Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-05-17
For tho Palladium.
FRIENDS SHAWNEE scmooL, ,


that is ninety nine Indians too long In speak
in. OF a recent engagement between the Kansas
and Pawnee Indians. stated that one Kansas
and eight Pawness were killed, but the printer
has j. ''ome hundred and eight Pawnees." was
u little chsgrined at the mistake, as am anxious
not to deserre the title of yarn teller
But there is a subject Of more importance
which wish TO notice in the present communl
cation, and which have too long neglected.
An article appeared ia tile Palladium of the 9th
Of / ii, month last, taken from the Cincinnati
CONNIE re a, in which it is stated that consider
able mortality has prevailed among the Indians
who within the past few years have remove 6
TO the borders of Missouri and arkansas: and
thatihey are represented TO be thoughtless set
and fast dlsper rising under the influence of c:viii
zation and uhiskey, and that the immediate cause
Of the unusual mortality is supposed TO be the
great drought that prevailed throughout that
country Now. it is my purpose on the presen Mt
ccasi on 10 show that some Of these state me is
are not strictly correct, though / must confess
that be ieye the re is too much truth in IT. but
10 me they bear their face evidence of Il
less ind fe renee about the welfare Of the Indians.
or else Il design to msTcpre Mt the condition of
this much injured and much neglected people,
the refore have thou ght a fe remarks on their
presen mt condition and future prospects might not
be altogether undressing to your readers.
And first, in regard TO III. unusual nortali,ys o.
ken Of, cannot learn that tho past year has
been remarkable for any unusual mortality in
any part of the territory. have frequent OPP
portunitics Of hearing from nearly all parts, and
from what can learn am inclined to think that
fI,cv hsen his
among the Indians in other years. 1t is true
that those small bands Of the Six Nations who
emisrated TO the west within the last two years
have rapidly dmini shed, doubt in conse-
qucnce of SO great change Of latitude and eli
mate, and it is generally conceded by ihose who
have a right TO know that almost all Of the
tribes are decreasing IN numbers; but that this
diminu,ion has bee greater the past year than
usual, believe. is IA suPposition not well foun-
ded. There has been the greatest droug,; per-
haps known in the country, but | would
/ think that this would be in the Indians favor
Their than otherwise, las they much exposed
! to the weather and take but little Of them
selves. believe there has been more sick ness
among the whites along the frontiers than among
! the Indians.
In regard to the statement that they are
thoughtlcss set it must be confessed that to ma
ny of them this state mt is strictly applicable;
but there are many honorable exceptions. In
most Of III. tribes, towards whom mission labor
has been extc nded there are many worthy indi-
viduals who are thoughtfully concerned, not
only about their own private welfare, but for the
right advancement of tho tribe to which they
belong, both pertains to things temporal and
spiritual.
But the charge 'that they fast dispensing
under the influence Of civilization and whiskey'
carries With it more Of careless Ignorance than
Of the christian philanthropst. How the intlu-
ence Of civilization and whskey. should be rank
ed together by any one Of sober sense. is more
, than such an one as / divine. So far is this
statement fr III the truth, that these two .influ
ences directly opposed to each other. In
deed the only hope that the red man may be
saved alive is in the influence of civilization.
combined with that of the christian religion.
There are three great evils with which the mis-
aionary laborer has to intend, and which
fast leading these unhappy sons of the forest in
the downward road to ruin. The first of these
is the enormous sin Of intemperance. which lies
at the door Of the white man, for Intoxicating
liquors are not allowed to be introduced into the
Indian territory under any plea whatever, except
as medicine; consequently that odious class of
white men, the whiskey sellers, stationed
along the line Of the territory in numbers untold.
l need only instance the town Of Westport to
give idea of the horrors that perpctrated
along the borders Of this territory. Westport is
some what less in size than your neighbor, New
port. and yet the not less than six places in
it at which man may get drunk, two of these
were erected during last summer. and each has
ten pin alley connected with it-they in
deed the verest doggeries i'll creation. The
that may daily be witnessed in this small
town, are enough to sicken any heart not made
Of stone.
The second great evil that is here spreading
death and dismay in its path. is lasciv iousness
which, is practised among the Indians, by worth
less class of whte men to an awful extent, and
is followed in train by all its attendant evils. 1t
has been well observed, by an eminent divine,
that no individual attain to refinement
whilst in the indul gence Of his animal passions
and know OF no one evil that tends more to re-
tard tho civilization Of tho Indian, than the evil
speak Of. At present we hope that some check
mpy be put npon this Ioathsomc evil, inasmuch
as the individual who has been prince in Iewd-
ness, is now under arrest for some msdemcano.,
aud there is some probability that he may be
moved to corner.
The third and last evil which I shall notice, is
the pernicious influence which traders exert over
the minds Of the Indians. These men obtain
their money by taking advantage of the red peo-
pies ignorance, consequently the more they are
kept in ignorance tho better for their purpose,
and like Diana's craftsmen, they ready
to cry out against anyt thing that might put their
craft in danger. They are constantly endeavor-
ing to persuade the Indians that they better
off without education. and they contrve to ea-
ert powerful influence. over their minds.
Against all these evils, combined with the /
tive prejudices of the 'untutored Indian, does !
the Missionary have to contend Therefore it is
no marvel that the work Of civilization moves /
~lo lr