Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-21
fhe Mound Huilders.

In The Atlantic Monthly for March, is 81 in
tereslng article on the Ancient Miners Of the
lake Superior region The facts are not new,
but arc collected in readable manner. Ii is
something to be able to gst out Of this raging
war. back an indefinite number OF years, to the
times of those unknoSn. nomadic, intelligent,
industrious tribes Which dug copper on Point
keweensw. built mounds in Illinois. Missouri,
Ohio, Indiana. West Virginia, and all along the
valley of the Mississippi, and finally made their
exodus into Mexico, Central America and Peru.
heyOnd which latter point they have Lot been
traced Our object ia calling attention to this
topic of antiquarian rossarch - not TO recapituste
the facts which have been accumulated, nor 10
attempt TO give any outline OF the rival theories
OF the origin, period. and final fate Of the race
or races which dwet on this continent at q time
beyond the traditions Of the North American
Indians. but only 20 remark thai here ID Q great
opportunity for profound chronological research
The subject, fascinating as il must be to every
person with dash OF antiquarIanlsm IN his com
position, hs- received but little notice. Had the
mound builders lived and died in the old world,
the mystery which nov enyircns them would
probably have been long ago dssipateG. The
French and English governments would have
Wei with each other IN fitting out scientific com
missions to study up the whole question. withou,
regard to time and expense. The learned bodies
OF Europe would have given their patronage to
such enterprises, and would have placed laurels
OF the brow Of the successful discoveries. The
old world would have hailed with enthusiasm
every step towards the solution Of problem
which so challenges human curiosity in its noble-t
and worthiest sense. But in America all this is
reversed. The history OF the marvellous pre-
Indian race possesses so little interest for the
government, that no official investigation of the
subject has ever been ordered The nearest ap-
orosch to official work was the publication of
Mr. Sqners' researches on American antiquities
which constituted the first volume OF the Smith
sonisn Contributions to knowledge"
IL is an excellent book 40 far as IL goes. IL
is the only one which processes to treat of the
question in detail. Some years ago Col Whit
tlesey, of Ohio, published series Of valuable
papers on the mounds of that state submitting
evidence to prove that there we're many varieties
among them, some having been erected for the
observance Of religious rights, others as tombs
and monuments, others as 0bServat0ries, Others
for purposes of security and defense. He had
devoted much labor TO tie opening and examna-
ton of the mounds, and bisstatements, so far az
Ohio il concerned. are sufficiently full and pre-
else. The new American Cyclopedia costsins
good article on American antiquities, and occa-
sionsl documents Of similar character may be
found scattered through the published proceed
ings Of historical societies. and scientific
associations. But there is still wanting q
systematic and complete investigation Of the
history Of the mound builders, in all their wan
derings from Behring Straits Of as is generally
supposed they came over from the old world by
that route) 10 their vanishing point 10 South
America. The work must be undertaken not By
individuals nor by societies, bul BY separate
states by the general government IL will
require the labor OF a number of persons OF high
scientific sttainments. for period of several
years. and the expenditure of considerable money
TO prepare connected and logical history of
those wonderful people, az it may be traced in
the series OF gigantic landmarks which they have
left along tie line of their travels. as if for the
very purpose OF supplying food for study aud
thought TO future generations New York Jour
of Commerce