Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-03-01


the timc for which they to be subsIsted has
expired, they will be in a sta.e of starvason.-
Artfu dcmagogues will not bo wanting to persuade
them that all their troubles are owing to those who
sold their former homes. Whl. moro is wanting
10 produce Disturbances as Serious rs those which
have so long distracted ihr Cherokee nation
have enlarged upon laGs trpl", in Ia. hope that
measures might be taken by the department, before
it is too late to evils appr ~ irl. l. n portion OF
the proceeds OF th" r"a''rvHt,.n< rnr'l be saved
sufficient 10 secure for the reservoirs an aunuI
income equal, IN pro- ortlon /" the annur!lc> drawn
by the western Choctaws. al cause Of lI,.li uny
would bo removed. An application to that effect
was made by the chiefs of the latter p"oP,, and
forwarded through this olti.e in February last;
but it has never been answered.
1t is already known 10 YOU that the Choctaws
| have adopted written constitution and laws. aud
a regular form of government; and il was stated III
my last annual report that they had changed the
organization of their legislative body, by dividing
1t INTO TWO branchos-a senate and a house OF rep
rcscntavcs. The cause Of this change did not
mention at the time. but it is worthy Of notice.
The nation is divided into three districts. one of
which contains more than hail the entire population.
Experience satisfied them that the interests of the
two smaller were likely to sutiGr in the general
larger one. To remedy. thcr-f fore. an actual prac
t cal inconvenience, n new body was organized.
omewhat resembling the Congress of the United
States in its structure What chiefly remal kablc
in this, i the fact that the ST populous strict.
which could have prevented the change. had tho
wisdom to forcsco the bad consequences that might
\rcSut from resistance, by arOusIng local AID he.
rdltlry preJudces.
Other indications of improvement are not less
sirINng. At the annuity payments may be seen
fu!i-bholcd luinls IN the famcllul dress o! their
tribe, cItlcr captains. calling to the pny-tabIeS
persons ciFolcd under them from registers IN their
own haEd. writing. as traders, referring to their
leSerS or metlorandum books in settlements with
debtors or CREDITORS. Different tradlng stands
exhibit large quantities of cloths manufactured by
Choc'aw women and moro than half the Indians
| present clothed in fabrics made in their own
families. Before any part OF tho annult"s are
paid, enough is taken from them to support, during
tho spring months. for farming purposes. eleven
blacksmith shors over and above those furnished
other purposes of public chlrCter. Ihc dISpO-
stion Of these sums is managed by the auditor
and treasurer of each district. under the direction
Of the general council. to which they arc Obliged
10 render n strict account.
The Chickasaw emigration may be said to have
been completed on the arrival of the p1rtIrs that
came with Benjamin and Henry Love last spring.
A large portion of this tribe is settled in what
is called the Chicknsaw district, the woStcrnmost
par, Of the Choctaw country. This region was
formerly exposed to tho attacks of the Wild lnil-
ans of the prarcs, and 10 the doprcdatlons o wan
dcring parties Of Shawnocs, DcIawarcs. hIckaPoos.
and other northern tribes. The establishment of
For, Washita. in central part OF the district, has
proved an etfcctual safeguard. and It is becoming
rapidly settled The improvements, so far, have
been made chiefly by haIf-brecds. and by whites
married to Indian women. Some of the mixed
bIoods arc Intelligent. well educated men. Many
of them are wealthy. They raise large crops OF
cotton. aud generally do all in t'cir Iowcr to i'm
prove the country. As a people. the ChlckaSaws
hayo mado decidedly less progress than ia" Choc.
laws. They may. rs race, be less inclined by
nature 10 improve; but the ot their b1ckward-
ness may b. principally attributed to the large
sums of money they received for reservations sold
prior TO their emigration, from the evil effects OF
which they have not yet recovered. SImIiarcaus-
cs may again operate to their disadvantages lhiS
fall. for tho first tImc since their emigration, they
will receive an annuity. The amount to be PaId
them. $50 000,) though not more than they aciu-
ally want at this time. is much more than they
ought to receive IN that way at idurc paNlHetS'--
| Their entire NUMBERED rs not exceed 1900. hr.
ty thousand dollars. or about seven dollars each.
would be quite enough to divide among tt'''' ar
nuaIiv. Tine Chociaw annuity wlIt this year
amount to Bu, two dollar, por head: last year it
was three dollars; and 1t has never been more than
four dollars each. The ChckHsaws are behind
the Choctaws in agricultural knowledge. and are
not so Industrious. They perhaps require large
annuity; but 81 each would be quite large enough
II they continue to receive SD, which will be
the share of each this year, there is an end TO all
hope of their Improvement, To view the case IN
its NEST favorable light, look at the working of the
system on some head of family, for instance. who
las sense and prudence enough TO resist the al
| uremcnis OF the traders, or, more property, the
strong inclination of the Indian 10 spend all he has
Suppose, that he draws so for himself, hIs w'io,
and three children. This would enable him and
his family to live without work until the next pay
,nent. Now, if inclined, under other circnnstan
ces, to be industrious, tho very fact that he need
no, labor would be sure TO destroy his cncrGl"S.-
To remain Idle and worthless, would be all that
could be expected from him. The great maJorty