Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-05

ob.igs, Yours Truly,
WiLrRsp P. HALL.
Somstine for The farmers and business
men in the Mississippi Valley to consider,
and particularly those below the point men
toned in the tradition. Tho enormous tax OH
tonnage below this place and the Gulf Of
Mexico, besides Fl ON one 10 nine cents com.
mission on grain, that they pass local laws
to wiring out Of the swea, Of the l2boring mau
is getting rather hard; so the great spirit
viii be under the necessity II setting down
his foot in the shape Of taking the trade
away from Davenport, Rock Island, Musca>
tine, Burlington, Keokuk, Warsaw, Quincy,
Alton, st. Louis, Cairo, Memphis, Vicks>
burg, Natchez and New Orleans, and we
will ses then how much they will make out
of their commission houses and wharfag $,
free navigation. A FREQ shore, and free
rivers, are the gift Of God, and il man cans
not keep them, he must have got far below
che being the God created him to be. SO
look well to your interest, merchants and
farmers, and read the tradition you local
property -holders. No trade, no wharfage,
and empty houses, will look bad for you.
The proceedings Of certain States through
the agencies of their towns and cities brings
to my mind . certain old lndiau tradition
concerning . tribute always collected at
. point on the Mississippi knoRn a. the
Meridsoia Slough, below Albany in the
State Of Illineis. The way that the tradition
used to be told Is That . certain Chief
had located his town at that point and used
to make oil othes tribes Of Indians pay him
tax for passing that point. At that time
the water Of the present bluffs that forms
the head Of the Rock Island Rapids and the
water came around by way Of the present
Meridosia Slough end one branch emptied
into the present channel Of Campbcl!'s ls>
land and the remainder keUi on down the
channel Of The present Rock River, where
Black Hawks watch tower still stands to
mark the place. They say that there was
. large lake Of water all over those low.
lands and . fine hunting ground. They
say that the tribute became 40 large thatthe
other Indians called on the Great Spirit aud
he told the Chief that IL hs did not stop
collecting tax BY tonnage that he would take
away ths trade altogether. The Chief would
not listen to the Great Spirit and he be-
came vesysangsy and stamped his foot down
90 hard and halloosd 90 loud that he broke
the bluff right in tvo. and the water came
down through the hole and made passage,
and At the same time he shook the ground
and broke Rock 1slaud Slough through o. d
made himself hole st lover end Of said
Island and thus guarded tho free navi cation
Of the Mississippi River till the white men
came with their big guns and scared him
away. Now, therefore the said white man
not having true regard for the Great Spir.
it, to vio'ats his laws and there own, be
makes known that il the said white man
don't pent and repeal sh Of said laws he
will shake the ground AMI make free nsvi,
CATION in another direction. The voice oi
Great spirit will make but one appeal before
he sets down his foot.
SAD CALAMITY = SUICIDAL ArrsxPT.-
From = letter received to day BY Sheriff
Keith ws CLEAN the ed ia atslligsuee that NJ
Ed. Prouty, IN old and highly rsspssl ed
| citizen of West I.ihertv mada An eftesuut