that we should meet together this day. He orders all things, and he has given us a fine day for our council. He has taken his garment from before the sun, and caused it to shine with brightness upon us; our eyes are opened that we see clearly; our ears are unstopped that we have been able to hear distinctly the words you have spoken. For all these favors we thank the Great Spirit, and Him only "Brother; this council-fire was kindled by you; it was at your request that we came together at this time; we have listened with attention to what you have said; you requested us to speak our minds freely; this gives us great joy, for we now consider that we stand upright before you, and can speak what we think; all have heard your voice, and all speak to you as one man; our minds are agreed. "Brother; 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. But we will first look back a little, and tell you what our fathers have told us, and what we have heard from the white people. "Brother; listen to what we say. There was a time when our forefathers owned this great island. Their seats were extended from the rising to the setting of the sun. The Great Spirit had made it for the use of the Indians. He had created the buffalo, the deer and other animals for food. He made the bear, and the beaver, and their skins served us for clothing. He had scattered them over the country, and taught us how to take them. He had caused the earth to produce corn for bread. All this He had done for his red children because He had loved them. Ife had any disputes about hunting grounds they were generally settled without the shedding of much blood. But an evil day came upon us; your forefathers crossed the great waters and landed on this island. Their numbers were small; they found friends and not enemies; they told us they had fled from their country for fear of wicked men and come here to enjoy their religion. They asked for a small seat; we took pity on them, granted their request, and they sat down among us. We gave them corn and meat; they gave us poison 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. "Brother; our seats were once large, and yours were very small. You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets; you have got our country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us. "Brother; continue to listen. You say 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 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 it 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? "Brother; 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 agree, as you can all read the book? "Brother; 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 that way. It teacheth us to be thankful for all the favors we receive; to love each other and be united; we never quarrel about religion. "Prother; the Great Spirit has made us all; but he has made a great difference between his white and red children. He has given us a different complexion and different customs; to you he has given the arts; to these he has not opened our eyes; we know these things to be true. Since he has made so great a difference between us in other things, why may we not conclude that he has given us a different religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit does right; he knows what is best for his children; we are satisfied. "Brother; we do not wish to destroy your religion or take it from you; we only want to enjoy our own. "Brother; 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 collecting money from the meeting. I cannot tell what this money was intended for, but suppose it was for your minister; and if we should conform te your way of thinking, perhaps you may want some from us. "Brother; we are told that you have been preaching to 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 what you have said. "Brother; you have now heard our answer to your talk, and this is all we have to say at present. As we are going to part, we will come and take you by the hand, and hope the Great Spirit will protect you on your journey, and return you safe to your friends." The closing scene of this interview we certainly think was more honourable to these wild sons of the forest, than to the civilized and cultivated missionary. When the chiefs and warriors drew near to take him by the hand and bid him farewell, he hastily rose from his seat, rejecting their friendly greeting, and said, "there was no fellowship between the religion of God and the works of the Devil, and therefore he could not join hands with them." This being interpreted to the grave chiefs and warriors, "they smiled, and retired in a peaceful manner." On another occasion, Red Jacket was conversing with a clergymen, Rev. Mr. Breckenridge, who was endeavouring to convince the great chieftain that all mankind shared in the guilt of the crucifixion of of the Saviour. Red Jacket, who believed that the red men were a distinct race from the white, could not understand the force of the reasoning, and made this remarkable reply. "Brother; if you white men 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. You must make amends for that crime yourselves." THE CROSS. AN ANSWER TO THE INFIDEL INQUIRY OF A POPULAR MODERN WRITER. BY G. LINEAS BANKS, ESQ. ASKEST thou, in exultation, What the cross of Christ has done? Ask the splendors of creation If they feel the noon-day sun! Ask reviving vegetation, Gushing forth on joyful wing, If it feels the inspiration Of the breath-enchanting spring! 294 Askest thou? Behold and wonder Wipes away the curse and stain. Swift as lightning spreads the story, Still it triumphs, braves the ocean, Heathen temples fall before it-- Infidels and skeptic scoffers, Turn and taste the swelling stream. Ask yon star celestial, beaming Be a theme of exultation Throughout all eternity. PROGRESS OF MODERN LIBERTY. [Continued.] To the Romans the German tribes were barbarians; but to Europe they have been the founders of a civilisation which never could have been attained under the imperial sway of Rome. Their most distinctive characteristic was a fierce love of independence, which pervaded all their customs, and actuated all their habits. This spirit was permanently incorporated in their institutions. Montesquieu affirms that the first hint of the British constitution was found in the forests of Germany. Not only was the outline of their government derived thence, but the very germ of English liberty was transplanted from the same hardy soil; and in the "great migration of the nations," the same principles and institutions were disseminated throughout the continent. The form of government among the various tribes was mingled and different, but its chief features were republican. The exercise of the elective franchise was universal. Public affairs were discussed, either in select councils, or before the assemblies of the citizens.. But all measures were canvassed by the magistrates before they were submitted to the people. The states were divided into cantons, as the Swiss now are, and each canton was subdivided into hundreds. A limited prerogative was accorded to the rulers-whether kings or leaders-but the rights and power of the people were always predominant. Subordination was voluntary, and their freedom acknowledged no control except that which was self-imposed. Such were the general features of the laws and manners of that vast succession of tribes which, swarming from the northern hive, precipitated themselves upon the western empire of declining Rome, and overwhelmed everything in their impetuous course. The diffusion of their population over the subjugated country. wrought an immediate and important change in their government. As the people were spread over a vast extent of territory, it became impossible to continue their primary assemblies, and this difficulty introduced the principle and practice of representation, the great organ and safeguard of civil liberty. After this constitution had been extended over the greater part of Europe, in total exclusion of the Roman laws, it gradually assumed the form and compass of that stupendous establishment, the feudal system. It would perhaps be just to reduce the principles of the Germanic laws and customs to these two general characteristics: the preponderance of popular influence, and a certain balance between the different powers of government-both essential elements of civil liberty. But the system also contained within itself, or generated as an excrescence, an antagonist tendency, which subse |