Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-04-15

and other vegetables for their nouris..-
mental of which blessings their ances-
tors have enjoyed for great number OF a
ges. That this great spirit looks down up
on the Indians, to see whether they are
grateful to him and make due return Tor
the many benefits he has bestowed,
and therefore, that it IS their duty to show
their thankfullness byworshipping HIM and
doing that which is pleasing in his sight
When this instruction is given in the
form of precepts, it must not be supposed
that il is done in an authoritative or forbid
ding tone, but on the contrary, in The gen
TEST and most persuasive manner (: nor is
the parents authority ever supported by
harshlor compulsive means no whips, no
punishments, no threats are used to enforce
command or compel obedience. The childs
pride is the feeling to which an appeal is
made, which proves successful in every in
stance. A father needs only to say in the
presence of his children: " Iwant such a
thing done; | want one Of my children to
20 upon such an Grand let me see who is
the good child that will do it - This word
good operates, as il were, by magic, and
the children Immediately vie with each O.
Their to comply with the wishes OF their pa
rent. If father sees an old decrepid
man or woman pass by, led along by a
Oh Id, he will draw the attention ofhis own
children to the object by saying "Whst
a good child that must be, which pays such
attention TO the aged! That child, indeed,
looks forward, to the time when it will like
wise be old - or he will say, May the
great Spirit, who looks upon him, grant
this good child long lite!'
This method of conveying instruction is,
believe, common to most Indian nations ;
il is so at least amongst all those that have
become acquainted with, and lays the toun-
dation for that voluntary submission to then
chiefs, for which they are so remarkable.
Thus Has been maintained FOR ages, with
out commissions and without civil discoras,
this traditional government, OF which the
world, perhaps, does not offer another ex-
ample government in which there are
no positive laws, but only long established
habits and customs ; no code Of jurispru-
dence, but the experience of former times;
no magistrate, but advisers, to whom the
people, nevertheless, pay willing ard
implicit obedience, in which. age conters
rank, wisdom gives power, and moral good
ness secures title to universal respect
All this seems to be effected by the simple
means of an excellent mode of education,
by which strong attachment to ancient
customs, respect for age, ard the love OF
virtue, are indelibIy impressed upon die
minds Of youth, so that these impressions
acquire strength as time pursues lis course,
and as they pass through successive gene
rations.
REMARKABLE ANEcDoTE.
There were in the village Of La Chine,
two remarkable Indians, the one for his
stature, being six feet 4 inches in height.
and the other for his strength and activity.
These two meeting together one day in the
street Ga third being presently the former
in a high tone made use Of some insulting
language to the other, which he could not
well put up with he called him coward,
said he was his inferior in every respect,
and so provoked his anger, that unable any
longer 10 contain himself, the latter Instant
ly replied: "You have grossly insulted me /;
but will prevent you from doing the like
again." and al the same moment stabbed
him through the body with his knife, so
that he dropped down dead by his side
The alarm being Immediately spread thro'
the village, crowd of indians, assembled
and the murderer having seated himself on
the ground by the side OF the dead body,
cody awaited his fate, which he could not
expect to be any other than immediate
death, particularly as the cry Of the people
was skill him! kill him! !" But although
he placed his body and head in proper
posture to receive the stroke OF the toma.
hawk, no one attempted to lay hands on
him but after removing the dead body
from where il lay, they left him alone. Not
meeting here with his expected fate, he
rose from this place for more pubic part
of the village, and there lay down on The
Ground in the hone Of being the sooner DIES.