The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-10-02
CATAWBA HISTORY.
BRIEF REVIEW OF a SHORT BUT
INTERESTING HISTORY.
Prof. II. Lewis Scaife Writes of the
History and Present Condition of
the Catayvba Indians of South
Carolina.

to say in connection to Prof. II. Lewis
Scaife's book, entitled the "History
and Condition of the Catawba Indians
of South Carolina:"
'There are few people in our State
who are enthusiastic in regard to the
history and condition of the Catawba
Indians as is Prof. III. Lewis Scaifc, II
Young South Carolininn who fills the
position of instructor of English,
Trinity Hall, Louisville, Ky. Some of
his writings on these Indians are ia
miliar to our readers, and one of his
Indian articles was published in the
Register several months ago.
'Tn neat and interesting pamphlet
of twcnty-four pages, Professor Scaife
has embodied II large amount OF infor-
nation in regard to these Indians.
The pamphlet is entitled "History and
Condition of the Cntawba Indians of
South Carolina. lie opens with IL
thoughtful Introductory, in which he
alludcs to the remnant and the pust de-
votion of the tribe IT, the cause of the
~
pages to CataHba history, tracing it
from early times and giving details of
their fighting with the white mau, and
he quotes from Washington's writings
in regard to the Catnwbas in the French
and Indian war. Some space is de-
voted to King Haigler, the greatest
chief the Catawbns have ever had, and
n man who was really among the great
men of tie red race. Continuing, Prof.
Scajfe traces their history on down
from the Revolutionary war and gives
an interesting extract from the report
of q commission appointed by Govern
or Noble to enter into negotiation with
the Catawbas to cede their lands to
South Carolina. He also gives n copy
of the treaty made with the Cutawbas
March 13, 1910, and he shows that the
State did not stick to the agreement
made in the treaty. Coming on down
to the present time, he makes IL long
extract about the Catnwbns from MIR.
James Moneys able monograph,
'Siouan Tribes of the East.
Next Professor Scniic speaks of tho
condition of the tribe, and ho says:
",rhe 225 square miles of land, which
WAS confirmed to the tribe as Al rcser-
vation in 1TG4, has been curtailed un-
I'll now they are huddled together on
Wsasrn 2llnwanee OF only SEQ
acres. The Catawbn Indians
have never been 'pettcd. They always
bnye been and still are mistreatt q and
neglected. AS to their condition, the
writer knows whereof he speaks, as he
has often visited the tribe and has
had ample opportunity to study their
condition.
Next we have an account OF the "a
tawbn Reservation and Professor Hrhlie
riyes an extended account OIL the hrSt
visit he ever paid the tribe. lie also
tells about the state of the reservation
rs he saw it. He crrs, however, IN
stating that Bob Harris il the chief;
that official is jim Harris, whose term
will expire next November. The writer
of this hasty review had the pleasure
of dining with Chief Harris at his
home ON the reservation last spring.
Professor Scaifo gives All interesting
pen p. p.cture OF "Unclc Billy George,
who was the oldest one of the Catnw'
has and wns the last surviving Indian
who signed the treaty with South Car
olina. He died last May.
One author tells about the lndustrln
condition of the tribe, which, how
ever, is too lengthy to copy here. .
the entire condition of the tribe he oh
serves: "The present condition o
the tribe, morally, socially and iinan
chilly, is n disgrace to themselves, bu
is more II disgrace to the Stntcln whicl
they live. In regard to who Is re
sponsible for this condition, Profcsso
Scaife says:
"Pechaps, after the Catawbas hnv
become extinct, some one might ns
who was responsible. Let us not wal
until then to place the responsibility
where it belongs. If it is South Caro-
lina's duty to cherish and guard with
fostering care the last vcstigc OF he
aboriginal inhabitants; II sll
owes anything to dlslntcres'
ed people who have fonSn
her bnttlcs-a people who were courte
when they were strong, but are no
scorncd because they are weak; ii sh
owes anything to people whose terr
tory she has absorbed without due con
pensntion; if it is her duty touplift d'
graded humanity within her borders
then South Carolina is responsible; an
if she does not soon do something IL
tho Cntawbas, her escutcEcon will he,
a stnin which time cannot erase. 1t
time for the people of South CnrohI
to compel their representatives III IL
State and general government to
something for these much-wronged III
down -troddcn people
Professor Scaife closes his little VOL
with this paragraph: "Of the twent
eight Indian tribes in South Carolil
200 wears ago, the few Catawbas n