Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-03-20

.ssctipg the benevolent intention OF the
soyernInent. 1t may be affirmed, al.
BOAT without qualifications, that all of the
Ines within our settlements, and near
Snr borders, are even solicitous for the
sdrcation of their children. With the
.rcsption of the Greeks, they have eve.
- where freely and cheerlully assented
20 the establishment OF schools, to which,
n some instances, they have contribu
..d The Choctaws, in that respect.
s.ys evincsd the most liberal spirit, ha-
ing set aside 5000 dollars of their an
.nity in aid of the schools established a
.nopg them. The reports of the teach
A.. are almost uniformly favorable, both
.. TO the capacity and docility of their
Youths Their progress appears to be
ante equal to that of white children of
tbe same age; and they appear to be e
snally susceptible ofacquiring habits of
;ndustry. At some of the establish
mspts considerable portion of the sup
lilies are raised by the labor of the scho
lars aid teachers.
With these indications, it would seem
that there is little hazard in pronoun-
spg, that, with proper and vigorous Of
| forts. they may receive an education
equal to that of the laboring portion of
our community. Still, however, the
interesting inquiry remains to be solved,
whether such an education would lead
them to that state of NOR atty, civiliza.
ton, and happiness, to which it is the
desire of the Goyernmentto bring them,
or whether there is not something In
their situation, which presents insuper.
BE obstacles 10 such state? To answer
shs inquiry, we have but little expert
snee There is certainly much sncou-
ngemsnt to hope for the best, from the
f,el that the Cherokee nation, which
has made the greatest progress In edu-
eaton, has also made the greatest to-
wards his desirable state, but the sxps.
rsnse which i: affords is yet imperfect
They have adopted some written pro-
visions for their government, to copy
dwhich, with an extract of \ letter
from the Rev MIR. Steiner, a respscta-
HE Moravian, who has visited the na-
hon at the interval OF twenty years, and
ntss the progress which they have
made in that time, and which accom-
pny this report, marked b, would re.
psctfully refer the house, as furnishing
tho bsst testimony OF the actual progress
Which that nation has made towards ci-
vlization. the zeal of the Cherekses
for improvement, and the progress
winch they,nave made, are further g.
1 1ncsd from the LIBERAL provision fer
scnOol fund. for which the last treaty
with them, ratified on the 10th OF March,
L 1919, s;ipulates. and the fact that there
are now established in the nation six
EhoOis, ttwe of which are upon the
lincasterian systen) containing in the
aggregate ABOUT $50 scholars. Notwith-
BANDING these favorable appearances,
many obstacles. difficult to be surmount-
Cd will impede the progress of the In
dams to state of complete civilization
4 Without adverting 70 others, the Pc
hical slatien which they bear to Us
Ii of Itself of sufficient magnitude, if
mot removed, to prevent SO desirable a
sate from bsing attained, We have
,lways treated them as an independent
people; and, however insignificant
tribe may become, and however sur
bounded by dense white pspuiati n,
30 long as there are any remains, 1t con
tnues independent of our laws and au-
hOrity. To tribes thus surrounded,
AOthing can be conceived raore opposed
@thelr happiness and civilization than
hh state of nominal Independence. 1t
has not ons OF the advantages OF -ea!
Independence, while it has nearly all
the disadvantages OF u state Of complete
ncjusaIion. The consequent is inev
liable. They lose the lofty spirit and
heroic cOarage of the savage state, with
acquiring the virtues which belong
20 he civilized. Depressed In spirits
anldebsuc ned in morals, they dwind.e
away through wretched existence,
nuisance TO the surrounding country =
laless some system can be devised
sFsduaily to change this relation and
Win the progress of education, to ex-
andOver them our lsws and AUTHORITY.
hisared that all efforts to civlllze
asn, whatever fa,tsring appearances
Icy may for time exhibit, must ultl
Ialey fail. Tribe after tribe will sink,
with the progress of our settlements
a