Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-09-18

hang on the skirts of the settlements, These
are too commonly composed of degenerate be-
lngs, corrupted and enfeebled by the vices of So
clety, without being benefited BY its civization
That proud independence which formed the
pillar OF savage virtue, has been shaken down,
and the whole moral fabric lies in ruins. Their
spirits are Inundated and debased by sense of
inferiority. and their native courage cowed and
daunled by the superior knowledge and power
of their enlightened reighbors
Society has advanced upon them like one of
those withering airs that will sometimes breathe |
dessoaion over vrhgle sregion Of rtility. 1t !
has enervated iheif Strength multiplied their
diseases, and superinduccd upon their original
barbari,y the low vices of artificial life. 1t has
given them thousand superfuous wants, while
ii has diminished their means Of mere existence
1t has driven before it the animals of the chase,
which fly from the sound of the axe. and the
smoke Of the settlement, and seek refuge in The
depths of remoter forests and yet unirodden
wids
Thus do we TOO often find the Indians on oui
frontiers to be the mere wrecks and remnants
of once powerful tribes. who have fingered in
the vicinity of the settlements and sunk into
a precarious and vagabond existence. Poverty,
refining and hopeless pover'y canker of the
mind, unknown to savage life, corrodes their
splits and blghls every fee and noble quality
of their natures. Thev become drunken, indo
lent. feeble, and ,hievish
They loiler like vagrants about the settle
mens, among spacious dwellings rep'ete with
elaborate comforts, which only render them sem
slble f the comparative wretchcdness of their
own condition. Luxury spreads its ample hoard
before their eyes f; but they are excluded from
the banquet. Plenty revels over the fields but
they are starving in the midst of its abundance
the who'e wilderness has bossomed into gar
den but they feel as reptiles that infes it
How different was their state, While vet the
undisputed lords Of the soil Their wants were
few, and the means of qualification " ithn hei,
reach. They saw every oneaafound them shar-
ing The same lot, endurins The same hardships
feeding on the same ailments, arrayed in the
same rude garments.
No roof then rose but it was open to ,ht
homeless stranger no smoke cured among the
trees, but he was welcomed to sit down by il.
fire and join the hunter in his repas,. ' For
says an old historian of New England, . lhei
life is so void of care, and they are so loving al
50 that they make US of those they enjoy a
common goods, and are therein so compassion
ale, that tather fhaa one should starvc thiougi
want; they would siarve all thus do they pas
their time merriy not regarding our pomp, bu
are better content with their own, which SOM
men esteem so meanIy Of
Such were the Indians, while in the pride an
energy of their primitive natures. They resem
BILE those wild plants which thrive best in th
shades of the forests, but shrink from the han
} of cultivation and perish beneath the nfuenc
, of the sun.
In discussing the savage character vritel
, have been too prone to indulge in WI gar pre-
udce and passionate cxaggeraton, instead o
The candid temper of true philosophy. The
have not sufficiently considered the peculiar ci
cumstances in which the Indians have bee
paced, and the peculiar principles under whic
they have been educated. No beings act NOR
rigidly from rule than the Indian. His who
conduct is regulated according TO some gencr
maxims early implanted IN his mind. The mo
, al laws that govern him, are, to be sure, b
few; but them he conforms to them all II
q white man abounds in laws of religion, moral
: and manners hut how many does he violate
/ frequent ground Of accusation against Il
Indians is their disregard of treaties, and Il
" treachery and wanlonness which, in time
% apparent peace, they will suddenly fly to ho
II tllnies The intercourse of the white men wi
~ the Indians, however. is too apt to be cold, d
r. trustfu| oppressive, and insulting They St
y dom treat them with that confidence and fran
.. ness which are indispensable TO real friendsh
70 nor is sufficient caution observed not to ofe
against those feelings of pride or superstili
of which often prompt the Indian to hoslil
;, quicker than mere consideration of interest.
~ The solitary savage feels silently, but acute
:. Ills senslbllties are not diff,lsed over wide
=, surface as those of the white man but they r
al in steadier and deeper channels. His pride,
affections, his superslilions, are all direct
-. towards fewer Objects but the wounds innct
,o on them are proportionatly severe. and furn
-, motives of hostility " hich we cannot suficlen
ho appreciate.
i Where a community is a so limited in mum
f and it forms one great patrarchaI family, as in
n Indian tribo the injury of an individual is the
:. jury of the whole; and the sentiment Of v
-. geance is almost instautaneously diffused {
council fire is sufficient for the discussion .
:. arrangement Of plan of hostilities Here, h
ia all tn, fighting men AMI sages assemble.
&c oquence and superstition combine to inhuc
the mLds of the warriors The orator awak
their martial ardor and they are wrought NJ
:. kind of religious desperation by the vision
the prophet and The dreamer.
y
y;
Inn A REASONABLE REASON. Three or four iii
is couple appeared before clergyman for n
riage but the bridegroom was drunk, aud he
ped fused TO tie the knot On the last occasion he
bis pressed his surprise that so respectable ool
ave girl was not ashamed 10 appear at the altar v
sli- a man in such a state. The poor girl broke
an tears and said she could uot help it. "And '
oy- pray I" inquired the minister" Because,