The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-02-28
The ReL Men aud The War OF Pontiac.

The Rev W II Milburu delivered The reg
ular lecture Of the Lowell Course upon the
above subject, Monday evening, before an in
tegen, aud appreciativc audience, whose close
attention and frequent applause were sure in
dications oi the intellectual pleasure they Gu
joyed.
Mr.. Milburn opened with rapid and graph
ic review OF the distribution. condition and
habits Of the red men in the early days OF Euro
paan settlements and arriving hy historical
yradations at the period that Immediately pre-.
cceded the American war Of Independence, Gu
logized the character of the Indian n he then
existed in his pride and strength, yet unsuh-
dued but enlightened by some practical knowl-
edge derived with his intercourse with the
white man.
His picture of their pursuits, their customs
of war and peace. their religious Supersttions
and the legends they cherished Were adorned
with the most glowing flowers Of eoquenee,
while cnIivcned with brilliant sparkcs Of hu-
NOR.
Carlyle could have sound nn higher m@lel
for the hero wor'hip he has described than
might b. drawn from the life and habits OF the
Indians who ranged the great wilderness OF
Americs. ere the axe Of the white man had
fed its f1rs,sts and cultivated its uxurant
praries.
The lecturer then brought forward one curi-
Gus peculiartv of the indian tribes ia tlrir
connection with each Other, VIZ their devices
and cmbicn,S Gf brotherhood.
The people ofyarious tribes aud conict.racics
had link of union aud combination with each
other called the 1otcmic There were certain
badges which bound them together in Kind
of Masonic fraternity. They had emblems-
the hawk. the eagle the tortoise the wolf. tho
bear. the snikc-they had certain cnblem'
which divided them into distinct families ihes'
families ran not only through the tribe OF =
given nation. but of set Of nations and ct o
families. so that you should Gn1 the family o
OF the Wind among Mobaus aud iroquois-
lind families OF the Tortoise among the Algon
quins aud Six Nations. This sort Of lraterBl
~ hound them together in peace OF war \
lonely wanderers who hal been "ut long au'
unsucceSsiully on the chase, having one ~ th'-'
emblems one of these Totrmic marks, could ner
er apply in vain at the cabin of one Of his bretl
ren oi thes anne Totemic mark, Of whatever O,he
mark he might bc. of whatever other language
however widely removed his kindred nigh
he from that of the c1ncr Therefore Their
WAS sort Of comfy and amty between ihes
people Of different clans. though they beloage,
10 distinct nations I, was held. moreover a
custom among them that the members Of
certain clan should no, he allowed to intermarr
with those ol the same clan therefore those o
the Wind never intermaried With those of III
Totemic clan Of the Wind the descendants q
the Tortoise would intermarry with those O
the Wolf; ami thus the vigor and hardIbodsi
the integrity aud indiv duality Of the race wer
perEetna,el Sueh hereditary distinctions a
they had such Transmission u state, position
aad authority as they had tssecnded NJ, thrr
m. male ine hat the female line. II vas no
the am af the chiei who Inherited the posItiO
Of chief tat the son Of the chiefs sister hi
nephew or some other equally removed memb,
Of the family Bat. a. | have said, tlsese ehie'
only maintained their authority upon condtio
n their pre- reemiaent WISDOM IN coan-'4, yud.
noent in dctate sagacity 10 Discerning and b
rossm " s,rif.. Tho Indian triies hai mOr
or less bcn implicated in the wars and bloc
shed iuciden, TO tie carly set'len~nt oi u
country, not Only aith menit.sf. Of the Ansi'
saxon race but - the Celtic family not onl