An Address, Delivered Before the Was-ah Ho-de-no-son-ne or New Confederacy of the Iroquois Also, Genundewah, a Poem

In this stirring oration, a mid‑nineteenth‑century speaker addresses a fledgling literary society that has adopted the name and ideals of the historic Iroquois Confederacy. He argues that in a republic without royal patronage, true honor must spring from personal effort and communal respect, urging members to measure one another by merit rather than titles. The address weaves together reflections on democratic self‑reliance, the value of intellectual competition, and the symbolic power of the Iroquois model as a unifying “confederacy of letters” that links scholars from every direction.

Coupled with the speech is a poem titled “Genundewah,” read aloud at the same council. The verses evoke the spirit of the forest‑dwelling peoples, offering a lyrical tribute that reinforces the society’s intent to blend historical reverence with contemporary learning. Together, the address and poem set a tone of purpose and camaraderie for listeners eager to explore the early ideals of American literary ambition.