The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-09-19
sCHooLcRAFTs PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCHES.

SCHOOLCRAFT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCHES.
We cut the following brief notice Of these volumes
from the New York Observer of September l4th we
have never supposed that there any one in America
whose opportunities of observation the use he has made
of them were at all comparable to Mr. Schoocrafts We
understand he left Albany where he is OF English ances
try) in 1902 with high reputation for scholarship ana
mental assiduty having ever from his early years. pee
regarded in his native town as learned boy being pro-
fcen in the Latin language IL years of age He re-
turned 10 New York after residence of more than 30
years the Mississippi valley He visited the sources OF
the Mississippi in 1920 with Gen. Cas as geoogst OF the
party and twelve years overwhelmingly IN ls32he
traced this celebrated river to its utmost source in Iasca
lake of which he is the dscovere He has published
eral volumes of travels and contributed largely the nat
ura history of the country He has received the hghest
collegiate honors for his papers on phioogy which gained
him the friendship and correspondence OF such men as Du
Ponceau Gaatin Bancroft Leber Rain, and Bunson lie
made himself master of the Algonquin language whiie ne
lived on Lake Superior and studied the Hebrew to COM
pare it with the Indian forms He, Also while IN the In
dian country studied the German and French to read the
authors in those Languages HIS attalnmehts, even III
youth mainly the result of mental habits OF assidu
and of letters He aquet retiring modest man. OF
great ameny philosophical mind
very much within himself and has been quite retired in his
study for several past owing to partial paralysis Of
his right and leg yet no one to look at his oenevo
lent face and bright eye always beaming with intelligence
peaceful happiness trustfu sincerity and human kindness
would imagine he rufed with by his bodily dis
abilities We have entertained doubt as to the
wisdom of Congress in nsuting the Indian inquiries
der his auspices.
One thing we notice in this work. in which it differs
from a who have written professedy on the subject He
attributes the antiquities of the West to the ancestors OF
the aboriginal race and not to any prior people OF civilized
understanding whatever seems above this to intrusive
efforts to settle the continent prior to Columbus and
Cabot This intrusive epoch the admitted efforts OF
the Scapdnavans in the tenth century, and other efforts
to make Judgment in the New World, of which these
nrusve antiquities are in fact the vestges As this
philosophy antiquities strips off their mystery we
like it better than any prior theory:
Mr. Schoocrafs Great Work the Indian Tribes Of the
United States. Published by the United States government
This large and splendid work. which reached the fourth
volume time since, alike creditabe to the govern
men under whose patronage has been composed ana
shed and to highly qualified student and author by
whom written. 1t is illustrated by numerous hne
wood and steel engravngs and contains an immense
Of facts compiled from most authentic sources re-
atinR to history habits condition. &c. OF the
numerous nations and tribes of red men in boundaries
Mr. Schoocra has spent great part of his life among
the Indians with superior opportunities for learning their
peculiares and has avaled himself of all the aid that
could be afforded by intelligent most acquainted with
them in every part the country Unlike superficial
observers he not hazard rash theories deal in i'll
founded assertions he has arrived at very import
ant conclusions which the thinking will generally
with him. for which he presents with the
on which he has founded them Among those are the
following That the first peopng OF the western continent
though yet unknown date is not shown by any fact to
have been of antiquity that there is nothing to in
that the red originally of different species
inhabitants of the eastern continents that instead
of yhng being found in North American antiquities in
conflict with the chronology, history, or doctrines OF the
Scriptures many arguments might be derived from dscove
es and made here to subanate their truth
and that instead of admitting that red incapable Of
Improvement and therefore, for other reason des
tined to extrpaon there abundant to pur
sue energy and hope every for Outstanding
and civizng adapted fellow of any
try only making allowance for their peculiar educa
ton and circumstances.
who may wish consult the pages of this splendid
and valuable work the topics aforementioned others
related them may find the following indications conye
nient guide:
Unity of the human species. Wow. p 26 VOL H. 2I3
On Chrs;anzng Indians. Vol. III, p. All vol Nv, p.
523 and 633.
Demono,ogy. Vol. II, p. 4s3; vol. ~ p. 4s7.
Races. VOL Nv, p. 354.
antiquities. VOL ~, p 49,
From the Seneca Advertiser.