Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-09-06
WHOLE NO. 1877.

ment Black Hawk for time objected
alleging his apprcliensions that the limo
proposed would include his own village.
But after strong assurances that the said
line would yet leave his village some 80
or more miles north OF it, the Hawk con-
scented 10 the sale, and the new bounda-
.ry. Ia due time, however, il appeared
that the fears ofihe chief were well ioun-
ded, and the line was ascertained to run
some two or three miles north of the ia
yorite village OF the Hawk. The chief
and his tribe were dissatisfied insisting
that in equality they ought not to be de-
prived OF their village, the site of which
they had positively refused to SELL
Meantime, well knowing where the line
would strike, on an actual survey, seve-
raj determined border men from Ohio,
penetrated farther into tie wilderness,
and planted themselves upon several
tracts of fertile land in the neighborhood
of the village, at different points, on q
circular line, as il were with an in
tcntion of completely surrounding the
lodges Of the wild-men. The Indians
demonstrated against this inroad upon tho
territory considered yet to be their own,
and threatened frequently TO drive the
intruders away: But to no purpose. Tho
squattcrs obs,inately remained, and com
menced cuitlvatIng the land. After the
line had been ascortained by actual sur
vey, an act was passed by Congress, CIV
ing to the squatters upon the newly ac-
qulred territory, the pre-emptive right to
the lands in their immediate occupation
of which indulgence the troublesome
neighbors of the Black Hawk lost no
time in availing themselves, and took the
necessary measures to secure their titles.
But the Indians understood not this
proceeding. The intruders exhibited
their certificates under the new law but,
the Indians knew nothing of the nature
of pre-em,,ive rights, and continued to
threaten them as before. 1t was some
time previous to this stage of the contro-
versy, that serious obstacle was thrown
in the way Of good understanding, by
General Jackson himself, in the applica-
ton of his miserable system ofRefOrm to
the Indian agencies. The Indian Agent
for this station, Major Forsyth was re-
moved to make place for some parti-
zan favorte - and this place was filed
by the appointment Of somebody from
Virginia, who had probably never even
looked upon wild Indian. At any rate,
he was wholly unacquaintcd with the
language Of the Indians among whom he
to reside, and knew nothing of their
habits, customs, disposition,
SC. He, of course, could not possess
tho confidence OF these children of ma
ture, and the removal of their former
friend, Major Forsyth, who was in all
respects an excellent officer, only served
further to annoy them with further sus-
picons of medtated wrong. But for
this untimely and unnecessary change,
such explanations would doubtless have
been made as would have prevented
mischief, although they might not have
been perfectly satisfactory at first to the
indians. Such, however, was not the
case; the new Agent, although proba-
ply good electioneerer in Virginia,
snew nothing of his duties among the
Sacs and Foxes. The leud between the
Indians and their before c-mentioned in
rusire neighbors, continued, and became
more aggravated. The former, in the
hight time, would 60 and throw down the
ences of the white men; and the latter
n turn threatened to shoot the trespas-
ers Thus matters stood for months.-
The intrudcrs armed themselves and
watched the Indians by night; but when
hus on the watch, their fences were not
No sooner, however, were
leir backs turned, than their fences
'crc again oyerihrown. But the Indians
ommittcd no further hostilities than
,ese. They drew not drop Of blood
ntIl several Of their own number had
cen killed by the white men.
Meantime, however, on a complaint
{ the repeated outrages of the Indians
pom the aforesaid fences, and before
ny other act of hostility had been COM
ii,ted, Governor Reynolds, of Illinois,
hose political situation rendered action
some description necessary, to sustain
warning popularity, ordered out two
,ousand militiamen to take the field, or
ather the forest, against the Indians
his was the signal for the accounts Of
indian hostilities--of massacrcs and mur-
crs which forthwith resounded through
ut the whole nation. And Of course il
as the signal for the Indians to take eup
&c tomahawk, and raise the war-whoop.
he subsequent incidents Of this event
] history, are pretty well known; and
n sorry to add my conviction, that tho
hole affair will rebound little to tho
edit of the United States, or to the
lliics more Immediately concerned.--
he whole western country has been
snt i'm a state of confusion, and some