THE ONEIDA SETTLEMENT AT DUCK CREEK, UNDER THE CARE OF THE REV. MR.
WILLIAMS, &c.
While the Stockbridges had planted their tribe at the _Grande
Kawkawlin_, on the east bank of Fox River, and in the course of some
half-dozen years, reared a flourishing settle settlement; built houses
and barns in the usual style of the white settlements in similar
circumstances; cleared away portions of the forest, and reduced their
farms to an interesting state of improvement; organized and brought
into salutary operation a political and civil economy; established
schools and the ordinances of Christianity; began to improve the
water-power opposite their village by the erection of mills and
machinery;--exhibiting, in a word, a most interesting _phasis_ of
civilization, along with the purest morals, under the simplest
manners;--their state of society being rather of the patriarchal
form, and governed by hereditary chiefs, according to the immemorial
custom of Indian tribes;--contemporaneously with the establishment of
this settlement, the _Oneidas_, under the auspices of the Rev. Mr.
Williams and his associate chiefs, had planted themselves at _Duck
Creek_, on the west of the river, eight miles from its mouth, and
twenty in a northerly direction from the Stockbridges. The Duck Creek
settlement is five miles in retreat from the line of Fox River, situate
on a small stream, from which it is named. The Oneida tribe, if my
notes are correct, is somewhat more numerous than the Stockbridge,
amounting perhaps to _seven_ or _eight_ hundred. The English language
is not in common use among them, although it is being cultivated
in their schools, along with their own. The Rev. Mr. Williams,
their Christian pastor, preaches to them uniformly in their native
tongue. Their improvements are equally interesting, and of the same
general character, with those of the Stockbridges. They have farms,
dwelling-houses, school-houses, barns, and in 1830 were building a very
decent Christian Church, which is doubtless finished before this, and
appropriated to its holy uses. The traveller, as he passes their former
settlement, in Oneida County, State of New York, discovers a little
distance from the main road on the south, a beautiful white church,
with its spire pointing to the heavens. It was built by these Oneidas,
and there they worshipped the white man’s God, and adored the white
man’s Saviour, before they were compelled to leave it behind them, and
build another in this distant region.
Mr. Williams’s house, as before noticed, stands alone, on the margin
of Fox River, in the midst of the lands, the title of which would have
vested in his wife, but for the unrighteous suits at law, which are
likely to eject him, and leave him destitute;--lands, which would not
only provide well for his family, if suffered to be retained by him,
but a portion of them was marked out and consecrated in his purpose,
as the site of a future and most important literary and scientific
Institution, for the education of Indian youth. And when we reflect
upon the nobleness of this purpose, its enlarged scope, and the
apparent feasibility of the plan, with the prospects under which it
was conceived; when we regard the character of the man, who formed the
design, and his means of influence to carry it into execution, had the
territory remained undisturbed; when we think, that he is probably the
only man of the age, who could lead in such an enterprise, with promise
of its ultimate and full consummation; and that with the blasting
of his hopes, and the breaking down of his courage, are likely to
come the blighting of _all_ hope and the prostration of all courage
among those tribes, for their future elevation and importance;--we
cannot look upon the untoward events, which have befallen the New York
Indians, since their removal to that quarter, but with feelings of deep
and unutterable regret. The historian of the rise and fall of empires
ordinarily points out to us the nice and critical events, on which
was suspended their weal, or woe. And I am almost enough inclined to
take up the burden and lamentations of a prophet, over the events now
under consideration, and say:--I know not how the Indian tribes of
that region can rise above this wreck of their hopes. There is a way,
indeed, hereafter to be considered, which leaves a glimmering of hope
behind--but involving at the same time numerous contingencies of deep
anxiety;--a way, which must necessarily transfer the theatre, and defer
the consummation of the object. Here, in the North-West Territory,
the door is for ever closed. These once hopeful instruments, and this
individual man, will have laboured in vain--except, as the disclosure
and ascertainment of their injuries shall awaken a repentance and a
sympathy in the bosom of that community, which ought, long ago, to have
thrown in the shield of its protection, and saved the Indians from
these disasters. And even then, such a man, as Mr. Williams, cannot be
raised from the grave. Or, if he should be among the living, (which
is not very probable) a state of health worn out, and a constitution
broken down, by these cares;--a mind, originally vigorous and
heroic, but the courage of which has been well nigh subdued by this
irresistible accumulation of calamity over the heads of his race--would
require little less than a miracle to fit him to cherish again the
hopes, and again to wield the burden of such an enterprise, as he must
have the credit of having once conceived. May a Phœnix yet arise from
the ashes of his hopes consumed, and wing its way to a brighter destiny.
