The native American., 1839-07-06

Extract from the address delirnedby the Hon. John
Daris, Of THE Z. s. Senate, at the centennial an
mirersmy Of Worcester county, Massachusetts,:
The connexion and intercourse of our fathers
with that aboriginal race who inhabited this coun-
try before its discovery by Europeans, and whom
they supplanted did much toward forming the
character and habits of life which we now denom-
mate American. From them, savage as they were,
we borrowed much that was necessary in new
country. To the almost ncessant struggles with
them, we may ascrbe that fearless intrepidity Of
the New Eng landers, which, in the infant condi-
ton of the country, sought objects for military en-
terprise in the neighborlng French colonies, and
afterwards successfully exerted itself against the
arbitrary exercise of power by the mother country.
They made the whole population soldiers, not in
tactics, but in courage. This race OF human be-
ings differed widely from the white man in physi-
cal constitution and in habits Of life having little
adaptation to the arts most cherished by us, but
possessing bold fearless temper, full Of courage
and ferocty, desiring no change, but least of all
transition from the dark shades of the forest to the
tranquility of agricultural life.
The Indians did not at first comprehend the
character and purpose of the new corners, for they
were strangers to that patient toll, that laborious
pursuit after happiness, and that Unsuitable thirst
for wealth and ease and distinction, which form the
leading traits of character in the white population.
They were amused, and perhaps surprised at what
they saw of the arts and habits Of civilized life, but
seem not to have coveted the knowledge of their
better informed neighbors, or the comforts thew
drew around them. They soon perceived that the
aged forests fell before the axe-that the bear, the
moose, and the deer, were driven affrghted from
their lairs-and that the fowls Of the air fed af-
frighted from their ancient coverts. They saw, in
the place where stood the warriors wigwam, the
peaceful cottage mngGng its smoke 18th the Sc
rene sky-where stood the patrarchal trees, the
earth teeming with luXuriant fields of grain. This,
to the red man, was scene of desolation and ex-
cited in his mind dismay-for the wilderness was
his plantation, and the moose, and the deer, and
the beaver were his heUs and hs tocks that yield
ed him food and raiment. He therefore looked
upon this work of civilization as wanton unius-
tifable waste Of his natural property and viewed
the advances of unwelcome neighbors with ieal-
ousy and disrust. His sagacity enabled him to
comprehend the obvious TRUTH that the habits Of
the two races were SO uncongenial and i'll adapted
10 each other the resources on which they respec-
uvely depended Tor subsistence were SO opposite
that they could not both prosper upon the same
terrltory-ior the one relied upon the provision
made 1or his support in the wilderness by tn.
Great Author OF all good-the other upon the
more perlshaule fruits of industry.
The Indian could not dwell upon tbis .lar,,;n,,
PiOspSSt
he must either yield his habits of life and become
European, or yield his country. He therefore be-
gan to inquire into the right OF aliens to take from
him the territory which had descended to him
through generation after generation, from period
remote as to be lost in the lapse of ages. He
viewed them as intruders, and their claim of RIGHT
by discovery to the soil, as subtle pretext to COW
er defective title. He felt that intruders had no
right to call on him to exchange the bow and ar
row tor the scythe and sickle-hat a stranger had
no right TO prescribe rules of life for him, and to
require him to yield up the exciting interest of a
wandering and precarious existence for the dull
routine and quiet rcpose of agricultural pursuits,
lie lelt lhat ms cause needed no argument to sup
port it-'hat the country was his, because he and
his fathers possessed it, and he ought still to eniov
it. The emigrants knew this reasoning was unan
sweraoie. lhey were conscious of the weakness
OF their title, and sought 10 cover the defect -hv
purchasing the territory and taking gconvevances Of