if it shall be convinced, that he was treated unjustly, and that the other church improperly refuses to restore him, ought to receive him. If, however, he cannot obtain admission into any church, let him meekly bear the wrong, and serve God in the best manner in his power. These are his remedies, but no council could be of any benefit. 12. The Annual Register of Indian Affairs, within the Indian or Western Territory. No. 3. Published by ISAAC M'Cor. Shawanoe Baptist Mission House, Indian Territory, May, Pp. 82. 1837. In the Review for September, 1836, we took some notice of the second number of Mr. M'Coy's Register, and presented several extracts from it. The number before us contains many of the same statements as the preceding one, with such alterations as were rendered necessary by the changes which had occurred during the year. There is, however, much additional matter, of an interesting kind. Mr. M'Coy now estimates the whole number of Indians in North America, at 5,400,000, viz: Near the northern boundary of the government of the other governments,. .1,520,431 Tribes within the Indian Territory,.. 66,000 This estimate he admits to be conjectural in relation to many tribes, but it is doubtless sufficiently accurate to prove, that there are several millions of the aborigines of North America yet living in the darkness and misery of heathenism. Mr. M'Coy well remarks: "We have supposed, that one cause of the general indifference to Indian improvement, of which we have heretofore complained, is an impression that there are but few to derive benefit from any thing that may be done for them. But, certainly five and a half millions of souls in one country, and that country adjoining our own, constitute a hody of people sufficiently large to prefer strong claims upon our efforts, and to promise in their improvement a large reward of gratification in the success of our labors for their relief."❞—p. 60. Mr. M'Coy is a zealous advocate for the organization of the Indian Territory, under a regular government. Whatever may be thought of the policy or justice of gathering all the Indians from the east of the Mississippi and placing them within the Indian Territory, there can be no doubt of the desirableness of giving to the Territory all the security and order which may be possible. Bills have been introduced into both houses of Congress, for establishing a government for the Territory; and it is hoped, that a sufficient pause will soon be found, in the rage of political contention, to allow time for adopting these bills. A report made to the House of Representatives, in 1834, by the Committee on Indian Affairs, says: "Whatever difference of opinion may heretofore have existed, the policy of the government, in regard to the condition of these tribes of Indians, may now be regarded as definitely settled. To induce them to remove west of the Mississippi, to a territory set apart to their use and government for ever; to secure to them their final home; to elevate their intellectual, moral and civil condition, and to fit them for the enjoyment of the blessings of a free government, is that policy. And a further hope is now encouraged, that whenever their advance in civilization should warrant the measure, and they desire it, they may be admitted as a State to become a member of the Union. "To carry that object into effect is the object of this bill. "The Western Territory will be bounded on the east by Arkansas and Missouri....To the whole of it the original Indian title has been extinguished, and the tribes now within it derive their title from the United States. It is believed to be more than sufficient for them and for those who have agreed to emigrate to it. The soil and climate are all that can be desired, to reward industry and to prolong life. "This territory is to be dedicated to the use of the Indian tribes for ever, by a guaranty the most sacred known among civilized communities, the faith of the nation. The committee are aware, that this guaranty, the faith of the nation, has not been illustrated by the history of the past, in a manner satisfactory to the Indian tribes. They are not surprised, that they should now ask, 'What new security can you give us to the lands in the west, that you did not, in times past, give us to our lands in the east?' "It is admitted, that we have given to them guaranties which we have not fulfilled, pledges which we have not redeemed; not because we desired not to fulfil them, but because it was believed by the government, that we had no right, originally, to give them, and, therefore, had not power to redeem them. The Indians, however, will do us the justice to say, that we never held ourselves absolved from the obligation of indemnifying them, and of acknowledging, that these very cessions of land at the west are a portion of the indemnity. Our inability to perform our treaty-guaranties arose from the conflicts between the rights of the States and of the United States. Nor is it surprising, that questions arising out of such conflicts, which have bewildered wiser heads, should not be readily comprehended or appreciated by the unlettered Indian. "The case is now free from all the embarrassments of conflicting rights. The guaranty now stands as an obligation which the government will at all future time have power to perform; we can look around it, there is no doubt, no obscurity about it; even to the Indian eye it is clear and as well defined as the edge of the circle of the sun. The United States extinguished the Indian title to the Western Territory; that territory then became their absolute property. By the constitution, Congress has an unqualified power to dispose of the territory belonging to the United States; and now Congress proposes, by charters, to grant and apportion this territory among the Indian tribes. The United States and the Indians are the sole parties."-p. 71, 72. The substance of the bills before Congress, in relation to the Territory, is thus stated by Mr. M'Coy: "1. The boundaries of the Territory are fixed, and the lands secured to the tribes severally owning, by patents from the government of the United States, with such restrictions only as are necessary to prevent white men from purchasing them. "2. A general council of delegates fairly chosen by the several tribes is to be convened once a year, or oftener, by order of the superintendent, which council shall enact laws for the benefit of the confederacy generally. These laws will not take effect until approved by the President of the United States. "3. A delegate, who must be a native, chosen by the confederacy, shall remain at the city of Washington during each session of Congress, to attend to the affairs of the Territory, whose pay and emoluments shall be equal to those of a member of Congress. For the sake of harmony, the mode of choosing this delegate, in the first instance, as well as the mode of choosing the first delegates to the legislative council, will be prescribed by the President of the United States. "4. All officers within the Territory, excepting those of superintendent and secretary, will be filled by Indians, if such as are competent can be obtained."