Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge, Vol. 2 of 6: Containing All the Original Papers Laid Before Congress Respecting the History, Antiquities, Language, ... of the Indian Tribes of the United States - Tapa blanda

Reseña del editor

Excerpt from Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge, Vol. 2 of 6: Containing All the Original Papers Laid Before Congress Respecting the History, Antiquities, Language, Ethnology, Pictography, Rites, Superstitions, and Mythology, of the Indian Tribes of the United States

Sir:

I have the honor to submit for your consideration, the Second Part of my investigations respecting the statistics and condition of the Indian tribes of the United States, made in conformity with the provisions of an Act of Congress of the 3d of March, 1817.

The statistical tables, to which I invite your attention, taken in connexion with those heretofore published, indicate some facts of leading importance to the welfare of the Indian tribes. The principles of the census, wherever they have been applied, denote, that a hunter-population does not reproduce itself at a ratio, which can be, even in the most favorable circumstances, accurately appreciated and relied on; while it is subject to sudden fluctuations, such as do not pertain to a fixed community.

The rate of reproduction is so small, and the causes of depopulation so great, that, until the period of their colonization, neither to increase, nor decrease, but barely to keep up their numbers, is the most favorable view that can be presented. In a survey of two hundred years, so far as facts can be gleaned, many of the bands and subtribes have most rapidly declined, and yet a greater number of them have become entirely extinct. The policy of pursuing the chase is so destructive to human life - so subversive of every principle of increase and prosperity, that it is amazing that the Indians themselves have not perceived it.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.