Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-09-24

cogHnt 1Hoiiri.'
In the lapse of time, however, this ne
cessity ceased; and the philantbropic
men who guided the councils oil these
states at the formation Of the consitu-
ticn, determined TO make an effort 10 pre-
serve the remnant of the American In
dams from the destru ction To which they
are visibly Fastening. A peculiar race
OF men were wasting AWAY race. dis
tingnished fer many noble and exalted
qualnles, was daily diminished by the
sword, the pesliieDce, and the wees
which they bad acquired from the exam
pie of the Europeans, without adopting
the political and social system, which
deprived those vices of their exlermina-
ting qualities. In few more genera
tions, unless some effort should be made
for their preservation, they felt that the
aSoriginals would cease to exist, and The
race be numbered with those whose Ian
guage and habits only afford scope for
the speculative inquiry OF the antiquarian.
This decay, TOO, had commenced upon
the arrival OF the Europeans, and seemed
to be consequence OF their con,iguiy.
AS philanihropIsts, therefore, and as pa.
uiots, watching over the national charac
CIR. they we're desirous OF rescuing the
Indian from exlinctlon,and 10 elevate him
10 the rank oil civilized man. They
fe!i this to be due, not only TO the sava-
yes and to their own character, but ii
was lust tribute 10 their ancestors, who
had founded ibis empire oil civilized bu
manly in the American wilderness, to
serve as a refuge from the oppression
OF the old world. They could no, bear
that their fathers should be reproached
as the merciless extirpators. ot The ado
riginal race. They had 10 ambition 10
be ranked with the Goths aud Vandais,
who destroyed The Romaa empire, wi h
the devas ators OF Europe, or with the
unrelentlng conductors OF HlspaniOia
and OF M eXiCo, who LAID thc foundations
OF their sway in the destruction Of tbs
native Inhabitants Of their several coup-
trles.--W While they anxiouslg sought o
end extend me Aug 10 4 me.
rican republic, they were not regard less
OF ihe untutored SaVages within Us hipl!s
They intended, il possible, 10 eieva,e
them 10 an equalHy with themselves, by
affording 10 them all The helps OF civili
cation; and, at all events, 10 preserve
themselves, in case OF their eXinclion,
from all participation in Fastening tina
unhappy result. The liberal desi 5ns
and feelings of the revolutionary pa
,riols towards these unfortunate people,
may be plainly understood from ,he
agreement made with the Delaware
tribe in l77S, whereby the Indians were
invited to form staie, and send rep,c-
sentative TO Congress. The Cheiukees
were also secured, by The treaty OF Hope
well, 1885, the right of sending deputy
to Congress. These pbilanlEropic Of
iers cannot be misunderstood. They
speak volumes ia favor OF those, to whose
example and exertions we owe all we
value most. Win this view, TOO, upon
the estsb iishment OF The national govern
ment, they entered into treaties with the
various Indian tribes, whereby The sevc-
raj relations and obligations Of The Coll
ed States and the Indians were speciti-
caly sci forth and defined. The limits
OF the territory reserved by The aborIsi
nails were described, and the in,egri'p o.
their landed property was guaranteed,
by the United States. Other Obligations
were assumed by the national govern
ment but as the general policy of the
United States has been sufficiently de
yeloped, and as this question relates
chiefly TO the Creeks, it will be necessa
ry to confine our attention to the treaties
by which their condition was fixed.
Shortly after the accession of the pa
lriotlc and venerable Washington 10 the
chief magistracy of the republic, trca
" was concluded at New York, 10 his
very presence, with the Greek Nallon.--
These particulars are mentioned, that
the senction of that great and good man
to the humane policy of the Governments
may have its due weight with all that re-
specl the purify and saeacily oil the Fa-
Their OF his country. By Ibis treaty the
United Siates took the Greeks under
their projections; guaranteed to The tribes
their land within specific limits settled
the manner in which offenders should
be punished; and in order "to lead Them
to greater degree civilization, and
to become herdsmen and cuhi1atorS in
stead Of remaining in the state Of hun
ters," the United States agreed 10 ur-
nish gratui,ousIy, the Creeks, from
time to time, with useful domes ic ami