The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-08-01
The Preservation OF the Indians OF the West
The Consolidation OF Peace between
them and us.

past-to see it as il was when the forests on our
continent were interminable and unbroken, save
/ whers the oceans on the East and on the West,
the deserts of the South, the prairies and rugged
4 mountains, broke in upon the dull uniformity,
! and when all this was the home of the now de-
graded lndian-it is difficult, from the almost i'm
possibility OF disengaging senses from the pre-
sence and sight of objects surrounding us, and OF
obliterating the associations grown out of them;
but we must do this properly to appreciate the ex-
listing state Of the Indians of the West, and the
means to be taken for the preservation of their
scattered remnants, if indeed, they are to be pre-
served, as justice and christianity demand From
the millions who once used the Northern American
continent as their hunting ground, and its rivers
and mountains for their landmarks, but n little
over 3OO, 900 remain. Their destruction has been
accomplished by the same insidious policy with
which Metternich destroyed the last of the de-
scendants of Napoleon by effemnancyand disease
Drunkenness and the small pox have done their
terrible work. with more effect than the toma-
hawk and the rife--the dregs of European cha
racter have been infused into their own, distgur-
ing and making a wreck of Gods own image
their evil passions excited, and their good ones
perverted by the white man. Those that remain
the magnanimity and Justice of nation of free
men; and the time has come when this appeal
should be no longer sounded to the deafened ears
OF party fet ling.
In a most interesting work, recently published,
and called "McKenney's Memoirs and Travels,
and the Wrongs and Rights of the Indians" a
plan is proposed for the benefit of the Indians on
our frontier, which, from its equity and feasibii
ty, especially meets our appreciation and concur
renee It's simply this:-
To connect the Indian Territory as it is named and
defined maps and which lies west of the western
confines of Missouri and Arkansas to the United States,
and by precisely the tie which binds Iowa to the
Union and which has hitherto hound other territories
giving to the Indians the feempe title to the soil
and the same privileges present and prospective, en-
bracing that ultimate Of becoming State, that
enjoy ed by the citizens Of Iowa and that possess
ed ny the citizens of Michigan and other territories,
when occupy ing territorial relation to the Union"
In advocating the plan laid out by this proposition
We assume the ground that it is the intended po-
Icy of our government no longer to destroy and
enervate, but to project and improve the tribes on
our frontiers. b. the system proposed a new and
hitherto unfelt impulse would be at once given to
all the higher elements of their nature, which
would not fail in raising them, as race, to the
same eminence with ourselves. To the want of
this impulse may be well ascribed all the degra-
dation of the Indian. Hitherto, with their gene
rality, it has been too common to oppose the pro-
gress of instruction, on the ground that the eyes
of their children would be opened to sense Of
their inferiority to the white man, with the sup
position that to an equality they never could at
tain. Let this idea be removed let them feel
that the same avenues we possess to distinction
are open to them, that our destiny would be their
destiny. and stimulus would be infused into their
minds which would eventually show its effects in
our Hall of Representatives and in our Senate
Chamber. The but partial success of the mis-
sionaries among them has been entirely owing to
the want of this vital princple-a feeling Of infe-
riority and sense of degradation have been the
hitherto impossible barriers to all attempts at in
sitting into their minds any feeling OF ambition
Our duty and the principles on which our consti-
tuition is founded, demand that they should be
placed, and that they should feel they were, on an
equality with those who have usurped their
homes, and driven them step by step to the west
ward of the Mississippi.
On our government and its counselors rests the
fearful responsibility of deciding whether we are
to bind the different tribes on our western from
tiers as friends to, and part of our nation, or to
have them lowering amongst US, and around US,
dans in position SO favorable for this plan of
their reformation and preservati on to be carried
into effect Beyond the limits of our organized
States and Territories, of the three hundred thou
sand who yet exist, one hundred thousand have
tract which they occupy together, and within this
tract the remainder would hasten to place them
selves, provided those elements OF freedom, and
the rights of man which we have proposed to car
ry in among them, under the forms Of annexa-
ton and territorial government should
be satisfactorily guaranteed. Whether our
government and people will offer these in
ducements, now is the time to decide, for
good or for evil. 1t is useless to 1atter ourselves
with the idea that the Indians generally entertain
for us any feelings of kindness sympathy; too
keenly have they been made to feel the injuries
inflicted on them; they not ignorant of the
past; nor are they unaware of the advantages
they possess to inhict on us terrible retaliation
when causes may arise forcing them to an overt
act. Does not justice, safety, and policy, demand
that the surcharged cloud Of their accumulated
wrath should, by approp rate means, be delivered
OF It's fire before breaks our now peac eful but
unprotected frontiers, in tornado Of rapine and
murder ! few Indians in the swamps of Flori-
da cost us our best men and millions of money
TO subdue-whc, then, can reckon the strength
and expense necessary to queil the fury of eighty
thousand warriors in gut rilla warfare among
the Businesses Of the Rocky Mountains; pursued
to the Pacific and there they would turn at bay.
All this can be averted not by force, but by line
of policy consistent with our institutions and the
dictates of religion.
Without some such method as that we have
mentioned above ia faken we must not cIose our
eyes to the experience OF the past. The time
will come when the tide Of emigration will reach
the territory now inhabited by the Indians; and
unless different state of things from that which
now exists, or ever has existed, shall be esta-
blished, will seek again to dslodge them from
their homes. When improvement shall have
changed the forest to blooming garden, the ava
rice of the white man, backed by power, will