The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-31

ulClSy W IlC WIltLC llCl "hCA Why AiN
came across the great waters and wer
. weak and could but just get up the bank
The Indian was then like the trees, erec
and strong; the white man like the grass
easily bent and waving with the vino
The white man came to the Indian fou
times with his hat under his arm, ant
; asked the Indian to have mercy on him
for he was poor and needy. White maj
say. when Indian is poor and needy HI
would have mercy on him as long as gras:
grows and water run Indian then lie
him come on the land and live; he now
wanted white man to remember his prom.
Use and have mercy on the Indian, for he
was poor and needy; and not remove him
any further.
Having completed our visit 10 the In
dams in this section of the country, we
took leave ofour kind friends at the Shaw
nee school on the tenth of Eleventh month,
and proceeded on our way about forty
miles in a southwest direction 10 the sub
agency of A. l.. Davis in order to visit
the several tribes in that vicinity. W. ar
rived there in the evening Of the same day
and made known our business to The sub.
agent. He kindly entertained US and Of
fered 10 lend all the nece ssary aid in col.
Letting the Indians, and also TO furnish US
| with such information as he possessed re-
speeding their state and condition. The
day following there was an unusual fall
! of snow for the season, in consequence of
which but few if the Indians came to the
council ; yet some of the principal men of
nearly all these remnants OF tribes were
present. The names of the several tribes
are Weas, P~eankshaws, Kaskaskias, Pc.
orias, Olewas, and Chippewas, number.
ing in all about five hundred and fifty
These Indians are making little improve
ment in agriculture or otherwise yet
most OF them raise some corn and vegeta.
bles, and keep ONE horses, cattle, hogs,
and fowls. They are but poorly prepar.
ed for carrying on farming, having no
plows, wagons or tools Of any kind, which
is cause of much Encouragement to them.
With the exception of a few instances, they
have made but little advancement in civil.
ization. Some OF them live in poor log
houses and some in wigwams. They
generally wear the blanket, and in most
respects dress like the wild Indians. They
are much given to idleness, vice and dis
sipation there is no school in any of
these tribes. There is one missionary a.
mong the Peorias, but none in any oflhe
others. Like many other tribes, they are
fast wasting away. Some of them are pro-
tessors of christianity, but much the Iarg>
er part of them still adhere to their old
traditions.
They complain of having made a bad
treaty with the General Government, and
are solicitous of further assistance from
that source, and say, that if their great ia.
Their, would send out some good white
men to instruct and advise them, they
would endeavor to improve from it. We
encouraged them to break off from their
old habits of dissipation and Incidence, and
to become a sober and agricultural people;
holding out 10 them the advantages that
would result from such a change. They
manifested much interest 10 what was said
to them. saying they believed it all to be
true, and hoped they might follow our ad.
vice. They promised tina. they would tell
their absent brothers what had been said
to them, and advise them to mind it. They
were pleased that we came so far to see
them, and parted with US in a friendly
manner.
After collecting the foregoing account
respecting these small tribes, we left for
for the Potowa,omie nation, situated on
Creek, about sixty miles
from the Shawnee school, and eighteen
miles from A. l.. Davis agency. We
arrived at the house of a man named Sim.
merwelI, a smith employed by the Gener-
al Government in repairing the Indian
guns, &c. The day being too far spent
for a council with them that evening, we
it most advisable TO have notice
given for a meeting with them in the
morning. The smith has been for many
years engaged among the Indians in re-
their guns and otherwise assisting
them; we believed him sincerely devoted
to their welfare. He lamenlet their de,
plorable condition; and, from his own per.
sonal knowledge of the facts, attributed
most OF their misery TO the %avarice aud
wickedness ofthe traders and other COR
white men, who, ever since his ac-
quaintance, have been proving about
them, like the beast for his prey. Agree
TO our previous appointment, we met
a number o flhe chiefs and head men of the
nation, at the house of the blacksmith.
endeavoTed TO impress upon their
the importance of a change in all
heir habits and modes of living, and to a.
dept the manners and habits of good white
men. They listened a%ttentively to what
was communicated to them, and expressed
heir gratitude toward the society of
Friends that they had thought so much OF
hem as 10 send nersnnS So far 10 lnnk intn