Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-08
Our Indian system,

Our Indian System.
We have every reason to believe that
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs already
appreciates the opportunity for driving
the entering wedge for the almost entire
change of our system of managing the
tribes on our borders, which must be ef-
fected ere it can be one of philanthropy,
fair dealing, and really happy results.
More or less of the tribes confided to our
care through the fate of the Mexican war,
are not only nominally, but really Chris
tanned, showing the results of their long
Christian associations, and the parental
training of the good priests who have been
among them, and their well nigh entire
exemption for ages from the habits of the
savage
The Constitution of the United States
debars them from the privileges of citizen
ship, except through special legislation of
Congress. Yet there is nothing in the
laws compelling the Government to treat
them as savages. They reside in villages,
holding large tracts of valuable lands, in
common for pastoral purposes using
them, too, to much better advantage gene
rally than any other class in New Mexico
use those in their occupany. These lands
became theirs originally by direct grant
from the Spanish and Mexican Govern
ments; yet under our laws the validity
of no such grants in common can be rec
ognized, except after Congressional legis-
lation to that end. There are doubtless
traders and spectators enough most
anxious to induce the War Department
to take the usual strenuous measures for
their eventual dispossession men to
whose advice-which has so far almost
always been followed in our dealings with
the red man-our national escuteheon is
indebted for the dark stains upon it,
arising from the heartlessness Of our deal
ings with al the tribes. In their own
transactions with them, whisky and gew-
gaws have been their means, and lands
and annuities their ends. They are for
the most part as energetic and enterpris-
ing as inscriptions, rarely failing to
carry their purposes, though often forced
to pay the largest share of the plumber
they would clutch, to parties who do their
work on the different branches of the Gov
eminent.
They have so far made ceaseless war on
the red man, though his daily associate
fighting him with fire-water, more certain
and deadly in its effects than powder and
lead. We have always marvelled why it
is that they have been so powerful in this
city, having no faith in their theory that
no efforts of the Government of the United
States can possibly result in the entire
civilization of the tribes That is, of the
tribes in immediate contact with our
spreading settlements. New Mexico offers
glorious field for important experiments
in this connection. For, as before re-
marked, among her Indians are tribes
better qualified for the discharge of all the
duties and responsibilities of American
citizenship, than almost any other classes
of persons there. Let justice and true
parental sympathy govern the dealings of
the War Department with these tribes,
aud, ten to one, it will soon be discovered
that it is not only possible to civilize
North American Indians, but that sys-
TEN of management based on such princi-
pies will save nine tenths of the lives an
nually sacrificed upon the frontier byrum,
gun powder and the knife, while the cost
of conducting our Indian relations under
it will not prove half as great as under the
current system.
New MUsIC.-We have received from
Mr. John F. Ellis, music dealer, an hui