Thursday, October 07, 2004
Hair, teeth and eyeballs!
The carnage continues!
(Editorial) Many, even neighbors in the States, appear to be entirely ignorant of the advance which the Choctaws have made in the art of living, as well as of the labors of those who have been and still are engaged in the work of imparting instruction to them. They look upon the Choctaws as still a wandering race, wearing the tomahawk and scalping knife, and disposed to use the same whenever an opportunity offers. We venture 3 or 4 assertions, in regard to this people. 1st. That in more than one State, go off of the public roads and you will find more poor cabins and huts than you will find in this Nation. 2d. The Sabbath is better observed among the enlightened Choctaws than among many of the highly favored in many States. 3d. There are more adults who learn to read, than among most whites. 4th. There is more interest in schools and religion than among country people in many States.[1]
...
(Editorial) Never has it been our lot to experience such a scene of horror as thrilled through the entire community on Thursday night last. About 10 o’clock report reached us that Mr. A, Roby, and old resident of this vicinity, in the employment and has been for many years, of Mr. Jackson Kemp, was shot by an unknown hand in the dark, while he, unsuspectingly, was issueing the usual weekly allowance of provisions to the negroes under his care and management. The perpetrator of this act, shot him it is supposed, with a pistol or shot-gun, through the crack of the house with balls or slugs, entered his side near the kidneys, passed through him to the opposite side and the balls or slugs lodged in his clothes. The unfortunate man only survived his painful attack till the morning following at 11 o’clock. It may be some consolation to his absent friends and relatives to know that he was sensible to the last. He was asked who he thought committed the act, his reply was some one of the negroes on the plantation, but could not tell which one. Every exertion is now making by our worthy Chief, with the friends of the deceased, to bring the guilty to punishment, which we hope will prove successful.[2]
...
(Letter-to-the-editor) You have no idea what a large amount of money, is paid out annually for the fire water, in the western portion of the Nation. I have not been acquainted with the facts before, but by seeing a load of empty whisky barrels, passing by my house, I was led to enquire a little into the matter. These barrels (ten in number) were bought at a “Doggery” in Preston, Texas; and they are to be converted into tar barrels. Each barrel holds forty gallons. I was told that the vender sells a barrel of whisky a day, when the river is passable. At the least calculation, three hundred barrels of whisky are sucked dry in one year in Preston. A gallon of whisky may be worth seventy-five cents. Thirty dollars for a barrel. Three hundred barrels at thirty dollars apiece, is the handsome sum of nine thousand dollars; and half of the nine thousand, is paid by Indians for their morning’s bitters. Nine thousand dollars laid out in one year, just for the gratification of the depraved appetite! What capacious and inconsumable ventricles, the lovers of strong drink have![3]
...
(Letter-to-the-editor) If the Choctaw Nation were sunk down in drunkenness, what a wild devastation it would be. How the philanthropist venders of the liquid fire, would then laugh at our calamity. In their rejoicing they would say, “we have completed the destruction of one hated tribe of Indians.” But proud am I to say, that we are not all brought to the verge of destruction. There are some brave sprits in the land, who would not be taken as prisoners, but would stand as beacons, and meet every temptation, which may be held out to them to swallow the death dealing fire. They have declared themselves as enemies to the destroying stuff, and they stand firm, and there they will stand, as long as they live. It is a great consolation to me, that the better days have dawned upon a large portion of our countrymen.[4]
...
The editorial (from the Fort Smith Herald) is repeated in its entirety because it is the clearest statement of the Telegraph’s stand on the subject:
The Liquor Traffic. The temperance cause makes an urgent and solemn appeal at this time to all its friends, whatever their organization or name, to unite their influence and efforts in one great and continuous struggle for the final arrest of intemperance. Several circumstances favor our hopes and encourage to action. In the first place, the cholera as it has passed from place to place, has taught the country again, as it did before, that intemperance is the great auxiliary of the scourge, supplying it with subjects and multiplying its triumphs, whole [while] as a general rule, abstainers escape its attacks, or recover. These facts are making a deep impression, and must aid our glorious reform. That large, powerful, efficient organization, the Order of the Sons of Temperance, are now engaged in a special and earnest effort all over the country to collect facts and statistics, showing the enormous evils of the liquor traffic, and these facts, when embodied and laid before the public, must and doubtless will, produce a powerful sensation. The whole temperance community are appealed to, in reference to this movement to assist in obtaining statistics and facts, and in bringing them out to the light of day, and to aid in arousing the country to action, to relieve itself of the fearful burden and curse. The liquor traffic is emphatically the great evil to be overcome. It is idle for temperance men to waste their time, money and energies in striving to reform and save here and there an inebriate, so long as the rumsellers can go on without hindrance, raising up new armies of inebriates to take the places of the old. All our old processes are like attempting to dry-up a river by dipping out buckets full, while the streams above are in full flow to replenish it. We must go to the fountain head of the evil, if we would stop it. As long as thousands and tens of thousands of drunkard makers ply their infamous business, there will be no great diminution of intemperance. The whole strength, the united wisdom, influence and zeal of the entire temperance force of the nation, must be brought to bear against the traffic. It must be stayed, rooted out, utterly and forever, and without loss of time. Come up, then to the work. A long pull, a strong pull and a pull altogether, destroy the perilous liquor traffic![5]
...