* * * * *
For the information of the reader, it is suitable to acquaint him yet
farther with the relations of the New York Indians to their wilder
brethren of the North-West, in consequence of their purchase and
removal--and also with the unexpected encroachments they suffered from
the whites--before we enter upon the doings of the Commissioners.
Although there are several nations (as the Indian tribes are often
called) in the North-West, yet as _two_ only occupied and claimed
the territory, where the New York Indians chose to settle, their
negotiations were principally confined to those tribes--viz. the
_Menomenies_ and _Winnebagoes_. It was of these nations they
purchased, and with them, that they entered into friendly alliances
and solemn covenants, under the auspices of Government in 1821-22.
They had succeeded in cultivating friendship, and in persuading
the native tribes to abandon their wild habits, and adopt the arts
and customs of civilized life;--so far, as to gain their consent,
and the manifestation of an earnest purpose;-although it is well
understood, that a transition from barbarism to civilization, is never
instantaneous, but the process of time, and pains, and slow degrees.
Such was a prominent object of this alliance, both with the Government
originally, and with the New York Indians; and such was the agreement
and understanding of the parties. Such was the prospect in the outset,
and in the first stages of the operation of this alliance; and there
is no reason to suppose, that it would have been interrupted, but for
the interference of white men, who were interested in breaking up
these relations, and in leading on the parties to open rupture and
irreconcileable hostility. And they have succeeded but too well. The
Menomenies and Winnebagoes, once friendly, are now the implacable
enemies of their brethren from the East. They have been persuaded,
that the New York Indians came there, not to help the North-West
Tribes, and improve their condition, as professed;--but to overreach
and root them out. The old French settlers have been brought into
the league, not only by their influence, but by being encouraged to
assert vexatious claims over Indian lands, and bring actions for
ejectment;--or to sell their claims to those, who know better how to
manage them. White citizens from the States have flocked in, to fill
the public offices, to occupy the posts of trade, and to anticipate the
means of future wealth, which an organized and independent Government
will afford them;--all alike interested in the ejectment of their
immediate predecessors;--and all this in violation of the original
understanding between the New York Indians and the General Government.
And as white men are always superior to Indians, in all matters of
business, in political management, and in commercial transactions; so
in the present instance have they thoroughly established themselves
by converting all possible influences in their own favour, and
against their opponents. The Menomenies and Winnebagoes have been put
forward to contest with the tribes from New York--to express their
dissatisfactions to their great Father, the President--to impeach the
Covenants, under which they had sold their lands--to ask for special
Commissions to investigate and settle the disputes;--and the result,
the meanwhile, being anticipated, the territory has been occupied,
and the white settlements commenced, as if no question, as to right,
were pending, and no doubt entertained of the future removal of the
Indians. And while I am writing these pages I have learned, that
three of the most considerable tribes of the North-West Territory,
viz. the Winnebagoes, the Saukes, and the Foxes, have already been
persuaded to sell their lands to the United States, and agreed to go
beyond the Mississippi. The other wild tribes, no doubt, will soon
follow them;--and the New York Indians will find themselves in the
same situation, as they were before they removed. That is:-surrounded
by the whites, and permitted to retain such reservations of land, as
will not materially interfere with the political designs of those, who
have thrown them within such narrow limits. It will be understood,
then, that the tribes more immediately brought into controversy with
the New York Indians, were the Winnebagoes and Menomenies; who in
the whole affair have obeyed the instructions of those interested
white people, that had gained an ascendency over them, for their own
purposes. “These poor Menomenies and Winnebagoes,” it was said, “have
been overreached, and robbed of their hunting and fishing grounds, by
their more crafty brethren from New York. We wish to see their lands
restored.” For what? The honest answer would have been:--“That we may
get them ourselves.” These men felt a great deal of sympathy for the
wild tribes, so long as their lands were under the control of Indians,
who had learned, by experience, how to keep them from the white man.
That is:--They had learned how, so far as any dependence was to be put
in covenants. But the moment this country is wrested from the New York
Indians, all their tender scruples vanish; and they are ready to enter
immediately into negotiations, that shall place the same lands in their
own power, and compel the former possessors to retire into an unknown
wilderness! “But, they say, we give them a fair and honourable price.”
What? The value in the market of the white man? The price negotiated
for some millions of acres in this very territory, in 1832, was less
than the half of a farthing per acre!!! “But, we give them another
country.” Where is it? And what is it? And, if it be good for any
thing, how long will they be permitted to stay there?