The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-25
From the Katckel60cher.
4 SEMINOLE TRADITION,
BY WASHINGTON IRVING.

III W ALUMINIUM lENING
When the Floridas was erected into a terri.
tory of the United States, one of the earliest
cares OF the Governor, William +. DdvaI. was
objected to the instruction and civilization ,f the
natives. For this purpose he called meeting
ut the chiefs, in which he informed them of the
wish OF their Great Father at Washingto ton, tina
tlev should have schools and teachers among
them, and that their children shou d be INSTRUCT
ed like the children of white men. The chiefs
listened with their customary silence and de.
corum to long speech setting for h the adya,..
tages that would accrue TO them from this m A
sure, and when he had concluded, begged tn,
Interval OF day to deliberate on il.
On the following day, solemn convocation
was held, at which one Of their chiefs addressed
the Governor in the name of all the rest "My
BROTHER" said he, we have been thinking over
tue proposition Of ous Great Father at Wash
tagton to send teachers and set up schools a.
monSst US. we are very thankful for the in.
tsrest he takes in our welfare, but after mucI
deliberstion, have cnnSluied to derline his of
Ter. What will do very well for white men.
will not do for red men. know you white men
say we all come from the same father and mn.
tier, but you are mistaken. We have a tradit,nn
handed down from our foref4thcrs, and we b..
tieve it, that the Great Spirit when he ,nder.
took to make men, made the black man; it was
his first attempt, and pretty we'll for a begin.
ming, hut he soon saw that he bungIed; sc he
determined to try his hand a. ain, He did a.
and made the red man. He ked him much b,t.
ter tn an the black, but still he was not exactly
what ne wanted. So he tri:d once more. and
mae the white man--and hen he was satisfied
You see, therefore, that you were made last, and
ther. -.
When the Great Spirit had II AIDE the the,
men, he called them together and showed then
ss1ee boxes. The frst was fIled with books
and maps and papers; the second with bows an,
arrows, knives and tom ha WIS: the tJird ,,;,j
spades, axes, hoes and hammers. These, nv
sons said he, are the means by which YOU are
to live; choose among them according to your
fancy,
The white man being the favorite had the
first choice. He passed BY the bog of working
tools without notice, but when he came to the
weapons Tor war and hunting, he stopped and
looked hard at them. The red man trembIed.
Tor he had set his heart upon that box. The
white man, however, after Looking upon it for a
moment, passed on, and chose the box of books
and papers. The red mars turn came next.
and you may be sure he seized with i,y uv3n
the bows and arrows and tsmahawks. A, TO
the black man be had no choice left but to put
up with the box uftools.
From this it is clear that the Great Spirit in
tended the white Man should learn to read and
write: TO understand all about tile moon and
stars; aid to make every thing, en- rum and
NhIskty. That the red nan should be a first
rate nuhter, and mighty warrior, but he was
not to learn any thing from books, as the Great
Spirit had not given him any--IIur was he 10
make rum and whiskey, lest be should kill him
self with drinking. AS to The b. ack man, he had
nothing but working toos--it was clear he was
to work for the white and red man, which he
has continued to do. ~ -, =
We must go according to the wishes of the
Great Spirit, or we shall get into trouble To
know how to read and write is very good for
white men, but very bad Tor red men. it makes
white men better, but red men worse. Some of
the Creeks and Cherokees learn to read and
write, aud they are the greatest rascais among
all the Indians. They went on to Washington
and SAID they were going to see their Great Fa-
ther, To talk about the good of the nation And
the first thing the nation at home knew of the
matter, they were called together by the Indian
agent, who showed them little piece of paper,
which he told them was treaty, which their
brothers had made in their name, with their
Great Father at Washington. And as they knew
not what treaty was, lie held up little piece
of paper, aud they looked under it, and 10! 1t CO
vered a great extent ot country, and they found
that their brethren, by knowing how to read
and write had gained them. Tell our Great
Father at Washington, the efore, that we are We
ny sorry that we cannot receive teachers among
US; for reading and writing, though very good
Ter white men, is very bad for Indians"