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.Aids, whose dissections and intrigues
threw the ioi|)ire into such disorder
that it was nigh becoming a prey to
its Tartarian and Lithuanian enemies.
During this state tf anarchy, the edu
cation of the future sovereign was al
most totally neglected; it was evident
ly the object of his ambitious to re
move him as much as possible from
public affairs, and by thereby render
ing him uuqiilifted to hold the reins
of government, to secure the contin
uance of their own authority. But
he had received from nature faculties
of no ordinary kind; he perceived that
both he and the nation were slaves to
a vile oligarchy; hence he learned to
fear and hate all who afterwards as
pired to a participation of the sover
eign power. His natural disposition
was cruel; to tortorture or kill domes
tic animals, and to ride over old wo
men and old men, were Ins favorite
amusements—amusements in which
he was encouraged by those whose
duly it was restrain his vicious pro
pensities. Hence was laid the foun
dation of a tyranny which was after
wards to astonish all Eurpe. The
Irst effects of it were expejieneed
by one who bad helped to foster it,
and who had therefore little coinmis-
seration from the people. This was
Prince Shuisky, president of the coun
cil. Ivan was no more than thirteen
years of age when he resolved to in
flict summary vengeance on this ob
ject of general execration; the unfor
tunate wretch, on a signal given from
the young prince, was dragged out in
to the street, and worried by dogs in
open day-light. In 151b, Ivan having
reached his eighteenth year, was
crowned Tzar of all the Russias—a
title thenceforward adopted at home,
as well as in relation with foreign
courts. In the beginning of his reign,
Ivan was doubtless disposed to follow
the natural bent of his mind towards
cruelty; but the influence of his con
sort, the mild and amiable Anastasia,
and the exhortations of a monk, con
tinued for many years to restrain the
monster within. During this period,
indeed, he seemed to have undergone
an entire change, lie was not only in
defatigable in discharging the duties
of his station, but lie exhibited so ma
ny instances of generosity and clemen
cy, that he was equally beloved and
adored by his people. Victorious
over its natural enemies, and tranquil
at homo, Russia looked forward to long
years of happiness under its hopeful
monarch. But if the lion was chained,
it was not destroyed; if it slumbered,
it might be suddenly aroused in its
anger to dart its fangs into the heart
of the victim. The advice of an old
bishop, who during the preceding
xeign had been banished from the
court for his crimes, and whom Ivan
consulted on the best means of govern
ing his kingdom, made a profound im
pression on the mind of the Tzar. ‘-If
yon wish to ho t.mty a sovereign,'*
said the bishop, “■never seek n coun
sellor wiser than yourself; never re
ceive advice from any man. Com
mand; but never obey, and you will
be a teror to the boyards. Remem
ber 1 hat every one who is allowed to
advise, ends ruling his sovereign.”
Ivan kissed the old man's hand, ex
claiming. “My own father could not
have spoken more wisely!” Still, so
long as Anastasia lived, no change was
perceptble in his conduct; he applied
himself unceasingly to the welfare of
his subjects; but on the death of that
excellent princess, in 1560, the slum
bering demon.a ose in all the teror of
his might, and gained for Ivan the ap
pellation of the “Muscovite Monster.”
On the 25ih July, eighteen gibbets
were erreeted in the market-place of
Moscow; instruments of torture were
displayed; enormous lire was made,
over which was suspended an immense
couldron. Seeing those frightful pre
parations, the Muscovites were per
suading that their last hour was at
hand—the Tzar was about to annihi
late the capital, and exterminate its
inhabitants. Terrified out of their
senses, they fly and conceal them
selves, leaving their shops open, their
merchandize and money exposed, im
mediately the streets are deserted; no
one is seen except a troop of Oprit-
sniks ranged in profound silence round
the gibbets and blazing fire. Sud
denly the air resounds with the beat,
ing of drums; the Tzar is seen on
horsebdek, with bis eldest son, the
beloved object of his affections. lie
is also accompained by his boyards,
princes, and devoted legion, who
marched along in perfect order. Af
ter these came the condemned, in
-*mn»ber exceeding three hundred,
who resembled spectres; they w^re
bruised;tom, andnlooUy, and senne-
ly able to crawl along. On arriving
at the foot of the gallows, the Tier
looks around linn: he is surprised to
fmd that no spectators are present and
be commands Ins legionaries to Col
lect the inhabitants in the same plat e.
