Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1840-10-24
From The Kn,ckerbocksr for October.
THE CR.4rO.N PaPEHS s.
M WARRINGTON Iavixe.
ORIGIN OF THE WHITE, RED AND
BLACK MEN.

BLACk MEN.
4 Seminole Tradition.
When the Floridas weie efectel into a territory
Of the United States, one Of the earliest of The
Governor. WILLIAM p. DuvAL, was directed to
the instruction and civiis ,tion Of the natives. For
this purpose he called meeting Of the chiefs, in
which be informed them Of the wish Of their Great
Father at Washington tha, they should have
schools and teachers AMONG them and that their
white men. The chiefs listened with their custom.
sry silence and decoIum to long speech setting
forth the advantages that would accrue to them
from this measure, and, when he had concluded,
begged the interval Of day to deliberate on it.
On the following day, a solemn convocat on was
held at which one OF the chiefs addressed the gov.
crnor in the name Of all the rest: "My BROTHER"
said he, " we have bcen thinking ov,r the prop,s
tion Of ouAGrca Father a, Washington, to send
teachers and se, up schools among US. We are
very thankful for the inter- he takes in our vel
fare; but after much debcration, have concluded
TO decline his tffer. What will do very well for
white men, will not do for red men. I know you
white men say we all come from the same father
and mother, but you are mist ken. We have a
tradition haudtd down from our forefathers. and we
believe it, that the Grea, Spirit when he Undertook
to make men, made the black man it was his first
attempt and pretty well for beginning but he
soon saw he had bungled; g, he determined to try
his hand again. He did 50, and male the rcI man.
He Fixed him much better than the black man, but
still he was no, exactly what he wanted. Then
be tried once more, and made the white man; and
then he was satisfied. You see. therefore, that you
were made last, and that is the reason l call you
my youngest BROTHER
"When the Grea, Spiri, had made the three men
he called them together and showed them three
boxes The first was filled with books. and maps,
and pspers; the second with bows aid arrows.
knives and tom,hswks; 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 according to your fancy
"The white min, being he favorte, had the first
choice He passed nv the kox Of working tools
without notice hut when he came 10 The weapons
for war and hunting he stopped and looked hard
at them. + be red msn ,rem'ed. for he had set his
heart upon that box. The white man, however,
after looking upon it for moment, passed OH, and
choose the box of books and papers. The red mans
turn came next and you may lie sure he seized
with joy upon the bows and arrows, and ,oma-
hawks. As 10 the black man, he had no choice
left, bu, to put up with The box Of tools.
/" From this il s clear that the Great Spirit in
tended that the white man should learn to read and
write; l., unders and all about the moon and stars
and to make every thing, even rum nd whiskey
That the red man should he first rate hunter and
a Mighty warrior hut he was not to learn anything
from hooks, as The Gren, spir, had not given him
any: he TO make rum and whiskey, lest be
should kill himself with drinking. As to the tlack
man, he had nothing but working tools. II wss
clear he was 10 work for the white and red man.
which he has continued to do.
ave must go according TO the wishes Of the
Great Spirit, shall get into trouble. To know
how TO read and write, is very good for white men,
but very bad for red men. II makes white men
better, bnt red men worse some of the Greeks and
Cberkees learnt to read and write and they the
greatest rascals among all the Indians. They went
on to Washington, aud said they we've going to see
their Great Father TO talk about the good Of the
ton. And when they got there, they all wrote
upon little piece Of paper, without the nation at
home knowing anything about it 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 psper, which he tod
them was treaty, which their brethren had made
in their name, with their Great Father at Washing
ton. And as they know not what treaty was. he
held up the little piece Of paper, and they looked
under it, and 10! il covered great extent Of coun
try, and hey found that heh brethren, by knowing
how 10 read and write, had sold their houses, ans
their lands, and the graves of their father. and
that the white man, by knowing how To ,ead On.
write, had gained Them Ten our Gses, Father a
Washington, therefore, that we are very sorry w,
cannot receive teachers among US for reading and
writing, though very good for white men, is ver,
bad for Indians"
MUEDsRER CLusar.-Ferguson. who recentl,