Delaware journal., 1827-11-13
From the Western RepieV.
SKETCH OF INDIAN CHARACTER.


In respect to the lesser morals, all savages in this
region are hospitabe Even the enemy. whom they
would have sought and slain, far from the cabins.
who presents himself carelessly there claims and re-
ceives their hospitality. They accord to the cabin
hearth the in,olahty of an asylum, and the honors
and the sanctuary of an altar. A great number OF
instances record. of savages of hostile tribes
obnoxious to the most deadly revenge of particul
warriors. presenting themselves sudden before
those warriors. and opening their offered bosom TO
the knife. This undaunted heroism often disarms
not only the purpose of revenge. but, with deep
savage admiration. exctes more generous feelings.
and brings about a reconciliation and permanent
peace between the contendng tribes. That part
,f our character which they are the last to under
stand and least prone to admire. that when our
People have received in their villages lavish and
gratui'ous hospitality. they, when returning the visit.
should find that, with us strangers are lodged in
tayerns.
We have. by no means the same penarv faith in
that tenacious remembrance of kindness. which
historians have almost universally ascribed to them.
as trait nobly distinguishing them from other races.
We entertain very little reliance upon the conss
tencv of their friendship We consider them trea-
cherous and tickle in the extreme early swaye'l
from the views and purposes Of yesterday. and con
santy disposed to pay their court to the divinity Of
good fortune. and always ready to side with the
strongest Were we in their power. and fortune,
in reference to us, changing. we should make NJ
calculations for the morrow, upon their views and
purposes towards us to dav.
$ They are we'll known for their voraciousness o
I appetite. They endure hunger and thirst. as they
e do suffering, pain. and death, with astonishing pa
tlence and constancy. When they kill deer.
bear, or buffalo, alter long abstinence, they will
devour an enormous quantity of the flesh Thei
: devoted and fatal attachment to ardent spirits is
matter of melancholy notoricty. In all their coun
. cs, talks, conferences with the officers of our Gov
ernment from Lake Erie to the Rocky Mountains
their first and last request is whskey. The feel
ings of honor and shame be reached, in an lntia
bosom, upon every other point but this. Declan
. as we may against the of it, paint the i'll effect
of ii as strongly as we choose, speak with as muci
contempt may of drunkards, their best ant
bravest still clamor for whiskey
Al All words would be thrown away in attempting II
d pourtray, in just colours, the effects of genera
l. drunkenness upon such "A race. 1t is, indeed th
f. heaviest curse which their intercourse with th
whites has entailed upon them. Every obligation 0
duty, as philanhropsts and Christians, imposes up
on US every effort to prevent the complete and ina
expiration of this i'll tated race the inevitable con
sequence Of their being allowed free access to TIN
liquid poison of whiskey. We have elsewhere ad
verted to the stern and rigorous prohibitions OF th
Government, and the apparent fidelity with whlcl
these prohibitions carried into effect. And yet
in some way OF ether, wherever Americans hay
access, Indians have whiskey. 1t is understood
that the laws of the State Governments and thu
General Government are not exactly in coincidence
and concert upon the. subject of ntericting spirit
to the Indians This state Of things ought not tt
exist. 1t is fact of common notorlety, that IN thu
), States, they find much less difficulty, in procuring
), whskey than in the Territories. The duties ofth'
e States imperiousy bind them to frame laws, and tt
sec them executed, in unison with the seyerest in
1t terctions of the General Government, and to unt
with that to prevent these unhappy beings from ex
cercsing their suicidal propensities.
1t has been Inferred, because they make it pon
not to express establishment or curiosity in view o
d our improvements and arts, that they are destitute
ST of the feelings of curiosity and because the,
e seem to hold them in contempt and disdan, tina
they have no passion analogous to the cupidity