Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-02-16

remained to him was to terminate this un-
happy contest.
The first circumstance which, 10 the
course OF his performing that duty, fixed
our attention, had, MIR. c. said, filed
him with regret. 1t was the execution of
the Indian chiefs. How, he asked, did
they come into our possession Was it
in the course of fair, aud open, and hon
Durable war? No; but by means of de-
ception--by hosting foreign colours ON
the staff from which the stars aud stripes
should alone have floated Thus ensnared.
The Indians were taken on shore, and with
out ceremony, and without delay, were
hung. Hang an Indian We, sir, who
are civilized, and can comprehend and
feel the effect of moral causes and con-
siderations, attach ignominy to that mode
of death. And the gallant, and refined,
and high-minded man, seeks by all posi-
BILE means to avoid it. But, what cares
an Indian whether you hang or shoot him
The moment he is captured, he is consid-
cred by his tribe as disgraced, if not lost.
They, too, are Indifferent about the man.
uer in which he is despatched. But, Mr..
e. said, he regarded the occurrence with
grief for other and higher considerations.
It was the first instance that he knew of,
in the annals Of our country, in which re-
taliation, by executing Indian captiyes,
had ever been deliberately practiced.
There may have been exceptions, but if
there were, they met with contemporaries
Gus condemnation, and have been repre-
hended by the just pen of impartial histo-
ry. The gentleman from Massachusetts
may tell me, if he pleases, what he pleases
about the tomahawk and scalping knife
about Indian enormities, and foreign mis-
creants and incendiaries. /, too, hate
them: from my very soul / abominate
them. But, love my country, aud its
constitution; love liberty and safety, and
fear military despotism, more even than L
hate these monsters. The gentleman. in
the course of his remarks, alluded to the
state from which have the honor to come.
Little, sir, does he know of the high and
lmagnanimous sentiments of the people OF
that state, if he supposes they will approve
Iof the transaction to which he referred
Brave and generous, humanity and Glenn
Iency towards fallen foe, constitute one of
their noblest characteristics. Amidst all
the struggles for that fair land between the
natives and the present inhabitants, MIR. G.
said he defed the gentleman to point out
one instance in which Kentuckian has
STAINED his hand by--nothing but his
.oh IF fha Ascfi xscho A.
and exalted merits of Gen. jackson pre-
vented his using different term--the ex.
ecution of an unarmed and PROSTATE cap
tive. Yes, said Mr.. G. there was one
solitary exception, in which man, en-.
ragged at behOlding an Indian a prisoner
who had been celebrated for his enormi-
ties, and who had destroyed some of his
kindred, plunged his sword into his Boz
som. The wicked deed was considered
as an abominable outrage when it occur
red, and the name of the man has been
handed down TO the execration of posteri-
lty. deny your right thus to retaIiate
on the aboriginal proprietors of the coun-
try; and, unless am utterly deceived,
lit may be shewn that it does not exist.
But, before l attempt this, said Mr.. C.
allow me to make the gentleman from
Mass. little better acquainted with those
people, to whose feelings and sympathies
he has appealed through their representa-
tive. During the late war with Great
Britain, Col. Campbell, under the COM
nand Of my honorable friend from Ohio,
(Gen. Harrison,) was placed at the head
of a detachment consisting chiefly Of Ken
lucky volunteers, in order TO destroy the
Mississinaway towns. They proceeded
and performed the duty, and took some
prisoners. And here is evidence of the
manner in which they treated them
Here Mr.. C. read the general orders is
sued on the return of the detachment.)
hope, sir, the hon. gentleman will be now
able better to appreciate the character and
conduct of my gallant countrymen than
he appears hitherto TO have done.
But, sir, have said that you have no
right to practise, under color of retalia.
lion, enormities on the Indians. will
advance in support of this position, as APP
plicable to the origin of all law, the prin-
ciple, that whatever has been the custom,
from the commencement of subject,
whatever has been the uniform usage CO.
eval and coexistent with the subject to
which it relates, becomes its fixed law.
Such was the foundation of all common
law; and such, he believed, was the prin-
cipal foundation of all public or interna-
tional law. If, then, it could be shewn
that from the first settlement of the colo-
MES, on this part of the American conti-
nent, to the present time, we have con-
stantly abstained from retaliating upon
the Indians the excuses practised by