184 THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



nation would continue to prosper and that God's blessing would descend upon their 

 children's children. 



Rev. T. G. Porter, of Shannonville, had no doubt that the trials and sacrifices which 

 they had passed through as a people in their early history were the direct means of 

 preserving thoir existence as a nation at this day and they should bo thankful for the 

 facL They now enjoyed the protection of the British flag, whereas if they had re- 

 mained iu the United States, they would have been compelled to leave their homes 

 and move farther on, as had been the case with the tribes in that country. 



After an eloquent speech in Mohawk by the chairman and an address in English 

 by Chief Green, thanking all for their kindness in attending, and the ladies who as- 

 sisted iu preparing refreshments, cheers were given for the Queen, Sir John Macdonald, 

 Lady Macdonald and others. " God save the Queen" was sung with great effect, and 

 the meeting came to a close. 



SIX NATIONS AND MOHAWK CENTENNIAL ON THE GKAND KIVEK RESERVE, NEAR 

 BRANTFORD, ONTARIO, OCTOBER 24, 1884. 



[rrom the Brantford Evening Telegram.] 



Friday was the closing day of the seventeenth agricultural exhibition of the Six 

 Nations Indians at Brantford. 



* * * # # » * 



On the whole the exhibition was a very 'good one, and reflected much credit upon 

 the Indians of the reserve, and the president and directors of the society. 



One hundred years ago the ancestors of the inhabitants of the reserve received, at 

 the hands of Sir Frederick Haldimand, the royal charter, granting to them, as a re- 

 ward for their fidelity to the British Crown during the American Revolution, the land 

 which their descendants still hold. In commemoration of this event a celebration 

 was held yesterday to which the lieutenant-governor of the province, Senator Plumb, 

 and other prominent gentlemen, together with a number of Indian chiefs, were in- 

 vited. At elevated points on the show grounds flag-staflfs were erected, from which 

 floated the British ensign, for the honor of which the Mohawks and confederate tribes 

 had sacrificed so much, and a speaker's stand was provided for the accommodation of 

 the distinguished visitors." * * Two Indian bands were in attendance and saluted the 

 visitors with several musical selections. Upon the platform in the council house were 

 seated Hon. J. Burr Plumb, William Patterson, M. P., Superintendent Gilkison, 

 ex-Mayor Henry, Dr. William T. Harris and Chiefs Henry Clinch and Alexander 

 Smith, the first named acting as chairman and the latter as interpreter. To the 

 right of the stand were seated Chiefs Elias Johnson, of the Lewiston Reserve, La 

 Forte, of Onondaga Castle Reserve, near Syracuse, N. Y., Jacob Hill, of Green Bay, 

 Wis., and Powless, Eraser, Thomas, Doxtater, Hill, Key, Buck, Porter, Jonathan, and 

 Wage, of the Six Nations Reserve, and Rev. Bearfoot, of Point Edward. 



Superintendent Gilkison said that the occasion they had met to celebrate was one 

 memorable iu the history of the Six Nations Indians and it was with pleasure that he 

 acted as chairman. He spoke of the fidelity of the Six Nations to England's King in 

 a time of great need, and reviewed the granting of the Brant Reserve to them as a 

 slight compensation for the losses sustained by them, and the hardships to which 

 they were subjected during the struggle. In this connection Mr. Gilkison read a copy 

 of the decree, signed by Sir Frederick Haldimand, by which a tract of land 6 miles 

 deep, on both sides of the Grand River, extending from its mouth to the source, was 

 ceded to the Mohawks and allied tribes. The speaker then alluded to the great 

 strides which the Indians had made toward civilization, as shown in their churches, 

 schools, and in the agricultural exhibition which has just been concluded. 



William Patterson, M, P., then referred to the great advancement the country had 

 made, and said that inhabitants of Brant County, and especially the city of Brant- 

 ford, were under deep obligations to the Indians for the lands which bad been pro- 



