Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1845-11-01
An INDIAN STATE.

AN INDIAN STATE.
4 few weeks since we announced the fact
,ha, the Choctaw Indians upon our SCUM
western border were DESTROYS that TERRITORIAL
government. should be extended over them by
the United Statee, and that they had already
elected Py.chlyn, one Of their chiefs, a dele
gate 10 Congress. We are informed that tine
delegate cleo. will, upon the assembling OF
Congress, present himself before tina! body
ask that the usual Territorial laws may De
extended over his people-and. il the request
Of the Indians be granted. take his seat as
delegate 10 the House of Representatives,
Judging Of public opinion from the tone OF the
press upon the subject, we suppose there IS
no doubt but the Chociaw nation will be or
eanized into Territory Of the United States,
and, during the mex, session Of Congress, an
Indian delegate will sit in the great council
hall of the pale faces. Old enmities will be
forgot,en-.he ,omahawk will be buried for
eyer-.he calumet will be smoked in token of
eternal peace and friendsbip-and the great
republican coufederacy will embrace the red
man and the white, and make their aims, their
interests and their aspirations one.
The Choctaws are certainly we'll worthy OF
this sacred fellowship. However much in
,ercourse with the whites may have been dis
advantageous 10 other tribes, and proved to
them a sure source of wasting and desoIation,
i, has not been without its civilizing, refining,
and elevating influence upon the Choctaws.-
BY them the sports Of the chase have been
forgotten, and its precarious means OF subslst'
ence have been exchanged for assiduous cult
WALTON Of the soil. Agriculture, in all it's va
,ious branches, has been brought to perfec-
ton by them which might shame the farmers
Of the eastern and older States. Churches
and school houses, and f1ourishing villages,
are found among them-the decencies and re-
hnements Of civilized life, attended with but
few Of its usual vices, have raised these In
dams from barbarism to civilization, and made
them in every respect qualified to appreciate
and enjoy the blessings of cur republican gov
eminent. Their delegate elect is SAID TO be
half.breed Of superior intelligence. His mind
has been well disciplined by superior educa-
iion-he is man Of fine address, commanding
personal appearance, and polished Manners
has spent several winters at Washington, and
10 said TO be amply qualified TO Gil the station
10 which he has been elected.
For this happy change in their temporal
condition, and the blessings which may here
after flow from it. the Choctaws are mainly
indebted 10 the labors Of humble and pous
missionaries. We are not aware that the
General Government has done any more for
them than for the other Indian tribes. II may
be true that the habits Of the Choctaws were
originally less rowing, predatory and warlike,
and this may have placed them more within
the reach and influence Of active philanlhropic
efforts, but it remains equally true that the
past policy Of our government towards the In
dams has not been calculated 10 elevate them
in the scale Of existence, and inform and
cnris'anize their condition. All aspirations
fer higher and better life have been smother.
exer.ion have been withheld from ,hem-,he
profigate trader in "hre.wa.er" has been al.
lowed perfect freedom to spread among them
the quickly maturing seeds Of misery, desola-
ton and death-,hey have been driven and
scattered before the advancing footsteps of The
white man like forest leaves before the autumn
frcs.s-they have been allowed neither oppcr-
tunity nor means Of improvement. And ii.
now that there hardly remains within our Dor.
ders another place to which the red man can
be driven, our government is willing to radi.
cally change lis policy. incorporate the Indi.
ans into our body polite, make them partici.
pants in the blessings Of our institutions as
fast as sound policy and humanity shall die
tate, and endeavor to civiIze and elevate, in
stead Of barbarizing and depressing them,
such change will be hailed as an augury OF
much future good TO the Indians by every true
phlan.hropist and lover of liberty. And in
this way only can our government carry out
lie true mission TO mankind which mission
10 to elevate and bless the white man and the
red, and all the nations Of the earth.
THIS Rock ISLAND MuRDrRERs Jury
in the case Of the Readings father and SON
did not agree, eleven being for conviction and
one against. Baxter--who was the frequent
recipient Of favors from Col. Davenport, and
who gave Information to the gang as to how
they should enter the house, and where the
money was generally kep,-has been sen,enc.
ed TO be hung on the 18th Of this month";