He becomes impatient at their dila-
loriness, and runs himself to caH the
Muscovites to the treat which he
had prepared for them;—at the
same time assures them of his perfect
good will towards them. None dared
to disobey; immediately all issued
from their bidding places, and with
trembling steps hastened to the scene
of execution, which wak instantly
crowded; the walls and roofs also were
covered with spectators. Then the
Tzar cried aloud, “people of Mos
cow, you are about to witness tortures
and punishments; and 1 punish none
but traitors. Tell me, is mine a right
eous judgment?” The air instantly
filled with acclamations, “Long live
the Tzar, our lord and master! May
his enemies perish!” Ivan seperated
from the crowd of victims one hun
dred and twenty, to whom, as less
guilty, lie granted life. The secreta
ry to the privy council then read the
names of the rest from a long roll of
parchment which he hold in his hand,
viscovaty was first made to advance,to
whom the emperor read these words:
“John Mikailof, confidential ex-coun-
se. I >r of Tzar you have served mo
disloyally, and have written to King
Sigistnund, offering to put him in |Jis-
sessi«m of Novgorod: this is your fist
t
crane: ' The Tzar then struck Im
on the head with a whip, and conui-
ued, “The second crime is not so
heinous: ungreatful and perfidi us
man, you have written to the Suit in.
encouraging him to seize on Astra an
and Kazan.” Two blows foil vv.
Yon have also invited the Khan olT.
to invade R. this is your third crifrie.
Here Viscovaty, in a modest but !pm
voice, replied, lifting his eyes to ljea-
ven, “l take the teacher of hearty to
witness—he who knows the most se
cret thought—that 1 have faithfully
served my sovereign and iny counjry.
All that I have heard is a tissue oljin
famous calumnies; but to defend |ny-
self is vain, for my earthly judge is
deaf to the voice of pity; he who reigns
in heaven knows my innocence; and
you also, Sire, will one day acknowl
edge it before the throne of the Al
mighty.” The assassins rush on him
to stop his mouth; they hang him up
by the feet, and cut him to pieces;
Skuratof first began the execution, by
dismounting and cutting off the mar
tyr’s ears. The second victim was
the treasurer Funikof, the friend of
Viscovaty, and accused with as little
foundation, of the same treasons.—
“For the last time,” said he to Ivan,
“I salute thee on earth; God grant
tliee'in the next world a meet reward
for thy cruelties!” Over this wretch
is alternately poured boiling and freez
ing water; lie expires in horrible suI-
ferings. The rest had their throats
cut, or were bung and cut in pieces.
The Tzar himself ou horseback and
with the utmost coolness, pierced one
old man with a lance. In four horns
about two hundred were thus butch
ered.
(■.TomrunrBonfl
NEW ECIIOTA:
WEDNjGSUAY, JAN. 7, 1829.
The following is from the annual report
of the Secretary of . war to the President op
the United States.
While on the subject of Indian af
fairs, I should feel that I did not dis
charge my whole duty, were 1 to neg
lect to call the attention of the Gov
ernment to the expediency, if not ab
solute necessity, of more clearly de
fining, by legislative enactments, the
nature of the relations by which we
are to stand allied (o the Indian tribes;
and especially, to prescribe what, as
between them and ourselves, shall be
the reciprocal rights, both of proper
ty and government, over the vast tracts
of country, which they claim and in
habit.
AtHlie commencement of our pres
ent government, these tribes, with
few inconsiderable expectations, oc
cupied a country in the Interior, far
beyond the range of our population,
and our relations with them were the
simple ones which exist between re
mote and independent nations, or they
were rather relations of war; and most
of our intercourse with them was car
ried on through the officers of the Ar
my, stationed along our frontici posts;
and it was, probably, to the posture in
which we then stood in regard to them,
that the War Department was first
indebted for the Superintendent-)' of
Indian affairs. Since that period, our
white population, in its rapid and irre
sistible progress to tile West, has been
sweeping past and around them: until
now, a large proportion of these tribes
are actually embosomed within the
organized and settled pails of our
States nnd Territories. In the mean
time, we, have been entering into trea
ties with them, not of peace merely,
but of properly, cf intercourse and
tnde; and have actually contracted
between tliem& ourselves most of the
relitions which appertain to the muni-
dial state, without, however, having
fixil the boundaries of the authority
by vhich these relations shall be con-
tro ed.
v hile some of our citizens, who are
theidvocates of primitive and impre
scr liable rights in their broadest ex-
ten contend that these tribes are in-
(le{ indent nations, and have the sole
and exclusive right to the property
and government of the territories they
occ py, others consider them as mere
ten ants at will, subject, like the buf-
falaof the parties, to be hunted from
ther country whenever it may suit
eurinterest or convenience to take
posjession of it. These views of their
rigljts and disabilities are equally ex
travagant and unjust: but the misfor
tune is, that the intermediate line lias
never been drawn by the Government.
