Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-09-20
WASHINGTON NEWS AMI aoss1p

1ssiIalssa1a1ISzafzusaanin
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Our Indian System About year ago we
took occasion to discuss the defects OF our Gov
ernment's Indian system, in half a. dozen ar
acles, based on the best information of its re-
suits then within our reach. Since that time
the anticipated effects Of the attempt to bring
the Indians Of California, New Mexico Ore
gon, and Utah, within it, (the system being at
that time but partially applied to them) have
been realised. That Is of the attempt 80 to
manage them, without increasing the military
force at the disposal Of the Government for
that purpose in proportion to the increased
demands upon their services. The mortality
among officers and men, growing out of the
various hazards Of the service in connection
with our Indian affairs, has been frightful,
and has resulted almost entirely from the fact
that the army is too small for the due protec-
ton of the frontier in time Of peace, without
requiring 1t to run hazards, which, necessarily,
swell It's mortality returns almost up to fair
average of state of active warfare with civ
ilized enemy. 1t appears as though every
other mail from the far West now brings the
news OF some casualty resulting fatally to
some one or more of our officers or men. Such
are merely the effects on the army of the
United States of the failure of Congress to
legislate to enable it to efficiently discharge
the duties required of il. The effect of the
system-the Indian system of our Govern
ment-are seen in the actual destruction of
the tribes There is not single exception to
this general rule. The Cherokees. Choctaws,
and Chickasaws, the tribes of the Southern
part, thrown into immediate contact with our
Southern fellow citiIens-have resisted the
legitimate results of the system better than
their Northern brethren, having emerged
somewhat from the state of barbarianism in
which the white man found them, and main
tanned the existence of their race with fair
prospect that their certain extinction will
hereafter progress slos0er than up to this time
We have overwhelmed them with mission
aries, and have spent millions of dollars in the
work Of endeavoring to give them our habits
of life. But the avarice of tho class Of our
people who invariably cluster around them,
has, in every instance, proved an overmatcb
for tho humane efforts Of those charged with
their protection and improvement Fire
water, and the white mans thirst for their
lands, have, together, worked their destruc-
ton. We repeat, the rule has been general in
Its operation tho tribes not yet extinct being
apparently ON tho high road to entire extinc
tion, as all the world are aware. Some how
or other, tho Spanish and French manage
better with the Indians. In their wars with
them, occurring on their settlement of por.
tions Of tho western continent, they slow heca.
tombs Of them. Peses once proclaimed.
however, under their management the In
dams began and continued to increase in
numbers and improve In condition, until this
hour.
Look at Mexico! That country has a popu.
lstion Of eight millions Of souls-four millions
Of Creoles, of mixed Indian and European
blood, and four millions of pure blood nine
tenths of the latter class being Of pure Indian
blood, and the other tenth of pure European
extraction. Tho mixture of African blood il
go small as not to be worthy of being regarded
proper element In 30 general a calculation
Now, We have to say further, that the most
thrifty and valuable of tho population comir g
under this Government by the acquisition of
New Mexico is, VIGOROUSLY, the civilized pure
Indian portion-the Pueblos and other pas
toral tribes; the rest are half breeds-tbose
about Santa Fe; and the savage tribes, which
arc like our savages in their habits of life
So, throughout ell Mexico, her really best cit
isens are tho civilised Indians, who are not
the parties responsible for tho changes Of gov.
er1ment and other social evils With which tb at
unfortunate country has boon afflicted The
faot, however, exists, that there, instead of be.
ing exterminated, tho aboriginal race is the
basis OF tho existing population, having pro-
creased in the arts and sciences, and in the
grand work of gradual intellectual and moral
improvement, pari passu with the mas Of
those OF that people Of pure European e1trac
ton.
Surely, then, We may learn something worth
knowing from Mexico and South America. ~
we'll as from French Canada, by way of i'm
proving our system Of managing our Indi az
relations. On our side, We have but a single
excuse to offer for the grand result of our cal
ings with the Indians-thst is, the repugnance
Of the Teutonio or Allemsnic race, from which
We as . nation may be said to have sprung. to
mix their blood with inferior races. The
Celtic race, on the other hand-the Spanish
and French racss-intermarry freely with
them, adopting themselves much more readily
to the circumstances by which they are sur.
rounded, bending impediments in their path
to their purposes, instead of crushing them
Wipipg Thorn out of existence-as the Teutonic
race do.
Yet, in this age, with all our professions of
almost superhumsn philanthropy constantly
on our national lips, it is high time that public
opinion should put stop to tho effects of fire.
water and the American propensity to acquire
land from the remains Of the tribes and we
think there are signs that the effort will be
made next winter.
The Booth Case.-We understand that The
Attorney General of the United States is pre-
pairing to carry this case before the Supreme
Court of the United States. Booth, it will be
recolleetsd, was prosecuted for rescuing fugi.
tive slaves from the custody Of officers of the