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Georgia Cl? Carolina Gazette. Volume i.] TERMS OF THE GEORGIA & CAROLINA GAZETTE. 1. Price to bubfcribers, three dollars per annum, half in ad vance. 2. Ad^ertifements far the fir ft infection seventy five cents per square, and fifty cents for each continuation. N B. Gentlemen who have been jo obliging as to obtain Sub foribers for this Paper , will con fer an additional favor by for warding a ftatemsnt of the names to the Editors as Joon as conveni ent. - - ir -ii i ■■ <i ■ —i n■■ ii r CIVILIZATION OF THE INDIANS. On no topic can the mind of an American dwell with more complacency than the conduCl of his government to the abori gines of the foil. In furveysng, on the records of impartial hif torv, the origin and prog r'c (live steps of conquest, we contem plate the darkest picture which the dev elopement of the human cba.aCter exhibits, it is here that we behold the united and deftruCtive force of the worst paflions uncontrolled by human ity, unchecked by policy.— Power, avarice, and lust, which under other circumstances keep each other in check by mutual coliifion, here united pour in one tnighty torrent, sweeping in its impetuous course whatever op poses their indulgence. Whe ther we cast our eyes to the east or to the weft we behold the fame hideous and awful fpeCta cle j unoffending and happy na * tions, enjoying the bounties of nature, cut off by the fwordot the inexorable conqueror, or doomed to abjeCt slavery ! It was fortunately reserved for the United States toeftabldh anew szra in the conquest of nation.-, and to set an example, no less illuftnous than benefi • cent in its effects. Our ances tors, coming t 6 these Ihores, principally to escape religious or political persecutions, imbib ed, at an early period, sentiments enlightened and tolerant. They found numerous tribes of hardy savages feattered over the coun try. Anudft the inevitable col lisions and wars that ensued they never dreamt of following the example of extermination lom glorioufly let by other nations, They perceived that a bountiful providence had allotted land e nough for their accommodation, as well as the accommoda ion of the natives; <k they loon learn ed that their mutual happiness depended upon a fpint ot com promise. it appeared, on the one hand, that the force of the Europeans was inadequate to the deftrudh'on or.fubj ebon ot * ivaj?es i while that of the PETERSBURG: —( Georgia ) —Printed by BURKE & M‘DONNELL. latter was not equal to prevent ing the gradual and steady en croachments of the former.— A kind of tacit convention arose out of these confederations; it loon became understood that as the etil grants increased and extended tneir fettlementSj the natives mu ft retire into the inte rior ; and that as a compenfatiori for abandoning their fer dements i they Hi uld reoeiVe-xTccafionad or regular in the (tiape of goods, hories or implements of huibandry j and that die go vernments, with which they con tracted, fnould maintain them in the enjoymenc of their lands against the lawless aCts of indi viduals. Under the auspices of these rare & honorable principles the ir.tercourfe wich the natives commenced, and has, with but little variation, been since con duced. The conduct of the European settlers may, in the firft instance, have been, in a i great degree, the offspring of weakness, But to the honor of the American character, m pro portion as the nation has acqui- ; red strength, has ftie mamfefted I a spirit of philanthropy, indul gence, and even generofiry to The natives. Comm feraung the unfortunate situation in which I they were placed, exposed, from an inevitable ner.cffity to the gra dual difpofftffion of their lands, there has prevailed but one sen timent, that it become our duty, by every mean in our power to lighten their fufferings, and, while we deprived them of the foil, to give them, if poffiole* an equivalent. Hence has arisen a system of intercou fe, under which solemn treaties are formed, by which the natives surrender to the U. States their rights to portions of foil and receive in return from them temporary gratifications or permanent fubfuhes. VV ith che growth of the nati l onal refourcts this fifteen has been extended j and it has not been deemed unworthy of the philosophic spirit that now pre sides over the cabinet to employ the belt means of gradually at taching the Indians to the per fuits of civilized life. Already the tffeds of these efforts have j become manifeft; and have es- I fedtuaily disproved the generally ; received opinion of the intrac i tability of che savage stare to the arts of civilized life. The re cent and authentic statements, which have been published, prove that the tafic is not half so difficult as had been imagined. They demonstrate that the suc cess entirely depends on the ; means. They prove that the Indians, so far from being in fenlible to the comforts of civi lization, are gradually and stea dily embracing them ■, and that forne of ihe