The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-03-02

snow, though dry and hay-llke. Water
seems to be always found at moder-
ate depths, every rancho havingsof
course well, which always sup
piled our teams plentifully. But
perhaps the chief obstacles to the
onward march of population-civil-
ized-are the Indians whom we are
after. l never had any sympathy for,
or belief in the false Characterization
of sentimental historians, novelists.
and poets who have elevated the
stolid insensibility, physical and
moral, Of the Indian into heroism
Nature is everywhere grand in some
of its aspects, but the connection of
savage man and savage nature pro-
duces nothing but what is repulsive
to the higher being, civilized, or if
you will, christianised man. The
natural man, we believe as the old
book says, is corrupt and desperately
wicked" 1t is sensitive only to the
impulse of the mere animals virtues,
and equally under the government of
brute selfishness, and the conse-
quent brute passions. The natural
man has all the moral qualities of the
opossum, the fox, the wolf, and the
lion, and none others. Such is the
Indian. Is he not an admirble char
acter? What has ever been his his
tory, from time immemorial, before
and since his contact with civilized
man? Merely an unending series of
propagation, rapine, and murder 1t
is the order of nature, that those who
will consent to neither mental nor
material nature must give way to
those who will. This vast continent
could not be allowed to remain occu-
pied by a limited number of tribes,
engaged in continual marauding,
when those who were ready to Guilt
vate the soil and themselves,
as well as to " increase and multiply"
desired to occupy the land whether
their predecessors were willing or not,
whether they would sell or not. Bar
barism and civilization cannot long
live in contact any more than liberty
and slavery The Indians won't ''set-
tie and won't be peaceable towards
settlers. Consequently they must be
driven off, which is our " mission"
The only way to make life safe in
these Territories and in the line of
travel, is to set bounds to the roaming
gangs, to keep them clear of a wide
tract of territory across to the Pacific,
and to allow no overstepping after be-
ing once warned off by arms. That
is probably about the intention of
Government this season.
| was glad to see by one of the
journals of last month, that some
skeptical Investigator has disproved
the improbable story, because un-
natural, called the history of Poca-
hontas. He has lifted the veil of
romance from the features of her
character, and proved her a worthy
representative of her race, and, as
progenitor, worthy of her descend
ants. 1t is as easy, doubtless, to find
true gentleness and purity among the
uncultivated Indians, as to find a
Saint in hell. Pocahontas might,
nevertheless, have saved that rascal
story teller Smiths life, for reasons.
But that the circumstance should
prove that she was everything that
was gentle, lovely, civilized and
righteous, I don't see. To accomp-
lish the reformation of these tribes
is a feat ardently desired by all
right thinking people, but if
they won't be persuaded to
subdue Nature and make her
obedient to their service, as is the law
for man to do, instead of letting her be
the master. and they her slaves, then
we mustsay to them, away to quarters
where you may harm none butt your
selves" People who cannot accom-
modate themselves to the onward
march of civilizations, must die and
disappear before it. 1t is, and has
ever been the law, since the days of
Eden. Man was not as other animals
intended to remain in state of ma
ture. Progress by means of cuItiva-
ton and correct principles is his duty.
whatsoever obstructs must burn up in