The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-09-01


Can The Indians be Civilized.
Mr.. EDIToRs In consequence of the
numerous one-sided and exaggerated state
ments in regard to the wild and savage
nature of the Indians, an idea has become
prevalent that they cannot be civilized.
And so deep is the conviction on the minds
of some, that they really suppose that
nothing can be done but to look on while
the tribes perish by whiskey and war, or
by natural decay. To demonstrate that
this is a mistake and that the affirmative
Of the above question is the truth, ap-
pend the following from the Reports of
the Indian Department for 1873.
The Monominees of the Northern Super
intendsncy cultivated last year 800 acres
Of grain and vegetables, and the Agent
/ says that they make as good farmers ss
the people of any other nation. They
used up during the year 2Ss,00O feet of
lumber for the following purposes for
flooring, &C., Of 100 log houses; $4,000
feet For building church, 10000, for
cofins and graveyard fences, 1000 for
fences on the central farm, 5000; for two
stores, $4,000; for building houses for
Steckbridge Indians, 1000.
The above was done by Indians Joseph
Ostropb, the school teacher, reports that
their children make good progress in wri.
ting and arithmetic, that many of them
possess good talent for music, and solve
the notes as easily as they would say the
ABC.
The Agent Of the Winnebagoes reports
that this tribe cultivated last year 200
acres Of wheat $50 acres of oats l13
acres of corn l03 acres of turnips; 6
acres Of peas, Deans and buckwheat, be-
| sides numerous gardens. They have also
cut 200 tons of hay and made 200, 1000
brick for chimneys and ovens In the
school, forty girls made during the year
2S6 garments in addition to their studies.
Fifty boys in the same school made 200
( rods of fence, dug a we'll and cultivated
three and half acres in good order as
garden, beside cutting hay enough to win
ter span of horses. If, Mr.. Editor, it
is borne in mind that these people have
labored under discsuraging circumstances
having been moved from four different
States and even now not sure but they
may be driven away again. think it
must be admitted that if they die out it
will be because they are either starved Or
killed and not because they are unable or
unwilling to work for substance.
There are several other tribes, as the
Ohsrokees, Choctaws and Senekas, and
some others who in regard to schools and
public improvements and the acquisition
of wealth are going ahead on lat least)
par with their pale-faced neighbors.
OF the Pueblo Indians, the Agent re.
ports that they are too far advarced in
civilization to be called Indians in the or
dinary acceptation Of that term.
The Pimaes, another tribe who occupy
in the Gila Valley district about 20
miles in length and four in breadth, live
in villages and raise 6ne crops of corn,
wheat millet, melons and pumpkins, and
also cotton of excellent quality, which
they spin and weave into blankets of beau.
tifal texture. They number almost thre.
thousand souls. 4H ai.zr- r--
The Shocshonees, who occupy the grsat
basin east of Utah are fine race, being
industrious, temperate and cleanly in al
their habits They are estimated to mum
ber fifty thousand and as yet have no whit
men among them.
The Apach Indians on the Gadsby pur
chase, about the sayageness of whom s
much has been written, expressed will
lingness to cultivate the soil on the so
en- the first request of the Agent to do s
and with little instruction soon had sew
snty-6ve acres prepared and planted wit
corn and pumpkins. ''' ...'..'' -
} And even the wild Camanches an