| 828 they have made us very poor. We think the father we have got now will do something for us. Some of the fathers we have had did not try to do us good. Our great father has kept some of our money; and the waters have been very high, and taken all, or almost all, our corn; and we want our great father to pity us, for we are very poor. The man who sent us goods this year did not hear what we said to him last year; he has not sent us what we sent for; we will not take any more goods. They will not send us what we want; we will take the money. We want our great father to pity us, for we are so poor; we want him to send us three boxes more out of our next year's annuity, and to keep the balance till this time next year. Father, we want no blacksmith this year; we want the money due us for blacksmithing, and that due us for purposes of education, to be applied to building the house for the boarding manual-labor school, amounting, we are told to $1,456 62. We want to have a man to farm for us this year, but do not want any smith. I have no more to say-only want our great father to pity us, and keep our women and children from starving.'
He we-tha-cha: "Father, we want you to listen to what our chief says; it is very good. Want our great father to send us three boxes now. We are very poor."
Cawamonga said: "Father, we are very poor indeed. We want you to get our great father to give us three boxes more: want it this fall."
Aha ka said: "Father, we have come to ask you some things. We want some money very bad; our little children, not three feet high are suffering. They did not give us what we sent for."
Wa ca ra-che-ra said: "Father, we want you to pity us. We are very poor; our great father is very rich. It will not hurt him to send three boxes, and take it our of our next annuity."
Cha-la-ne-an ga said: "Father, I agree with our chief. We want no smith this year, but we want a farmer."
Wa tha-cu-ni-cha said: "Father, we have heard what our chief has said: it is very good."
Wa-pe-u said: "Father, our ears have been very near to our chief, and we have marked his words. We want our great father to send us three boxes of silver, so that we may keep our little children from starving."
Nauchemingo (principal chief) said: "Father, we have given what is due to us for blacksmithing, (about $500,) and what is due to us for education, making in all about a box and a half, to help to build up a boarding-school, so that our children may learn to read and write; and we think our great father ought to send us the money soon, to keep us from suffering. We sent last year for some military coats and some medals; but we got none. We want some medals, to show that we are good friends to our great father. Father, we are done."
Notwithstanding so much has been said and done to establish missions and schools among the Indians for the last twenty years, yet the hand of the Holy one of Israel, upon the transgressors of the Statutes of Mount Sinai, is visible on that "afflicted people" to chasten them for a better covenant.
If there be any exception, it must be witnessed among (the Oneidas), removed from the State of New York to Duck Creek, Wisconsin Territory. Mr. Davis, their Missionary, gives the following synopsis of them:
Number of families 150
Number of souls 722
Frame houses 20
Block houses 43
Log houses 84
Frame barns 51
Log barns 38
Wagons 30
Sleighs 87
Ploughs 69
Harrows 51
Fanning mills 15
Threshing machine 1
Horses 104
Oxen 200
Cows 131
Calves and young cattle 110
Hogs 561
Domestic fowls 1,298
Sheep 5
Clocks 17
Dr. White the Indian agent of Oregon Territory, gives the following particulars of the far west:
Williamette, March, 1843.
The Nez Perces have one governor, or principle chief; twelve subordinate chiefs of equal power, being the heads of the different villages or clans, with their five officers to execute all their lawful orders, which laws they have printed in their own language and read understandingly. The chiefs are held responsible to the whites for the good behavior of the tribe. They are a happy and orderly people, forming an honorable exception to the general Indian character; being more industrious, cleanly, sensible, dignified, and virtuous.
This organization was effected last fall, and operates well; and with them, it is to be hoped, will succeed. A few days since, governor McLaughlin
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