Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-05-18
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
{. dispute: ianlais, et sonpenf Mscnte:.
Richmond, Nay Is, 1916.
Mr.. CRAWFORD.

has been ridiculed and 4bused by writer's who
mistake hu1nour for argHneut, on account of the
following paragraph, with which he concludes his
Report on the Ind an Department
"These vieS are substantially founded upon
the convection that it is the true policy and ear
nest desire the government TO draw its savage
neighbours within the pale of civilization. I'll
am mistaken in this pont--f the primary object
of the government is TO extinguish the Indian
title, and settle their lands -lpidy as possible
then commerce with them ought to be entirely
abandoned to individual enterprise and without
regulation. The result would be continual war.
fare, attended by the determination or expulsion
of the aboriginal inhabitants of the country, to
more distant and less hospitaDle regions The
correctness of this policy cannot, for moment,
be admitted. 7 he utter extinction of the Indian
race, must be ahhorrent to the feelings of an en-
lightened and benevolent nation The idea IS
directly opposite to every act of government
from the declaration ofindcpendence, 70 the pre.
sent day. If the system already desired. h g not
produced all the effects which were expected
from It new experiments ought to be made
When every effort to introduce among them ideas
OF separate properly, well in tn npS real az
personal, shall fail, let intermarriages between
them and the whites be encouraged by the go-
vernment. This cannot fail to preserve the race
with notifications necessary to the enjoyment of
civil liberty and social happiness Ii is belIev
stance, are in harmonious concert with the true
interests of the nation. 1t will rebound more
! to the national honour, to incorporate, 10y hui
name and benevolent policy the natives of our
forests in the great American family of free men,
than to receive, with open arms, the fugitives of
the old world, whether their fight has been the
effect Of their crimes or their vrtue,''
Had Mr.. Crawford altogether omitted his re-
m lrks on the fuettives Of tie oil zOorh, we are
inclined 10 link that those VINO now censure n m
with so much prepost erous asperty, would have
extolled The policy which he recommends as
wise. liberal, and fraught with beneficial conse-
uuenCes. In effect, admitting that all the pre-
sent varieties of the human race have originally
sprung from the same parent-stock, what so
great absurdity is there in the internarryinp
scheme of Mr.. Crawford II being however
understood that no compulson should be used
III the case EUerg one to his liking Mr.. Craw-
ford does not propose to unite our city beaux
with the unpublished, untutored, rough indian
squaws-nor our eLegantes with such fellows as
CorH-StaLt, Had-dog, LiHe-Turte, Split log
sc No-There is hardy, laborious race of
wooismen, forming the intermediate link
Here the chain of union ght commence and
MIR. Crawfnrd's idea be realized, to the great
advantage Of the Indians, and Mt without beae-
fl m ourselves. pc l.. w o has not hear
or read ofsuch intermarriages and of less limo.
cent & less unObjectionable connections between
both physical ant moral, concurred in raising
the children ofsuch parents to higher point in
the scale Of human perfectibility.
We regret the unfortunate structures Of Mr.
Crawford on the .ftgifiUes from tie old World
Comparisons are always odious But we do not,
on ha' account, acquiesce IN the severity of the
censors of the REPORT nor do we approve their
merry fits on the subject Of the poor Indians. In
good conscience, il is enough to have disposses-
sed them of fruitful enchanting country
which they once called theirS-and necessarily To
propel them, even row, towards The limits of the
wilderness-There is, in this contemptuous treat
ment of prescribed race, a want of generosity
to which no liberal mind can be reconciled. The
fame of irritation ought to be extnguished, not
famed I'VE know that the civilization and as
sanitation Oft Indians are extremely difficult
Yet, the demonstrated perfecubiity of man and
tie testimony OF history, encourage our hopes on
that hesd.-Phenician and Egyptian settlers
gradually improved and polished the rude ma.
tives OF Greece, and other parts Of Europe-Be-
sides, we should never lose sight Of first princi.
pies. All mankind belong to the same family.
The contrary opinion has been productive of
numerous and great cvls--for error is not always
confined to mere theOry-it most often is pract-
cally m schlevous and fatal. Whole nations have
been accounted noble or ignoble, virtuous or vi.
cious, ON account Of their supposed origin Look
at the Africans, at the Jews, in some countries.
at the peasantry Of those parts Of Europe where
feudal servitude prevails. at the Gue6res or wor-
shippers Of fire among the Turks, at the Poulahs
md other casts among the Hlndpos See, on. the
other hand, the prerogatlves and respect bestow.
ed on the military and religious casts Of Asia
and Europe, such as the Mars, the Bramlns &c. (