BURIAL OF AN INDIAN CHIEF

 

Daniel La Forte, son of Abram La Forte, and successor as Chief.

McGrawville Express, Thursday, October 26, 1848.

NEWS OF THE DAY

Burial of an Indian Chief.

(From the Syracuse Daily Journal.)

   On Sunday, the remains of Abram La Fort, named De hat ka tons in his native tongue, were committed to the grave. For several years he has borne a conspicuous part in the affairs of his nation, and for nearly two years he had been its head chief. He succeeded the late Capt. Frost about 19 months ago, and was widely known both among the whites and the natives.

   The occasion called together a large concourse of people, by whom the ceremonies were witnessed with the most intense interest.

   At 12 o'clock the corpse was carried up on a bier to the Council House, and placed in the centre of the room in which he had so often addressed the few remaining sons of the forest, who had assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to their chief. The white people were seated at the extreme ends of the room, and the females of the tribe occupied one side, and the males the other.

   The ceremonies were commenced by Harry Webster, the highest religious officer of the Pagan Party, by a speech in his native tongue. At times he was animated and spoke rapidly, at others in low and solemn tones, giving quantity to the vowels which form so large a part of the Indian language. Although he was not understood by the crowd of spectators, close attention was given, and all appeared to feel the solemnity of the occasion. The euphonious and musical succession of vowel sounds that fell from the speaker, and the response that rose from all parts of the council chamber as the Indians gave assent to the words of the speaker, made an impression upon those who were witnesses of the solemn scene which will long be remembered. The speaker, as he closed his remarks, passed a string of beads, representing the laws of the nation, to an individual named John Halftown, who is to act as head chief until a council of the Six Nations shall be convened. The same string of beads, once held by the celebrated chief Anteauga, then Capt. Frost and Abram La Fort successively, is the unwritten code which he is to administer. He received it in a speech which indicated embarrassment of feeling. He was followed by another speech by Webster, at the conclusion of which the lid of the coffin was thrown open, and the last opportunity of seeing the cold and lifeless form of the chief was [approved] by nearly all in attendance. He was dressed in the warrior's full costume with wampum belt and other gay trappings around him.

   Although educated and reared in the Christian faith, La Fort was a Pagan, and took delight in administering the laws and customs of the Onondagas, as in the days of yore. At their feats and ceremonies he was painted and plumed as were the chiefs when they were a powerful people. As he appeared on those occasions, excepting the head dress, his form was costumed for the grave, and placed in an elegant coffin, upon which was a silver plate with his name inscribed upon it. He was fifty-four years old, although his appearance would scarcely indicate him to be forty.

   The coffin was then carried to the grave, and placed in the ground with the head in the direction of the sun at mid-day, thus noting the season of the year in which he was buried. The shrieks of the mourners and the rude simplicity of the scene was deeply affecting, and especially as the sister and bereaved wife, followed by other female relatives, in single file, retraced their steps to the house made more than desolate by the death of two children and the father. The loud and piercing shrieks of the mourners mingling with the sound of the earth as it fell upon the coffin, and the wildness of the surrounding scenery, could not but impress all present that the burial of an Indian Chief presents a true picture of the last end of man. A few days ago, and he wielded the scepter over [his people], and now his body lies in the open field, and his spirit, according to the Indian's faith, associated with the brave in another world.

 

Yellow Corn.

   One of the most singular things, says the Albany Knickerbocker, connected with this grain is the difficulty with which foreigners have been induced to adopt it as a table companion. For fifty years the export thereof did not increase a single kernel, a statement that most people will consider as fabulous, and yet it is one of those fixed facts from which there is no more escape than there is from death or quarter day. In 1791, a period that us go-ahead moderns are apt to look upon as the dark ages, the export of grain reached 1,713,214 bushels and the number of barrels of meal, 351,695. In 1845, the year before the famine affected us, we exported 840,665 bushels, and 269,030 barrels of meal! Immediately after the potato rot began to show itself however, the immense power of this grain to check starvation began to be apparent. In 1847, our exports ran up lo the unheard of sum of eighteen millions of bushels, an amount nearly equal to all we had exported during the previous half century—being an increase on the year 1845 of more than seventeen millions of bushels, or nearly two thousand per cent! An increase, we think, without a parallel in the history of commercial matters. But if the effect on the foreign demand on our shipments was unprecedented, its effect on the quantity cultivated is still more surprising. This small foreign demand—small we mean in comparison with our immense crops—of seventeen millions of bushels, increased the quantity of corn raised in this country upwards of four hundred millions of bushels—comparing the crop of '47 with that of '46. We thus see the immense advantage of a small foreign demand, not only on the price of our articles, but on the production of those articles. Every extra bushel exported, adds a hundred to the quantity cultivated. Should Europe even purchase two hundred millions of bushels a year from us, our corn crop would run up to three thousand millions of bushels.

 

EDITOR'S TABLE.

The Melodeons.

