riting is positively the oldest and first form of recording
ideas the world ever knew. The worship of the sun is the earliest form
of human idolatry. Their calendar and system of astronomy reveal traits
common to that of China, Persia, or Hindostan. Mr. Gallatin, from the
consideration of the languages alone, is inclined to think that they
might have reached the continent within five hundred years after the
original dispersion. That they are of the Shemitic stock, cannot be
questioned. The only point to be settled, indeed, appears to be, from
what branch of that very widely dispersed, and intermingled race of
idolaters and warriors they broke loose, and how, and in what manner,
and during what era, or eras, they found their way to these shores?

But, however these questions may be decided, this is certain, that
civilization, government and arts began to develope themselves first in
the tropical regions of Mexico and Central America. Mexico itself, in
the process of time, became to the ancient Indian tribes, the Rome of
America. Like its proud prototype in Europe, it was invaded by one
barbaric tribe after another, to riot and plunder, but who, in the end,
adopted the type of civilization, which they came to destroy. Such was
the origin of the Toltecs and the Aztecs, whom Cortez conquered.

When we turn our view from this ancient centre of Indian power, to the
latitudes of the American Republic, we find the territory covered, at
the opening of the sixteenth century, with numerous tribes, of divers
languages, existing in the mere hunter state, or at most, with some
habits of horticulture superadded. They had neither cattle nor arts.
They were bowmen and spearmen--roving and predatory, with very little,
if any thing, in their traditions, to link them to these prior central
families of men, but with nearly every thing in their physical and
intellectual type, to favor such a generic affiliation. They erected
groups of mounds, to sacrifice to the sun, moon and stars. They were,
originally, fire-worshippers. They spoke ONE general class of
transpositive languages. They had implements of copper, as well as of
silex, and porphyries. They made cooking vessels of tempered clay. They
carved very beautiful and perfect models of birds and quadrupeds, out
of stone, as we see in some recently opened mounds. They cultivated the
most important of all the ancient Mexican grains, the zea mays. They
raised the tobacco plant, to be offered,