New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-09-19
A spirited, ard probably correct sse.eh is
slven Of one of the most celebrated European
Characters that figure ID Indian history
,.rrrf.x

characters that hCufe ID inr'ah history.
SIR wiLLI.s JOHNSON
About the year If34. n consequence i 3 sai1' oi
The haplsss issue OF love AFFAIR, William Johnson,
yourg Irshman. came over % American a. the -Ee
Of Nineteen. where ne assumed tae charge % az *
tsnslye tract OF wld land n the province oi Se"-
YORK. belonging 70 rs unc-e, AiiITa, - trtel
Warren Setting n TIE valley OF ;ae MOHAWK, nc
carried on PROSPEROUS Traffic vita me INDIANS 'ilid
v nile be rapidly rose 10 wealth ne g@iien' 81 ~,
same time an extraordinary mnuence over ne
Delghborlug lroQuols As ms resources increased.
10 fuIlt two mansions n the valley known Iespe Z
lyelv by tie names Of johnson astle ana johnson
Hall. the latter OF which wei constr l.leu oAuG-
Ilg Of wood and stone IS sil slahOHg III 'he image
OF JohnstoWn Johnson Castle was situated al some
distance higher up the rver BON were iOrihel
against attack. and the after vas SURROUNDED Win
carlrs built for the reception OF the INDIANS mo
often came m crowds 20 VISIT the proprietor ms aing
h. dazzling AZ all unSe as0nabe hours. lettering IN
the doorW ays spreading their blankets 10 the paSsa
ges and injecting the ar Win me iuheS u s'ae
tobacco <,,
voung Dutch damsel who bore HIM several children
and n justice 10 the latter, ne marned her upon
her deaih-5ed. soon afterwaId he found another
favorIie IN the person Of Molly Brant, SISTER OF ne
celebrated MohaWk Var-chIef. whose black eyes and
Laughing face caught his fancy, as. furering Win
ribbons, she galloped past nm at muster OF ine
Tyron County militia
Johnson's importance became SO conspicuous. that
when the French war broke out N 1855, he was
made a major general and soon after, the coleman
under MS command gained Odliie OF lrtAc
George against the French forces oil Baron DleSSau
For tins success for winch, however. the commander
was entitled little credit he was raised 10 the rank
Of barOnet and rewarded with the GIFT OF i've thou
sand pounds from the king. About TINS time ne was
appointed Superintendent OF Indian AFFAIRS Tor the
northern trltes. station IN which he DID signal ser
wee 10 the country In l159. when Gen. Pridedu1
was killed by the bursting OF cohorn in the renche
before Niagara, johnson succeeded 20 his command,
routed the French in another pitched battle, and
soon ed the red of England on the conquer
ed rampant of the fort After the peace OF 1903, ne
lived for many years At Johnson nan constantly en-
rched by the increasing value o. his vast estate and
surrounded b, hardy Highland tenan!ry, devoted to
his Interests bu; when the tempest winch had long
been brewing seemed at length about TO break. and
signs Of a speedy rupture with the mother country
thlckened with every dav, he stood wavenng IN an
agony of lndeclsion, divided between hls Loyalty 10
me sovereign who the source of all ms honors,
and his reluctance to become the agent OF murder.
Gus Indian warfare against his countrymen and
friends. HIS M al resolution was never taken III
/ the summer OF IA he was attacked WITH sudden
illness and cled within few hours. III me SNheth
wear of his age hurried 70 the grave ~ mental DIS
tress, OF, ~ many believed, by me act ~ ms own
hand
/ Nature lad well iitod nm for the position m
/ which his ITopitlous stars had cast his lot HIS
person was tall erect. and strong ms feature, grave
ana manly. HIS direct and upright dealings, ms
/ courage. cOQuence. and address. were sure pass
ports to favor IN Indian eyes tie had singular a.
cillty Of adaptation In the camp, or AZ the council
board N spite OF ms defective education, he bore
himself as became his station but al home he was
! seen drinking flip and smoking tobacco with me
Dutch Doors his nsGhbOrS, talking of improvements
or the price OF beaver skins and IN the indian villa
ges he would feast OH dogs flesh dance with the
warriors. and haraneuo his attentive auditors WIN
all the dignity OF an lroquols Sachem has temper
/ was genial lie encouraged rustic sports, and Wa,
respected and beloved alike by whites and Indians
/ HIS good qualities, however, were aloyed With
serious defects His mind was as coarse as II "a'
vigorous he was vain OF his rank and influence
] boru oll1fo frgg y.
