Perhaps we shall wish to go home, and to
leave these pleasant openings for the pale faces to put their cabins
on them, as the small-pox that they have also given to us, puts its
sores on our bodies. Brother--" turning toward the missionary--
"listen. You say we are no longer Indians, but Jews: is this true of
ALL red men, or only of the tribes whose chiefs are HERE?"
"Of ALL red men, as I most sincerely believe. You are now red, but
once all of your people were fairer than the fairest of the pale-
faces. It is climate, and hardships, and sufferings that have
changed your color."
"If suffering can do THAT," returned Peter, with emphasis, "I wonder
we are not BLACK. When ALL our hunting-grounds are covered with the
farms of your people, I think we shall be BLACK."
Signs of powerful disgust were now visible among the listeners, an
Indian having much of the contempt that seems to weigh so heavily on
that unfortunate class, for all of the color mentioned. At the
south, as is known, the red man has already made a slave of the
descendants of the children of Africa, but no man has ever yet made
a slave of a son of the American forests! THAT is a result which no
human power has yet been able to accomplish.
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