The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-11-21
WHOLE NO. I67.

MADE TO Sh0Ot It's spires 10 the SKIES
"The pctural records Of Mexico ascribe their
origin 10 The Asecks, people who are said TO have
arrived first In Mexico about the middle OF the Sc
veneenih century. An American author, the Ri.
Rev. Bishop Madison, Of Virginia, having with
| much labor investigated this subject, declares his
conviction that these Asecks are and the same
people with those who once inhabited the Valley Of
the Ohio The probabilities certain in favor Of
this opinion. Adopting il, therefore, and knowing
by il the date of their arrival the north west From
tier of Mexico, we refer again TO the works they
have lefl us TO gain what knowledge we can Of the
cause and manner Of their leaving the Ohio valley.
For the reasons formerly stated assume The fact,
that they we're compelled to fly from more numer-
GUS or more gallant people No doubt the contest
was long and bloody, and that the country, so long
their residence, was not abandoned TO their rivals
until their numbers were too much reduced to con-
tinue the contest Taking into consideration all the
circumstances which can be collected from the
works they have left on the ground, have come 10
the conclusion that these people were assailed both
from their northern and southern frontier made 10
recede from both directions and thattheir last efforts
at resistance was made on the banks of the Ohio.
have adopted this opinion from the different cha
racter Of their works, which are there found from
those in the Interior Great as some OF the latter are
and aborious as the construction, particularly
those Of Circleville and Newark. am pursuaded
they were never intended for military defences On
the contrary, those upon the Ohio river were evil
IDENTITY designed for that purpose. The three that
have examined, those Of Marietta Cincinnati, and
the mouth Of the Great Miami, particularly the lat
| ter, have military character stamped upon them
which cannot be mistaken The latter work, and
that at Circleve, never could have been erectedby
the same people, if intended for military purposes
The square, at the latter place, has such number of
gateways, seem intended to facilitate the entrance
Of those who would attack it. And both it, and the
circle were completely commanded by the mound,
rendering ii an easier matter to take than defend it,
The Engineers, the contrary, who directed tie
execution of the Miami Work, appear. to have
known the importance Of flank defences, And if
their bastons are not as perfect as to orm as those
which are in use in modern Engineering, their posi-
ton well that of the long lines of curtains are
precisely as they should be- | have another con-
lecture to this Miami Fortress. If the people of
whom we have been speaking were really the As
tecks, the direct course of their journey 10 Mexico,
and the facilities which that mode Of retreat would
afford, seems TO point out descent OF the Ohio as
the line Of that retreat.
| This position, then, (lhe lowest which they appear
| to have fortified on the OhioO strong by nature and
improved by the expenditure of great labor directed
by no nconsiderable degree Of skill, would be the
last hold they would occupy and the scene of their
last efforts TO retain possession Of the country they
had so long inhabited. The interest which every
one feels, who visits this beautiful and commanding
spot, would be greatly heightened, if he could per-
suade himself Of the reasonableness of my deduc-
lions, from the facts have stated. That this ele-
waited ridge, from which are now to be seen flourish
ing villages, and plains Of unrivalled fertility,
possessed by people in the full enjoyment of peace
and liberty, and all that peace and liberty can give,
the smoke of an enenys fire, once presented scene
of war; and in its most horrid form, where blood
| is the object, and the deficiencies of the field made
! up by the slaughter of innocence and imbecility.-
That il was here that feeble band was collected,
remnant of mighty battles fought in vain" to make
last effort for the country of their birth, The ashes
their ancestors and the affairs of their Gods. That
the crisis was met with ortitude, and sustained with
valor, need not be doubted. The ancestors of Quit
avaca and Gautimosin and their devoted followers,
could not be towards But their efforts were vain
and flight or death were the sad alternatives. What
ever might be their object in adopting the former
whether, like the Trojan remnant, TO seek another
country, land happier walls, or like that OF Hhome
to procure present safety and renovated strength for
distant day of vengeance, we have no means of
asccrtaining But there is every reason TO believe
that they were the founders of great Empire, and
tnat ages before they assumed the more modern and
| distinguished name Of Mexicans the Aslecks had
lost in the more mild and uniform climate OF Ana
| huac, all remembrance Of the banks of The Ohio.
THE GROWTH OF FORESTS.
"The process by which nature restores the forest
to its original state, after being cleared is ex-
tremely slow In our rich lands, il is, indeed soon
covered again with timber, but the character Of the
growth is entirely different and continues so,
! through many generations OF men, In several places
| on the Ohio particularly upon the farm which &C.
cupy, cearings were made in the first settlement,
abandoned and suffered 10 grow up. Some of them,
now 10 be seen, Of nearly fifty years growth, have
made so little progress towards attaining The appear
ance OF the Immediately contiguous forest as TO in
duce any man of reflection, 10 determine that at
least ten times fifty years would be necessary before
its complete assimilation could be effected. The
sites of the ancient works on the Ohio, present pre-
csey the same appearance as the circumjacent
forest. You find on them, all that beautiful variety
Of trees which gives such unrivaed richness to our
forests. This is particularly the case, the fifteen
acres included within the walls of the work. al the
mouth Of the Great Miami, and the relative proper
tons of the different kinds of timber about the
he m land
once cleared, and then abandoned to nature, on the
contrary, is more homogenious-oflen stinedo one,
| or two, or at most three kinds Of timber If the
ground had been cultivated yellow locust in many
places, will spring up as thick as garden peas II it
has not been cultivated, the black and white walnut
will be the prevailing growth. The rapidly with
which these trees grow for time, SmotherS the at
tempt of other kinds to vcgcate and grow in their
shade The more thrifty individuals soon overlop
the weaker of their own kind which sicken and die
In this way there is only many left as the
earth will well support to maturity. All this time
the squirrels may plant the seed of those trees which
serve them for food, and by neglect suffer them to
reman-it will be in vain the birds may drop the
kernels, the external pulp of which have contributed
| to their nourshment, and Invested of which they are
in the best state for terminating still it will be al no
avail; the winds Of heaven may wait the winged
seeds OF the sycamore, cotton wood and maple, and
| a friendly shower may bury them TO the necessary
de pth 10 the loose and fertile soll-but still without
success. The roots below rob them of moisture and
the canopy of limbs and leaves above, intercept the
rays OF the sun and the dews of heaven the young
giants in possession like another kind OF aristocracy
absorb the whole means OF subsistence and leave the
mass to perish at their feet This state Of things will
not however, always continue 1.-THE process fnalure
is slow and crcutous, in putting down usurpation,
and establishing the equality which she loves and
which is the great characteristic Of her principles il
is and ettectua The preference Of the soil for
The first growth, ceases with its maturity. 1t admits
of succession upon the principles OF legitimacy.
The long undispuied masters OF the forest may be
thinned by the lightning, the tempest or by diseases
peculiar TO themselves; and whenever this is the
case of the Oft rejected of another family, will
Il Gnd hn iIs lncarinp shelinr and