—p. 73. Mr. M'Coy makes a number of interesting remarks, in defence of the position, that the Indians have no invincible love of their savage habits, and are capable of civilization. He says: "The notion, that Indians begin their existence with prepossessions in favor of savage customs, and averse to civil institutions, is too absurd to be met by argument. Their predilections, therefore, like those of other people, must all be formed by extraneous circumstances. By surrounding circumstances a white man may be made a savage, as has been demonstrated in numberless instances; and by surrounding circumstances a red man may be made subordinate to civil institutions. While all men are susceptible of improvement, all naturally possess a tendency to degenerate. The state of man which we term civilized, is produced by the operation of outward means; for want of these, man remains in his natural condition. The original condition of the Indians is this state of nature. We cannot hope for the improvement of the condition of the Indians, until they enjoy the means essential to the improvement of others. These means hitherto they have not enjoyed. In the application of these means we may as confidently hope for the civilization of the Indians, as we hope, that under their influence, the next generation among us will be borne up above savageism. As, therefore, we hope for the improvement of the condition of the Indians, we abandon the notion that they must necessarily become extinct. "The design of government to embody the Indians under the influence of law, will secure to them all that is requisite in the case, and, unless they are a race of men unlike all others, they will flourish under the influence of the means which render others prosperous. We are, therefore, no longer allowed to despair of the prosperity of this people, but to expect it confidently. "From the best data that can be obtained, it appears, that the Choctaws, Cherokees and Creeks are increasing in numbers. In the course of two years, there is shown an increase of one hundred and twentyone among the Delawares, seventy-three among the Shawanoes, fifty among the Kickapoos, four among the Ottawas, and two among the Peorias and Kaskaskias. The Quapaws, and the Senecas and Shawanoes of Neosho, are stationary. The Weas and Piankashas have decreased forty-three. The Osages, Kauzaus, Pawnees, Otoes, Omahas and Puncahs are all supposed to be decreasing; and, in proportion to their numbers, the diminution among the Putawatomies is more rapid than that of any other tribe.”—p. 77, 78. He proposes, that a tour of observation be made among the remote tribes of Indians in the United States and in Mexico, for the purpose of ascertaining their numbers and condition. Such a tour would undoubtedly be useful. We should be glad to hear, that it had been undertaken. No man would be better fitted, by his zeal for the best interests of the Indians, to take a prominent part in such a visit of humane discovery, than Mr. M'Coy. 13. Periodical Account of Baptist Missions within the Indian Territory, for the year ending December 31, 1836. Published by ISAAC M'Cor. Shawanoe Baptist Mission House, Indian Territory. No. 1. pp. 52. 1837. We have here another publication from the indefatigable pen of Mr. M'Coy. It is confined to a view of the Baptist missions in the Indian Territory. The statistics which he presents are interesting and valuable. We approve Mr. M'Coy's efforts to spread before the public mind facts concerning the Indians, and to awaken a more general and lively zeal on their behalf. But we would prefer, that he should do this, without any intimations, that others have not done their duty. He thinks, that the Baptist Missionary Magazine has not contained a sufficient amount of information concerning the Indians. He disclaims, indeed, any intention to find fault, yet he says, that VOL. II.--NO. VIII. 79 "if missionaries to the Indians were to compile a few numbers of the Magazine, and of some other religious journals, they would increase the number and length of articles relating to the almost friendless people among whom they labor." He attributes the neglect to "strong partialities for foreign missions." Now we admit, that there is not sufficient zeal any where for either foreign, domestic, or Indian missions, but we believe, that the editors of the Magazine have commonly inserted all the documents which they have received of a proper kind for publication. With the conduct of the Board, Mr. M'Coy is evidently dissatisfied, because he proposes the formation of a new Board, to whom the care of the Indian missions shall be entrusted. (p. 49.) Having been closely connected with the Board for more than ten years, we can say confidently, that the Indian missions have absorbed a large portion of its time, and a great amount of its funds. The Board has sent among the Indians every missionary whom it could find willing to go. We are not aware, that there is, in the Board, any partiality for any particular missions; but we believe, that if the Board must relinquish any of its missions, those among the Indians would be the last which it would feel itself at liberty to abandon. As to a new Board, we doubt, whether the Convention will think it wise to divide its operations, and have a double set of boards, treasurers, secretaries and agents. Such a measure would relieve the present Board from much labor and anxiety, but we do not believe that the Indians would be benefited by it. A better plan would be, to add another secretary to the present Board, whose attention should be exclusively directed to the Indians. The business of the Board has become so extensive, as to require more aid at the Missionary Rooms. There ought to be three departments, the domestic, the Indian, and the foreign, with a secretary for each. The domestic secretary should conduct the correspondence at home, seek out missionaries and agents, and, in conjunction with the treasurer, devise and execute methods for raising funds. The other two secretaries should conduct the correspondence connected with their respective departments, and watch over the interests of the missions pertaining to them. The secretaries might, nevertheless, act in concert, and be in constant habits of mutual consultation. Some such plan as this will, as we hope, be adopted by the next Convention. It would be more simple, homogeneous and efficient, than a division of the Board. After these remarks, which we make with great respect and esteem for Mr. M'Coy, we proceed to copy a few extracts |