Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-12-30

OF our enemies They take advantage of the
moment of our distress to plumber, murder,
burn, and destroy, our country Since the
Icommencement OF our government TO the
present day, there has always been a num-
Der 81 per>ors, well and practically acqsain-
ted with the character, who have
smiled at the benevolent but weak attempt
OF our system for the civilization of savages.
They viewed it as the production ofthe clio,
lset, generated with brains of speculative
theorists. IL the subjects is not now at rest
tit never can be decided. If after sixteen
Years We cannot secure even the friendship
lof a nation ofsavages, five Cannot give ex-
is;ence to the most common effects Of the
slightest degree of civilization when are we
to expect to make any impression on them
Or is the Whole attempt a farce?
Among the party who committed the
before mentioned massacre, were a number
of Indians, nay hundreds, who spoke the
English language, had constant intercourse
with the whites, and many Of them were
raj ed-among the white people.
At this moment n medal chic, q the
Choctaw baton is soliciting to he employed
with -his>eation by the whi'e people; for he
says his warriors cannot be restrained and
II we do not employ them they must fight
for somebody. This is another nation we
are engaged in civiliz;ngr'
We sincerely lament that these remarks
appear too strongly buttressed by truth, il
the facts that have happened, to have their
force weakened by phiianthrophy but we
cannot regret that the attempt was made TO
render this people happy. The scheme of
humanity, that began with Washington, that
was patronzed by Adams, AMI zealously
extended and encouraged by jefferson and
| Lnc So 4
the native propensity of the Indians TO ra.
pines and the universal disposition of Britain
to epcdarage it. Coz. Hawkins had persua
ded himself; (and | apprehend sincerely
| oeileved) that the Greeks had made great
progress in civilization, as well in their
sentiments as in their manner of life Many
OF them were regular farmers; the men Ia :
bored in the field, the women piled the
wheel and the shuttle a. home. Schools.
| apparently well attended. had been esta-
olished; one halfof the various tribes known
by TIE general name of Greeks, spoke the
English language and very few of them
had altogether refused to adopt the habits
OF civilized man Much time, labor and
money had been spent upon them-their
lands and rights had been carefully gual4
ded-they are without excuse, for they had
nothing to COMPLAIN OF They listened to
the serpent, and became the murdefers OF
their benetaetcrs-the horrible assgssins of
women and chilsrsh The vileSfiation that
contriyed the partition of France, and that
ihveigcd or bullied Holland, Switzerland
SARDINIA, III cany, the Pore, Naples, many
states OF Germany apd, indeed, that has
been IN alliance and ut war with every ma
ton OF Europe, Protestant, Catholic, or Ma
hometa.., no matter what within few years.
: rance only exceptcd--that has brought a.
bout the utter extinction Of many, and de-
iuged the whole with rivers vi. lood, for
| Ter commerec--has also macbipatcd the
destruction of the Greeks; and with it an
minated the hope of humanity, that thro'
justice and benevolence. they might be e.
! viiized.-Let the British "bible societies. !"
the " societies fer propagating the gospel
among the heathens.' and other Ike iasti
! tutions, examine this matter.
Ifthe United States have not "comman>
ded SUCCESS" in cieiA persevering attempt TO
ameliorate the condition Of the Indian. thew
have, at least, deserved" it but having
failed self~preseryation requires, and JUS
ticc sanctions, the adoption of new course.
From the three victo' les obtained over the
! Greeks, (where the unresisGing were sDaredl
and the powerful body of troops that are in
their country, We consider the war as finish
| ed; for the wretches have no back country to
| lily TO, to escape the vengeance due them. If
| they are received by the Spaniards in Flo
rida, they will be pursued if they are pro-
tected, CON mon cause will be made against
| both--for 1t is impossible that the Spanjards
can be permitted to proceed IN the diabol
I zeal course Great Britain haa directed.
/ What shall be done with them We cannot
reconcile curse yes to the determination Of
them, howeverjust the retaliation might be ::
nor should we Danish them from the land of
their ancestors to The wilds of the Mississip>
pi, where they might hereafter perplex us
or become extinct through their wars with
the tribes IN possession, for the right of soil.
We should be " angry with them but sin
not ;" and carry our Resentment no further
than our safety requires.
Their country is ours by every principle
OF the natural or civil law, and we have
right to prescribe the RSirns on which they
SHALL reside in it.-ALstthese be as lenient
| as possible, so that 4Spwer shall finally
destroy the savage spirit that humanity vain.
ly strove to subduc. Their whole popula-
ton, before the war, did.pp perhaps, ex-
coed $4,000 souls--but tn sterritory, among
whchIs large tracts Of ~ finest land in
the world, would supporH illions Of civil
zed men Suppose small trasts Of land, slips
~ lard, not more than 10 CT IS miles VIDE,
were reserved for them, with intervals 20 or
30 miles wide, to be settled by the whites2
The spaces allotted would be more than an
hundred tines sufficient for them as aggr-
/ Cultura t.fS but NOT buntare 81