Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-06-06

dWh'H6 July thot tuC superintendent Vi
Governor should be appointed by the
President and Senate, and that the laws
should be approved by the President, and
providing for the appointment by the In
dams of one Indian delegate to Congress.
We trust the subject will be resumed and
successfully prosecuted by the next ses.
sion of Congress.
Much valuable information concerning
the condition and prospects ofthese tribes
is given in a work entitled 'An Annual
Register OF Indian Affairs in the Indian
territory by the Rev. Isaac Mccoy, who
has devoted the last 90 years ofhis life TO
their improvement. 1t appears by this
work, that the best informed and civilized,
are the Choctaws, the Chickasaws, the
Cherokees, and Creeks. Many OF them
have learned our language, our religion,
our literature, our agricultural pursuits,
and mechanic arts. Some of them stu.
died our forms Of Government for their
respective tribes, in imitation of ours
They have printing presses among them,
they publish newspapers in the English
and Indian languages. They print their
school books and almanacs, &c.
We quote brief notices of three Of the
most advanced. OF the Choctaios it is
said /:
"They are improving in civilization
and comfort. Their houses and fields in
dictate a good degree OF industry. They
have large farms. They own much live
stock. such as horses, cattle, sheep and
SWINE are pretty well supplied with far
ming utensils. They WI about six hum
dreJ negro slaves.
"They own three Touring mills, two
cotton gins, lightweight looms, and two
hundred and twenty spinning wheels
They have thirteen native merchants, be-
sides white men, engaged in the same bu-
siness.
"ln respect 20 civilization, there is
great difference among them. Some have
fully adopted the habits of civilized men +;
many are IN comfortable circumstance
in life some may be said to be wealthy.
| From these more favorable circumstan-
ces all grades of condition exist, down to
| the Indian who is advanced but little in
! civilization.
"The best evidence of the improving
condition Of the Choctaws is seen in an
entire change in their government, which
they have effected from the barbarous to
the civilized. We cannot, now assemble
chiefs and headmen among them, and
transact business with them relating TO
the people, as is the custom among unci-
| ,,l,,oI t..hn1 Tho cucfopr nf nhIaEfaIno
has been abolished.
"The tribe denominates ITSELF The
Choctaw Nation 1t has adopted a writ
ten Constitution Of the United Statess-
Their declaration of rights secures to all
equal privileges, liberty of conscience,
excluding all religious tests it secures
trial by jury !; and, ia a word it provides
for all hat is felt to be necessary in the
~inclpient stages of political existence
The Constitution may be amended by the
national council.
"Their country is divided into four ju-
dicial districts. Three Of these annually
elect, by popular vote, each, nine mem
bers of the national council, and the fourth
elects, by the same mode. These are al
lowed three dollars a day, while engaged
in legislating. Within each district an Off
Ger denominated a chief, is elected for
the term of four years. The national
council meets annually on the first Mon.
day in October. 1t consists offorty MEM
bers, the necessary number of clerks a
light horseman (sergeant-at-arms) and
door.keeper. 1t is also attended by the
chiefs, who have an honorary seat provi-
ded for them by the side ofihe Speaker,
but they have no voice in debate in coun-
Gil. Their signatures are necessary 10
the passage of a law. They may veto
an act, but il may become a law by the
concurrence of the council, notwithstand-
ing. The council is styled The Gene.
raj Council of the Choctaw Nation 1t
adopts bylaws for It's W government
while in session. 1t elects q speaker and
other requisite officers, and appoints APP
propriate committees to adjust matters
for legislation. All writings are in En-
glish but are read off in the Choctaw
language. Each member, when about
10 speak, rises and respectfully addresses
the Speaker, using the Choctaw word
for speaker, adding the syllable ma,
which nearly corresponds with the En-
glish Mr.. or sir. The question is put in
the form customary in legislative bodies,
and the vote is given by rising. The
preliminary of law is, BE it enacted
by the General Council Of the Choctaw
Nation In future the Constitution and
laws will be printed in both the Choctaw
and English languages. By the ConstI-
tuition, the government is composed OF
four departments viz. Legislative, Ex-
e~cutive, Judicial and Military. Three
Judges are elected by the people in each
district, who hold inferior and superior
courts within their respective DISTRICTS
The light horsemen in each district per.