The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-10-27
SLAVERY AMONG THE INDIANS.

A correspondent directs our attention to an
article in an old number Of the Living Age,
printed in June last, on the. subject of Slavery
among the Indians. We find that the article
is copied from the Southern Literary Messenger,
of Richmond, Virginia. It is maintained that
the Southern tribes of Indians, the Cherokees,
Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Creeks, which have
adopted Slavery, are in far more civilized con
dition than those of the Northwest; and their
civilization is attributed directly to Slavery.
What blessed institution must that be, which
is equally potent in its civiizing effects upon
man and mastert 1t is a standing argument
for Slavery, that it has civilized four millions of
savage Africans and now we have the dis
covery that the Indians have come in for a
share of its blessed fruits, not by becoming
slaves, but masters
We will not now stop to dispute the assump-
ton that the enslavement of Africans has tended
10 civiize them; but if we admit it, we should
still insist that what the negno has gained in
civilization, the white map, his master, has lost.
Certainly no one will dispute this proposition
who regards literature, the fine arts, and the
arts of life, as Of the essence of civilization.
Who is so silly as to psetend that the white
population Of the slave States has produced as
much or as excellent Literature as an equal
number of white men in the free States? Or
who will insist that the South has equalled the
North, white man for white man, in painting,
sculpture, the mechanic arts, and manufac-
lures?
Admitting, as we may, therefore, that the i'm.
portation and enslavement of the negroes has
tended to civilize them, is it not demonstrate
that the civilization of the dark race has been at
the expense of the fart We think there can be
no dispute on the point.
As it regards the Indians, we cannot admit
that the Southern tribes ave more civilized than
those of the North. So far as it respects the
Northern tribes which are found in Western
New York, we believe THAI they are more civil
lied than any of the Soutaern tribes, and that
they are engaged to considerable extent in
the manufacture Of various articles which are
extensively sold in all parts of the country.
But allowing that the adoption of Slavery has
tended to the civilization Of the Southern In
dams, and it becomes an important inquiry how
this effect has been produced? A moments
examination of the subject must satisfy any
candid mind that the masters are learning
civilization from their slavesI The slaves for
generations have been schqoled in the humber
ruder, but more essential arts of life they have
learned to cultivate the earth with plows and
hoes, spades, rakes, and harrows; they have
learned the use of the axe, the saw the chise the
drawing-knife, etc. Every negro has all these
accomplishments, and many others, including
the art of speaking the English language
Many of them have been taught to manufacture
the various implements of the farm and the
household, as we'll as to bald houses. They
are then purchased by the Indian chiefs with
the money which the Federal Government has
paid them for their lard and the masters hav-
ing no pride or prejudices TO keep them aloof
from their slaves, the two races freely converse,
live with, and often intermarry with each other,
and the degree Of civilization which the slaves
have acquired from the whites they communi.
cate TO their Indian masters and their fam ies.
, VIC 5SS hONHAhk HVAANAAhA IL NAiSf VI
anything particularly creditable to Slavery as a
~ $500 s~~s~--~s,'sss TsisJauCU, we
have seen its effects in the elevation Of the ne.
gro slave, at the expense of the white man in
the other, we have seen the elevation of the In.
dian master, at the expense d the negro slave.
For the negro can no longer be expected to
make progress, when brought in subsection to
race inferior to his own in civilization.
The Southern Indians are learning civiliza-
ton from their American negroes, who learned
it from the whites. But if the Indians were
compelled to procure slaves from Africa, as the
whites were one and two centuries ago. the ef-
feets Of the institution would be TO depress in
stead of elevating them. The master in that
case could learn nothing from the slave and
the slave could learn but little from bis master.
These considerations must satisfy our cores
pendent that he may very safely admit what is
claimed by the advocates of Slavery, viz that
the enslavement of race having some ideas of
civilization, by one having none, will tend to
the enlightenment of the latter But it is equally
true, that if the enslaved race be savage, it will
acquire knowledge and civilization at the ex-
pense of the progress of the race which en-.
slaves it.