The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-10-01

ward, to Nicaragua. But the traditions
OF the people themselves indicate that the
recital Of Torquemada is nearest the truth.
1t seems, therefore, that this colony, like
that of the Mormons in the Valley of the
Salt Lake, and that of the Jews in Pales-
tine, was founded by general migration,
undertaken in consequence of persecu-
tions, through the midst of intervening
nations-an armed migration, giving war
to the weak and the hostile, and negotia-
ting with the friendly. 1t is curious and
important to know of an authentic instance
where migrations of this kind have taken
place on this continent, in estimating the
possible as well as the probable relation
ship which may exist between its various
families.
That similar separations and migrations
have taken place in the night of American
history seems undoubted but at periods
SO remote, that the of-sEoots have lost their
original features, or have retained them
in modified and obscured form, painful
to the investigator, because suggestive of
relations which it is impossible clearly to
establish. We have remarkable exam
pie in the Natchcz, small tribe on the
Mississippi river, whose institutions. civ
il and religious, manners, habits, and Gus
toms, approximated closely to the Peru
vians-more closely in fact than to any
other nation Of the continent. Enigmati-
cal fragments like these, scattered over
both the Northern and Southern hemis-
phcrcs, bctokcn u high antiquity for the
American race.
The causes which led TO these separa-
tions, and the motives which impclled ma
tions to divisions and migrations, must
probably remain forever unknown-ex-
cept SO far as they may be inferred from
the recorded history of the old world
For, after all, man, Of whatever race or
whatever situation, is subject TO the same
laws, and guided by the same influences.
The state of separation, disruption, as it is
sometimes called, in which the American
raco wac found has hren varinnslv attri-
buted to radical physiological defect in
its character, to extraordinary natural phe-
nomena, commissions of nature, such as
are said to have swallowed up the island
of Atalantis- calamitics filling men with
terror SO monstrous, that, handed down
from race to race, it darkencd their intel
lects, and hardened their hearts, and drove
them, flying from each other, far from the
blessings of social life. To me, however,
this separation and subdivision of the alb
original race, and their exclusion in re-
spect to each other, seem rather due to
long periods of time. and long continued
migrations of single nations and tribes
from one portion Of the country to the
other.
The discoverers, when they landed on
the shores of our country, found one great
current Of migration setting from the
Northwest upon the region now occupied
by the New England and Middle States.
Another flowing from the direction of
Texas and New Mexico into the Southern
States east of the Mississippi; and the
slow but constant southwark tendency of
the Oregon tribes has been frequent
subject of remark among observers. do
not now refer to those traces of vast pop
u!ations antedating all tradition which
abound in the Mississippi Valley, mute
but most truthful and impressive witness
es Of ancient migrations-not of single
tribes and petty nations, but Of vast fam
lilies Of men.
The causes of these migrations, as l
have said, must probably remain conjec-
tural. 1t is the popular belief that most
migrations have been from the North to-
ward the South; and the plausible expla-
nation that more genial climates and fer
tile soils were the impelling causes to
them, has been generally accepted. Yet
like many other popular beliefs, it is en-
inently unfounded. The great tide of
men have flowed very nearly upon
the same parallels of latitude. The
descent of the Germans on Rome was no
migration, as compared with these; it was
the eddy, the outward flow OF the great
current, which afterwards swept over the
ocean barrier, traversed new world, and
is now gathering its volumes on the gold
en- shores of the Pacific. China lies next
in its course.
RIcurs AND WRoNGs OF WOMEN
When the simple question of superiority
is at issue, the men always have given up.
If ladies and gentlemen meet on the side