I am happy to meet you in the grand councils of the gatherings, and »it with you at this festive board to share those greetings and hospitalities.. I feel assured that when my glass is run out, and I shall follow the footsteps of my departed race, Masonic sympathies will cluster around my cm* on, and drop •in my lonely grave the evergreen acacia, sweet emlem of" a better meeting. If my race shall disapear from the continent} "* I have a" consoling hope that our memory shall not perish. If the deeds of my ancestors shall not live in stories; their memories remain in the names' of of our lakes and rivers, your towns and cities, and will call up memories otherwise forgotten.' Few eyes could withhold their teara as he poured forth in words like these the utterance of a full heart. Silence for a time prevailed after he sat down, when he arose and said— 11 have in my posses, sion a memento which I highly prize; I wear it near my heart. It came from my ancestors to me as their successor in office. It was a present from Wash- fl ington to my grandfather, Bed Jacket^ when our nation was in "its infancy. You will be glad to ccc and handle it, and I should do wrong not to give you the opportunity.' As he spoke thus he moved the wampum from his neck, and drew from his bosom a large massive medal in an oval form, about seven inches by five, and it passed from hand to haDd along the tables. On one side of this medal were engraved in .full length, the figures of two chiefs—Bed Jacket, in costume, presenting the pipe of peace, and Washington, with' right hand extended, as in the act of reoeiving it. On the other side, the Masonic emblems, with the date 1792, if memory is correct. " ■•&•