The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-05-04
@'fht POOR INDIAN.

Inc OncrauOA OF INC beneuclal pOllCy OF
abe government towards the indians will be
seen in the extract we give from Senator
Sewers speech. He is near the new
residence OF the tribes, and understands
much better their condition, than those re-
mote "political sympathisers" who, having
extermnated the tribes in their own region
exptats the sin by exclaiming "the poor In
dians ~
"Withn the limits of the proposed Ter
ritory, there are eighteen emigrant tribes
number in population about 73,200, and
there are eight Indigenous tribes, whose
aggregate number is about2l, 900, making
in all about 5000. In this estimate, have
not included the wild Indians of the prairie
or the mountains, or those residing north of
the Missouri, or around the sources Of the
Mississippi, as all Of these are without the
limits of the Territory. OF those whose
condition we are now considering, the prin-
cpaI and most influential, and, with few
individual exceptions, by far the best in
formed and civilized, are the Choctaws, the
Chickasaws, the Cherokees and Creeks
Many of these have learned our language,
our religion, our literature. our agricultural
pursuits, and mechanic arts. Some of
chem studied our form of government and
have organized their Government, for their
respective tribes in imitation Of ours. They
have printing presses among them they
publish newspapers in the English and In
dian languages. They print their school
books and almanacs, etc. and Guess, full
blooded Cherokee, and an unutored saw
age, has has had the lasting honor of i'm
venting for the Cherokees their alphabet,
Several of the tribes provided for the estaba
Ishment of schools, several of which are
now in operation, at which some hundreds
of Indian youths are now annually educa-
ted. Several of the tribes have set apart
large sums of money fore vot of which our
Government is trustee, for purposes Of ed
scation. And sir, as you are well aware,
there are new annually educated at yoar
residence. in the heart Of Kentucky, some
two or three hundred Indian boys, at the
voluntary expense Of the Indians them
selves. These tribes have among them
several shrewd, intelligent, wealthy native
merchants, who annually import into the
country many thousand dollars worth Of
merchandise.
"'Fhey have mills and gins, and cotton
farms, and in 1897, the Choctaws made and
sent to market 600 bales of cotton, which
was worth upwards of $4,000.
"They raise every year large surplus
of corn, hogs, and cattle, which they dis
pose Of in part by contract. to Government,
to feed TIE emigraling Indians, and supply
the troops of our garrison Butts as this
inquiry must be interesting to the Senate, l
will be more particular, and read a few ex-
tracts from the work have previously re-
fsrred to. Speaking OF the Choctaws, the
author of this work says:
"They are improving in civilization and
comfort. Their houses and fields ind-
cate good degree Of industry. Many
have large farms. They own much live
stock, such as horses, cattle sheep and
swine and are pretty well supplied with
farming utensils. They own about 600 ne
gro slaves.
"Thoy own three Touring mills, two
cotton gins, eighty-eight looms, and two
hundred and twenty spinning wheels.
They have thirteen native merchants, be-
sides white men engaged in the same busi-
ness"
If these statements are not ovcrcharged,
the present century may not expire before
we have on our borders a republic of red
men, whose politics it will be necessary
TO understand, and whose friendship may
become Of great importance to the dwellcrs
in the lower valley Of the Mississippi.
Hitherto, the Anglo Saxon race has met
with little success in civilizng the Indians /;
but now that the Aborgines are meeting
the efforts of the Government half way,
perhaps tine next generation will witness
the rise of aboriginal communities and
States eclipsing in the arts Of civil life, and
the science of government, all we read Of
in the narratives Of the historians of the
10Th century, touching Mexico and Peru.
Globe.
EusrFIrzzEssssgzsEsa
Female Mtrepidi,y.-Fho Albany Eve
ming Journal states, that during the fire in
that city Sunday night last, the occupants
of one Of the buildings in Rose Alley, in
the hustle and confusion Of saving their lit