New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-28

4 TRIBE OF INDIANS THAT HAS NJ Hh'N-
T1oxs WITH THE UNITED STATES

4 TRIBE OF INDlANo ina i
TIoNs WITH THE UNITED STATES
jamestown Va) correspondence Of The chicago
Record. ~ +, 1-f,,
on the banks Of the Pamunkey h''e,i ILL., ~ from
william County about twenty-five n''Ts , ,iDt
pinhr,ond and a mile east Of the hiStVIl0
i,yvbita House" the home Of John Danuriuse,
where George Washington married the 49,
Widow Gusts. dwells cofliIuhiS ,otion which
ians the lingering remnants OF the ndt'on ,is
mel the English colony with frendiy sreetlhss
when it arrived on the banks OF the OheSdPeH"'
The records Of those times refer TO Powhatan
&c "tba Emperor Of the Potomac. ana from
the Relation" Of Captain John Sinlth we mp n
Judge that he had about twenty-five nunuI "a
yvorriors under his command 10y the lds.
cansus they we're reduced to ninety-three' anu
eince then the birthrate has been so much
greater than the deathrdtc that they haNe
Increased their total by seventeen, i,i ~
mace where they live is little peninsula
a hot e-shaped neck Of land comprising epout
eight hundred acres, of when TWO huhuItu anu
fifty acres are under cultivation Inc reIld'iiiel
is thicklv wooded with virgin forest sNdHpy
and uninhab ted II abounds in game. Whlch
is one of their chief sources or subsistence. ms
tract is secured 10 the Pamunkey indIahs 10y an
act of the Colonial Legislature Ihey hoid IL III
common are prohibited from alternating the ute
and are exempt from taxes. although under an
ancient law they required 10 supply the GOV
ernor Of the Virginia colony annually with a
certain amount Of wild game This practice sun
continues and during the shooting season.
spring and fall they are in the habit now ana
then OF sending the Governor, by the conductor
of the train a bunch Of wild ducks or haunch
of VenisOn.
The Pamunkeys have no relation with the
United States Government They receive no an
nufties and their names are not upon the rolls
Of the Indian Office The State of Virginia an
nually appoints Ave trustees 10 look after their
interests but the offices sneCures. as the
Indians are perfectly capable Of looking after
themselves They elect the chief ard a council
Of four who exercise executive legislative and
judicial functions Every member of the tribe
is allowed TO vote and on the day appointed they
meet al the council house. with usually two can
didates to choose from Those in favor Of one
indicate their choice by dropping a grain of corn
into the balOt-bOX. those who prefer the other
indicate il by dropping a bean in the same place
These native officials take care of the tribe.
punish all offences except felonies. over which
the State courts have jurisdiction and conduct
a cooperative merchandise store, which is pat
ronized by white people in the neighborhood as
well as the members OF the tribe.
The Indians are temperate, moral, peaceabe
and industrious. Very few Of them are full
bIooded. During the three hundred years OF
contact with the whites and negroes around
them they have been unable to preserve their
racial integrity. although the laws Of the tribe
prohibit cohabitation marriage with persons
OF African desc mt. They are exceedingly proud
OF their lineage, and while they would probably
acknowledge the white arstocracy Of Virginia