The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-12-19


son, Indian Missionary, whose Name
Among his own People is ssEn-me.Eah-
bOwh.0
The Standing Committee on the In
dian Concern, report that we have con-
tinued through the past year, to give
unremitted attention to the object
entrusted to our care, and to render all
the assistance that lay in our power to
supply the wants and necessities of the
Indians as these became known to US.
The condition of the Indians in the
State of New York, is very gratifying
to the Committee. These it may be
again stated, are the remains of the sew
eral tribes which once formed the power
ful confederation known as the Six
Nations; the Senecas, Cayugas, Mo.
hawks. Oneidas, Onondagas, and Tusca-
roras. They now number less than four
thousand.
A letter received by the Committee
from Nathaniel T. Strong, an educated
Indian, formerly clerk OF the Seneca
nation, and now a member of their Coun-
Gil, dated the 1st of the present month.
gives the following encouraging account
Of their present condition:
s'It is very gratifying to me, and doubt
less it is SO to all our public men, and
to the Seneca people generally, to near
the unabated interest felt by your Socie-
ty for the welfare Of your. red Brethren
in Western New York. The services
rendered by the Society Of Friends to
our fathers, cannot be forgotten by their
children, for they are now enjoying the
benefits As time recedes, these bene-
fits appear to grow brighter and brighter,
and the result every day develops the
untold Importance which the ;abors Of
the Friends have been to us as people.
s'The Seneca people for the past year
have. enjoyed degree Of good health,
which perhaps bat few communities in
any country have been favored with
Peace, quietness, and brotherly love
have been manifested among all classes
Of the people. There is a prevailing
sentiment among US, that all differences
Of opinions, on all subjects, which have
a0metimes heretofore marred the kind
feelings which naturally should exist
one for another, should now be forgot
ten, and laid aside I cannot recall the
time to mind. when such unity and har-
mony existed among the Senecas As at
present.
ut is evident that sobriety and indus
try are on the increases more and more
with our people. The farms are being
enlarged and better cultivated, with the
prospect Of raising grain for surplus.
Houses and barns are being built, and
other improvements made, correspond
ing with their gradually advancing con-
dition. 80
ssConsiderable attention is now being
given to the rearing ofcattle and horses.
Indeed, may say. that all domestic
animals are better cared for than for
merly- The essential attributes Of civ
ilization in all its branches. it may be
said ir short, are now in actual progress
among your red Brethren in Western
New York.
'.The timely aid of your Society in
the prolongation of the day schools Of
the Cattaraugus and Allegheny Reservs-'
tions for their full winter tersks, sduriux
last winter, was gratefully received
There is no longer any opposition by
any portion OF the people, to the educa-
tion of our children; All are doing what
they can to have their children to learn
to read and write in the English Ian
guage."%
The Commissioner of Indian affairs,
in his report to Congress for last year..
says in relation to the New York 1n-
dians: For Tie most part, these people
are industrious ana Intelligent in the
care of their farms, and succeed in max
ing fair living by tncir labor. OF
many of them, it may be said they are
not surpassed by the whites. ia the care
and diligence with which they pursue
their business, or the success which
crowns their efforts, as may be seen at
the Annual Agricultural Fairs which
have been instituted among them.
''These Indians exhibit great inter
est ia the education Of their children,
and as their location is such as to give
them the benefit of the common
school system of the Stste of New York,
they are not slow to avail themselves Of
the privilege, there being o schools
among them. containing 872 scholars
out of q population OF 4,OOO-a larger
proportion of scholars to the total popu-
lation than obtains in most white com-
munities. The health of the people has
generally been good during the past
year. and notwithstanding the ravages
Of the small pox among the Tonawandas,
by which A persons died, the aggregate
number of births in the agency has ex-
cecded the DEATHS" I SO that the whole
population is increasing.
The Governor Of the State of New
York. in his last annual message to the
Legislature, says; These Indians in
the State of New York. liviag upon re
servations, have steadily increased in
population for the last 25 years, without
being indebted to immigration for the
result. This growta Of the aboriginal
races 10 opposed to the theory OF. their
final extinction; and their graduel i'm
prosement in intelligence and thriff,
even induces the hope, that, whenever