The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-10-22
THE AMERICAN CADMUS.
Se-Quo- Yah, the inventor Of the
Cherokee Alphabet.
A GENIUS OF THE ABORlGlNES.
Ignorant Of Any Language but His Own,
lie Devised an Alphabet Of Eighty-ive
Letters, which His People Use To-Day
Every Full Blood Cherokee Reads It,

Many are aware OF the existence of
Cherokee alphabet, but few, perhaps. have
had access TO history Of the invention,
md hardly any have any idea of the nature
of the alphabet itself 1t is To be wondered
that this remarkable display of genius has
not been more generally noticed by the
American people and proper tribute paid
the untutored inventor.
IL is not too late however, 20 do Justice
TO this great benefactor OF the Cherokee
Indians, who, by his inventive power, have
raised themselves to an elevation unat-
tanned by any other tribe of Indians on the
American continent.
Se-quo-yah, the inventor of the Cherokee
alphabet, has been justly referred to by an
eminent writer as the american Cadmus
and Modern Moses" The appearance and
habits of Se-quo-yah were those Of full
blood Cherokee, though his grandfather
on his fathers side was a white man. He
was educated in only the customs of his
nation, and at the time OF his death was
ignorant of any other language but his
own.
The exact time and place Of Se.quo-yah's
death is somewhat merged in obscurity,
but from the best authority it appears to
have occurred about ls45 and Indian ira
dition tells us he died away from his peo-
pie and in the heart of old Mexico, where
he had gone to join some friend in that
country. At any rate, a delegation of
Cherokees were sent to Mexico some years
later to find and bring his remains back
TO his native country, but they were totally
unsuccessful in their search and the grave
Of Sequoyah is unknown to this day.
sE-QUo-YAH BEGINS. :
The immediate circumstance which I'm.
duced Se-quo-yah to undertake the great
task of inventing an alphabet appears to
be based upon a conversation between
himself and a few companions upon the
subject of writing, or the talking leaf"
as they called it, at certain town in the
old Cherokee nation, east of the Missis-
sippi, called Saunta. Some young men
were remarking on the wonderful and su-
perior talents of the white men.
One of the company said that the white
man could put n talk on paper and send it
any distance, and it would be perfectly
understood by those who would receive it.
All admitted that this was indeed wonder
full, an art far beyond the reach of the red
man, and they were utterly at a loss to
conceive in what way it was DONE
Se-quo-yah, after listening TO the CONVEX
sation awhile in silence, raised himself,
and putting on an air Of great Importance
observed; "You are all fools Why, the
thing is very easy; / can do 1t myself"
And taking up fat stone that lay near
him he commenced making words on it
with a sharp instrument Of some kind.
After few minutes he told them what he
had written by making a mark for each
word. etc. This produced laugh, and the
conversation on the subject ended.
After the interview at Saunta he went
home, obtained some paper and paint and
began in earnest to paint the Cherokee
language on paper" From the cries of
wild beasts, from the talents of the mock
ing bird, from the voices of his children
and companions, he knew that feelings and
passions were conveyed from one intelli-
gent being to another. The thought then
occurred to him to try and ascertain all the
sounds in the Cherokee language.
now HE INVENTED HIS ALPHABET.
When he thought he had distinguished
all the different sounds in his language he
attempted to use pictorial signs-images Of
birds and beasts-to convey these signs to
others, or TO mark them in his own mind.
In this and several other methods he failed
taking, but he was not in the least discour-
aged He at length hit upon the idea Of
dividing the words into parts, or syllables,
and he had proceeded in this direction but
a short time when, TO his great satisfaction.
he had the written language of his country.
After completing his alphabet he found
much difficulty in getting his people to
learn IL. Nor could he succeed until he
came out to this country and taught few
persons here, one OF whom wrote letter
back To one OF Se-quoyah's friends In the
old nation, who read IL to his neighbors.
When the usefulness of the Cherokee al.
phabet became fully acknowledged, it
spread throughout the nation in n manner
unprecedented Reading and writing in
the Cherokee language soon became COM
mon, for within few months after its in
PRODUCTION there were Cherokees in vari-
Gus parts OF the nation who could use the
talking leaf"
1t is worthy Of remark that its use was
at first confined TO the more obscure indi-
viduaIs OF the Cherokees, nor did the more
intelligent class consider il of any impor-
tance until their senses gave evidence of
the existence and utility Of this remark
able invention, and they saw Cherokees
read and write in their own language.
CHEROKEE PUBLICATIONS
The number Of characters in Se-quo-yah's
alphabet is eighty five. The arrangement,
like that Of all other alphabets with which
am acquainted, is entirely without sys-
tenn, and appear TO have been placed in
the order in which they presented them
selves 20 the inventor when he was put
ting the finishing strokes To his work, by
EN- bodying his sign of sounds, after finish
ing the number sufficient for writing all
the words Of the Cherokee language. The
figures used were the Arabic. or the same
that we use.
In order to increase the utility OF Se-
quo-yah's great invention, the Cherokee
legislature appropriated sum OF money
10 have type and a printing press con
ttructed The Advocate, newspaper
printed in both the Cherokee and English
language. was established, and is still in
operation. About 500 copies OF this paper
are circulated and read by hundreds OF
full bloods who cannot read English at all.
On the same press have been printed in the
Cherokee language the New Testament, a
hymn book and many tracts containing
portions of the Holy Scriptures.