New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-02-12

Ork.
Now that the Red Race have well nigh melted
from onr sight reentings and regret arse that 'hey
had not been more priced, at least as an OBJECT OF
study With the primitive features OF the land
scape this primitive aspect of human nature was IN
dis9olubly united; before the advance OF the white
settler both vanish, almost with the rapidity of
thought. and soon will be but memory, yet we
should wish that memory to be faithful for there was
grandeur in that landscape and in the figures that
animated it, in itself poetic, 10 be misused as
theme or suggestion for mere fancy pictures
Mr.. Schoolcraft possesses unusual pretensions to
this rare merit of fidelity. His long and intimate
connexon with the race, and the knowledge pos
sessed by his wife and her family of the people from
whom they were descended on the mothers side,
combined with power OF examinins materials from
the European point OF view, have brought into his
possession large stock Of valuable and well-pre-
pared materials We hope the public will, by
ready sympathy, encourage hun to devote himself
10 arranging them all Tor general use.
Mr. Schoolcraft gives the following account of the
preiudices which he shares with most of our peo-
ple, the hatred Of the njurer for the injured
"My earliest impressions of the Indian race were
drawn from freside relcarsas of incidents which
had happened during the perlIous times OF the Ame-
rcan Revolution, in which my fatherwas Jealous
actor, and were Ill nseparably connected with the
fearful ideas OF the Indian yell, the tomahawk, the
scaping knife and the tife-brand. In these recitas
the Indian was depicted as the very impersonatlon
Of eW--a sort of wild demon, who delighted in
thing so much as blood and murder. Whether lie
had mind, was governed by any reasons, or even
had any soul, nobody inquired, and nobody cared
1t was always represented as merltonou: act in
old Revolutionary "reminiscences, TO have killed one
of them III the border wars, and thus aided in rid
ding the land OF cruel and race, in whom
all feelings OF pity, justice, and mercy were sup
sustained by printed narratives OF captivity and hair
breadth escapes of men and women from their
clutches, which, from time 10 time, fell into my
hands, so that, long before | was ten years old,
had most definite and terrific idea impressed on
my Imagination Of what was sometimes called in
my native precincts the bow and arrow race"
Although he knew in his native precincts few
Indians, whose gentle and peaceable conduct, when
undisturbed BY aggression, might have dispeled
such prejudices he says lheydid not yield till he saw
the Red man in large masses, in their own place,
and their own life. After such acquaintance he
SAYS
"The Indians, viewed as distinct branch of the
human race, have some peculiar traits and nstltu-
tons from which Sthelr history and charactermay
be advantageously studied. They hold some opln-
ions. which are not easily discovered by stranger
or foreigner, hut which yet exert poweHul nttu-
ence on their life and conduct. There Is n subtle
" in some OF their modes OF thought and belief, on
life and the existence OF spiritual and creative power,
which would seem TO have been eliminated from
some intellectual crucible, without the limits of
their present sphere Yet, there is much relative
10 ali the common concerns OF HE, which Is pecu-
liar 10 it, The author has witnessed many practices
and ohseryances, such as travellers have often no.
tced but like others, attributed them 10 accident,
or some cause different from the true one. BY de-
erees he has been admitted into their opinions and,
Il may call il, the philosophy OF their minds;
and the lite of an Indian no longer appears TO hima
mystery
The following extract gives fair notion of the
degree Of liberaity and discemmen' TO be expected
from this observer:
"Bocks. and the readers Of books have done
much 10 bewilder and perpeX the study OF the
Indian character. Fewer theories and more OBJ
servaton, less fancy and more fact might have
brought 10 much more correct opinions than
those which now current The Indian is,
after all, believed TO be q man, much more fully
under the influence OF common sense notions, and
obvious everyday motives OF thought and action,
hone and fear than he passes for. If he does not
come 10 the same conclusions, On passing questions,
as we do, II is precisely because lie sees the pre-
misses, under widely different circumstances The
admitted errors OF barbarism and the admitted
truths of civilization, are very different codes
He is in want of almost every source of true
knowledge and opinion, which we possess. He
has very imperfect notions on many OF those
branches of Knowledge in what we suppose him
best informed He Is totally in the dark as 10
others His vague and vas, md dreamy notions
Of the Great Author OF Existence, and the mode
Of his manifestations. 10 the llanan race, and the
wide and complicated system OF superstition and
lranscendentai dolatry which he has reared upon
this basis. place him, at once. with all his sympa-
hies and theories out of the great pale OF truth
and civilization. This is one OF the leading CIR
cumstances which prevents him from drawing his
conclusions as we draw 'then. Phced under
precisely similar circumstances, we shoRld perhaps
coincide in his opinion and judgments. But aside
from these erroneous views, and alter making Just
allowances for his ignorance and moral depression,
the lndian is man Of plain common sense juds.
meni, acting iroDl what lie knows, and sees, and
feels of objects immediately before him, or papa-
| tie 10 his view. II he sometimes employs highly
fguratve style TO communicate his thoughts, and
even stoops, as 1soic know lie does TO aniuse
his freside circle with tales of eXtravagant and
often wild demonic fancy. he is very far from be-
4 ing a man who. Ia his affairs of lands, and mer-
| chandse, and business, exchanges the sober
| thoughts of self preservation and subsistence, Tor
he airy conceptions ct iascy -, The ties OF cen
sanguinity bind HIM strongly. The relation of the
family is deep and well traced amongst The widest
tribes, and this fac, alone forms basis for bring
ing him back TO all his original duties and "a
| nizing Indian soe,ety The author has, at least,
been thrown into scenes and positions, IN which
4
and he believes the facts are of Il character which
will interest the reader, and may be OF some use
10 The people themselves, so far affects The be-
aeyolent plans of the age, il they do not consti,
mie an increment in the body OF observationa
testimony, of practical nature, ffom which the
Character OF the race is to be Judged"
MIR. Schoolctatt says, "The old idea that the In
dan mind is not susceptible of high, or an advan-
ssseous cultivation, rests upon very questionable
ss,a." He nigh, have added, that the experiment,
ass never been tried. For ourselves, brought up,
Ike o,,ers, in the vulgar notion that the indian Oh
anately refused &c be civilized, and long ignorant
hat the white man had no desire 10 make the red
esner of the land his fellow citizen,here, bm to in.
'saca,e, plunder, and then destroy or exile him.
Sehave been amazed, on looking into such ex.
fermen,s as have been made, at the degree Of sue
Cess that has attended them. In every instance
Were any fidelity was shown to the duty of recon
Gilny t,Do cos onnocad ~ opa apotb,r ~ .,.x.