(Choctaw liuquor law, circa 1850) Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the General Council of the Choctaw Nation assembled, That no person or persons shall be permitted to bring any whisky or other ardent spirits into this Nation; and any person so offending shall have the whisky or other ardent spirits destroyed by the Light horsemen or any one of them; and the captains and their warriors of the several Districts, shall have the power and be bound to exercise the duties of the Light horsemen in assisting to destroy any whisky or other ardent spirits, which may be brought into the Nation. And be it further enacted, That should any person or persons refuse to have his or her whisky or other ardent spirits destroyed by taking up arms, and should any one of the Light horsemen, captain or warriors, in self defence, kill or destroy the life of the person or persons having whisky or other ardent spirits, he shall be protected by the laws of the Nation. But should any offender kill or destroy the life of any person or persons who are engaged in assisting to destroy the whisky or other ardent spirits, such shall suffer death; but should the offender only destroy or injure the property or limbs of the Light horsemen, captains or warriors, he or she shall be liable to a fine or punishment according to the crime.[6]
...
(Editorial) The more favorable account, given by the emigrants, that left Red river in the Northern part of Texas, at a point, nearly on a straight line from Little Rock to El Passo, than that of any other route we have seen, induces us to believe, that the greater part of the emigration next Spring, will take this route. This opinion is gaining confidence with those, who anticipate leaveing for California, both from Texas, and the Southern part of Arkansas; and is strengthened by the fact that Capt. Marcey, has determined to return a more Southern way, than that upon which he went out, and of the unsatisfactory account made by him of the Fort Smith route. Capt. Marcey is now expected in every day by the way of Fort Washita, and no doubt, but that the public will receive from his report, some valuable information, relative to the two routes, that will go far to decide, which one the emigration will take hereafter. From Little Rock to the Nation’s line, it is about one hundred and sixty miles, over a very good road, as we are informed by the officers of Fort Towson. From the line there is an excellent road, runing by Fort Towson to Preston in Texas, where Red river should be crossed, going to El Passo.[7]
[1] Ibid.
[2] Choctaw Intelligencer, January 29, 1851, p. 2, col. 2.
[3] Choctaw Telegraph, August 23, 1849, p. 2, col. 5. A “doggery,” in the nineteenth century, was slang for a cheap drinking establishment, a dive. Oxford English Dictionary Online, s.v. “doggery,” accessed 12 June, 2004.
[4] Choctaw Telegraph, August 23, 1849, p. 2, col. 5.
[5] Choctaw Telegraph, August 30, 1849, p. 1, col. 2.
[6] Choctaw Telegraph, July 19, 1849, p. 2, col. 1.
[7] Ibid., p. 2, col. 4.
(Editorial) Many, even neighbors in the States, appear to be entirely ignorant of the advance which the Choctaws have made in the art of living, as well as of the labors of those who have been and still are engaged in the work of imparting instruction to them. They look upon the Choctaws as still a wandering race, wearing the tomahawk and scalping knife, and disposed to use the same whenever an opportunity offers. We venture 3 or 4 assertions, in regard to this people. 1st. That in more than one State, go off of the public roads and you will find more poor cabins and huts than you will find in this Nation. 2d. The Sabbath is better observed among the enlightened Choctaws than among many of the highly favored in many States. 3d. There are more adults who learn to read, than among most whites. 4th. There is more interest in schools and religion than among country people in many States.[1]
...
(Editorial) Never has it been our lot to experience such a scene of horror as thrilled through the entire community on Thursday night last. About 10 o’clock report reached us that Mr. A, Roby, and old resident of this vicinity, in the employment and has been for many years, of Mr. Jackson Kemp, was shot by an unknown hand in the dark, while he, unsuspectingly, was issueing the usual weekly allowance of provisions to the negroes under his care and management. The perpetrator of this act, shot him it is supposed, with a pistol or shot-gun, through the crack of the house with balls or slugs, entered his side near the kidneys, passed through him to the opposite side and the balls or slugs lodged in his clothes. The unfortunate man only survived his painful attack till the morning following at 11 o’clock. It may be some consolation to his absent friends and relatives to know that he was sensible to the last. He was asked who he thought committed the act, his reply was some one of the negroes on the plantation, but could not tell which one. Every exertion is now making by our worthy Chief, with the friends of the deceased, to bring the guilty to punishment, which we hope will prove successful.[2]
...
