Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-12-04
THE INDIAN AND HIS HABITS.


One of the greatest impedinlcnis that always lies
r lho way 0C civilzins the red man OF oar distant
territory. be found in his great love or Nerinh
lion. mad ether paints. o. adorn has Pors'n ihe
indian naturally indOlenL and. has from gensfa-
ton 10 generation. lived a lfo of idleness N"ei.
quise oC The present day pays higher respect to ms
personal exterior than the most rowing Indian. ne
have his e0thrrs his rings. MS robes " sSins
Of every dye. his horse-'i he even has 10 seal /
onc--and. an many instances slaves 10 wah u;oi
him We al remember the imsasnsc collection ot |
Indian pieces OF nery. helds anj preserved scaips
As we'll as the many weap Of war and the dance.
that Mr. Btln had gathered al great expense and
labor among the Western tribes They all bespoke
tho habits the Indians in the strongest light; hence
they were viewed with much isteresi by Us. and
are - eagerly Inspected by crowds n Europe With
these habits ofpainIing, dressing. and hunting he.
fore our eyes. that. unless break up their
excessive affection for ,hen the Indian sannoi he
civilized.
About five years ago. we saw a dcputaiion Of In.
d'ans Ia This city. and waited them. at their
room. adjoining OF our hotels. Here we found
about twenty five or thirty IN company u was
about I / o'clock in The morning. aud not one Of
them seemed TO have been completely dressed. in
the Indian sonse of the ", rl Oae of them wa
employed in covering tho inside &c his hand with a
coat OF vsrmillon, and spreading il each Ofhis
fingers with great accuracy. Having completed
this part OF hs morning labor he applied the paint
and le on his person pretty fair imprint lie
then held up piece offs looking glass. aud, with
great care. commenced improving the paiat upon
his person We turned oother. and found them
an other stages OF progress, at their toilet We re-
member, on another occasion. 10 have young
Indian who carried with hun a snail looking alas
and whenever he addressed any complny would
immediately take glance al the mirror to SEQ how
he bore hun ELF beoFe the pals-lace gently
IL may he askec, where DO these Indiana get their
painisl We answer under the treaties that are made
with the different tribes IN every instance la rye
sJm of money Is TO be paid annually 20 them. and
this is laid out upon ear rings ankleis. bracelets
and beads of every hue. and other childish devices.
that the Indian heart doais upon with childish fod.
ness Indeed. they are bat children in mind, AMI
men and women in stature.
There is an impression that the Indians are ruin
ed exclusyelyhy whiskey. Ia is only occasionally
that they get at this Intoxicating fluid. The great
barrier 10 civilization is their love of foolish attire
that renders them wholly unfit for laior aud con
sumes 81 much oftheir time to reader them use
less members ia the community Of mankind In
she South. where the Indians have assumed our
dress. and have IN a great measure thrown away
their paints and beads. they are assuming a proper
station IN the country. They have fine cuiIon fields
lar ms Of excellent arpund. and mills aud other cum
forts Of civilization in abundance.
4 Il From all therefore, that We hrve gaiheted upon
the subject OF the Indian life. confident that
Shoy should have hut small sums of nrousy given to
tSp We ought to aid them an cultivaiiug the
soil aad IN lnnking Them like ourselves. an Iddus-
inons an1 pa lg,y people.
We Id ~ that many complain Of the manner in
which hEtTea,ies are made. and that tho Indians
do not receive enough for their good will of me soil
IL Is probable the error lies another direclion-
By paying them too much Of our money, we turn
them into "Idlc pensioners. who will not work as
long as the Government gives Them enough 10 hive
4 4. IL
decoraiions' Whatever may he said Of The treatise
Of the present day. they all fair Than those
of our early history.
There is one view ofihe Indian little that PERTAINS
Il II not Out OF the way hint in this article and
that is. that we have long since paid TO Indians
more than all The lads Of the United States were
worth the day that tahers hroHgh the aCss OF
civilization 10 this country and heforo the present
Indians became its rowing occupiers. II the IaAd
ne worth any thng.t Is because the fJui of the white
man has trod lis so and L is q question OF SOUND
Inprals how far bOund o. pay nui of our ma
tIono treasury millions upon millions for the Indian
We.would not, however. take possession without
paying them large sums in improving their soh-
We would make them all good farmers, and Keep
the remnant OF this people ms monument through
all future time Of our kindness towards them We
would break their paint pols. ang their beads into
tie lakes and rivers and creeks OfIhc land Of their
nativity; bat We would not 90 ii by force. but by
thc hlhi SOLICITATIONS OF CIVILIZATION. We would
bring Them. one 10y one into our Union. Instrnc-
lion shocid be general smong them-thc schOolmas-
ter, The farmer the blacksmith. and The teachers of
religion, should live in all their settlements We
would persuade them, 10y every species Of elo-
quence TO give up the blanket and take the dress
Of their while bTeIhen. We would have them we
with in The and the sciences aud gladly lis
ten 10 them IN the legislative halls We would
feel thrill Of delight pass through bosom could
VIC hear NUMBERS ofihe descendants of Logan speak
strains ofrici eoqusnee in national councils But
that may not happen in day; sill we think the
lime Is not far distant when the tribes ofthe North
west aud South. mingiing together. will jun IN the
great work Of civilization and stand. like ihe an6 zen,
Oae, firm upon The SOIL Of their birth With all the
culture Of The day around them. But the govern.
menl viii have 10 lead them ia the path 10 this
high destination They must have cultivated lands.
instead Of wide ranges Of hunting grounds They
must he gathered into compact bodies. and schoOled
into our working habits Tuey must have printing
presses every whero aiming then, afai thus turn
hcir EIInds from broils with balls voters at the
ballot box Il said the Indians preserve the scalps
taken IN battle. evidence Of their deeds Of val
or, rs they have no press 10 record their achieve
menis. We would give Them types 10 tell their
story, instead Of relying upon The preservation Of
The bloody pledge Of their warilko cEploiis.-Aner.
Sen.