find in a multitude of places remains of this custom, in the practice observed by the farmers of the duties and receipts of lords, of setting up branches, or a green arbor before the chief or manor-house, where the assizes were formerly held. All this preparation is founded in the circumstance of the season in which justice was administered in remotest antiquity. The above-mentioned green arbor is still called 'the May.' The terms of magistrate and majesty seem to be borrowed from the name of the month in which these venerable assemblies were held. This month received its name from the Pleias or Pleiades, anciently called Maïa, which then disengaged itself from the rays of the sun, distant thirty degrees, and passed under Gemini.'

It is reasonable to suppose that the vassals of the manor were not permitted to enter the arbor till his lordship made his appearance to open the court, and that in the mean time they sheltered themselves in out-houses, and under neighboring trees, when the crier called on those who had business to prefer to come forward, and they should be heard. In this case, the propriety and even necessity of the custom is apparent : but at this day, in halls prepared for the court, where all are supposed to be present who have business with it, the practice is out of place, and in fact is not intended to produce any effect.

Monarchies are conservative, avoiding as much as possible to disturb the existing state of things connected with their grand machine, fearing thereby that the whole might tumble into ruins; and as this trifling ceremony tends in some measure to mystify the practice of law, England will be apt to retain it, as well as the other more important absurdities above-mentioned. But as our republic has no cause to be influenced by such motives, it is to be hoped that it will ere long brush away useless customs derived from antiquity, and which tend to check the onward march of the human mind.

J. F.

THE MESSENGER OF PEACE.

BY MISS M. A. BROWNE.

THE dove went forth on her pinions fair, Again she went-again she sought

Across the waters wide;

And now she cleft the sunless air,

And now she swept the tide :
And all day long her form around,
Like a star, was seen to shoot;
Yet on the pathless waves she found
foot.
No rest for her weary

She turned her from the billows dark,
And from the curling foam;
She turned her to the saving ark,

And it took the wanderer home.
'Go forth again, fair dove! and see
If thy gentle eye can scan

A place in all the world, to be
A resting-place for man.'

The far-spread ocean round;
And she returned: what hath she bro't?
What hath the white dove found?
the type of peace
She hath borne from the stormy earth;
And soon the raging flood shall cease,
forth!
And man himself go

Oh, be my soul like thee, fair dove!
In passing on through life,
Still by its faith borne far above

The world's tumultuous strife:
And when by weariness 't is driven
To rest where tempests cease,
Bearing, on its return to heaven,
The sign of hope and peace.

LITERARY NOTICES.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RED-JACKET, OR SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA: being the Sequel to the History of the Six Nations. By WILLIAM L. STONE. In one volume, 8vo. pp. 484. New-York and London: WILEY AND PUTNAM.

WE alluded in a brief notice in our last number to this very entertaining volume; and now propose to enter upon a more detailed consideration of its merits. Aside from its main historical features, which are agreeably interwoven with interesting incidental narrative, to trench upon which would exceed the limits of this notice, the volume is remarkable for the number and variety of speeches of its renowned subject, in collecting which our author has evidently exercised the most unwearied industry and research. It is to these speeches, and to the circumstances out of which they arose, that we shall ask the attention of the reader. Those among us, and especially our readers abroad, who have been accustomed to derive their impressions of the oratorical efforts of our aboriginal chiefs in council from the wordy and inflated imitations of second-rate native romanticists, will here see the difference between eloquent nature and fustian art; and while they set down our be-Indian'd novel scenes at their proper valuation, will do justice to the terse, energetic, and poetical ' utterances' of the legitimate sons of the forest.

We remember to have heard our correspondent, Colonel M'KENNEY, who was for more than twenty years an Indian agent or commissioner on the part of the United States, remark, that in the whole course of his experience, every war with the natives and every savage outrage had been provoked by original aggressions on the part of the whites. When posterity shall ask, as ask it will when all this has become history, whether these things were so, and how our treaties with the Indians were kept, the reply will be found in the unanswerable records of the speeches of our aboriginal chiefs. Your forefathers,' said RED-JACKET, speaking to the whites in council, and on behalf of the Six Nations, 'your forefathers crossed the great water, and landed on this island. Their numbers were small. They found friends and not enemies. They told us they had fled from their own country for fear of wicked men, and had come here to enjoy their religion. They asked for a small seat. We took pity on them, and granted their request. They sat down among us. We gave them corn and meat; they gave us the fire-water in return. The white people had now found our country. Tidings were carried back, and more came among us. Yet we did not fear them. We took them to be friends. They called us brothers. We believed them, and gave them a larger seat. At length their numbers had greatly increased. They wanted more land—they wanted our country! Our eyes were opened, and our minds became uneasy.

Wars took place. Indians were hired to fight against Indians, and many of our people were destroyed. They also brought strong liquor among us. It was strong and powerful, and has slain thousands. BROTHERS: our seats were once large and yours were small. You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets!' 'Look back,' said the same orator on another occasion, to the first settlement by the whites, and then look at our present condition. Formerly, we continued to grow in numbers and strength. What has become of the Indians who extended to the salt waters? They have been driven back and become few, while you have been growing numerous and powerful. This land is ours, from the God of Heaven. It was given to us. We cannot make land. Driven back and reduced as we are, you wish to cramp us more and more. You tell us of a preemptive right. Such men, you say, own one reservation, and such another. But they are all ours — ours from the top to the bottom.'

