The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-01-25

with impudent dexterity, performed
feats, which, probably. it is wiser TO wit
ness than to relate. And when the sur
rounded naked and painted multitude,
-exulting in the imposing performance,
and in the victory obtained over the in
creduity of white strangers, fixed their
eyes upon US, and raised their piercing
yell, breaking the sounds by the repeat,
ed application of the hand to the mouth,
and dancing around US with the activity
OF mountebanks, and ferocity of demons,
"We dare not say, that then our blood.
Kept on its wont and tempered fiood,''
nor that, under less favorable circum.
stances, the scene might not have been
terrific, and impressed US with recollec-
tons, equally difficult TO reject and to
account for. And there can be no
doubt, that similar scenes in other times,
with proper appliances and means 10
boot,' have been the origin of most of
those stories of Indian miracles and
prophecies. which occupy SO large a.
portion of the narratives of our earlier
| historians and travellers.
s. But ofthe moral character and feel
ings of the Indians, of their mental dis
cipline, of their peculiar opinions, n.y.
biological and religious, and of all that
is most valuable 10 man in the history
OF man. we are about as ignorant, as
when Jacques Cartier first assembled the
St. Lawrence. The constitution of their
society, and the ties, by which they are
kept together, furnish paradox, which
has never received the explanation il
requires. We say they have no Gov
eminent; and they have none, whose
operation is felt either in rewards or
PunlshmeD!s. And yet their lives and
property are protected, and their poIit-
ical relations among themselves, and
with other tribes, are duly preserved.
Have they then no passions 10 excite
them to deeds of violence, or have thew
discovered, and reduced to practice.
some unknown principle of action in hu-
man nature, equally eficacious with the
two great motives of hope and fear, up-
on which all other Governments have
heretofore rested? Why does an In
dian, who has been guilty of a murder,
TRANQUILITY fold his blanket about his
head, and seating himself upon the
ground. await the retributive stroke
from the relation of the deceased? A
white man, under similar circumstances,
would flee, or resist, and we conceive OF
no motive which would induce him TO
submit TO such a sacrifice. Those In
dams. who have murdered any of our
citizens, have generally surrendered
themselves for trial. The Winebagoes
convicted at Belleville. the Osages al
the Post of Arkansas, and the seven per.
sons now confined al Mackinac, for the
murder of four American citizens upon
Lake Pepin, 10 August, 1924, freely de-
livered themselves TO our authority. as
necessary offerings for their own guilt.
and TO exonorate their tribes from sus.
picion OF injury And it is but a lust
: tribute to the impartial execution Of
our laws to state that the persons. who
were guilty ofthe atrocious murder of a
number of Indians, few months since
in Indiana, were convicted and executed
in June last
" This result is, however, sometimes
avoided by an agreement on the par
of the friends Of the murdered person
to receive present, instead of the life
! of the offender. 1t is the price o.
blood, and contributions are freely made
TO it by all the relations of the criminal
But its acceptance OF rejection is pure
ly voluntary, and as there it no ohliga.
tIon to receive, so no offence is giyer
by refusing this peace Offering. The
; victim dies, if the love of revenge i,
stronger than the love of property
In 1924, an Ottawa Indian was kiiIec
| by Miami. A formal negotiation was
carried on between the two tribes
which finally resulted in. the payment
of five thousand dollars by the latter
to the former. Ii is worthy of remark
that the right to kill murderer, with.
out any preparatory demand, is confined
TO persons Of the same tribe. When
the criminal and the victim belong &c
different tribes, demand must be made
previously TO the adoption of any other
measure, which, if not satisfied, is fol-
lowed by war.
"Within the last year, we ourselves
far in the interior of the country, while
surveying the initiatory ceremonies Of
the Indian mesray, one Of their mystical
societies, saw Chippewa, whose grave
aud serious demeanor attracted our OBJ.
servstion. His appearance led TO the
inquiry, whetherany peculiarly in hi: