Mr. Butler's Discourse. 163 



research not merited by the subject. That considerable time 

 and much laborious investigation, will be found indispensable 

 to the preparation of a complete history- of New-York, is not 

 to be doubted ; and I know not the object, of a literary nature, 

 to which the first talent of the state, could be more honorably 

 applied. Almost every other original member of the Ameri- 

 can confederacy, has received from some one of its gifted sons, 

 a connected account of its progress, from its commencement 

 to a recent date ; but the history of New- York is yet to be 

 written. Our very pre-eminence in many other respects, 

 renders our deficiency in this, the more inexcusable. 



The indifference of our writers, to this subject, not only im- 

 peaches their patriotism and literary enterprize, but is not 

 very creditable to their judgment. The general features of 

 our history are more varied, and its details more interesting, 

 than those of most, perhaps of any other, of our sister states ; 

 and I am persuaded that the work might be made, by an able 

 writer, not only valuable and instructive, but entertaining and 

 popular. Some of the particulars by which our local annals 

 are favorably distinguished, may properly be enumerated. 



1. Among the aboriginal inhabitants of this territory, we 

 have the powerful confederacy of the Five, or as they were 

 subsequently called, the Six Nations. I am aware that mi- 

 nute disquisitions on the antiquities and history of the natives 

 of this part of our continent, are not very attractive; but it 

 must be remembered, that these nations were greatly distin- 

 guished among their countrymen ; that during the whole pe- 

 riod of our colonial history/ they sustained an important rela- 

 tion to the government ; and that even during the revolution- 

 ary war, their influence and exertions were by no means con- 

 temptible. Their early history, as exhibited by Dr. Colden, 

 in 1747, places them on high ground as the conquerors of 

 neighboring tribes and the allies of the English ; and the dis- 

 course of the late Governor Clinton, on their history, character 

 and antiquities, delivered before the New- York Historical So- 

 ciety, in 1811, is not only an honorable proof of his abilities, 

 but a striking illustration of the interest with which real talent 

 can invest subjects of this sort. 



2. The possession of our territory by the Dutch, for half a 

 century, has also an important bearing on our history. It has 



