The Iowa patriot. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1839-1839, 1839-06-27
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From the Louisville Newsletter

: From the Louisville Newsletter
sALGIc RESEARCHES. 1T is a strange
thing, and one noless true than strange
that the character and peculiarites of the
aboriginal tribes Of this Western continent,
are by no means comprehended as yet, by
those who have succeeded them in its pos
session. Although for three centuries,
the European race has associated with the
Indian in all the intimacies of constant in
tercourse, yet the only valuable informa-
ton relative to these Tribes which can be
claimed, respects merely their external
customs Of war and Of peace their ma
tional peculiarities, and their physical fea-
lures. The intellectual and moral traits
of Indian character have demanded inves-
tigation too minute and toilsome to be at
tempted, and but little if anything is, there
fore, upon this subject understood.
These remarks have been suggested by
a couple Of volumes from the pen Of HEN
RY r. ScHooLcRAFT, Esq.-whose name
is distinguished as an explorer Of the wes-
tern yalley-bearing the title we have
placed at the head of this paragraph, and
constituting the commencement Of Sc
ries Of works relative to the intellectual
and moral peculiarities Of the Indian
tribes. The author, during a residence
of more than twenty years in an official
capacity among the aborigines, has accu-
mulated mass of original papers embrace
ing materials for distant observations on
their oral tales, fictitious and historical;
their hieroglyphics, music, and poetry;
the grammatical structure of the language
its principles of combination, and the ac-
tual state of their vocabulary at the pres
ent time. The first Of these topics has
been selected as the subject Of the vol
umes before us. Nothing, we are told
by the author, has afforded him so ample
a clew to the opinions and Thoughts of the
Indian tribes, in all the great departments
of life and nature as their oral imaginative
tales. Their traditionary legends are dis
covered to constitute their most favorite
mode of conveying instruction, moral, me-
chanical, and neurological, to their child
rem and to each other; while they consti-
tute their sole resource for intellectual
amusement. In the volumes Of Mr. School
craft, we have about fifty of these tradi-
tionary legends, briefly, simply, and sue
cinctly penned, precisely as they fell from
the lips Of the old Indian tale-tellers, for
the amusement of the swarthy group gath
cred around the blazing fire of the smoky
wigwam Of the North West, on stormy
winters night. Most Of this legendary
lore abounds in the supernatural. They
tell US Of the wonderful exploits of their
heroes, and hold up to admiration their
bold and reckless spirit of adventure; but
all their triumphs are invariably referred to
the favor of the Manitoes; and al their de-
feats to the same presiding spirits. Each
of these tales, also conveys moral, bas-
ed on the Indian principle--do unto 9TH
ers as they do unto you-or, stern and in
flexible Justice. Villainy Of every spe-
cies is always punished ultimately, how
ever long retribution is delayed--vows are
held inviolate-reverence for parental au-
thority and for age-parental Affection
pitality-intrepidity of ia
igue and suffering --disinterestedness--
self denial, and a variety Of the other
standard virtues are uniformly inculcated,
while pride, presumption, luxury and IL
centiousness are rebuked, and domestic
inidelity is punished with death.
Much praise is due Mr.. Schoolcraft for
the diligence and zeal he has manifested,
in the collection of these rare and interes-
ting traditions. They will be inestimable
to tie future historian and novelist of our
country; and, as the only period when
they may be gathered is during the exis-
tence of the tribes, it is evident, that the
lapse of every year adds to the difficulty
Of recording them, while it diminishes
their number and obscures their meaning.
Some of the Indian tribes are even now
utterly extinct. Of all that countless null
titude Of red men, which two centuries
ago, swarmed this broad continent, what
a miserable remnant now fingers within
our borders; and ah! how miserably I'M
like are they to their proud progenitors!
They have melted away like the morning
nists beneath the summer sunlight, and
we need no tongue Of prophecy to tell us,
that their destiny is fixed and their days
are numbered. A very few years, and
this beautiful land, where once the Indian
roved and reigned the undisputed mon
arch, will be all our own, and not tribe
of his people shall be seen. even from tho
sterile shores Of the Atlantic, through the
boundless plains that sweep the Distant
base Of the Rocky mountains. We have
quenched their council fires plough.
shares have thrown up the bones Of their
fathers the woodlands axe has swept|
away their forest-homes, and the deadly
rifle has pursued them like destiny in their
flight. And how have we recompensed
Them? Seven generations have seen us
in their midst, yet they owe to us, even
to the present hour, not one lasting i'm