The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-02

The last report Of Col MEDILL, the indie
! fatigable Commissioner Of Indian affairs
abounds in much useful information. Some
OF the facts stated are very gratifying some
are extraordinary We have been particu.
larly struck with the condition Of the Choc-
taw Indians, now nearly all located west Of
the Mississippi, They have eight large
boarding schools in their country, at which
males and females are taught They have
also set apart the interest upon certain mo-
MES invested in stocks of the United States
for the education of such of their youth a,
evince most aptitude for classical educa-
ton, Last summer FIVE Of their boys were
sent to Delaware College, under this plan
and in few months were found sufficiently
advanced ioradmission 10 the freshman class
where they have since maintained their
standing, manilesting mental capacity, IN
dusty, and sell-denying application, fully
equal to their associates.
Besides the boarlng-schools many neigh
horhood schools are established, which are
taught by natives in their own language
These schools are attended by adults and
children.
The Choctaws, as we learn from Coone
PIcHELIS, one Of their leading men, a half
breed of considerable information and intelli-
gence, are good larmers--better, indeed, than
some Of ther civilized neighbors in Missouri.
What will interest our readers the most, how
ever, is the fact that several thousand slaves
are held b. the Choctaws! Every success
ful farmer has his slaves This no doubt re-
-,,l,, E,sy,, +Lo II, I..l,,s
to all kinds Of labor, distinct from the battle
| field and the chase.
There is considerable production Of cot.
ton in the Choctaw nation. The increase
over the crop Of last year is over three hun
bred bales.
Their legislature OF general council is con.
Quoted upon strict parliamentary rules, ant
contains some powerful ntellects, They are
now discussing the propriety of altering the
punishment Of capital crimes-hanging j.
about to be instituted for shooting, as a
present directed by their criminal code.
The Choctaws, says Mr.. Rutherford, the
United States Agent, have a delighfu
country--good soil, and climate lavoraby
adopted the growing Of corn, cotton, wheat
&c.
A vigorous and apparently successful ei.
fort is making to elevate the Choctaw female.
| from the state Of interiority and degradation
| to which Indian women have been subjected
This effort is very general in its character
and the results are gratifying. The female.
are taught not only the branches Of a literary
but also OF social education. They are
compelled to speak English, taught to read
to write, to sew, to spin, to cook, &c.
One OF the agents writes The people
generally are waking up to the subject Of
education and generalimprovement Inthree
different places Saturday and Sabbath school.
have been commenced. The expense Of
these schools isrased by individual subscrip-
tons The whole number Of learners is be-
tween seventy and eighty The man o.
thirty or thirty -hve yeas, is seen sitting with
the little child Of seven or eight, learning tc
read their own language. Many Of this
people are determined to learn something
if they cannot learn the English, they vii
learn their own language The effects Of
these schools have SO far been good Their
minds have been turned of from their former
habits and customs, which have often pre-.
vented their making good crops Another
good effect j., these schools tend to instruct
and elevate the mind. From twenty years
close observation on the habits and manners
Of this people, ! can truly say that the ball
stick and the violin have done very little
towards eiviiizng Of Outstanding them
But, on the other hand, am happy to say
that schools and the preaching Of the gospel
Of Jesus Christ have done much. would
not deny this or any other people Of their
pastimes, but ! would recommend those which
would elevate them. The Choctaws have
this proberb now among themselves. 'We
begin to improve just in proportion as we
give heed to the preaching Of the gospel. /"
Another says: "The students were ex-
amined on the following studies: spelling,