Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-01

A CHEROKEE NEWSPAPER!

The press is now shedding its light a.
mong the Indians. We have received a
newspaper printed in the Cherokee tribe !:
A part Of it in the English characters, and
a part of it in type specially cast for the
purpose of representing the Cherokee AL
phabet invented by Mr.. Guess. 1t is a
singular specimen of typography. The
first page and half ogthe End, present a
part of the " Constitution of the Cherokee
nation, formed by a convention Of Dele
gates from the several districts, at New
Echota, July 1927" 1t is printed in
both the English and Cherokee Alphabets
in parallel columns. The Lords Prayer,
both in Prose and Verse, on the 18th page,
and two other articles on the Sd page, are
also displayed in the Cherokee type-and
icy is furnished in very interesting
communication, on the 4th page, of the
Alphabet of the Cherokee language---the
number of characters is S6-more than
90 of which are represented by English
type corresponding to the vowels and the
consonants (e, 6, h, k, |, m, n, S, t,w, and
.y)-The rest are characters specially
shaped and cast for the purpose. Each
character represents a syllable by itself"
Two very important advantages are claim
ed for the Cherokee Alphabet over "the
Roman, as applied to writing of the En-
glish language: One is, that excepting
the variations of longer or shorter, harder
or softer, as from I'd to IT, and more or
less aspirated sounds, each character is
the invariable representative of the same
sound; while in English the same sound
may have half dozen different signs, or
the sign may represent as many different
sounds" Another source of wonder
in regard to the Cherokee alphabet is that
SO few syllable characters are sufficient to
write it, and that, in manner vastly
more perfect than the English language is
written by means Of the Roman alphabet
of letters.
Two things account for the fewness of
the requisite syllable characters. First
the fewness of consonant sounds in the
language. Secondly and chiefly, the cir
cumstance that every syllable IN the lam
g@qge ends soith Uowel sound. A little
calculation will show what vast differ
ence the latter circumstance makes in the
number of possible syllables. Suppose
for, example, the number Of simple and
compound consonants in each of the two
languages to be Is, and the number of
vowel sounds 6: in either language a
vowel standing alone may constitute
syllable but in one every syllable ends
with vowel sound. (as in Cherokee)
lin the other, las in Enghsh) a syllable
may either begin or end, or both, with a
consonant. Now, though the number of
consonants and Of yowels is the same in
each language, yet, if our arithmetic be
correct, the number Of possible syllables
in the latter is 1886, wilhelm the former,
it is only &c." Enough, however, of the
pecnliarities Of the Cherokee Alphabet
which cannot be clearly explained to the
reader without his having the Alphabet
itself before him.
The first number of this newspaper is
issued on the 2lst Feb. at New Echota--
Its Cherokee title defies the expression OF
our pen; but its English Synonym is the
Cherokee Phoenix" 1t is edited by
Elias Boudinot; and issued weekly at
50 50 if paid in advance-It is handsome
i y printed on Super Royal Sheet, with
new type. "The establishment, lately
purchased, principally with the charities
of our white brethren, is the property Of
the Nation, and the paper is patronized
! by, and under the direction of. the
Cherokee Legislaure.' The spirit in
which it is to be conducted is disclosed in