Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/194

 158 A SYNOPSIS OF THE INDIAN TRIBES. [iNTROD. The number of ploughs, compared with that of male slaves, shows clearly that do inconsiderable number of male Indians must have been employed in agriculture. The purchase of slaves to be given to the Indians in order to enable them to live without labor, or the use of compulsory means to oblige them to work themselves, are inadmissible. Example and persuasion can alone be resorted to. And, although these have so often failed, the instance of the Chero- kees shows that the case is not hopeless. It is hoped that government, in carrying into effect its laudable intention of providing a permanent place of refuge for the Indians, will give to its operations the direction best calculated to produce that favorable result. But I think that it is principally on the efforts of the missionaries, that we must rely for effecting the object. The Indians do not and cannot love us ; and, seeing the little regard paid to engagements, which they at least had considered as binding on both parties, they look on all the acts of govern- ment with a jealous eye. Those ministers of the Gospel who with equal zeal, disinterestedness, and singleness of purpose, have devoted themselves to the service of the Indians, have deserved and alone have acquired their confidence. They may succeed in converting to Christianity the present generation ; but this alone will not prevent the speedy annihilation of the Indian race, which is inevitable, unless, forsaking their habits, the Indians shall become an industrious people. There can be no hesitation in asserting, that the labor necessary to support a man's family is, on the part of the man, a moral duty ; and that to impose on woman that portion, which can be properly perform- ed only by man, is a deviation from the laws of nature. I leave it to those, who have undertaken the task of instructing mankind in their religious duties, to decide, how far the obliga- tion to labor may be enforced by the religious sanction. For all temporal purposes, a day of rest in the week is unnecessary for those who are idle the greater part of their time. And it is believed, that no nation, or individual, can transgress with im- punity that first decree which, allotting to each sex its proper share, declared labor to be the condition, on which man was permitted to exist. Let not the Indians entertain the illusory hope, that they can persist in their habits, and remain in perpetuity quiet posses- sors of the extensive territory west of the Mississippi, lately given to them in exchange for their ancient seats. The same