(Letter-to-the-editor) You have no idea what a large amount of money, is paid out annually for the fire water, in the western portion of the Nation. I have not been acquainted with the facts before, but by seeing a load of empty whisky barrels, passing by my house, I was led to enquire a little into the matter. These barrels (ten in number) were bought at a “Doggery” in Preston, Texas; and they are to be converted into tar barrels. Each barrel holds forty gallons. I was told that the vender sells a barrel of whisky a day, when the river is passable. At the least calculation, three hundred barrels of whisky are sucked dry in one year in Preston. A gallon of whisky may be worth seventy-five cents. Thirty dollars for a barrel. Three hundred barrels at thirty dollars apiece, is the handsome sum of nine thousand dollars; and half of the nine thousand, is paid by Indians for their morning’s bitters. Nine thousand dollars laid out in one year, just for the gratification of the depraved appetite! What capacious and inconsumable ventricles, the lovers of strong drink have![3]
...
(Letter-to-the-editor) If the Choctaw Nation were sunk down in drunkenness, what a wild devastation it would be. How the philanthropist venders of the liquid fire, would then laugh at our calamity. In their rejoicing they would say, “we have completed the destruction of one hated tribe of Indians.” But proud am I to say, that we are not all brought to the verge of destruction. There are some brave sprits in the land, who would not be taken as prisoners, but would stand as beacons, and meet every temptation, which may be held out to them to swallow the death dealing fire. They have declared themselves as enemies to the destroying stuff, and they stand firm, and there they will stand, as long as they live. It is a great consolation to me, that the better days have dawned upon a large portion of our countrymen.[4]
...
The editorial (from the Fort Smith Herald) is repeated in its entirety because it is the clearest statement of the Telegraph’s stand on the subject:
The Liquor Traffic. The temperance cause makes an urgent and solemn appeal at this time to all its friends, whatever their organization or name, to unite their influence and efforts in one great and continuous struggle for the final arrest of intemperance. Several circumstances favor our hopes and encourage to action. In the first place, the cholera as it has passed from place to place, has taught the country again, as it did before, that intemperance is the great auxiliary of the scourge, supplying it with subjects and multiplying its triumphs, whole [while] as a general rule, abstainers escape its attacks, or recover. These facts are making a deep impression, and must aid our glorious reform. That large, powerful, efficient organization, the Order of the Sons of Temperance, are now engaged in a special and earnest effort all over the country to collect facts and statistics, showing the enormous evils of the liquor traffic, and these facts, when embodied and laid before the public, must and doubtless will, produce a powerful sensation. The whole temperance community are appealed to, in reference to this movement to assist in obtaining statistics and facts, and in bringing them out to the light of day, and to aid in arousing the country to action, to relieve itself of the fearful burden and curse. The liquor traffic is emphatically the great evil to be overcome. It is idle for temperance men to waste their time, money and energies in striving to reform and save here and there an inebriate, so long as the rumsellers can go on without hindrance, raising up new armies of inebriates to take the places of the old. All our old processes are like attempting to dry-up a river by dipping out buckets full, while the streams above are in full flow to replenish it. We must go to the fountain head of the evil, if we would stop it. As long as thousands and tens of thousands of drunkard makers ply their infamous business, there will be no great diminution of intemperance. The whole strength, the united wisdom, influence and zeal of the entire temperance force of the nation, must be brought to bear against the traffic. It must be stayed, rooted out, utterly and forever, and without loss of time. Come up, then to the work. A long pull, a strong pull and a pull altogether, destroy the perilous liquor traffic![5]
...
(Choctaw liuquor law, circa 1850) Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the General Council of the Choctaw Nation assembled, That no person or persons shall be permitted to bring any whisky or other ardent spirits into this Nation; and any person so offending shall have the whisky or other ardent spirits destroyed by the Light horsemen or any one of them; and the captains and their warriors of the several Districts, shall have the power and be bound to exercise the duties of the Light horsemen in assisting to destroy any whisky or other ardent spirits, which may be brought into the Nation. And be it further enacted, That should any person or persons refuse to have his or her whisky or other ardent spirits destroyed by taking up arms, and should any one of the Light horsemen, captain or warriors, in self defence, kill or destroy the life of the person or persons having whisky or other ardent spirits, he shall be protected by the laws of the Nation. But should any offender kill or destroy the life of any person or persons who are engaged in assisting to destroy the whisky or other ardent spirits, such shall suffer death; but should the offender only destroy or injure the property or limbs of the Light horsemen, captains or warriors, he or she shall be liable to a fine or punishment according to the crime.[6]
...
