The workingman's advocate., 1875-03-06
FKOM WISCONSIN.


FoRT Howard, Feb. 20, 70.
To the Editor u the woRussAAs's ADvocArE.
Few people visit this locality and leave
the Oneida settlement unnoticed. Some
twelve miles square Of pretty good farm
ing land Is se, apart for the exclusive use
Of that portion Of tho tribe which had
manifested some degree of civilization and
desire to follow the pursuits Of citizenship
on Sunday, the last day of Jan. 40. My
friend Duncan and | reached their place
Of worship about an hour prior TO the time
Of meeting, which gave us an acceptable
opportunity Of thAwing out and examining
the interior of very neat and well painted
frame building on the brow Of a hill over
looking a fine range of hill and dale, and
enlivened by many we'll huil log cabins and
small barnA and well fenced patch. The
ground being snow clad put its cultivation
beyond our ken, but to judge from the
appearance Of the well dressed worshipers
it must be at least on par with their
neighbOrs. A more orderly, attentive
congregation 1t never has never been my
lot 10 witness. Like the Quakers they
keep the sexes apart, and being Scotchmen
We very naturally took our seats On the
wrong side, false step which had TO be
recti6ed by tearing US from the agreeable
society Of the squAws, and placing US il
that Of the coarser sex, who might not
have altogether forgotten the use Of scalp
ing tools, but Of whom to do them justice
We had no reason to complain. The house
was tastefully decorated with evergreens
and artificial flowers. The service is pro-
fessedly EpiscopaliAn, but the number Of
candles used ON the altar and elsewhere in
the bodywf the church led me to suppose
that the ritualism employed did somewhat
SAVIOR of Rome. The altar in a central
recess, and the priests clerk on the right
hand, and the clerk Of the interpreter on
the left, the procession came ia for al
elaborate show Of ornamentation and wax
tapers rs also n sweet-toned little organ
which in unison with fair choir, inter
spersed the service with fine music.
The 6rst portion Of tine spoken words
was couched in the Indian tongue. The
sermon, If such it may be called, was spo-
ken in English, and p~ragraphed BY para
graph interpreted BY the chief, a good
looking middle-Aged man, in tones much
more musical than | had Anticipated.
Their books, psalms, hymns, and rituals
tic guides are printed ID both languages In
JuXtarposltIOn. Our visit gave rise 10
mixed and somewhat antagonls,ic feelings
IN my mind. Pleasure to see 50 many
sons and daughters Of the Wild forest as
sembled together IN rational, exterior, and
to all appearance, bg:.I6ie devotion, Offering
up their 5r1sJns 10 the Great Spirit. Pain
TO reflect on the golden opportunities the
supreme race (par excellence) has IN the
spirit OF cupldity. trampled under loot.
Opportunities which would, If embraced
have led u far richer harvests. On thu
whole it leaves a kind Of a sop-in pan i'm
preston. A sort Of feeling that might
arise IN fellow asking for bread and being
offered a. But don't let us be too fas
tidlous. | hear that the moral calibre o
tins people will not suffer IN comparison
with any outSiders. This may be PARTIAL,
accounted for by the power they hav
ceded to them BY the State TO exclude al
white settlers from their land. Saturda
being a kind Of market day with them
their black sheep will visit, the city and "
need not marvel At short memories forget
sing ''rhe stsPs ami stiles that lie betweel
them and their hames. Deeds Of vloleno
seldom disgrace their community. Som
tour years ago in the spirit Of jealousy on
Indian slew another. The murderer va
tried and condemned by the nalIou, bu
being opposed to capital punishment, mad
an overture 70 the State to have the eul
prit incArcerated in its prison during hi
natural life. The State declined 20 inter
fere and in opposition to the statute .
Wisconsin hanged him by the nee
until he died. Their having no goa
to put him In may account for this back
ward step. The tribe preferred TO take j
in preference 10 letting the man Of violenc
20 free. Can anything more estlmable b
advanced on behalf Of that grand self-adu
lating type u Gods humanity called tn
Caucasian race.
Ii you can put aught or all of the abOv
in the volume Of the dear Old ADVOCATE
you Will obhge one Of your oldest an
most constant ryaders
DAVID Johnson