Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-10-17
Fron, The B4aimore .4nericaA
AN INDIAN STATE.

n
The Cloctaws have elected oneot tfe'r
Chiefs as a Representative IN Congress-
His mare is PitohIin, He as sald 10 pe d
men Of intellect and OF commanding liliiu-
ence among his people, ,
The election of territorial Representa-
tive by the Choctaws is regarded as sep
towards the organization OF an lndPPeh,
dent government among the Choctaws ana
the neighboring tribes, with a view to uf0-
mate admission into the Union.
The accomplishment this design woAd
work an impertan, change in our lhalan
policy, and would tend to brlngcFout new
sort of relation between our government
and the red men et the west. lhe Ihoc-
taws are among the most civilized OF tHe
Indian tribes; they nave, to some consider
able extent, made themselves familiar with
agricultural pursuits and with ha"tS OF
settled MODE Of life, The want OF these
habits has hitherto been the great obstacle
in the way of bringing the Indian tr'hes ln~
TO friendly associations with us. Ihe gen
eral feeling of the American people has al
ways been well disposed towards the ad-
mission of the Indians to all the privileges
of our government and institutions; but the
traditions and habits Of their toreathefs,
and their attachment tohuntlng in prefer
ence to any occupatonoi regaIarlndusry,
have had too strong a bold upon these emu"
drenof the forest. No attempts to clvlIlze
them have yet had any complete success
The present movement, however, coming
from the Indians themselves, seems to pro-
mise well, A Representative OF the abort-
gnaI race sitting in the great coancu OF
| the white nan, d brother amongst brethren,
will constitute living bond OF consorla~
ton TO draw both races into friendly coai-
escence. And who, of all that shall aSSenr~
be in the capitol, will have a better right
to sit there than this son Of the soil!
The territory which Pitchlyn will repre-
sent in'Congress is said to contain SOME
eighty thousand Indian warriors. They
consist CT many tribes and fragments OF
/ tribes, most of them having once dweit on
this side of the Mississippi The lands
which they now hold are guaranteed to
them by the government OF the Unfted Il
States in consideration the Surrender by
| them of lands which they once occupied
! i'm the States. As meaSBre OF policy no
thing would be more advisable than friend
| IL union with these tribes, The frontier
would need no bayonets nor armed reg't~
| Iars as a defence against Indian aggres-
sionsf the policy were once found to be
practicable Of frpternizing theitribes as the
settlements of white men advanced to-
wards them. TheAbany Argus, referring
to this subject. stronglyHrges this policy
"It-seems to as" says that Journal, "that
the adm5eion Of the Indian State into oHl
Union, with q tuiIcommunity Of privileges
to them, as much as to the white citizens
Of our country, would tend to make them
fast friends, net from fear of ourarniy bui
from love and respect iorther y hita hreth
rem of the United States. Itstrlkes us tha
this is the true way TO turn the edge o
weapons that sagacious men fear may ye
I've used against our 'coUnttymen. Tht
North American Indian in character is no
hIe, and as all history shows, peculiarly
grateful and true te his friends. He hate
with the same warmth as he loves, Tht
mfrcncerof members elected by Indial
votcrs.1 residing at Washington, and parti
cipating in all the proceedings Of Congress
, and thus acting as the natural ana rrope
=. guardians of Indian interests, WoNld he I
constant source Of confidence To the tribes
in the Justice and proprety Of any Ieg;sla
70 zion which might tfiect them, Such PoIlt
t tcs,I and socid ties would be the best am
= mcstenauGngg nggUaranty ofpermanthtpeac
and friendship; and would be better than
sanding rmyof thousands of soldiers"