Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1863-02-21


North America, now under the government Of the
United States, are well known by the learned
savaas Of Europe to have prepared extensive die.
tonaric7, gmmmar5 confessions, catGchsns, etc.,
OF tho Indian languagea Of these districts between
the years $50 and 1862, Strange 10 say, no
regular history Of the thorough and aborous works
ol these devoted priests who were the founders Of
civilization on this continent existed, until the
learned Dr.. Herman Il Ludewig Of New York,
published at Landon in 1858, his svuablo "Litsp.
tara Of tho Aboriginal languages Of America ia
vol 70, This excellent work does fall credit
TO the labOrl ofthe old Catholic missionary frias
Of too west, and il Is truly astonishing to lud how
much they did DO. and how litta has bQel known Of
what they had done until 1855, excopl among the
most advanced and famous Students Of Europe,
such as Bu5chmann, Muller, Pott, AubIn, de Ros.
ny otc., living authors Of Germany and France, Of
the highest qualities Of mind
The Bbogaphica catalogue Of Lulqvig al.
luded to, contains the titles 10 fll Of not less than
two hundred grammers, dictionaries, etc, prepared
BY the Missionaries Of North America to instruct
the Indians in Christian faith, and eluciate the
principles Of human speech and thought. The
learned American Jesuts Aeryas and Gill, after
the liGi expulsion Of their srder fsm Spanish
America, published 10 Italy the fret regular coli
lection Of pathological material Of tho Iaiian Ian.
guagos; IlGryas mostly for Mexico aud Central
America and his companion Gilii for South Am
erica, The American Je5ut5 assembled to the
number Of some 1900 in the papal States between
lliO and 1900, gave to tho world an immense
number Of the most excellent works on the history
colonization, and ethnoogy Of the new world
which are still tho best works known on the coun.
tries described On later investigations, by Water
Adelung, Bu3chman, POtt and others, who have
Investigated such printed material as they got hold
OF Fem Jesuit writer's it seems that several Of the
languages Of Sonora and 5inaloa have close ali
nltIest to the Aztec nay, some of them have been
discovered during investigations since 1852, to hi
dialects only of Aztec and its cognAtes. The dif
hcuIty these sayans have to contend with is, the
materalat hand is so scarce and limited from Ii,
TACT that such numbers Of manuscript confessions
creeds, pater nostera etc, etc., which arc Of tht
highest scientific value, remain still in manuscyip
in the parishes aud conyents Of Mexico ld
late revolutions in that country between l85j an,
1852 must make this confusion worse cOnounded
aud unless the clergy take personal interest i
tho matter they will undoubtedly be lost to tn
word Of science
The most extensive dictionary and grammar {
the Aztec language yet known, written by tn
Franciscan Father AlonzO dc Molina and pnbsl
ed at Mexico City ia 1871 has been lately 4 1860
repubIisled in Paris, by the learned NJ. Leon
ko3ny, accompanied by compsndous gramma
Of the language and historical observations m
dissertations on The different dioms of Mexico
The work is in quartO OF two columns, with ma.
nifcent paper and type and has excited tho greal
est interest in the world of letters.
Probably tho higher authorities at Rome migl
be able to materially advance tho cause Of tn
grand study of comparative philology now excl
ing such attention, by collecting from the paris
priests of New Mexico, Central America, an
Mexico, copies Of the confession, creed, patsrno'
ter, otC, of which every priest could with ltd
labor aud time make copies in Latin, or SPANS
and Indian and at small expense trausmi. t6roug
their ecclesiastical sgpcriOr5 to Rome. Such
collection would indeed be grand offering to tn
cause of human knowledge and progress. II woul
be but little trouble for the parish priests {
transmit with these lists Of such gtammars, dis
tionories, etc. which exist in manuscript or prir
in their parishes; for it must b9 Remembered tha
all such works are extremely scarce whether
print Or manuscript, To tho Diocesan Seminar
Of San Thom,s do AQuiuas, near San Francisct
might be committed the charge Of collecting tl
confession, creed and pater nOster Of tho q Mi.
sion5 Of california from our present Mission Care
as every Mission, under the FmncscaDs, prior I
1880 had tablets and copies Of these suspende
in their churches, as at Santa Barbara and Sa
Antonio to instruct their Indian neophytes woeI
" and many of the old neOphytes are still liyin
near all the old Missions The pueblo Indian
parishes Of New Mexico had the same and wer
instructed IN the Catholic idth from Ms. Catecl
isms monthly by their Ouras,
This collection might be extended TO the Gail
ole Indian Missions in Oregon, Vacouyer, Britis
Columbia, Washington, and Nebraska, all Of whc
are in easy correspondence with San Francisco e.
The labor Of making copies of such simple mat,
riaI would not occupy days time, and IL 10 b
hoped the Jealous missionaries and parish .ccrg
will assist this excellent and very desirable Obec
an enterprise which will excite the greatest altel
ton among the learned ecclesiastcs at Rom
where lesido priests who giye their whole time
the study of Phology in its religious aspects; lC
the POpes great library at the Vatican is full
works on tho Catholic faith in the Indian hnguas
| which have been compiled by the America
priesthood from 1870 to 1862
One Of the most diligentan competent write
on North Pacific Coast American languages
Professor George Gibbes of New York, wi
I resided several years in California and Oregon
J the employ of the government, and is well know
by the Jesuit Missionaries who serve the India
missions in the different countries Of the OOlumb
river This gentleman would be happy to be
assistance, as an officer Of the American Ethnol,
gica Society, in answering any inquiries, as be h,
himself collected over 100 papers on the Indie
= languages Of our coast which Is now in course
publication To show what missionary mater
r. r has been written on Sonora, Sinaloa etc., whiC
are supposed to have affiliated languages with Il
two CALIFORNIA;, We append the following fro
Ludowigs work:
, |. Father Begert's account Of the language
the Gudicura Indians of Lower California, pubs
ed in his German work on California at Manhei
, in l772.
!. 2. The Lords Prayer in the Yaqui language
Sonora, to be found 10 the Mith.odatos Of Adelul
: and Yates.