Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-12-19
From the New YORK KIickerb ecker 70, October
A SEMINOLE TRADITION.
~ WASHINGTON IRVING

H'NA thhINb
Whrh Tho rlbriias were erected into a Tcrri,ory ~
the United States. one Of the earliest care. ofthe Cow
ernor. Niiitn y. DIval. was directed 10 the in.truc.
lion and civilization OF The naliveh For this purpn.c
he called a meeting ofths chiefs in which he infrrm.
cd them Of the wish of their Great Father nj Washing
ton. that they shorld have school. aud teachers anon,
Ihcm. and thai their children should be instructed like
the children of white men. The chiefs listened with
,heir cus'orn,ry silence and derorum 10 a long speech,
setting forth The advantages thar would accrue TO them
from tins Incasur"' and when he had concluded, beg.
ged The Interval OF a day To deliberaie on T..
On the foAowr day. n solemn co:tvocafion wa,
held. at which one Of ihrir chiefs addressed IA. Cover.
nor IN tho name Of ali the rssh brother" sa;s
he, "ws hive boon thinking over the prop1sft ,n Of our
Oreai Father at Washington to send teachers ard ,er
mp srh"c!s among rs. We arc very thankful for the
interest he takes IN our welfare. but afsr, much de-
liberation. have concluded to decline hi. offer VIVA,
will do very well Gr white men. will not do E,r Ped
men. j kn6 v you white men say we all coms from
he same father snd mother. but you are mistaken.
We have a tradition handed down from our Iorefriher-.
an1 we oehese H. that The Great SPIRIT. when he un-
uorook 10 make fnen, made the black man; IL rraa hs
fist attempt. and pretty well for a beginning; bn, he
soon sa~ that he bunglod. ~ he determined 10 trv nj,
hand again. He did SRI. aud he made the red man. III.
liked him mach better than tho black man, bu, .,iIl
he whs mt exactly what be wanted. ST. he fried once
moro and made The white man-and Then he wa, SAT-.
isdeH. You see. therefore. that you were rsndo last.
and that Is the reason 1 call you my youngest bro
Their
when the Ores, Spirit had made the three men. he
culird ihern together snd sho&cd tKeTh three hor,.
The lnt wa. filed with books and maps and papo,,t
The second with bows and arrows. knives and ioma.
hswk; the third with spades. ares. hoes, and hammers.
These, my SONS" sid he, are the fseans by which
you are TO live;chooss among fhetn according 10 your
fancy"
The white nan being the avorire. had the first
choice. He passed by The Dor Of working tools with.
uut I1ftce. hui Whom he Fauna In fHa -
and hunting, he sioppeI and looked hard At them. The
red mn tTembled. for he had set hi. heart uton That
Dor. The while man. how ever. anef locking Dpon il
cor a moment. passed on and those the boz OF books
and papers. The red mans turn came neIt. and you
may DO sure re sefted ~uh joy upon the bows and
arrows and ioIsahawks. Re 70 the black man, he had
no choice left bat ie put up with The Tor Of tools.
"Froua this 10 is clear that the Great Spirit intended
The while man Should learn 10 read and write, To un-
derstond all about the moon and stars, md 10 make
every thing, even rum and whiskey. THAI the red man
should he a hnsi-raie hunter. and a mighty warrior.
but he was not TO learn any hing from books, ~ the
Crest Spirit has not gwen kir any, nor va he 70
make rum and whiskey lest ne should kill hirhsri.
with drinking. A. TO the black man. ne he had nothing
but working tools. It was clear he vas 10 WORK sor the
white and red man. VIII en- he has continued 10 Do.
w must 60 according 10 fhs wishes ofshe Great
Spirit OF We shall Get into trouble. To know how 10
and write is very god ior white men. but very
for red men. II makes white men bcuef. but red
worse. some ofihf Creeks and Chemkccs learnt
10 read and write, and they are The greatest rasrals
1morg the Indians. They vent on 10 Washington.
sid they were going 70 see heir Great Fslhsr. %
ak about the good Of the naiionL Ard when they
got ihsre, they al wrote upon q little piece of paper.
the nsfion ~ hons knowing any fiing shout
o. AID The fnf Thing the nsu N ~ honas knew offhe
mailer. they were called osefhef By tho indian agent
showed lhrm a little piece of paper. which he
old Them Vas a treaty which their brothers had made
70 their nsmo with fhsif Great Esther ~ Washington.
Md as they knew MT Whist . treaty was, he held 10 =
piece Of paper. add hey looked under 10, snd ~
covered a great efient of country, and they found
htsif brethOrn W knowing how 10 read and vriie
sd Id heir house spd heir lands. snd Ire snvsa
r ,hstr fathers, SRI Inst The white man by knopinr
NV 10 reed snd write had gained them. Tell Suf :
rect Fsihsf 10 Washington. hsreero. that We ere
cry sofgy Cat VI rTunot receive ieseheus snnanz os .
residing and writing. bough ,efy GOD ~ vhit. .
~ sysy Hsi fss friis5s"