For all these things, as well as for his actual ser acquaintances and real friends. The English autho-but for this we can forgive him. He was so born rities in Canada wanted to keep them under what and bred. There was a charge committed to him. was considered, no doubt, a proper and necessary He felt himself responsible even in the eyes of the guardianship or control. The Americans wished to Great Spirit for his tribe, his confederacy, his race. do much the same. Both knew the policy of Country, liberty, possessions, friends, home, might suggesting divisions among the Indians themselves: have their charms for him, for his soul at least was hence much trouble to Brant from a want of unani- like the soul of the "pale face"-it was white. He mity among his people. Of this he appreciated the was, in a word, what all mankind have honoured men vast importance, as well as his allies or his opponents. for being. He contended with us and with every His great effort was to accomplish what their great opponent for objects whose sacredness and whose effort was to prevent. Hence, conferences and sweetness have been from the first ages of history councils and correspondence and missions to and fro, pronounced inalienable, inestimable, by the universal in all which Brant neither remitted his labours nor human heart. And more than this-he was not relaxed his high tone. In this there was a glorious, merely the white man's foe, but his friend. Whenan heroic patriotism, which, splendid as it was,-ever the first claims upon him could be relaxed, the when we think how little it was destined to avail, second were always heeded. He was faithful to how fallen are the fortunes now of this people, once every engagement. No stain on his honor can be powerful, with all our civilization, we cannot but shown. His fidelity to the ancient faith of his naregard in sorrowing and gloomy admiration. Of tion and to the English alliance never wavered. course, nothing less than complete independence When occasion permitted it, he was lenient, mercicould suit a spirit like this: a guardianship, a pupil-ful, magnanimous; even in war it delighted him to age, a fealty!-his soul revolted at the thought. He be so. says, in one of his speeches, "We were promised our lands for our services, vices, his splendid talents, his extraordinary characand those lands we were to hold on the same footing historian it has found-discriminating, generous, later and career, the memory of Brant deserved the with those we fled from at the commencement of the borious and just. Mr. Stone's work is not faultless, American war, when we joined, fought, and bled in but he has rendered the cause of letters and of phiyour cause. Now is published a proclamation, forbidding us leasing those very lands that were posi lieve he will feel himself richly repaid for it in the losophy on the whole a noble service; and we betively given us in lieu of those which we were the honour and the justice which hereafter will be rensovereigns of the soil. This, brothers, is surely a dered at once to himself and to his hero. contradiction that the least discerning person amongst you must perceive, and which we think wonderful. Of those lands we have forsaken, we sold, we leased, and we gave away, when and as often as we saw fit, without hindrance on the part of your government; for your government well knew we were the lawful Sovereigns of the soil, and they had no right to interfere with us as independent nations.' In support of this assertion, the Chief proceeded to enumerate various sales and gifts of their lands; among which he inentioned the large and celebrated tract to Sir William Johnson, commonly called the Royal Grant, and for signing the conveyance of which the captain asserted that he received a present of fifty pounds." —Vol. ii. pp. 402, 403. The progress and result of these negotiations we must leave here. In some cases Brant was successful; in other respects the questions at issue are unsettled to this day. The Americans, after Wayne's victory in 1795, effected their object in the treaty of the same year. Brant's grand design of a general Indian combination was broken up by circumstances which he could not control. The great statesmanlike projects he cherished for the good of the race at large where then in a great measure abandoned, as they had been by Pontiac and Philip before. mained only to do what he could for his confederacy and his tribe, and to this he devoted his attention till the time of his decease, as before described. His last words, it will be remembered, were still for the "poor Indians." He died, as he had lived, a savage patriot, no less than a civilized man. The Indian and the Christian expired as they had existed -together. It re And so perished the last of the Mohawks! A warrior, a Mohawk, a true Indian, he clearly was: From Blackwood's Magazine. HYMN I. Sweet morn! from countless cups of gold More incense fine than earth can hold, 2. One interfusion wide of love, 3. The lark, by his own carol blest, 4. On lands and seas, on fields and woods, 5. Aloft the mountain ridges beam |