lost no opportunity of pToclalmng them III. manure
was eager and ambitious and IN pushing his OWL
way he never distinguished BY AZ anxious soil
cltude for the right OF others
As a specimen OF the authors reflective ven
| we quote the following description OF
TRAPPER LIE
Those rude and hardy men hunters and traders
scouts and guides, who ranged the woods beyoni
the English borders, and formed a connecting hnf
/ between barbarism and civilization. have beer
touched upon already. They were a distinct pc
culiar class marked with striking contrasts of gooC
and evil. Many though hy 40 means all, were
/ coarse. auoaclOus. and INSCRIPTIONS vel even u
the worst, one might have often found a vigorous
growth Of warllke virtues, an iron endurance an un
desparng courage, wondrouS sagaclty' ana SIN
/ gular fertility of resource. In them was renewed
with all itS ancient energy, That Wild ana daring
spint. that force and hardlhood OF mind, winch
marked our bnbarouS ancestors OF Germany and
/ NORWAY These sons OF the wilderness stu sur
we We may find them TO tins day, not IN the val
lev II the ONO, the shores OF the lakes. nut
far westward on the desert range OF the buffalo, and
among the SolltuGe> OF Oregon. Even now, While
wIite, some lonely tTapper Is climbing the perlous
denies of the Rocky Mountains his strong frame
caSed IN tme-worn buck-sNln. ms rife gnped IN ms
Slnewy hand. heealy he peers from SIDE to SIDE,
+ lest Blacktoot ATapdnoe should ainbuscdde MS
path The rough earth rs ms bed. morsel OF drled
me al and GTaught OF water are his food and drink,
and death am danger his companions. No dnchorlte
/ could fare worse, no hero could dare more yet his
.
can weld rte. he VIII never leave H. Go ~th ann
TO the rendezvous and he = stOlc no more. Here,
noting among hrs comrades hs native appeuIes
break loose ia mad excess. IN deep carousc, and des-
poratc gaming. Then follow close the quarrel,
the challenge, the hehi,-two rusty rife, and my
wards OF pfalne
The nursing Of civilization. placed N The midst
OF the forest. and abandoned 90 ms own resources l.
helplt> as an infant There no clue 10 he lazy
unlh BeWliaered and amazed. he circles round and
round ID hopeless WancerlngS. Despair and famine
make him Their prey. and unless The birds OF heaven
minister 20 his wants, he dies IN misery Not 50 the
practlced WoOdsmdn. To nm, the forest IS a nome
II YIELDS him food, shelter. and Ialment, and ne
threads is tTackles> depths with undertaking 1901
To lure the game. To crCumNent the lurking Zoe, TO
guide ms course By the stars the WIND, the sire ans
or The treCs.->uch are The arts which The white man
nae leaned Iom The red. Often. indeed, the pupil
has out>iupqed h. master Tie can hum a. vel ne
can fight better and vet there are nicenes Of the
wooCsmau's craft ia which the White man must
weld the palm 10 his savage rFal. Seldom can ne
htif>t 1T lHoA Nuult-tN OF stiiS titpt
AKIN 20 The instinct Of tru,e> than 70 human reason
winch reads the Signs OF the forest rs the scholar
READS tie printed page, 10 which the whistle OF
tnd can speak clearly As the tongue OF man, and the
hustle al leai give know elge OF life or death.
WITH Is TIC name Of "a savage is a bywoTd Of
Foproach The Indian would look with equal scorn
those. who, buried useless lore. are blind and
Ceai 70 the great world OF nature.
We feel bound TO say that IN our opinion, THIS
volume is 10 les an advance on the former pro-
auctions of the author. IN the ,igor and the ie-
hcity of the execution. Than m the Importance
ct the subject The mature harvest which IS
here gathered more than fuIflls the bright
promise OF the early iruit Ne understand that
Mr.. PsIknan i stu Young man, but he mas
nobly Won position IN the field OF American
letters which ought 10 gratiiy the most ardent am