The celebrated chief CORNPLANTER, in one of his speeches, complains that the concessions of the treaty of Fort Stanwix were yielded only to force. 'You told us,' said he, addressing the whites, that we were in your hand, and that by closing it you could crush us to nothing; and you demanded from us a great country as the price of that peace you had offered us as if our want of strength had destroyed our rights. There were but few chiefs present, and they were compelled to give up the lands; and it is not the Six Nations only that reproach us for having given up that country. The Chippewas, and all the nations which lived on those lands westward, call to us, and ask us: 'Brothers of our fathers! where is the place which you have reserved for us to lie down upon?' What they agreed to has bound our nation; and though our strength has not increased, nor your power become less, we ask you to consider calmly, were the terms dictated by your commissioners reasonable and just?' And yet, unjust as was this treaty, we find REDJACKET entreating on behalf of the Six Nations, that its terms may be maintained. 'We wish that in respect to these lands, the treaty of Fort Stanwix may not be broken. You white people have increased very fast on this island, which was given to us Indians by the Great Spirit. We are now become a small people. You are cutting off our lands, piece after piece. You are a kind-hearted people, seeking your own advantages.'

A commissioner on behalf of the whites, when speaking of the small worth of these lands while in a wild and unproductive state, observed, that the only value they could have in the eyes of the Indians, must arise from the consciousness that they owned them; to which RED-JACKET replied: 'That consciousness is every thing to us. It raises us in our own estimation. It creates in our bosom a proud feeling, that elevates us as a nation. Observe the difference between the estimation in which a Seneca and an Oneida are held. We are courted, while the Oneidas are considered a degraded people, fit only to make brooms and baskets. Why this difference? It is because the Senecas are known as the proprietors of a broad domain, while the Oneidas are cooped up in a narrow space.' 'Have you voted?' said a political 'druminer' to a vagabond, as he thrust a ticket into his hand. 'No I hav'n't, and I don't mean to, that's more, till the third day, about sundown. No body shakes hands with me, or treats, after I've voted. You do n't catch me!' and he wandered off to test the 'purity of elections' in another quarter. REDJACKET seems to have understoood the application of this man's argument, in the comparative cases which he cites.

RED-JACKET took an early and a lasting dislike to the missionaries, who were sent from different societies to the Six Nations, to ameliorate their spiritual condi

tion. His aversion, as we learn from our author, was perfectly natural. According to his testimony and that of Rev. Dr. BRECKENRIDGE, the early efforts of the missionaries were badly conducted. Men of more ability ought to have been selected for so peculiar and difficult service. It is stated, in justice to the Indians, that many of these ministers were destitute of any practical knowledge of human nature; that they had little talent and less information; and moreover, that they were bigoted, over-zealous, and lacked temper and patience. Instead of preaching simple discourses, bringing down to the level of the ignorant, and in relation to religion, child-like minds of the Indians the elementary principles of christianity, in their simplest and most winning forms, they were regaled, says Mr. STONE, with long argumentative sermons upon divine decrees, and the dark mysteries of foreknowledge and predestination; more repulsive themes than which, he adds, 'even for many enlightened congregations, reared in the bosom of the church, could hardly have been selected,' but for Indian auditors, especially unhappy. We have collated a few passages from the speeches of RED-JACKET, in reply to the importunities of various missionaries to be permitted to come among the Indians, to instruct and strengthen them in religion :'

BROTHER: We have listened with attention to what you have said. You request us to speak our minds freely. All have heard your voice, and all speak to you now as one man what we think. Our minds are agreed. You say you want an answer to your talk before you leave this place. It is right you should have one, as you are at a great distance from home, and we do not wish to detain you. BROTHER: You have got our country, but you are not satisfied: you want to force your religion upon us. You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to his mind, and if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter. You may say that you are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as you, why has not the Great Spirit given to us, and not only to us, but why did he not give to our forefathers, the knowledge of that book, with the means of understanding it rightly? We only know what you tell us about it. How shall we know when to believe, being so often deceived by the white people? You say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the book? We do not understand these things. We are told that your religion was given to your forefathers, and has been handed down from father to son. We also have a religion which was given to our forefathers, and has been handed down to us, their children. We worship in that way. It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive; to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel about religion. Brother: we do not wish to enjoy your religion, or take it from you. We only want to enjoy our You say you have not come to get our land or our money, but to enlighten our minds. I will now tell you that I have been at your meetings, and saw you collect money from the meeting. I cannot tell what this money was intended for, but suppose that it was for your minister; and if we should conform to your way of thinking, perhaps you might want some from us. BROTHER: we are told that you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while, and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said. You have now heard our answer to your talk; and this is all we have to say at present."

own.

