Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-01

cations and sufer,ngs, peace and IN war, oy "h'c
the forest acquired and reclaimed, ano many suo
dued During many years this ttgon had It's iu snaf
of troubles. The line Of your canal was bloody wa
nath which has seen many deed OF horror ahd 'hi
neacefu town has had ITS Moloch, and the RECORDS
hnman depavity furnish more ttrfioie examples
cruelty than were offered at MS Shrine. ne hiah
indians our predecessors IN the occupation OF ms os
tr,ct had terrible institutions, whose origin and Cd
iec,s have been lost in the darkness oil aboriginal his
tory but which was continued to late perioo, an'
whose orgies were held upon the very spot whete W.
now are II was called the man eating society, and .
, tho duty of us associates TO eat such prisoners
o,s preserved and delivered to them for that purpose
The members Of this society belonged to particular
family and the dreadful inheritance descended 10 al
the children male and female. The duties II imposed
could not be avoided and the sanctions ct religion
added TO the obligations Of immemorial usage. Inc
feast was q solemn ceremony, at winch the who're
was collected, actors or spectators. ne , c.
victim was bou nd stake, and burned al sow n
with all the refnemens OF cfuei'y WIZ Nv. " -,
nni;v could invent There was uac'l'ona'y f',ua''
h,oh ,esna,ed with revolving precision me whore
oor,se Of procedure at these ceremonies Laue'y'
tho similarity and obligations OF the institution ao oe
cl;ned and presume IT has now wholly disappeared
RI, I have seen and conversed with the heac OF the
-, rho cb,af az the society," whose name was White
Sk,n.wi,h what feelings of disgust need not At
tempt to describe. ,,, ,o ,os NO
we'll knew an intelligent Canadian VINO was pre-
on, =, one of the last sacrifices made 10 TINS horrible
tured in Kentucky, towards the close of our Revolu
,;onarv War Here, where we are now assembled, IN
peace and security celebrating the triumph OF art ano
Industry within the memory OF the present genera.
tion our countrymen have been thus tortured, ano
murdered and devoured But, thank God, that Coun
eli FIRE is extnpulshed The impious feast is over
The War dance is ended, the War song IS sung, the
War drum silent, and the Indian has oePafteo' 10
find hope N the dlstan, Vest, comiof'ao'e ies'-
dence and hope, also, to nnd unoet 'ne peoec'io''
.Aar ihn nnu
,od,cal change in his institutions, and general I'M
nroyem.nt IN his morals and condition. feeble rem
p,,t Of the once powerful tribe, which formerly won
their way 10 the dominion Of this region by blood and
by blood maintained Il, have to-day appeared among
ms like passing shadows, fitting around the places
that know them no more Their resurrection, 1t !
NAV so speak, is not the least Impressive spectacle
which marks the progress of this imposing ceremony
They are the broken column, which connects Us Win
the past The edfce runs, and ihe giant Vege-
tatnn which covered and protected It, lies as low as
the once mighty structure which was shielded IN ITS
recesses They have come TO witness the hrst great
act of pace in frontier history, as their pre-
sence here is last their The ceremonies upon
which YOU heretofore gazed with interest, Will never
AGAIN be seen BY the white IN this seat OF their tor
mer mower But thanks TO ascenda6cy, these re-
presentations are but pageant. But theatrical eI
bb,tion. which, with babarous motions, and sounds,
md contortions show how their ancestors conquered
their enemies and how they glutsed their revenge IN
ODDS
row they will commence their journey towards the set
ting SUM- where their fathers, agreeaoy to their rude
faith have preceded them, and where the red man Will
find rest and safety
In coming 10 this place, passed along the canal, and
marked with delight the beautiful river, upon whose
bank constructed and the charming country which
il gives new life and value. was orcibly struck with
the contrast between this journey and former one
Nature has been prodga of her iavors TO The valley CT
the Maumee. can never forget the hrst time 1t mel
my eye II at the commencement OF the late war,
when the troops destined for the defence OF Detroit,
had passed through the forest from Urbana to the Rap
ids The had been wet and much OF tn country
was low, and the whole of It unbroken BY single
settlement, and we had cut our road and transported
provisions and baggage with great labor and dti-
Guilty We hartily tired OF the march, and were
longing for its termination, when attained the brow
of the table land through which the Maumee has made
passage for itself and fertile region tor those who
have the good fortune 10 occupy IT, Like the mariner,
we felt we had reached port, like The wanderer, a
home have visited The three other quarters OF he
globe, and passed over many lands and seas. But my
memory still, cIlngs the prospect winch burst upon
in bright day in June from the valley Of the Manmee
To the river, winding away beyond our view, 10 the
Rapids presenting every form Of Tie most picturesque
Objects the banks clothed with deep verdue, and 10
the rich bottoms deDuded with TIMBER as though in
yiting the labor and enterprise OF the settler In sub
sequent Journey led By official duty, assembled the
river in a bircn canoe. There is something romantic
associated with that mode of conveyance, but IT
pals upon the traveller. During many weary mile
and hour have been borne by this aboriginal SIX fl,
over the lakes and rivers Of the Northwest, and
carried through dense forests and wild porages
and then ioaed upon some little stream which gradual.
ly sweled By successive tributaries, became large
river 1t was thus passed from lake Superior 10 In.
Mississippi, launching my ra bark upon mere rivu!e,
and descending, days before the peculiar char
acterscs of the stream announced, tina, upon
bef hrh In n in fhp
North TO the tropical seas
But have found the canal boat more comfortable
than the bark canoe and this change is
not the least improvement which has accompanied the
march of The white man Your valley was then thin
ly occupied. The settlements sparsely scattered
over it The pioneers were moving on, but their task
was hard one 1t met, however, with an ener.
gy, which deserved the success 1t gained. Aad it's
fruits greet The travellers all those evidences
Of fertile country, and prosperous people, which
meet him, wherever he moves from Ohio 10 Lake
Erie.
Here where your canal prepares leave the basin os
the Lakes for that Of the Mississippi, left the
with my birch canoe, and placing upon wagon, 1t
transported Little where my faithful roy
aeeurs - embarked IN II, aud joined at the White
Raccoons village, to which rode, and where passnd
the night. My friend, the Raccnon, treated us with
great hospitality but he little too hospliabe to
himself and his kindred. He produced his keg Of fire
water 10 do honor the arrival of the Che mckee
main, OUT, was LOO Tree Ut o~H
feast. One of those scenes of ntoxica,ion followed,
which the bane and the attendant ct Indian
life, and retired to my blanket, leaving my host and
his friends at their orgies. In the morning, embark
ed upon the Wabash, and descended that river to ills
mouth, stopping occasionally to examine and admire
the beautiful country through which it fows, uusur
passed probably upon the face of the Globe. revert
to these incidents Of frontier life, to place holder
lief the change which has rescued this region frcn
the Indian and has crowned 1t with The precious work
Of civilization.
The two sister and contiguous States Of Ohio and
Indiana have projected and completed this great com.
munication. To enter into the statistics of its cost
or product would not be suited to the presen, occa
sion This is not day for figures but for results
know, and we all know, that great enterprise has
been accomplished, and we have come together 10
rejoice at it. We have come 10 feel and not to cal
cuate. stupendous undertaking has been brough,
TO a fortunate termnation amid many difficulties, and
by the energy and perseverance of the two States
the oldest Of which has just its fortieth anniver
sary. Another route has been opened, by which the
two great issues of Republic united together
giving to the fertile country along it choice OF
kes, and chance of better price and quicker sale