Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-04-16
From the st. Louis Enquirer.
PRAIRIE Du CHEN.

The following advertisement with the sub
joined remarks we've handed 10 us by friend
Tor publication.
Three hundred barrels of fine boutecl -four.
manufactured at The Prairie dn CHEN, by a
water mill can he yearly furnished, on the
most reasonable terms lay The subscriber.
JOS. ROLETTE.
Prairie du Chicn, Dec |, ISIS.
Prairie du Chen is village Of three or four
hundred souls, at the confluence OF the Ouis.
consa aud the mississippi, about five hundred
miles above st. Loais. II took its origin about
acemtasy ago, under cover of the military
rost which The French government had esta.
bllShed az that place.
lhe AboriSineS we're the stock from which
the inhabitants crew and al present ii may
De assumed as TACT, that Tie entire native
population OF the village is of Indian descent
We had heen familiar with the name of tins
VILLAGE, and with lis position The map, bat
had thought little about the inlia btauts, their
genealo@y. or condition in life. until an atiyer-
tSemebt 10 sell Hour manufactured of wheat
grown al PRAIRIE du Chen, caught our atten-
tOn, and put us upon the track OF enquiry II
was then found that here was community of
AboreineS, and their descendants, living in
houSes like white people, speaking Tie French
language, rearing domestic animals culijvat.
ing gardens and orchards, raising corn and
wheat above their wants, Offering bread to our
troops, and furnishing company of eighty
men, who are enrolled among the militia of
the United States.
After all, these interesting facts might have
passed of from the memory, without leading
10 any serious reelection or couclnSiop had mol
The recommendation contained in the Presi-
dents message revived the recollection of Mr.
Crawford plan for civiiZing the Aborigines
of this continent.
That plan was given 10 tie public two wears
ago. A class of willing politicians iuimedlaIriv
opened their paragraph batteries upoa it, aud
some minds were found liz every place vacant
enough 10 laugh at what was new aud strange
TO tnem. But happily, such men are not trf,st-
Ell, M republican governments, with The desti-
ny OF their species and, while they laughed
considerate men were looking with Pain UPON
The mOriitying fact that under the progress of
The American government, whole na,,Ous OF
human beings had disappeared from the face
OF The eaItil-and rejecting with grief aud
shame. that the work OF destruction must
90 on, until statesmen OF an elevated order
should rise up, To devise and inteTpose the
means of salvation.
Mexico and South America present thespec.
tacle al Indian families and tneir descendants
living Ia towns and villages, among white
people, and practising the arts Of civilized
Ire and so does ~ Louts, and erery other fOfy1i
Ciudge Of Upper Louisiana, EcSich 0Wes its OTi-
gin 10 the settienenaS9 tie FrChch
RevertIng TO Prairie On CAieu. a question
presents itself in The comparative depopG-
iauon Of !hat village (for il was once fomr
times more pOpuiduS thsu Al present. tie
answer 10 wlIicl, may solve The difficulty of
cYiiizing Indians. In the war OF 1856. il had
souls at present, about three or four hundred
/ Ike Etench were then their masters: the
/ Americans now aud a multitude of deserted
aud mouidering haiHlatit lis attest Tie fact az
! ms aepopulati0n, on Il spot which Is FORMED
| by nature TO be prolific of lite and of health
| These are the facts; and the friends of an
! unfortunate race saGuld eh9nife for the ca,,se
| which has driven back into The woods, Al tie
! approach OF tie American. EAGLE, tie same
| people who had qi,ii the forest to- come and
/ cluster fHQglEplvg uuJeV Ia. t..flfq t
! sOr.
| Praliic du Chen Is AZ present tic site OF an
! Amerlc"n pest Cot Chambers and Iai0i
/ Morgan OF the Tiiic duder the auspices OF Gen
Smith, had the pdle inhabitants formed into d
! company Of militia be oiler 10 furnish 3Jl
! harreis Of Gour annually - the American
| troops, Is Il proof that ilie harmony OF the
| Viii'ce has been cousuttcd by those officers
! aGd that its condition IS Improving No dOnbf
WIZ proper encouragement IL will soon fur
iish Tie annual supplies 10 the fart at th,
! Frdute, aud tive one which Is about to h,
established 80 ihe lalis of s. Itthoay III,
posts on the npFer Missouri may ~ ike man
ueF derive Their supplies from tho a Dpriztiis
inhabitants. The Mund0Hs nave fnrnishe,
! c0ru for forty years 10 lhe forts and factorie
81 i've British iuT companies on tire river lIssi
Wtos!, AID the lake Wmipte. Doubtless The,
viii DO the some 40 the 4 mcricau forts A., fi,s +
helshb0fhood dad at the mouth OF the YcH0N
sione It we are fortunate enosgh 10 avoi,
bOsiiiiies at the outset, and 90 gain their friend
snip by the mi!dness ani generosity OF gu
conduct.
| CHARLESTON, April Our IIayan;
papers dre full Of lie snrcesses or fl
ROyaIlsis IN Mexico. The ldr fame,
General Victoria, who once commando
an army Of 10000 men with which Ia
threatened 10 overlurn ihc ROYAL aaiho
rliy IA lhai Kingdom. il now, il is stated
a wretched fugitive. forsaken, betrayed
and even pursued by lis lormer Eepub
ilcan followers.
by The schooner New Oileans, arrive,
last evening, CTueslsy) WeSecrped ia
pegs and Price Current down ~ w.
10Th ult inclusive. 'fhe follnaiDg is 81