Arkansas intelligencer., 1844-01-27
To the Editors Of the arkansas Inteliigencer:


Gentlemen Since my last, ! have been at
" Running Water" where the annuity was paid
in Push-ma-ta haw District. The portion of the
nation comprising what called the kooncher,
nd Six Towns, and portions Of the II-a-pe-t tug a.
ZOOS. The former tho least, advanced and
most uncivized par, of the nation. They are
mostly full blooied, and retain many of their an
Gent customs and surersltions, but they are also
on tho " improve The latter have scattered
from their original town, in pursuit of better
ranges and lands. They are branch of the mos,
enlightened and enterprsing portion of the nation
and although they have settled in this district. al
most singly from their mother clan, their num-
bers have increased enough, with the aid of their
Intelligence and enterprise, to secure to them the
ascendency in the political affairs of the district.
The present worthy and very efficient Chief, Col.
Isaac Folsom, is one of that clan, who manages
the affairs Of the district with the patriotism and
fatherIy-caro that entities him to the appelation
of Patriarch.
This District was named in honor of the old
War Chief, Pushmataha, who was the well-tried
""u ''ouu'as' Tr'enu VI uru. JucNsuu uurin,, .i.-
tunes that we needed the friendly aid Of red al
lies. When Tecumseh made his famous visit to
the Southern tribes, with the wampum and painted
tomahawk, he met old PUSH at Il council in the
Creek nation. and proposed to him to Join in the
Red Mans league; old Push, in a most sou-stir-
rInGnnd eloquent Speech repoled his proposition,
ana told lecumseh to "return to his squaws with
his painted traps and medicines, that they were
not good for his people, who had ever been friens
to the whites.''
"A citizen travelling among the Choctaws is
struck forcibly by the evidences of civilization
that he witnesses, and feels a conviction that the
condition of tho Red Man is susceptible of BEING
eVevated TO the intellectual and social condition
that our ancestors never expected would be the
destiny Of their descendants. He sees them in
their schools, their churches, their tempe rance
societies, their industry and integrity, their love
OF peace and order. He secs them in their SIM
pie but admirably well regulated government, and
their respectful obedience to the laws of the land.
Under these circumstances, with their fine eli.
mate and extensive tracLof land, have not the
Choctaws happy and prosperous destiny in store?
They now own fine farms, and raise cotton, TO-
bacco, grain and stock. They own gins, mills.
and salt works. They are not only an agricuItu-
raj and stock raising people; they are mercantile
and observation-disclosures are among them native
merchants and mechanics; and if the authorities
continue to keep liquor, that fell destroyer of the
red man, out Of the nation, as they have done for
the past two years, the nation will soon be with,
If not the foremost tribe of red people.
find Red river navigable at this ront for res.
pectable sizo steamboats, since my arrival in this
country, the steamers Frontier, Miami and Bca-
yer have been at the DoaksviiIe landing, laden
with military provisions, and goods for the mcr-
chants at this place. The Frontier and Beaver
have departed for New Orleans, each with the
cotton raised in this region. The Miami has gone
higher up the river on exploring expedition, il
is supposed, how far up am unable to say, as she
has not been heard of since she left. This com.
mun'ty look for her return with great antic,pa.
lions, as she has gone up to the :. gold region, !"
and may return with load of the ssprecious mel
tai" have met over here some strange Peaple,
occasionally some clever Feilocs, and Moss will
never grow under the saddle up N which certain
Bosting gentleman rode over the Ozark noun
tains. 7.a
Fort Towson is about a mile from here and is
ono OF the handsomost Fortsupon our Indian from.
tier. II is somewhat decayed, but is undergoing