tribes have already made no inconsiderable progress in agriculture and domeiiic ma- I manufaLures; fj much so that THU P, S D A r, July 25, ISOS. many families are well dressed, with the habits of the civilized state, made by their own indus try. Among the evidences of this interesting fa£t, we have be fore us several ipecimens of cloth of a good substantial tex ture made oy Cherokee Squaws, which v *fc sent to Mr. Cocke, a fenatortrom Tcnneftee, as an evidence of the progress of their improvement, as well as of their regard for’ a friend and benefac tor. Vi e have also before us several letters, received by that gentleman, from young Indian women, written in their own hand writing—The writing is perfectly/“legible, and by no means bad. We cannot re lift the gratification of presenting a tranlcript of two of them to the reader. Chickamaga , July 26, ISO 4. SIR, Your letter of this date are now before me. In answer to it you may assure yourfelf, I will with pleasure furniih’ you with a farnpie of our manufadory.— Probably tl\e next time you pass this way I shall be able to shew you a better specimen. Wlifting you better health and an ig.- eabl- journey home. I remain Sir, rcfpeCtfully yours, See. Gcnl. William Cock. * Cherckees , Dec. 28 th, 1804 Dear Sir, We have the pleasure to ac knowledge the favor of your friendly letter of the 14th ulto. In answer to it we mult confels we are more than pleased to find, that, oijr worthy friend General Cocke approves so highly of our small progress in manufactory*—Should we again have the pleasure of our friends Company at our wigwam, pro bably nc would difeover we have not procrastinated in our indus try. But as it pleased the Deity to place our ancestors in this part of the Giobe where there was no opportunity to get inftruc tfons, but from them, we are to be excused if we make an error, but are thankful he has given us’ a talent, and we wifti to make use of it viz. not to bury it in the Teas of cblevion. Venerable Pater, we hope you will be so courteous as to vifir our dwelling when you are travelling through our country, that we may have the pleasure of your company, for instance you are capable to judge of our advancements in manufactory, I See. We are Dear Sir, refpedtfully Yours. Among the numerous fea tures which charadte rife the do * ley of the prelent ad mi nil Na tion of the general government, there is none that will dtfeend to 4 pofteaty with more eclar, than the enlightened humanity and friendfhip with which the aborigines of the foil are treated. In the mcafurcs purlued for the promotion of their happiness will be discerned a fpiric of pure and active benevolence; and in the means made life of towards effecting their civilization, will be seen a policy at once Ample and profound, ifuch as circum fiances require, but such as has in other nations never been prac ti fed. Hitherto force has usually been embarked in every entrr prife for reclaiming the lavage ftatc. Let us, fay conquerors, firlt inlpire the savages with terror, and then they will lend a willing ear to our advice, and obey our precepts. Little did these men know of the humad heart! Little did they appre ciate the ftubbornefs of the ma terials of which it is formed be fore it has learned to bow be neath the yoke of usurpation ! Hence all their preud lchemes have perished without fuccels! And they have ended, at once, in the deftru<slion cf the inno cent and the entire abortion of their hopes. leflons which Ame rica teaches, fink deep into the hearts of princes, and may the/ learn that no kfs than juflice, inculcates the duties of forbearance and mercy. It may add to the interefl of this merited tribute to the en lightened policy of our govern ment to give a fliort outline, drawn bv the correct pen of Robertson, of the very differeht fyflenu. purlued by the Spani ards in planting their iomes in this quarter of the Globe. ft Ihe firfl visible conse quence of the eflablifhments made by the Spaniards in Ame rica was the diminution of the ancient inhabitants, to a degree equally aftomfhing and deplora ble. I have already, on differ ent occasions, mentioned the difaflrous influence under which N the connection of the Americans with the people of our hemis phere, commenced, both in the iHands, and in several parts of the continent, & have touch ed upon various causes of their rapid coniumption. Whe ther the inhabitants of America had refoiution to take arms in defence of their lbcrty and rights, many perilhed in the unequal conttft, and.were cut off by their fierce invaders.—< But the greatcfl deflation fol lowed after the sword was flieath ed, and the conquerors were , fettled in tranquility. It was in the ‘.(lands, and in those provin ces ofthe continent which stretch from the Gulf of Trinidad to the confines of Mexico, that the fatal effects cf the Spanish dominion were firfl and mod sensibly felt. All these were occupied either by wandering tribes of hunters, or by such a.; i.ad .iiwCit be. ii'nad pt gre.s [Number 8.