On another occasion, at Buffalo, RED-JACKET thus replied to a delegate from the State Missionary Society, who was endeavoring to establish a mission among the Senecas :

"BROTHER: We listened to the talk you delivered to us from the council of black-coats in New-York. We have fully considered your talk and the offers you have made us. Great numbers of black-coats have been among the Indians, and with sweet voices and smiling faces have offered to teach them the religion of the white people. Our brethren in the east listened to the black-coats, turned from the religion of their fathers, and took up the religion of the white people. What good has it done them? Are they more happy and more friendly one to another than we are? No, brother, they are a divided people; we are united They quarrel about religion-we live in love and friendship. They drink strong water, have learnt how to cheat, and to practice all the vices of the white men, which disgrace Indians, without imitating the virtues of the white men. Brother, if you are our well-wisher, keep away, and do not disturb us. You wish us to change our religion for yours. We like our religion, and do not want another. Our friends the Quakers give us ploughs, and show us how to use them. They tell us we are accountable beings, but they do not ask us to change our religion. We are satisfied with what they do. We cannot receive your offers: we have other things to do, and beg you to make your minds easy, and not trouble us, lest our heads should be too much loaded, and by and by burst."

'Humanity weeps,' says our author, 'that the conduct of civilized men should put

such arguments as the following into the mouths of the Indians, against their own

best good:

"BROTHER: we pity you: we wish you to bear to our good friends our best wishes. Inform them that in compassion toward them, we are willing to send them missionaries, to teach them our religion, habits and customs. We would be willing they should be as happy as we are, and assure them that if they should follow our example, they would be far more happy than they are now. We would gladly know that you have relinquished your religion, productive of so much disagreement and inquietude among yourselves, and instead thereof that you should follow ours. Accept of this advice, brother, and take it back to your friends as the best pledge of our wishes for your welfare. Perhaps you think we are ignorant and uninformed. Go then and teach the whites. Select, for example, the people of Buffalo. We will be spectators, and remain silent. Improve their morals and refine their habits. Make them less disposed to cheat Indians. Make the whites generally less inclined to make Indians drunk, and to take from them their lands. Let us know the tree by the blossoms, and the blossoms by the fruit. When this shall be made clear to our minds, we may be more willing to listen to you. Brother-farewell!"

The Indians could not be made to understand the doctrine of the atonement, or the death of our SAVIOUR for the redemption of the world. If you white men,' said RED-JACKET to one of the missionaries, speaking in behalf of his people, 'murdered the son of the Great Spirit, we Indians had nothing to do with it, and it is none of our affair. If he had come among us, we would not have killed him; we would have treated him well, and the white people who killed him ought to be damned for doing it. You must make amends for that crime among yourselves.' One of the converted Indians, however, at the Oneida castle, in addressing his red auditory, in his first discourse, drew such a picture of the sufferings and death of the REDEEMER, that many of his female hearers, albeit unused to the melting mood,' actually shed tears. The inexperienced preacher, seeing this result, began to think he had gone too far; and he proceeded to qualify the vivid sketch he had been limning: 'It was a great way off,' said he, 'a long while ago. and may be

't was n't so!'

--

In some conversation with Rev. Dr. BRECKENRIDGE, who was well acquainted with RED-JACKET, that chieftain contended that the red man was of a totally dif ferent race, and needed an entirely different religion. The reverend gentleman pressed the points of resemblance in every thing but color, and argued that in the case of the christian Indians there was a common mind on religion. RED-JACKET waived the debate by saying, 'that one thing was certain, whatever else was not; that white men had a great love for Indian women, and left their traces behind them wherever they could!' He was frequently heard to murmur, that whereas before the approach of the white men, the eyes of the Indian children were all black, yet now they were becoming blue. We believe it was our swarthy hero who, in reply to an inquiry by a pious clergyman, to what tribe a bright boy, whose face he was admiring at the Oneida settlement, belonged, said: 'Ugh!-part 'Neida, part Missionary!'

Strangers in Buffalo used often to visit RED-JACKET at his residence near by, or send for him to come into the town to see them:

"On one occasion, not many years before his death, a gentleman from Albany, on a visit to Buffalo, being desirous of seeing the chief, sent a message to that effect. The gentleman was affluent in money and in words, the latter flowing forth with great rapidity, and in an inverse ratio to his ideas. He had also a habit of approaching very near to any person with whom he was conversing, and chattering with almost unapproachable volubility. On receiving the message, RED-JACKET dressed himself with the utmost care, designing, as he ever did when sober, to make the most imposing impression, and came over to the village. Being introduced to the stranger, he soon measured his intellectual capacity, and made no effort to suppress his disappointment, which indeed was sufficiently disclosed in his features. After listening for a few moments to the chatter of the gentleman, RED-JACKET, with a look of mingled chagrin and contempt, approached close to him, and exclaimed, Cha, cha, cha!' as rapidly as utterance would allow. Then drawing himself up to his full height, he turned proudly upon his heel, and walked away in the direction of his own domicil, as straight as an Indian,' nor deigned to look behind. The gentleman with more money than brains was for once lost in astonishment, and stood longer motionless and silent than he had ever stood before."