The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-29
Gbs Ssbish.


Religious Society of Friends. Cincinnati: Ephrain
Morgan Sons 1855
A plain story of the wrongs suffered by poor
people. Mr.. Harvey has lived long enough
among them to acquaint himself with the facts
of their history. follower Of Penn, with
whom they in common with others made a
treaty, and yet more, we trust, too, disciple
of a Compassionate Redeemer, who would save
all and every one who will come to Him, in the
spirit of brotherhood and sympathy for the
oppressed of every name and race, he stands
up boldly for the right, and tells of broken
treaties and violated obligations, robbery, and
circumvention, which the Indian has suffered
from the hands of a nation that is rearing the
monuments of its greatness over the hearth
stones and graves of his fathers. He gives a
condensed summary of the intercourse of the
Shswnees with the Colonists, and subsequently
with this Republic, by which it would appear,
that from their first treaty with. Penn, in 1852,
up to 1865, they lived in unity with their white
brethren, principally confined to the Atlantic
regions of the Middle States, though reaching
sometimes to the Carolinas, and even in their
| living PCAChodhS % ioA 90 A>OW hCAiCOs
| About this latter period of 1855, reused by
| some outrages from the Colonists, they partly
| Joined the French, and contributed their aid to
| the memorable defeat of Braddock During
the Revolutionary War, they also evinced a
degree of hostility; and subsequently, smarting
conflicts with our own troops. BY succession
of treaties, and in some cases, as it would
seem by Mr.. Harvey's statement, drawn from
| the documents, subjected to the most upright
eous and deceptive dealings, one portion after
| another of their lands bad been wrested. from
them, their numbers have diminished till, in
1854, there were only about 900 of them left ;
and still the cry is, "Give, give," and never
does the rapacity and 'cupidity of the white man
seem willing to say, at is'enough." Mr.. Harvey
tells plain story, in simple, heart-spoken
words. His aim is to present the situation of
those whose cause he pleads, as it lies before
his own view. His missionary labors for their
welfare prove him their friend, and the many
interesting facts he gives may we'll claim
hearing. One Of the most striking of these is
the account of the self.devotion and successful
interposition of one of his brethren and prede
cessors in behalf of a poor Indian woman and
her children, whom her tribe were about to
burn as witch. The moral heroism Of this
man of peace, and the power exercised over
the deluded and yet undetermined chief, is
narrated with no attempt to embellish it but
the simple language is graphic, and charms the
attention, and commands the admiration and
we feel that if oftener such a spirit had heen
exhibited in the dealings with these rude sons
of the forest, less frequent would have been the
tales of Indian murders and outrages. I'm.
doubtedly, there was difference in the tribes
with whom the early Coonsts had to deal; and,
as among all races, some were treacherous,
while others were friendly; but the instances
of Massasoit, Pocahontas, of Cornplanter, and
Logan, with numerous others, shows that
kindly heart and a noble spirit were not I'M
qHsaseda sfefse are gwen ii this
volume, and the whole is enlivened with varied
descriptions of the character and manners of
the Shawnees and kindred tribes and the mis-
sionary labors of the Friends among them.
One Of the last chapters takes up the question
of Slavery among the Indians; and the practice
of the Quaker, or, as the Indian calls him, the
"Quak kee-lee," and the Southern Methodist
Missionary, in this respect, is strongly contrast.
ed. In dialogue between an educated Indian
and slaveholding Missionary, there are some
snrewd and severe hits at the inconsistency of
the professed Christian, buying and selling his
brethren, which, we presume, are taken from
what the author may have heard actually urged
while laboring among this tribe A portrait
of Mr. Harvey also faces the titlepage of the
volume, which we hope our readers will peruse
for themselves, and remember the "poor In
dian " in their sympathies and prayers.
SMILES AND FRowNs. BY Sarah A. Wentz New York;
d. Appleton Co. 1857
How a dedication, To my father and mother.
who have blessed me from infancy, whose
teachings, if obeyed, will bless me throughout
eternity" grips in upon ones heart What
can we do with book so consecrated? Are
we going to speak of it with appreciation or in
censure? Reader, wait and see. We will be
honest, any way. These sheets came to us in
advance of their publication. We know not
their author, and we have no special favor to
expect from the publisher; so we mean to form
if we can, and pronounce, an unprecedented
Judgment. "Smiles and Frowns!" Now. is
there not something ominous in that title? And
shall we be blamed if we catch somewhat. ton.
of mingled mood from it, as we proceed in
our comments on the work? Shall we adopt
the same order or better, perhaps, IA our case.
reverse it, and first mark out any faults we have
noticed, and then whisper some words of cheer
and encouragement to one just beginning, as we
presume, with trembling step, to try the rugged
paths of authorship? Yes that suits our ideas
best, just now; and, if we might venture the
hope, it would be regarded with as kindly
feeling as that with which we write.
The opening chapters bear evidence of un-
tried skill. Aslshe goes forward, the author
gains more confidence, and writes with more
freedom from peouliarites which mar her pages.
There are occasional grammatical errors, man
nerisms, and certain stiffness and artificial
construction of sentences. In her choice of
words, she sometimes fails of the best for her
meaning. We presume she can hardly be con-
scious how frequent is the recurrence of certain
illusions to the eye-dark eyes, blue eyes, fash
ing eyes, glances, looks, &c.-as furnishing the
main feature by which the character is read
and known. In this respect there is room for
improvement, and so of degree of exaggera-
ton in some of the situations. There are in
consistencies in the management of the plot,
and we do not find all that easy invoking and