Nothing can be more clear, o.m,
who has marked the progress of pop
ulation and improvement, and is con
versant with the principles of human
action, than that these Indians will not
be permitted to hold the reservations
oil which they live within the States,
by their present tenure, for any con
siderable ^period. If, indeed, they
were not disturbed in their possessions
by us, it would be impossible for them
long to subsist, as they have hereto
fore done, by the chase, as their game
already so much diminished, as to
render it frequently necessary to fur
nish them with provisions, in order to
save them from starvation. In their
present destitute and deplorable con
dition, and which is constantly grow
ing more helpless, it would seem to
be not only the right, but the duty of
the Government to take them uuder
its paternal care; and to exercise, o-
ver their persons and property, the
salutary rights and duties of guardian
ship.
The mqst prominent feature in the
present policy of the Government, as
connected with these people, is to be
found in the efforts that are making to
remove them beyond the limits of the
Males and organized Territories.
A very entensivfi tract of country,
lying to the West and North of the
Arkansas Territory, remarkable for
salubrity of climate, fertility of soil,
and profusion of game, lias lately been
set apart for the colonization of the
Indians. Liberal pecuniary induce
ments have been offered by Congress
to emigrants, and many have already
embraced the offer. But the ultimate
success of this project has been great
ly endangered, and may yet be defeat
ed, by the operation of another prom
inent measure of Government, which
although suggested by the most hu
mane motives, comes in direct con
flict with the plan of colonization.
The annual appropriation of $10,-
000 to the purposes of educating In
dian children, and teaching them the
mechanic arts, has had the effect to
almost every Indian reservation, in
addi ion to the agents and interpret
ers, a considerable number of mission
aries and teachers, with their families,
who, having acquired, principally by
the aid of this fund, veryr comfortable
establishments, are unwilling to be dc
prived of them by the removal of the
Indians; and thus we have found, that
while (he agents specially employed
by tli3 Government for this purpose
are engaged in persuading, by profuse
distributions of money and presents,
the Indians to emigrate, another set of
Government agents, are operating
more secretly, to be sure, but not
with less zeal and effect, to prevent
such emigration.
These remarks arc not intended as
a personal reflection on the missiona
ries and much less on the teachers,
pious and respectable patrons of these
benevolent institutions, who, no doubt,
ai*e disposed to lend a ready support
to every humane measure which the
Government may think proper to a-
dopt in favor of these depressed peo
ple but are rather intended to show
the natural and unavoidable tendency
of the system itself to counteract the
leading policy of tho Government.
If the project of colonization tie a
wise one, and of this, 1 believe no one
entertains a doubt, why not shape all
our law s and treaties to the attain
ment of that object, and impart to
them an efficiency that will be sure to
cllect it.
Let such of the emigrating Indians
as choose it continue, as heretofore,
to themselves to the chape, in a coun
try where their toils will be amply le-
vvarded. Let those who arc willing
to cultivate the arts oY civilization be
formed into a colony, consisting of dis
tinct tribes or communities, but plac
ed contiguous to each other, and con
nected by general laws, which shall
reach the whole. Let Uic lands be
apportioned among families and indi
viduals in severalty, to beheld by the
same tenures by which we hold ours,
with perhaps some temporary and
wholesome restraints on the power oi
alienation. Assist them in forming
nnd administering a code of laws a-
dapted to a state of civilization. Let
the $10,000 appropriation be applied,
within the new colony exclusively, to
the same objects for which it is now
expended; and add to it, from time to
time, so much of our other annual con
tributions as can be thus applied with
out a violation of public faith.
In regard to such Indians as shall
remain within the Stales, and refuse
to emigrate, let an arrangement be
made with the proper authorities of
die respective oiaies in which ihcy
are situated, for partitioning out to
them, in severalty, so much of their
respective reservations as shall be
, mply sufficient for agricultural pur
poses. Set apart a tract, proportion
ed in size to the number of Indians, to
remain in common as a refuge, and
provision for such as may, by improv
idence, waste their private property;
and subject them all to the municipal
laws of the State in which they reside.
Let the remainder of the reservation
be paid for by those who hold the pa
ramount right, at such prices as shall
he deemed, in reference to the uses
w hich Indians are accustomed to make
of lands, reasonable; and the proceeds
to be applied for the benefit of those
of the tribe who emigrate after their
establishment in the colony, or to be
divided between those Who emigrate
and those who remain as justice may
require.
