The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-01-29
Last Of the Catawbas.
II. Lewis Scaife Makes an
Earnest Appeal In
Their Behalf.

Editor Register: tits the duty of
the Legislature of South Carolina to
take some measures to lift the Catawba
Indians from their beggarly and pitifu!
plight To-day they are 10 not much
better condition morally. socially or
financially than when they we're savages
running wild over the State. In 1853,
the Catawbas had confirmed to them
2S5 square miles of laud 90 the Ca
tawba River. This was curtailed in
1871 to reservation ooe mile square
-iu compensation for the lands they
have surrendered ; cannot the State now
afford to give them at least a school :?
From the earliest times, the Catawba
Indians have given South Carolina lit
lie trouble--they welcomed the Carroll
uian when he was settler, they fought
for him iu the French and Indian wars,
they helped him to defend Fort Moul-
trie against the British. aud they more
than once marched under the colonial
flag against their own race. The Caro-
lioiaus have rewarded them by driving
them from their homes. and the State
is largely responsible for their depopu,
lation. 10 1852, the patton altered
6. 600 souls, while to-day the e"tire
tribe scarcely uum bers 120. When the
doom Of extinction hangs over their
heads. cas- South Carolina be so un-
patriotic as to deny them peusloo )!
Can single member of the General
Assembly have such an ungratetul and
iuhuman hart as to say that these peo-
pie DO uos deserve larger approprla-
sion than an annual pittarce of about eight
dollars per capita? We bear that the
escu,cbeon of South Carolioa has been
stained and that througbt fact!onal strife
her coed uame is being disgraced. Cau
this be retribution oyertakiug the grand
old State?
For one hundred years. appeals in
tehalf of the Catawba Indians have fall
eo on stony ground, aud they are still
left painfully alone to work out their
own salvation. The Cataw bas should
have a school and coed man to live
amoug them to encourage them to work.
If their wares were disposed Of at their
real value, these would in themselves
yield a support. The following plan
was suggested to the Legislature about
City years ago, and, though carried out
theoretically, it has never been put into
practical operation:
If your glorious State would pur-
chase for these people who make strong
appeal to the sympatbies of every Car
linian. a good tract of land IN heal
thy part of the State and place over
them man of decided responsibility as
their patron to correct their conduct
aud settle their differences, they would
do better than they have done fer fifty
years. If they love man, be can
make them do anything, even toll for
livelihood and keep deceuty sober.
This would be doing a great deal !;
should this policy be pursued, the fun
eral yew will not be fixed over the last
Catawba for a century"
The Legislature, during its present
sessions. should not fail to appoint a
com mmission to look into the affairs of
these unfortunate and neglected people
aad perhaps 10 better 'naD could be
found for chairman Of that commission
than Mr.. Mcdonald Furman, who for
mauy years has taken an interest 10 the
Catawbas and, as an ethnologist, has
made them special study.
There were tweuty-elght tribes OF
Indians ;n South Carolina when 1t first
began to be settled-the few Cataw bas
moi quite ouc dozen OF whom are ct
pure Indian blood, are all that are latt.
If the State has rot pride enough TO
take care of this last remnant OF her
aboriginal Inhabitants, It Is time tor az
association to be formed for their pro
lection.
II. LEWIS SGAIFE.
Trinity Hall. Louisville, Ky, Jan.
%. 1896.