IS-I THE MOHAWK LAN&TJAGE. 



proceed to gi^e a hasty Yiew of the confederacy of which we have 

 already made mention. 



I have said that it was first conceived by De-ka-na-wi-dah, at a 

 time when the nations which subsequently formed the League were 

 living in separate and independent communities, continually engaged 

 in hostilities with each other. The Chief, thoroughly satisfied that a 

 eonfederation of the neighboring tribes would result in mutual benefit 

 and prosperity, made proposals to the Oneida for an alliance, to 

 which the latter fortunately acceded without hesitation. 



They next proceeded to the Onondaga, who at that time was the- 

 most powerful of the neighboring tribes. Having received the pro- 

 position of the Mohawk and Oneida, to form an alliance in which all 

 should be equal, the Chief rejected it, as he was then m^ore powerful and 

 had more infiuence than they, and by entering the alliance he would 

 be brought down to an equality with them. Determined, however, to 

 carry out the confederation scheme, the Mohawk and Oneida tendered 

 the Onondaga the oiEce of " Fire Keeper " in the new council they 

 would form. This giving him the sole authority of opening or clos- 

 ing the Councils of the Five Nations, and a veto power upon all trans- 

 actions of the confederate chiefs,, induced the Onondaga to yield. The 

 Cayugas and Senacas were subsequently added and thus completed 

 the scheme of ec-nfederation of the Five Nations : a lasting evidence of 

 their wisdom, and that they were entitled to the name of statesmen 

 much more than many " pale-faces " af the present day. From the 

 consummation of this scheme, the " new nationality" steadily, though 

 slowly, increased in prosperity and power, till about the time of the 

 settlement of the English at Jamestov/n, when they had reached the 

 zenith of their power and glorjr. Their hunting grounds extended 

 from the Great Lakes, upon the north, to the Cumberland River and 

 Cherokee country upon the south, and east of the Mississippi. They 

 subdued nation after nation till their name was known and their 

 arms dreaded by nearly all Indian, tribes east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. 



With what has occurred to us since we came in contact with the 

 pale-faces, most of you are familiar, and I need say but a few words. 



At the time that New Amsterdam changed masters, was formed 

 that alliance with the English which has been kept inviolate by the 

 Mohawks unto this day. The Indians were engaged in all the wars-, 

 that took place upon this continent for the possession of Canada, be- 



