Detroit, and
fortifying that point, in 1701, than that it would enable him to "curb
the Iroquois." [Oneota.]

But, I do not stand before you to enter into a critical history of the
Iroquois' powers. Who has not heard of their fame and prowess--of their
indomitable courage in war,--of their admirable policy in peace: of
their eloquence in council: of the noble fire of patriotic
independence, which led them to defend the integrity of their soil
against all invaders; and of the triumphs they achieved, throughout
ABORIGINAL AMERICA, by the wisdom of their principles of confederation.
The history of their rise and early progress, we shall probably never
satisfactorily know. It is said by early writers, that the origin of
their confederation was not very remote. But so much as we know of
them--so much of their career as has passed while we have been their
neighbors, proves that they had well established claims to
antiquity--that they were a free, bold and valorous stock of the human
race--that they had thought to plan, language to express, and energy to
execute.--Compared to other races north of the tropics, there were two
principles, apparent in their history, which give them the palm, as
statesmen and warriors, although in some other departments of
intellectual attainment, they were probably excelled by certain of the
Algonquins. I allude to the principles of political union; and the wise
and humane policy, which led them to adopt, into their body, the
remnants of the nations whom they conquered. Here were two elements of
political power, in which they were not only a century in advance of
_all_ the other stocks of the north; but they were in advance of the
most prominent examples of the semi-civilized Indian tribes of _this_
day.--Neither the Choctaws, the Cherokees, or other expatriated tribes
now assembled on the Neosho territory, west of the Mississippi, although
they adopted governments for themselves, have had the wisdom to adopt a
general union.--The worst and most discouraging fact to the friends of
the aboriginal race, in these Tribes, is, that they will not
confederate. Discord, internal and external, has assailed them with
great power, in late years, and threaten even to defeat the humane
policy of the government, in their colonization.

So superior were the Iroquois, in this particular, so deeply imbued were
their minds with the wisdom of union; that had the discovery of the
continent, been postponed half a c