It may, perhaps, be fairly doubted,
whether the $10,000 appropriation
(independently of its tendency to pre
vent emigration) produces, under the
circumstances in which it is now ex
pended, any useful results. These
schools, it is true impart to a certain
number of Indian youths so much in
formation, and so far change their hab
its, as to inspire them with all the
passions and desires, and particularly
the passion for accumulating individ
ual wealth, peculiar to a state of ci
vilization; and then these half educa
ted men are turned loose among their
respective tribes without any honora
ble means of satisfying the desires and
wants which have been thus artificial
ly created. The lands of the tribe
being common and unalienable, they
have no motive to cultivate and im
prove them. There is no floating
wfealth to attract their ambition, and
the only and usual means of gratifying
their cupidity for money, is, by em
ploying the advantages acquired by
their education to appropriate to
themselves more than their just share
of the large contributions annually
made by the Government: and in this
way, they, with some few honorable,
exceptions, render., not only them
selves, but the very arts they have ac
quired, obnoxious to the nation at
large.
If, however, it should be deemed
most expedient to continue to expend
a portion of the $10,()0(T fund on the
Indians remaining within the States,
the missionaries and teachers should
be located on the tracts proposed to
be set apart for the common use of
each tribe; from whence the informa
tion they supply, and the arts they
teach, might he advantageously appli
ed by the adjoining Indians to the im
provement of their separate property;
and where they might also take
charge of those Indians who may, by
improvidence, have expended their
private estates.
It is, in my opinion, worse than use
less to impart education and tho arts
to the Indians, without furnishing them
at the same time, appropriate sub
jects on which to employ them.
I have the honor to be, with great
respect, your tffiedient servant,
’ P. B. P©RTER,
tfOR Tllfi CMEHOKEfc
_ Among the many subjects, wliicfc
have occupied the attention of the
scientific world, perhaps there j k
none more curious and more interest
ing, than that of the Meteoric stone-
which have been known to fall, at v>!
rious times, since the Christian era,
from the atmosphere. Many of the
literatic have formed theories and
have endeavoured to illustrate this in-
teresting phenomenon; but after all
their exertions, not having sufficient
dates upon which to found their theo
ries, they consequently could not say
“Tuod erat demonstration.” Some
have thought that these meteoric bo*
dies have been hurled ^headlong from
the moon or other planets; but they do
not recollect, that these planets have
centres and attractions of their own,
and that no force or power could be
employed on the moon to send a me-
talic substance of 100 or even a thou
sand pounds, so far from its surface
that the moon’s attraction could not
bring it back again. Consequently it
would be utterly impossible for any
body to escape from that satellite and
finally reach our Earth. Others have
thought that the asteroids ceres, pal--
las juno, and vesta once composed a
planet, and that; by some accident it
burst assunder, and has finally formed
four distinct bodies: and that these
meteoric stones were the offalls of
those asteroids at the time of their
separation, which have b o©n r**volv—
ing roun'd the earth ever since. If tliitf
notion be correct, it would seem that
the planet, from which these aster
oids are supposed to have' come, most
have been an Iron as the meteoric
stones are chiefly composed of that
mettle. But the use of such a planet
is a queary as difficult to solve as to
explain the phenomenon of the meteor
ic stone itself: unless it was the habi
tation of Vukano before he was kick
ed out of haven;
Others again have thought that
these stones were ejected, from some
unknown Valcano on the surface of
our globe; but they do not pretend to
account for the manner inwhich these
stones have been conveyed to the dif
ferent parts of the Earth. For if
they were ejected, the ejection would
he mostly in a perpendicular manner:
consequently the attraction of the
earth would convey them back to
wards the crater from which they
were diseourged: hence it would be
impossible that these metalic stonea
could fall on SO many different conutriea
as they hava been known to do. But
if this position were true, and the vol-
canoe could be found, it would be al
most as valuable to the blacksmith as
the Elixir of life would be to the
physician, or the philosepher’s stone,
to the Chemist.
But others are of opinion that these
meteoric stones are formed in the at
mosphere; but how this operation is
performed they have not thought pro- ’
per to inform us. However, as tlies©
stones are found to consist chiefly of
Iron, some raackel, chrome, oxide of
Iron, sulphur, selex, lime, magnesia
and alumine, perhaps it may not bet
the wildest idea in the world, to sup
pose this last position is nearly cor
rect. That they are formed from th©
exhalations, vapours, and gasses which
arUes from vaiious substances, such
as the fusing af mettle, or the erup
tion of n volcano, &c. is most prob
able. It is evident that af such time
there is a quantity of matter thrown
up in a state of vapour which may bo
suspended than the atmosphere; until
it undergoes some chemical change
with the nature of which we are not
acquainted, and by the attraction oP
composition it may be instantaneously
combined into a solid mass, which by
the close union of its constituent par-
tides has become much heavier than
the atmosphercic air and consequently
the attraction of gravitation tends to-
words the surface of the earth. If
this idea he correct it might serve, to
some degree, to explain one of
most mysterious phenomena, that hae
ever appeared. PEGASUS.
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