Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-21
THE CHEROKEE NATION.

mise to- give you sketch Of the general condition and
unprecedented advances in the civilization Of
that remarkable and interesting peope-advances am
sure, without parallel in the history any other people
Thirty years ago had occasion to spend some time
amongst themL Their general condition was at that time
little different from that Of other Indian tribes They
lived almost entirely in little Indian villages miserable
novels and subsisted almost exclusively on the little
game which their country afforded Agriculture could
scarcely be said to- exist among them With few excep
tions there farmers but few little patches of
corn, cultivated mainly by the Indian women the men
ignorant ndolent and generally drunkards 1t was very
rare to find Indian who could either speak or under
stand English now they have regularly organized go
vernment with legislative, executive and Judiciary de-
partmens written constitution copied generally from
eur own models churches schools hotels stores and will
compare favorably in all respects, with any Of the new
States that have visited The popaation is between
600 and 000 exclusive Of 844 slaves and Ga free
groes From census recently taken select the follow
ing statistics ~ public Schools 80 churches 65 black
smith shops, IA gris mills 10 saw mills yards Zine
saines s770 horses 2s 7O5' cattle, 1882 hogs 233
sed prior to M tns wouiS sioastless sshbis III
NJ Y s sss zsFtieula.s 2e general table can
houses ssa!sss s9s z lhIs v ssssn 4sIr
the farms all in good order and industry and
care The hunters life is entirely abandoned as is also
the Indian dress. was three weeks in the nation and
did not any dressed in the old Indian costume of
leggngs and hunting shirt out of than thousand
that saw and, what is more did not ragged,
dirty drunken Indian. The temperance laws are
extremely stringent. 1t being penal offence to keep
ardent spirits, aided by general public opinion these
laws have entirely extirpated that vice, pernicous
every where, but especially to the Indians
The nation is divided into eight judicial and election
districts with circuit and appeal judges The court
houses coed brick buildings and is administered
in all respects the States Each district sends three
members to the lower house. and two to the upper The
Legislature in session when there and have
business conducted with more dignity and
dispatch The President of the Committee (Senate and
the Speaker of the Council understand both languages
and translate the speeches Of the members If delivered
in English, he repeats them in the Cherokee and vice
The Senate Committee consists of sixteen mem
bers; all most respectable and subsantiallooking
The two principal debaters Mr. VIM. p. Ross, q
graduate of Princeton College, and Mr.. James Kel Mr.
Ross is agraceu clear and decidedly able debater and
would be considered in any body Of which have been
a member Mr. Kell has not had the advantages of
education but is in all respects remarkable man His
appearance is uncommonly striking and prepossessng
his head and face marked by unmstakeabe indications
of talents and character and general proprety of dress
and manners very remarkable considering the disadvan
tages of education and culture which he has had
counter. Both he and Mr.. William Ross of the
highest and purest character both in public and in pri
vate and destined l have doubt to render i'm
| portant services to their country and people,
In the lower house. decidedly the first is Mr. Pott
and have hesitation in saying that clear, per-
spicuous and strong debater he would take high rank
in any State Legislatures And then comes my old
friend Six Killer full-booded Cherokee. could not
understand his language but in voice. ges
ture bearing, and, important than ALL enthusiasm
have rarely his equal have heard Keokuck and
other celebrated Indian orators but much
| to my liking as Six Killer.
The schools are all maintained at the expense of the
nation Besides three at least in every district the
two high schools Taequah, the capital As you ap
proach the town. at the distance of some six miles, after
having travelled through dreary and thinly inhabited
country you catch glimpse at the distance of two
three miles, of two splendid buildings looming the
broad expanse of magnificent prairie, and then
berng that you in Indian country the effect is
most striking The main building is eighty feet diameter
with two wings each forty feet and surrounded by fine
colonnade all built in the perfect architectural taste
and style One of these institutions is dedicated excu
syely to the education Of females Each accommodates
hundred students, who remain four years. Twenty
five leave annually and the same number admitted
always keeping up the number at hundred, and all
educated the charge Of the nation attended religious
service in the chapel Of the female school, and heard
excellent sermon 1t really delightful to those
modest well ldressed wellbehaved Indian girls thus pre-
pairing themselves be the future matron Of their
try These schools and most Of the other great and
fu improvements the work Of that remarkable man.
John Ross and amongst the many evidences of his en-
ghtened forecast and patriotic devotion to his country
wise and important than these schools
especially the female No people have reliable
security for virtue and happiness ds in the general
lghtenment education, and virtue Of their 1t
with special truth be said Of that influence, eoi
mores sina feros.
When remember what the Cherokee people thirty
years ago, and what they then rude bar
barous progatc peopenow courteous, educated, reli
gous and thoroughly civilized, it really if
power than human had accomplished these wonders
But il is only another proof Of how much may be
pshcd by one high intellect animated by fervent and
sefdevotng patriotism Such blessing have the
Cherokee people had in the person Of John Ross The
late Mr.. Calhoun used say that he great man
who had founded family. believe it was Thales who
sad che was great man who raised small State to the
rank Of n great one" Mr.. Ross has done than
either or both together he las raised people from
condition Of comparative barbarsm high degree of
civilization morality and virtue 1t would be unjust to
other enlightened Cherokees both contemporaries and
those who have gone before him, arrogntc all the credit
Of these remarkable results for him. No one could
have accomplished it, But his has been the ruling spirit
must not pass without notice the name Of the
Indian Cadmus There many words and sounds in the
Cherokee dialect which cannot be expressed by the cha
ractcrs Of any known alphabet Hence the necessity Of
one, which invented by an Indian, whose name,
think, Guest-very much the most remarkable
achievement of Indian intellect extraordinary that
it is yet mooted question whether it was possible that
the first alphabet the work Of unaided human Intel
lect or Of inspiration confess my opinion ncncs
the latter hypothesis Intelligent and educated Che
rokees tell me that this alphabet perfect in its adapta
ton to the Cherokee language The weekly newspaper
published at Taequah is printed one-haf in this
character.
The name Of the capital, Talequah is taken from an
ancient Of that the Holston river In Ten
nessee, the site of celebrated fort commonly pro-
nounced Telico. This old town city Of refuge