It is his mind that this would be wisdom. He dont know if an emergency should arise what course to take and if it is wisdom he would like to have the matter talked over.
Coun. related an anecdote of an English soldier who was taken prisoner by Bonaparte in the French war. When Bonaparte asked him if he could “sound a retreat”. The soldier replied “there is no such in the English service.”
Coun. said he did not know how we are situated in regard to our resorts in case of difficulty. There are some tribes near here who have not united with the other tribes. As to our movements, he is not afraid of doing any thing, providing we are driven to it, but he dont feel as though we shall have much trouble. He beleives if we were put [p. [168]]
Variations of this story were in circulation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. (See, for example, “Maynooth: Speech of the Rev. John Cumming, D. D.,” 215.)
“Maynooth: Speech of the Rev. John Cumming, D. D.” Protestant Magazine 7, no. 7 (July 1845): 202–216.
Though all their land in Illinois had been ceded to the United States, several small bands of American Indians had not gathered to Indian Territory west of the Missouri River but remained in Illinois and occasionally passed through Hancock County. (See, for example, “Mormon Affairs,” Illinois State Register [Springfield], 1 Nov. 1844, [2].)
Illinois State Register. Springfield, IL. 1839–1861.