On the 10th Philadelphia was reached, where all remained until the 14th, with their headquarters at Congress Hall. While there they witnessed a military display of such impressive interest as to evoke a speech from Black Hawk:
“My heart grew bitter against the whites, and my hands strong. I dug up the tomahawk, and led on my warriors to fight. I fought hard. I was no coward. Much blood was shed. But the white men were mighty. They were as many as the leaves of the forest. I and my people failed. I am sorry the tomahawk was raised. I have been a prisoner. I see the strength of the white men. They are many; very many. The Indians are but few. They are not cowards. They are brave, but they are few. While the Great Spirit above keeps my heart as it now is, I will be the white man’s friend. I will remain in peace. I will go to my people and speak good of the white man. I will tell them that they are as the leaves of the forest, very many and very strong, and that I will fight no more against them.”
Among other interesting sights seen was Fairmount waterworks, after which the party started for New York City, where it arrived the evening of the 14th. Among the novel sights seen there was a balloon ascension from Castle Garden, which greatly astonished the Indians, one of whom asked the Prophet if the aeronaut was “going to see the Great Spirit.” Crowds of people gathered about the Exchange Hotel to see them, and exchange a word with “General Black Hawk,” as they called him. He was obliged to make his appearance upon all sorts of occasions to gratify the curious crowds. His rooms were daily and hourly visited by ladies and gentlemen, and each evening the Indians were escorted to the theater or other places of amusement. They received many handsome presents, and one of the ceremonies was the presentation to Black Hawk of a pair of topaz earrings for his wife or daughter, by John A. Graham, who said:
“Brothers, open your ears. You are brave men. You have fought like tigers, but in a bad cause. We have conquered you. We were sorry last year that you raised the tomahawk against us; but we believe you did not know us then as you do now.
“We think that in time to come you will be wise and that we shall be friends forever. You see that we are a great people–numerous as the flowers of the field, as the shells on the seashore, or the fish in the sea. We put one hand on the eastern, and at the same time the other on the western ocean. We all act together. If some time our great men talk long and loud at our council fires, but shed one drop of white men’s blood, our young warriors, as thick as the stars of the night, will leap on board of our great boats, which fly on the waves, and over the lakes, swift as the eagle in the air; then penetrate the woods, make the big guns thunder, and the whole heavens red with the flames of the dwellings of their enemies. Brothers, the President has made you a great talk. He was but one mouth. That one has sounded the sentiments of all the people. Listen to what he has said to you. Write it on your memories. It is good, very good.
“Black Hawk, take these jewels, a pair of topaz earrings, beautifully set in gold, for your wife or daughter, as a token of friendship, keeping always in mind that women and children are the favorites of the Great Spirit. These jewels are from an old man, whose head is whitened with the snows of seventy winters; an old man who has thrown down his bow, put off his sword, and now stands leaning on his staff, waiting the commands of the Great Spirit. Look around you, see all this mighty people; then go to your homes, open your arms to receive your families. Tell them to bury the hatchet, to make the bright chain of friendship, to love the white men, and to live in peace with them as long as the rivers run into the sea, and the sun rises and sets. If you do so, you will be happy. You will then insure the prosperity of unborn generations of your tribes, who will go hand in hand with the sons of the white men, and all shall be blessed by the Great Spirit. Peace and happiness by the blessing of the Great Spirit attend you. Farewell.”
To which Black Hawk replied:
“Brother:–We like your talk. We will be friends. We like the white people. They are very kind to us. We shall not forget it. Your counsel is good. We shall attend to it. Your valuable present shall go to my squaw. We shall always be friends.”
Patrick Shirriff in his “tour,” page 29, alludes to this hippodrome in the following manner:
“An Indian chief named Black Hawk, who had been taken prisoner the preceding year, in a war to the west of Lake Michigan, and who was carried through some of the great towns with a view of impressing him with the power of the states preparatory to his liberation, arrived in New York the day after the President and divided public attention. The ladies declared in favor of Black Hawk, some of them actually kissing him, which it is said affected the old President’s health. The chief of the white men and the chief of the red were alike objects of curiosity, the President holding a levee by day, the Hawk by night, in Niblo’s Gardens. Had a mammoth or elephant appeared, the mighty ones of the earth would have been eclipsed in public favor.”