   This class of Vocalists visited our village on Friday evening last, and gave us some of their choicest pieces, accompanied with an instrument that discoursed music in its sweetest tones. We were highly pleased with the performance, and think those who are lovers of music, could not spend an odd quarter and a leisure evening to more profit, than to listen to this interesting band of singers.

   ◘ The absence of the editor must be our excuse for any errors that may occur in our sheet the present week.

   ◘ We have several communications on hand designed for the Express, which we shall lay over on account of the absence of the editor.

 

Newspapers.

   It is surprising to see the course adopted throughout the country by the political press, to accomplish the election of their favorite candidate.

   We have wondered a thousand times that men of judgment sufficient to conduct a public journal should be guilty of descending to the low, mean, decanting, (not to say lying) terms used to denounce, and bring into disrepute, the opposing candidate. It seems evident that they have forgotten the old adage, "If you can not say any good of a man, be sure that you say no evil." To a man of sufficient sense to allow him to vote, all such low ground and low lived expressions receive their just reward—and he, sick at heart, that the press which should sustain a high moral tone, should be guilty of descending into such filth and mire. We ask all in candor, what is accomplished by this, to say the least, unmanly course?

   There may be a few hot headed demagogues and a few ignorant individuals that will swing the hat and clap their hands over such folly—but they are scarce, and thank Heaven, we believe they are growing more scarce every year. Men in general believe that the election of a man to the chief magistracy of this great republic is a matter that demands candor and wisdom in every movement; and that the individual should have talent and ability to discharge his duties, and a conviction that he is thus competent should be the moving principle, influencing him to cast his vote for such candidate. If he is influenced by such motives he will have little disposition to hurrah for the trash, and bitter invectives cast at the opposing candidate. We do not blame any one for bringing forward all the good qualities of the individual who is his favorite. This he should do, and this as citizens expect, but the principle of exposing an opponent to ridicule and disgrace for his supposed defects, is a principle that we are at war with and have been for years.

   We ask again, does there not much evil grow out of this mode of conducting a public journal? The very idea of a newspaper conveys to the mind a sheet of information, truth, and general intelligence. Is this so? Would not community be more benefitted if we should lay aside this wholesale business of misrepresentation, and let nothing but truth and candor be apparent in the columns of all public prints? Would not the young receive more benefit from a perusal of weekly journals were they conducted in candor and uprightness? Would they not be a more welcome visitor in every family? Aye, and would they not throw a healthier influence into such families?

   Instead of this bitter spirit to all opposed in politics, inculcated and fed by the public prints, would not respect for all men be the result, and peace and harmony prevail, where now bitterness and jealousy predominates—and merely because they differ in political opinions.

   The object of every conductor of a public journals should be to throw into every family such information as shall add to their knowledge of men and things, and in such a shape as shall attract the attention of the young, and lead them into a train of action that shall be alike honorable to themselves and all with whom they associate, on the great drama of human life.

   How can this he brought about unless the press, (which has a powerful influence over minds at the present moment) shall lead the way, and present at all times TRUTH, CANDOR, and GENEROSITY, to friend and foe, upon its broad folds, and as it thrusts out its thousand sheets to the fore winds of Heaven, and influences and moulds its ten thousand minds, how humiliating the thought that it has degraded mankind, kindling and blowing into a flame the baser passions, when it was within its province not only to kindle, but expand all the noble and holy faculties of the soul, resulting in the high attainment of loving our neighbor as ourselves.

   The conductor of a public journal should not entirely overlook the fairer portion of those who would be his readers, if journals were conducted as they might be. But what interest has a lady in the political contest as carried on at the present day? She can not enter into the spirit and feelings of combatants for office, nor be made to relish the low slang, or taunt, or misrepresentation so often resorted to in political contest. Neither does she weigh in her estimation, the good qualities of the opposite sex by a political balance—hence her feelings must be often wounded, and the blush of pity or of scorn pass o'er her fair brow, when she hears those spoken against whom she esteems, or loves, or respects, merely because they are of a different opinion in the political strife. Need we ask then why ladies throw aside entirely the weekly sheet, or regard it with so little interest?

   The conductor of a journal should aim to interest and benefit all—the young as well as the old, the lady as well as the gentleman, and so select and write as shall draw out such emotions of the heart, as shall bind us in one common brotherhood, and though we may differ in opinions, they shall not intrude upon our respect and love for all men.

   There needs to be a reformation. Who will begin it?

   EDITOR, Jr.

 

QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS.

   There exists some misunderstanding in regard to the time of residence in a ward or town requisite to entitle a man to vote. We therefore quote the following section of the Election Law of this State, which settles the question:

   Every voter must have been a citizen TEN days, and an inhabitant of the State one year preceding any election, and for the last four months a resident of the county where he may offer his vote. But such citizen shall have been for thirty days, next preceding the election, a resident of the district from which such officer is to be chosen, for whom he offers his vote.

 

   ◘ Isn't the Express better than common this week? Editor has gone visiting.—Typo.