(Editorial) The more favorable account, given by the emigrants, that left Red river in the Northern part of Texas, at a point, nearly on a straight line from Little Rock to El Passo, than that of any other route we have seen, induces us to believe, that the greater part of the emigration next Spring, will take this route. This opinion is gaining confidence with those, who anticipate leaveing for California, both from Texas, and the Southern part of Arkansas; and is strengthened by the fact that Capt. Marcey, has determined to return a more Southern way, than that upon which he went out, and of the unsatisfactory account made by him of the Fort Smith route. Capt. Marcey is now expected in every day by the way of Fort Washita, and no doubt, but that the public will receive from his report, some valuable information, relative to the two routes, that will go far to decide, which one the emigration will take hereafter. From Little Rock to the Nation’s line, it is about one hundred and sixty miles, over a very good road, as we are informed by the officers of Fort Towson. From the line there is an excellent road, runing by Fort Towson to Preston in Texas, where Red river should be crossed, going to El Passo.[7]
[1] Ibid.
[2] Choctaw Intelligencer, January 29, 1851, p. 2, col. 2.
[3] Choctaw Telegraph, August 23, 1849, p. 2, col. 5. A “doggery,” in the nineteenth century, was slang for a cheap drinking establishment, a dive. Oxford English Dictionary Online, s.v. “doggery,” accessed 12 June, 2004.
[4] Choctaw Telegraph, August 23, 1849, p. 2, col. 5.
[5] Choctaw Telegraph, August 30, 1849, p. 1, col. 2.
[6] Choctaw Telegraph, July 19, 1849, p. 2, col. 1.
[7] Ibid., p. 2, col. 4.
Comments:
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Fascinating reading, ER. Amazing how much attitudes have changed -- and haven't -- in the past hundred years. I can see why it's painful to cut this material. Maybe you could make it into an article for some magazine. Or for your SECOND book. :)
Tell me about it. :-) And yer right. I've been concentrating on cutting so hard I hadn't thought about finding other ways to use the research.
Here's the tale that nobody would dare publish: The Five Civilized Tribes have been cultural vassals to the United States ever since they met. The tribes have always adopted what Amercian society considered to be the highest levels of "civilization." What's happened? As the morals of the United States have gone to hell, so have the tribes -- hence the tobacco shops, casinos and other tribal groveling for the almighty dollar. Now, who would dare publish such a provocative, and sad, hypothesis?
Here's the tale that nobody would dare publish: The Five Civilized Tribes have been cultural vassals to the United States ever since they met. The tribes have always adopted what Amercian society considered to be the highest levels of "civilization." What's happened? As the morals of the United States have gone to hell, so have the tribes -- hence the tobacco shops, casinos and other tribal groveling for the almighty dollar. Now, who would dare publish such a provocative, and sad, hypothesis?
Do you have an opinion as to what caused the morals of the US to take a trip "down under?" When did American civilization (morals) start its descent? Do you think the tribes have adopted the "new "civilization" or been forced to go along for some reason?
# posted by 
: 3:25 PM
: 3:25 PM
Freedom itself is to "blame." The history of this country, and society, is one long struggle for freedom -- against aristocracy, against slave-holders, against the rich, against the church, against all kinds of authority that used to keep society cohesive. Freedom itself. That's one of the reasons some of the founders considered the USA a "grand experiment." Plus, the more democractic we become -- and that's with a small D -- the more venal we become, because human nature is what it is: damnably selfish, self-destructive and self-worshiping. As for the tribes, what I think is that as cultural vassals they just naturally reflect the changes in the host society. We really haven't been that free until lately. Look around at what freedom really means -- then somebody tell me why they still wonder why fundamentalist Muslims want no part of what we have! There's no "answer," though, because the main "problem" is one of mores, not morals. People in this country are free to be as pious as they want to be, and people here, likewise, are free to jump on a greased pole to hell if they so choose. That's the way it ought to be. That's freedom.
Man, I just about got caught by margin requirements again! I relooked at the instructions for preparing a thesis and it requires a 1.5-inch left margin, for binding purposes. Right now, it's 1 inch, I think. That adds more pages! Arrrrgghhh! But, :-), because the light is at the end of the tunnel -- and it ain't no train!
Well, dip me in butter and call me a biscuit. I worked all week and cut 16 pages. A few clicks and I have 14 of them back again, because of the wide margin. I quit. They will accept it. The thing IS better, after all. And, it actually is "shorter" in terms of word count. But it is just about as long, pagewise. Kay, Sir! Ah! Kay, Sir! Ah! SIGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. ... Dang it, I need a football game, and the closest one tonight that I care about, a little, is 170-some miles away. I don't b'lieve I'll be going' that far. ...
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