e. As a war
captain and a civil leader, the Red Race of America has produced no
superior. He led 1580 tomahawks against the armies of the Revolution--at
his war cry 15,000 arrows were launched from their fatal bows. The voice
of Kirkland--the voice of Schuyler--the voice of Washington were exerted
in vain. Had he hearkened to these friendly voices, the Iroquois
confederacy would now have stood in the plenitude of power, and we
should not have assembled to-day to light the fires of this Young
Institution from its dying embers.

These things are past. The contest of the revolution was one, which our
fathers waged. Many of you may have heard the graphic recitals of those
days of peril, as I have, from the lips of actors, who now rest from
their toils.--They were days of high and sanguinary import. The deeds of
daring which they brought forth, came like a mighty tempest over the
face of this fair land. It prostrated many a noble trunk. It swept for
seven long years, over the beauteous lakes and forests, which now
constitute our homes. It left them almost denuded and desolate. But the
mild airs and gentle summer winds of peace succeeded. The hoarse voice
of the Iroquois, O-WAY-NE-O, has been transformed into the soft and
silver tones of GOD. Flowers and fruits, and fields of waving grain,
soon rose up in every valley, and shed their fragrance along every
sylvan shore. Joy and prosperity succeeded the arrowy storm of war. And
it has been given to us, to carry out scenes of improvement, and of
moral and intellectual progress, which providence, in its profound
workings, has deemed it best for the prosperity of man, that _we_, and
not _they_, should be entrusted with. We have succeeded to their
inheritance: but we regard them as brothers. We cherish their memory: we
admire their virtues; and we aim to rescue from oblivion their noble
deeds.

I have merely alluded to the importance of the Iroquois decision at the
critical period, 1776. The erroneous policy they adopted, with some
exceptions, is among the events of past times, which wiser and more
learned and resplendent nations, than they professed to be, have
committed. We regret the error of the decision, but we hold fellowship
with the man. He is our brother; and we meet this day to consecrate a
literary institution in the land, more enduring, we trust, than deeds of
strife and battle, and better suited to elicit studies to exalt the
heart and dignify the understanding. Your