Page 56 - ECOlogic Book

Thomas Jefferson, who for years had worked on a compilation of Indian
languages, wrote, “I am convinced that in these societies the Indians enjoy
in their greater mass an infinitely greater degree of happiness than those
who live under European governments.” Bruce Johansen, author of
Forgotten Founders, explains: “Less than a year before Jefferson composed
the Declaration of Independence, delegates from the ‘Thirteen Fires’
(colonies) met with leaders of the Six Nations at Albany, NY . . . the treaty
commissioners . . . were demonstrating that they had a knowledge of and
were using parts of the Great Law in the deliberations even before
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independence was declared.”

“In a speech to the Iroqouis, the commissioners said, ‘The American people
have delegated leaders to go to Philadelphia and kindle a great fire and plant
a Great Tree to become strong like the Iroquois.’ (See P. 56) Later the
treaty commissioners invited the Iroquois to come to Philadelphia to their
‘Grand Council’, and said, ‘We live upon the same ground with you – the
same island is our common birthplace. We desire to sit down under the
same Tree of Peace with you; let us water its roots and cherish its growth,
till the large leaves and flourishing branches shall extend to the setting sun
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and reach the skies.’” This is language taken directly from the Great Law
of Peace, using precisely the same imagery.

In that meeting, the colonial commissioners acknowledged that a covenant
had been made thirty years before between the Indians and the White
people, in a great council at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They went on, “the six
nations are a wise people. Let us hearken to them and take their counsel
and teach our children to follow it . . .these provinces have lighted a great
council fire at Philadelphia, and sent sixty five counselors to speak and act in
the name of the whole and to consult of the common good of the people:
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Indians were a prominent presence at the Continental Congress, acting in
more than an observational role, as advisors. “After John Hancock
welcomed the Iroquois chiefs to the Congress as ‘brothers’, an Onondaga
chief named the president of the Continental Congress (John Hancock),
‘Karanduawn’, or ‘The Great Tree.’”
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61 Grinde, Donald, “It’s Time to Take Away the Veil”, Indian Roots of American Democracy, (Akwe-kon,
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1988)

62 Ibid. (Quoted from the papers of the Continental Congress, August 28, 1775).

63 IBID.

64 IBID>

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