The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-11-07
Usage NATION OF INDIANS.

Understanding that these Indians were
out on their fall hunt and that we should
not have an opportunity of seeing many
of them, and their principal village being
distant about forty miles from the Pc
towatomies we did not visit them, but had
an opportunity Of seeing few Of the tribe
and from good authority gathered the fol-
lowing account respecting them. This
tribe is located about one hundred miles
south of the Shawnee nation. bordering on
the State of Missouri. They once were
very numerous, but at this time number
only about five thousand, and are fast d.
minishing in consequence of their rowing
and Incorporate habits. They are more
like the wild Indians OF the Rocky Noun.
tans than any other tribe on the frontiers;
they are great hunters of buffaloes and
furs, and the fur traders depend more up
on them for buffalo robes and furs than
upon any other tribe of the southwestern
frontiers. This circumstance operates as
one of the principal causes of their small
advancement in civilization.
Much labor has been bestowed within
twenty years by the Presbyterian mission
aries from New York aud Boston 10 i'm,
prove their condition, but it was attended
with little success, owing, as it is said, to
the prejudices against the missionaries in
the minds ofthe Indians, arising from the
influence of the fur traders. This inau,
ence remains to the present day and there
appears to be no prospect OF Improvements
among them while this state OF things ex>
lists. The traders discourage them from
following agricultural pursuits, telling
them they do not want 10 buy corn or cat
tie, but buffalo skins and furs; thus
prompting them to keep up the chase
They also advise them not to have schools
or any religious instruction among them;
hence there are no schools or missionaries
among them at this time. We are inform
ed by apparently good authority, that the
Endian agents combine with the agents of
the Fur Company and control the manner
of paying out the annuities 10 the Indians,
by which the agents of the company are
enabled to monopolize the whole trade
with them. 1t is said, they first take all
the annuity money and deduct their charg-
es against the Indians, and for the balance
give to each man as many cents with
particular mark upon them as there were
dollars due them, promising to pay him as
many dollars in goods as he had cents
thus compelling the Indian TO purchase
all his goods of them at an. exhorbitant
price. There was recently large a.
mount of appropriation paid this tribe in
cattle, swine and agricultural implements.
The Indians not being acquainted with
the use ofthem, and having no one fur
nished 10 teach them, soon sold and gave
away all their plows, killed the cattle and
swine and the whole plan was frustrated.
The OSages are a stately race the men
are exceedingly large and tall, but the
women are short, and like the females of
the Winnebago tribe, appear detected -
They dress altogether like the wild In
dians.
After leaving the Usage nation, we trav-
eled south toward the Cherokees and Wis
tied on our way the united tribe of the
Seneca and Shawnee Indians. We lodg-
ed with one Jackson, half breed. In
the morning after our arrival, he sent for
some of the principal men to meet US at
his house; with whom we held coun>
Gil. We gave them such advice as in our
opinion was needful. They appeared
friendly and listened attenlvely to what
we had to say TO them, We spoke TO
.thom through Jackson, who Interpreted