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· 207 · Appendix 2 Pokagon’sAddressattheGemOperaHouse atLiberty,Indiana,January7,1898 Fromthe many addresses delivered by Chief Pokagon,the following one has been selected by the publisher as appropriate for the “Queen of the Woods.” It was delivered by the old veteran in the Gem Opera-house at Liberty, Ind., Jan. 7, 1898, under the auspices of Orinoco Tribe No. 184, I. O. R. M. It was through the untiring efforts of Hon. E. E. Moore, of Ohio, that the chief was prevailed upon to leave his tribe, and travel over three hundred miles from home in midwinter to address that society. The Address For many years I have had a warm heart for the palefaced Red Men, but never expected to be invited by them to deliver an address. I would not have you think that I flatter myself that I have been invited here on account of my intelligence or reputation, as I most keenly realize that you have looked forward to my coming here with a sort of novel pride,that you might point me out to your children and say,“Behold · 208 · Appendix 2 a living specimen of the race with whom we once neighbored,—a race we sometimes loved, and yet that love was mingled with distrust and fear.” No greater compliment could have been bestowed upon our vanishing race than by naming one of the grandest orders of America after them. And that compliment was made perpetual in giving each officer of the Red Men’s Order Indian names pure and simple, as well as giving each lodge some appropriate Indian name. My heart is always made glad when I read of the Daughters of Pocahontas kindling their council fires. I have often thought that if they dressed as becomingly as our maids and matrons did in their native style, I would be glad indeed to see them confer the Pocahontas Degree work. The names Pocahontas and Pokagon (my own name) were derived from the same Algonquin word—“Po-ka”—meaning a “shield,” or “protector.”And again, we are highly complimented by the Order of Red Men in dating their official business from the time of the discovery ofAmerica.I suppose the reason for fixing that date was because our forefathers had held for untold ages before that time the American continent a profound secret from the white man. Again, the Red Men’s Order highly compliments our race by dividing time into suns and moons, as our forefathers did, all of which goes to show that they understood the fact that we lived close to the Great Heart of Nature, and that we believed in one Great Spirit who created all things, and governs all. Hence that noble motto, born with our race,—Freedom, Friendship, and Charity,—was wisely chosen for their guiding star. Yes, Freedom, Friendship, Charity! Those heaven-born principles shall never, never die! It was by those principles our fathers cared for the orphan and the unfortunate, without books, without laws, without judges; for the Great Spirit had written his law in their hearts, which they obeyed. Tradition, as sacred to us as holy writ, has taught us that our forefathers came to this country from theAtlantic coast.When they first entered these woodland plains, they said in their hearts, Surely we are on the border of the “happy hunting grounds” beyond. Here they found game in great abundance. The elk, the buffalo, and the deer stood unalarmed before the hunter’s bended bow. Fish swarmed the lakes and streams close to shore. Pigeons, ducks, and geese moved in great clouds through the air, flying so low that they fanned us with their wings; and our boys, whose bows were scarce terror to the crows, would often with their arrows shoot them down. Here we enjoyed ourselves in the lap of luxury. Address at the Gem Opera House· 209 · But our campfires have all gone out. Our council fires blaze no more. Our wigwams and they who built them, with their children, have forever disappeared from this beautiful land, and I alone of all the chiefs am permitted to behold it again. But what a change! Where cabins and wigwams once stood, now stand churches, schoolhouses, cottages, and castles.And where we walked or rode in single file along our winding trails, now locomotives scream like some beast of prey, rushing along their iron tracks, drawing after them long rows of palaces with travelers therein, outstripping the flight of eagles in their...

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