Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-11-26
miscellaneous.
From the Kniekerbochcr for October.
A SEMINOLE TRADITION.
ry WASHINGTON IRVING.

o;v;,;zo,ion of tho natives. For this pur-
nose he called meeting Of the chiefs. IN
which he informed them Of The wish ol
their Great Father a, Washington tiia'
thew should have scho"ls and teachers a,
mona them, aud that their chlIoren shouiu
be instructed like the children of while
men. The chiefs listened with their GUS
,omary silence and decorum 10 long
speech. setting forth the advantages thai
would accrue to them from this measure
and when he had concluded. begged The
interval of day 10 deliberate on 1t.
On The following da:, ID solemn convo-
Gallon was held, at which one ottheIr chiefs
addressed the Governor in tue name OF all
The rest. "My BROTHER" said he, 1--WE
have been thinking over The proposition oi
our Great Father at Washington, I" send
,eachers and set up schools among US
We are very thankful for The interest lie
takes in our welfare; but after much de-
liberaliop, have concluded % decliue his
offer What will do very well Tor white
men. will not do for red men. know you
white men saw we all come from the same
father aud mother, hut you are mistaken.
We have n tradition handed down from
our fDrerathers, and we believe II, that the
Great Spirit, when he undertook to maze
men, made the black man, il was tils iIrst
attempt, and pretty well for beginning:
but he soor saw that he bungled; so ne
determined 10 lrv his hand again. lie
did so, and he made the red man. lie
liked him much better than tho black man.
bu, still! Re was not exactly what he want
ed. So he tried once more, ami made
the white man-and then he was satisfied.
You see; therefore that YOU were made
last, aud thar is the reason call you my
Youngest brother.
When The Great Spirit had made the
three men. he called them together and
showed Them three boxes, The first was
filled with books. aud maps, aud papers,
the secoud with bows and arrows, knives
and lomailawks; the third, with spades
axes. hoes, and hammers. "These, my
sons" said he, "are the means by which
YOU are to live; choose among them accor-
ding to your fancy"
The white man being the favorlte, had
The first choice. He passed by the box
ofworking tools, without notice; but when
he came 10 The weapons for war and hunt
ing, he stopped and Looked hard at them
'rhe red man trembled. for he had set his
cve upon that box. The white man,
however. after looking upon it for mo-
meut. passed on, and chose The box oil
looks aud papers. The red mans turn
samsae1e. yes be bs1E sase hia; N aF'1F fl
had no choice left, but 10 put up with the
box Of tools.
From this i, is clear that the Great
Spirit intended the while man should
learn to read aud write: TO understand oil
about the moon and STARS; and 10 make
every thing, even rum and whiskey.-
That III. red man should nc first rate
hunter, and mighty warrior, but he was
not 10 learn any thing from books, as the
Great Spirit had not given him any; nor
was he to make rum and whiskey, lest he
should kill himself with drinking. As to
the black man, as he had nothing brl
working tools. i, was clear he was 10 work
for the white and red man. which he has
continued 10 do.
We must go according to the wishes OF
the Great SPIRIT, Or we shall get in'o trou-
BILE. To know how to read and write is
very good for white mcn but very bad for
red men. L, makes white men better, but
the red men worse. Some of the Greeks
and Chcrokees learnt to read and write,
aud they are the greatest rascals among
all the Indians. They went 10 Washing.
ton and said they were going 10 see their
Great Father. to talk about The good Of the
nation. Aud when they gol their, they all
wrote upon little piece of paper, without
the nation at home knew of The matter,
they were called together by the Indian a
gent, who showed them little piece Of pa
er,which he told them was treaty, which
their brothers had made in their names,
with their Grea, Father at Washington.
And as they knew not whai treaty was.
he held up The little piece of paper, and
thew looked under it, and ln! il covered "A
great extent of country, and they found
that their brethren Ivy knowing how 10
read and write. had sold their houses. and
their lands. and the graves of their fathers;
aud that the white man, by knowing how
to read aud write. had gained them. Tell
fore, that we are very sorry that we can
not receive teachers among MS; for reading
aud writing though very good for white
men, is very bal for Indians.
Curious rote.-lllI's New Hampshire
Patriot says, tine following ticker was cast
at the lale election in That State. The
vote is democratic. whalever may he the
politics of the person who threw it:
WEl. Commonsense.
jacob Honesty.
Richard Straight forward.
Peter Prudence.
Thomas Economy.
Alexander Fear-nothing.
Samuel -your-business.
augusta Constituiionalist.
A Queer Oae.--Sir John SaIer, who
died in 1905. and was generous heueiac.