Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-11-28
From the Knrk,rbnckeI f'r Ocluber,l
A SEMINOLE TRADITION.
ny wASHtNGToS IRVING,

nf the United States, oae of the eatIirsi cares q
the Governed. William 7. Dayal. was directed |
10 she instruction and CIVILIZATION OF the natives. |
For lhl> purpose he called a meeting # The 1
chiefs, IN which be informed them OF the wish of
Their Great Father a, Washington. that they |
should have schools and teachers among them |
aud that their children should be instructed ike |
The ch,idteno( white men, The chiefs listened |
with their Customary silence aCd decoru,n 20 a |
long speech setting forth ihs advantages that |
would accrue to them from this measure aud |
when he had concluded, begged The interval OF
day To deliberate on At.
On the following. day solemn canvocaion
was held, nj NhIch one of their chefs addressed
the GoNetnoI IN the name of all the rest, ms
brother SAID he, 1--WE have been thinking over
the proposition OF our Great Father AT Washing.
ton, 10 send teachers aud set up schools amoag
Us. We are very thankful for the interest he
lakes IN our welfare; but after much drhheralion,
have conrluded Ia decline his offer, What will
do very well Tor white men, viii not do for red
men, know you white men say we all come
from the same father and mother. but YOU are
mistaken. We have a tradition banded down
! from our iJreialhers, and We believe It, that the
! w" EIHHs Nhci' Nv huNNliOoh w HAkPt HtfH
made The black nan, 1t vas his FIST attempt, and
| pretty well Tor a hsg,ning. but he soon saw that
he bungled; so he determined TO Try his hand Il.
gam. lie did and made the red man, lie
liked HIM much better than the black man, bul
still he was not exactly what he wanted So he
tled once more, and made the white maa--and
then he was satisfied You see, therefore that
you were made last, and that is the reason call
you my youngest brother.
| When the Grent SpirI had made the three men,
he called them together and showed them three
boxes The list was filled With hooks and maps,
and papers; the second with bows aud arrows,
knives aud tomaha~ks; the thud with spades.
axes hoes, aud hammers These, my sons, !"
said he, care the means by which you are to live
chose among them according to your fancy"
! The white man beng the iavorte, had the first
choice He passed by he box ol working tools,
without notice; but WHEN he came to the wea.
pons for war aud hunting, he stopped aud looked
hard AT them. The red muu ttembled, for he had
set his eye upon that box. The White man, how.
ever after looking upon II for n moment, passed
oB, aud chose the box of books and papers -
| he Ted mans turn came next, and you may be
sste he seized with Joy upon the bows and arrows
and onahawks. A. to the black. he had No
choice lett. bat Ia put up with the box OF tools
From this 1t I. clear that the Great Spnu TO-
tradsd tho white man should Learn TO read anc
write; to understand ull about the moon me
stars; and 10 make every hing even rrm anC
wuIskey. That the red man should BIZ FIST ral,
hunter, and a mighty warrior, but be- was not t.
learn any thing from book, as the Great Spr
had not given him any; nor was he to make run
and whlskey, lest hc should Llll himself viii
drinking. As to The black man. as he hnd moth
ing bat working tools, II was clear he was to work
ior the white and red man. which he has contlnu.
cd 10 do
| We must 20 according 10 the wishes Of tho
| Great SPIRIT or Ne shall get into trouble. To
know how To read and write is very good fol
white men, but very bad for red men. 1t
makes white men better, bat red men worae.-
Some Of the Greeks aud Cherokces learnt To read
and write, and they are the greatest rascals Il.
mong all the Indians. They went to Washington
and SAID they were gong to zee their Great Faith.
er, To talk about the good of the nation. And
when they got there, they all wrote upon hule
piece OF papel, without tho nation At home kow-
! ing any thing about it, Aud The fist thing he
nation at home knew Of The matter, they we're cal
led together by The Indian agent, who showed
them little pcIce Of paper, which he tod Them
was realty, which their brothers had made n
their names, with their Great Father at Washing.
ton. And as they know not, what treaty was
he held up the lIlle pelcc Of paper, and they loo
ked under n, and 10! It covered great extent Of
county, and they found that their brethren. by
knowing how to read and wrte had sold their
houses, and their lands, and The graves Of Their
fathers; and that The white man, by knowing how
TO read and write, had gained them Tell our
Great Father Mt, Washington, therefore, that SIC
are very s0rfv that we cannot receive teachers
among US; for reading and Writing though very
good Tor Shiie men, Is very bad for Indians.