"We are in the habit of washing the taste on our palates away with wine," answered the gentleman.
"Ah, I understand!" ejaculated Red Jacket. "I was persuaded that so general a custom among you must be founded on reason, and I only regret that when I was in Philadelphia I did not understand it. The moment the man went off with my plate, I would have drunk wine until he brought me another; for although I am fond of eating, I am more so of drinking."
This famous orator was not only fully conscious of his own ability to sway the emotions of others, but he had his full share of vanity. His forehead was lofty and capacious; his eye was black and piercing; his nose was sharply aquiline; while his cheek was well rounded. Every feature marked a man of noble qualities, while an air of dignified self-possession made a deep impression upon all with whom he came in contact. When speaking, his eyes flashed fire, his body was continually moving in the effort of speech-making, while the ready words poured from his lips in a steady stream. The cadence of his speech was measured and very musical, and when excited he would spring to his feet, elevate his head, expand his arms and utter, with indescribable effort of manner and tone, some great and noble thoughts. A gentleman of the period has written: "It has been my good fortune to hear the masterful Red Jacket but a few times in late years when his powers were much enfeebled by old age and intemperance, but I shall never forget the impression made upon me the first time that I saw him in council. The English language has no figures to convey the true meaning of his speech, and, though coming through the medium of an illiterate interpreter, I could well realize that he was giving me a great oration."
The great Seneca was twice married, and, although he had a large family, many of his children died of consumption. A lady who took an interest in the Seneca Nation once asked him whether he had any children living. "Red Jacket was once a great man, and was in favor with the Great Spirit," sorrowfully answered the Chief. "He was a lofty pine among the smaller trees of the forest, but after years of glory he degraded himself by drinking the fire water of the white man. The Great Spirit has, therefore, looked upon him in anger, and his lightning has stripped the pine of its branches and left standing only the scarred trunk, dead at the top."
What the noted Seneca said of his degradation was unfortunately too true, so true, in fact, that he was deposed by the members of his tribe because of this intemperance. Several rival chiefs were jealous of his position, which partly explained this action of the Senecas, although his opposition to the introduction of the Christian religion into the tribe was also a reason for removing him from the position of Head Chief.
Red Jacket—with the true spirit of a warrior—was scarcely prepared to submit to such a degradation, particularly as he knew that the true motives of the chiefs who had deposed him were those of jealousy. He felt the sting of shame, and remarked to one of his tribe, with much feeling: "It shall not be said that Sa-go-ye-wat-ha lived in insignificance and died in dishonor. Am I too feeble to revenge myself upon my enemies? Am I not as I have been? I will call in the other tribes of the Six Nations, and we will see whether or no Red Jacket will be deposed." Consequently, only a month after his deposition, a Grand Council of the chiefs of the Six Nations assembled together at the upper council house of the Seneca village reservation.
After all had seated themselves, the document deposing Red Jacket was read aloud, and then a Chief called Half Town arose, and in behalf of the Catteraugus Indians (a tribe of the Six Nations) said that there was but one opinion in his nation, and that was of general indignation at the ousting of Red Jacket from his position as Chief Sachem. Several other chiefs addressed the council to the same effect, and, at the close of their speeches, the condemned orator arose very slowly, as if grieved and humiliated, but still possessing his ancient air of command.
After a solemn pause he began to speak. "My brothers," said he, "you have this day been correctly informed of an attempt to make me sit down and throw off the authority of a chief, by twenty-six misguided chiefs of my nation. You have heard the statements of my associates in council and their explanations of the foolish charges brought against me. I have taken the legal and proper way to meet these charges. It is the only way in which I could notice them: charges which I despise and which nothing would induce me to notice, but the concern which many respected chiefs of my nation feel in the character of their aged comrade. Were it otherwise, I should not be before you. I would fold my arms and sit quietly under their ridiculous slander.
"The Christian party has not even proceeded legally, according to our usages, to put me down. Ah! It grieves my heart when I look around me and see the situation of my people, in old times united and powerful, now divided and feeble. I feel sorry for my nation. When I am gone to the other world—when the Great Spirit calls me away—who among my people can take my place? Many years have I guided my nation."
He now spoke of the attacks upon him and said that they were incited by jealousy. He alluded to the course taken by those of his own tribe who had turned Christians as being ruinous and disgraceful, especially in the abandonment of the religion of their fathers, and their sacrifice to the whites for a few trinkets of the land left them by their forefathers. "I will not consent silently to be trampled under foot," he concluded. "As long as I can raise my voice I will oppose such measures. As long as I can stand in my moccasins, I will do all that I can for my nation."