their own intellects, and at the same time are learn-
ing lessons for the government of their own passions,
and purifying their own affections. They find that
the furious maniac yields to gentle firmness, when
he would rave at severity; that melancholy may be
banished by the voice of cheerfulness and kindness,
when it would grow deeper if attacked by boiste-
rous harshness; and that even demency may be
quickened into life and mental action by proper
moral sentiments. It is an acknowledged fact, that
those who have the care of the insane are generally
cheerful; one cause of which may be, that they feel
conscious of being in the way of doing good, and the
effects of their exertions are constantly before them;
and, perhaps, another is, that the same mind is unceas-
ingly dwelling upon the blessings it enjoys in its
sanity, and draws comparisons between itself, and
those unfortunate beings who are deprived of reason,
as we take a more elastic step when we pass a crip-
ple, who moves on slowly in his deformity and an-
guish, or as we look at the sun, or some bright object,
and see that the petitioner for street alms is blind.

The Indians within the United States have been
harassed, warred upon, driven from their primitive
abodes, and, at times, hunted down as beasts of the
forest. Sometimes they were sinned against, but
often sinning in the causes which produced this dis-
tress. They thought this whole continent their own,
and that they were sole proprietors of it. Their
ideas of national rights and of political economy
were not very extensive, but their patriotism and
courage will never be doubted by those acquainted
with their history. At times, they seemed to wish to
be friends; at other times, were vindictive and blood-
thirsty.

The Eastern Indians were among the fiercest on
the continent. King Philip

is a noble instance of
sagacity and love of country ; and the Six Nations, so
well known in the history of New York, were brave,