54 
toner's address. 
The most successful attempt at confederation and 
unity of government among Indian tribes with which 
we are acquainted, originated with the Iroquois or Six 
Nations, Hving in the Northern and Middle States of 
our Union. The Algonkin, a once numerous race or 
league which occupied the Upper Mississippi Val- 
ley and the Lake region, parts of New England, and 
extended as far south as Pamlico Sound, though still 
numerous and warlike at the time the European settle- 
ment commenced in Massachusetts, had already begun 
to decline in power. Other tribes of considerable 
note in the early history of our country are deserving 
of mention. It is well known to you that the Indians 
residing in the southern parts of the Union had also 
formed tribal compacts and manifested some pre- 
tensions to nationality.'^ Of these the chief was 
The Iroquois or Six Nations were also successful agriculturists, and 
the most powerful Indian confede ration in America. At the begin- 
ning of the American Revolution they were more advanced in the war- 
like arts than other tribes. They owed perhaps much of their progress 
to the French missionaries, and to the early introduction of fire-arms 
and edge-tools received from the traders who had been for a century 
and more among them. They became quite provident, too^ in laying up 
stores of grain and provisions for winter's use. This they were en- 
abled to do by the cultivation of considerable tracts of land in corn, 
beans, and vegetables, and had orchards of apple trees. The peach 
plum, and apple were also cultivated in Virginia and North Carolina. 
The Pueblo Indians of Taos, in New Mexico, disposed of 6,000 bush- 
els of fine wheat raised by themselves to the United States quarter- 
master in 1875. 
■^The confederacy of the Iroquois consisted at first of five indepen- 
dent tribes, then of six, and finally of seven. The Powhatan confed- 
eracy was formed of at least three independent tribes; the Creek con- 
federacy consisted of six tribes ; the Ottawa of three. The Dacotah 
league had seven fires and the Moqui confederacy seven pueblas. 
