Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-18
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE
WAsHIyoros. Srprrnaru 3 70

/ WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 8, 1852
| Messrs. GALES 4 SEAToN: In the National In
telligencer of this morning have read with no or
binary interest an article headed !" Indians of The
Far Vest" This feeling article / have read with
| the more interest, because within few days have
returned from visit to Central Ohio and its really
| lourishing capital, Columbus The Editors of the
National Intelgencer and its readers will, hope,
pardon some apparent egotism, rendered indispen-
sable from the nature of the subject. 8yoaF
| Three months are only wanting of seventy-one
years, since with my parents entered the then dreary
| g Great West"
These two terms awaken in the mind thoughts and
Elections not easily, If at ALL to be expressed in words
Infant as was the since 1871 have been pow
erfuy striking to be ever forgotten by any person to
whom they were presented To the whole period pre-
sents itself as an immense panorama to the opening and
close of which was wtness-the close of the Amer
can revolution the rise and close Of the commissions Of
Eurspe and to turn to the immense theatre the Great
West, what thoughts does the term excite
Here we have before us continent separated from Eu-
rope by Of not mean intermediate breadth Of
three thousand miles, yet concealed until within the last
four centuries, through all previous tme from the eve
Of civilized man In this immense lapse ages through
the rise and fall Of the nations kingdoms and empires Of
ASIA Africa and Europe where the records Of Ame
/
both polar extremes of the earth-a continent and its
islands presenting every habitable climate and teeming
with ANIMAL vegetable, and mineral productions?
To these natural and awful questions no answer can be
given When discovered, man was found on both sub
continents and on their nsuar groups but from whence
came their progenitors If Of the Adanito stock where
and when took place the separation
DARK and mysterious these subjects they
and call into action the highest attributes of the human
mind. In the progress Of thought we are brought to
view Of Europeans discovering invading taking pos
sesson6f Ito them this newlyrevealcd creation Here
we have before us the meeting collision and par
tal ntermngng of two classes Of little preyi-
ousy known to each other from different planets.
Some supereminenty great mind is to rise and place his
name with Homer, Thucydides, Gibbon and very few
other names found at long intervals of me by graphing
with this subject, demanding, may repeat, the very
highest attributes of intellect
But, to confne views atpresen the rapid spread
of white and civilized the of North Ame-
rica possessed by the United States and the con-
temporaneous decline of the savage race its former pos
SCISSORS through all past time may not ask Are the
effects subjects Of either wonder regret if the Indians
do not become civilized in the true intent of the term
To have seen, have seen, the same region in its
primitive savage state, and opening and blooming
with all the attributes of civilization and christianity
stand the very spot where the mother and her babes
murdered by savages and that within the memory
of the behoder and find it smiling and happy land
of peace, plenty, and safety
Let the trembling remnants of savage tribes be
dealt with tenderly but wisely If left in groups the
gloomy energy of the savage will be only replaced by
stupid idle vacancy far injurious to the tribe or
individual than actual slavery
Where, in all history, sacred profane, find
an example Of savage people becoming civilized from
the view of the effects without the consraint of
civilization?
Leaving this hypothesis for future solution, may
turn to former causes and present effects Much msta
ken zeal and useless expense and labor been thrown
away order to change savage into civilized society and
that to extent which would have if the material had
been selected from the INDECENT part any society already
civilized to extent produced effects according with the
theory What is here meant by the term civilized is where
the individuals have the possession and familiar of the
elements of language especially and possess certain
number Of individuals with corresponding share of edu
cation which forms the basis Of civilization An
immense proportion of the European emigrants to the
United States examples. Not in ten thousand of
these European emgrants who to the United States
above the age Of infancy but incomparaby better
prepared to rise in the scale Of civilization and to COM
prehenhe truths Of christianity than any savage of any
age. The has the elements if in a rude state which
admit advance the other has received impressions ut
tery repulsiye to and irremoyaby anagonstc to real
civilization. WILLIAM DARBY
LAKE MICHIGAN FISHERIES.