OUR
HERITAGE
After seeing
the trade goods offered by the Transyvania land
Company would amount to very little for each man,
Dragging Canoe turned to the chiefs, including his
father Leaning wood and said, "Whole Indian nations
have melted away like snowballs in the sun before the
white man's advance. They leave scarcely a name of our
people except those wrongly recorded by their
destroyers. Where are the Delawares? They have been
reduced to a mere shadow of their former greatness. We
had hoped that the white men would not be willing to
travel beyond the mountains. Now that hope is gone.
They have passed the mountains, and have settled upon
Cherokee land. They wish to have that usurpation
sanctioned by treaty. When that is gained, the same
encroaching spirit will lead them upon other land of
the Cherokees. New cessions will be asked. Finally the
whole country, which the Cherokees and their fathers
have so long occupied, will be demanded, and the
remnant of Ani-Yunwiya, THE REAL PEOPLE,
once so great
and formidable, will be compelled to seek refuge in
some distant wilderness. There they will be permitted
to stay only a short while, until they again behold
the advancing banners of the same greedy host. Not
being able to point out any further retreat for the
miserable Cherokees, the extinction of the whole race
will be proclaimed. Should we not therefore run all
risks, and incur all consequences, rather than submit
to further loss of our country? Such treaties may be
alright for men who are too old to hunt or fight. As
for me, I have my young warriors about me. We will
have our lands. A-WANINSKI, I have spoken.
"Final a
cloud hanging over it. You will find its settlement dark and
bloody!"
CONTINUE
TO READ OUR STORY
|
