The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-04-20

eve-witnesses of these incredible changes |
revolution in the condition of a country |
more wonderful and astonishing than was
ever witnessed in the lifetime of any other |
generation of men. The tales that are dali
ly related to US by such men as Judge Law
who are still in the middle age of life,
hale and vigorous--of the changes they have
seen, and the scenes they have passed
through in their intercourse with the Indi-
ans, who, within the years of their manhood
and active participations in public affairs,
occupied the central and best portions of
this State-seem to us more like the roman
tic stories of remote antiquity, than the
simple narratives of the experiences of the
living narrators.
How difficult it is to realize the truth of
the facts that only thirty-six or thirty-seven
years ago, Judge Law accompanied chief
of the Delawares and two or three Indian
prisoners, whose cause he had defended,
from Vincennes, through an unbroken will
derness, in a journey that occupied nine
days, To the Delaware towns near where
Muncie is now located. The Delawares
were then the undisputed proprietors of all
the middle portions of the State northeast
of White river. They were, on this visit,
DESTROYS of adopting their white friend as
an honorary member of their tribe, and
bestowing upon him a township of land,
which they would secure to him by reser-
walton in the treaty they were about to
form with the Government. But, of such
little worth was land then, that he declined
the honor and the donation only because
the ceremony of adoption would occasion
something like an Irish wake among his red
clients, and deprive him of n good nights
sleep. The loss of one nights sleep, then,
might have given him the site of Indianapo-
lis, or some other city, and furnished him
with downy pillows for the remainder of
his days and nights. 1t was then as diff
cult to comprehend the future as it is now
to realize the past.
The preservation of the records of these
changes is deeply interesting labor to those
who are familiar with them, and it is a
sacred duty to the memory of those by
whose labors and sacrifices the work has
been accomplished. The citizens of every
county should unite in associations to aid
the labors of the State Society. There is
not location but has history worth pre-
serving, and which can be rescued from OBJ
livion by little attention to the living and
written memorials Of its events, before they
pass away with time. There are thousands
of old citizens who were among the pio-
neers, and who are living historians of their
counties:and settlements; let them, or some
one for them, commit their narratives to
paper and transmit them to Judge Law or
, some other member of the new historical
, society, in whose archives they will be care
, fully preserved. These local histories,
though seemingly now of little consequence,
: will, in the passage of time, acquire deep
interest.
The commission to Col Clark, from Gov
Patrick Henry, is dated at Williamsburg,
January I'd, IT'S, at the darkest period
of the Revolutionary War, when, amid the
gloom and discouragements Of the period
we should have supposed-the patriotic
leaders would have had little consideration
to bestow upon such distant and dubiou:
conquests as Kaskaskia and Vincennes.-
: But the instructions evince not only con
!, 6dence in the triumph Of the struggle, bu
a full comprehension of the importance o
tle possession of the Ohio Valley to the flu
ture confederation of States We copy it in
full:
VIRGINIA, Scr.
n In COUNCIL, WILLIAMSBURG, JAM I'd, 1913
Lieut.. Colonel George Rogers Clark-Yor
4 are to proceed with all convenient speed, L
raise Seven Companies of Soldiers, to con
sist OF fifty men each, Differed in the uSua
II manner, and armed most properly for tn,
e Enterprise, and with this Force attack tin
British post at Kaskasky.
1t is conjectured that there are mani
pieces of Cannon and military Stores {,
n, considerable amount, at that place, the tax
n | luz anu preservation OF Wnlch would DE
g. valuable acquisition to the State. If yo,
:. are SO fortunate, therefore, rs to succeed il
" yonr Expedition, you will take every pos
&c sible Measure to secure the artillery an,
= Stores and whatever may advantage tn
ia State.
For the Transportation of the Troops
provisions, &C., down the Ohio, you are t,
L apply TO the Commanding officer, at For
IN Pitt, for Boats, &C., during the who'll
?, Transaction You are to take especial Care Z
keep the true Destination CT your Fore
'' secret. Its Success depends upon this
+ Orders are therefore given to Capt'n. Smith
r. to secure the two men from Kaskasky-
Similar conduct will be proper i'm simila
IA cases.
;, 1t is earnestly desired that you show Hu
:" manity to such British Subjects and othe
s. persons as fall in your hands. If the whit
We Inhabitants at that post, and the neighbor
n. hood, will give undoubted Evidence of thei
attachment to this State flor il is certai
y they live within it, limits) by taking tn
u Test prescribed by Law and by every othe
nj | uav and means in THAR noxvar 81 49,, l.