The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1858-12-09
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tains. Among them are selfish and cruel men,
who invade and monopoze the Indian domains,
and now, in many of their lovely valleys, in which
they had lived for ages in comparative peace and
plenty, there is outrage and violence to an ex
tent which sayages never thought of.
For let it be borne in mind that many of the
tribes in their normal state are virtuous and
noble people, and that it is not until deprayed
by whiskey and the abuses and perversions of
civilization, that they become wretched and mis-
cradle. "The system of buying and selling wo-
men is carried on all along the route across the
plains among the traders and frontiers-men as
regular established practice" These poor wo-
men, when once taken possession Of by white
men, are ever afterward disowned by their Indian
relatives and not merely their persons but their
lives are at the disposal Of their purchasers. The
offspring of these unions grow up as they may,
often totally neglected by their fathers / sub
NIT whether something cannot be done for these
neglected ones The question is important
from the fact that the existence of forts and the
these demoralizations, and, it is believed, are a
source of vice and misery to both races. And
thus these wrongs seem to be sanctioned by the
strong arm of government; and while we are
sending millions to convert heathens abroad we
are allowing them to be reared all around us at
home under the worst forms of both savage and
civilized vice.
Could the women of America see the desola-
ton to which the mothers of these children are
reduced when health and comeliness are sue
ceeded by age and disease = castaways from
both races without home or friends no words
would be necessary to move their sympathies, or
call their attention to seek redress But there
is another class for whom "pure and undefled
religion" and the hottest instincts of women
enjoin especial care. BY far the greatest por-
ton of the Indian population upon our frontiers
consists of widows and orphans, whose fathers
and husbands have nobly fallen in defence, or, as
in too many cases, by poison or cold blooded
massacre.
One of the Indian agents reports that the
proportion between the sexes in several bands
after the late war is as follows:
No. l. Two men, twelve women and children
No. 2 -Four men, twenty women and chill
dren.
No. g. Seven men, forty women and children.
No. T. Ten men, sixty-fve women and chill
dren.
This last band, it is believed, were actually on
their way to the fort Oane) for protection
when they were met by party of whites who,
in cold blood, and in the presence of their wives
and children, deliberately shot these ten defence
less and starving Indian men for it is known
that their camp and provisions had been burned
up several days previous by company of whites
who were seeking their destruction.
Another massacre of thirty men has recently
been perpetrated, if possible, under circumstan-
ces still more horrible. A band of Indians (ac-
cording to the accounts) were induced to put
themselves in the power of the Indian agent
(Ticknor) of Southern Oregon who promised to
conduct them to the reserve in the WiIamet Val
ley but on the way, while crossing a river, he
had arranged an armed force upon each side to
fire upon them. The writer adds that it was
heartrending sight to see the AFFECT, mourning
women and children, forty in number, and some
of the little ones wounded by the rife balls In
neither of these cases. and many similar ones,
was there the least occasion or shadow of ex-
cuse for such barbarity.
The usurpations of our people have reduced
the Indians to the condition of paupers and al
lens upon the land of their birth and their own
ancestral domains and with cruelty only
equaled by the savage vandalism of the darkest
ages, they are exterminating race who possess
many of the noblest traits of humanity
The women of America are the main prop of
all the benevolent institutions in the land If
any thing new comes up, they are looked to for
the means. Even the homestead of Washington
they must pay for. If they viii raise such a sum
as two hundred thousand dollars out Of respect
for his name, may not feel assured that the la
dies of the land viii raise suficiency to sustain
the principles Of Washington, and to save the