Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-05-08
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1855.
Our Indian Relations.

Civization-a civilization that compares itself
compacently with the highest precedents of social
development in the history of the old world, is
startled now and then by war-cry, such new
cr woke the sleep Of Roman sentinels, to find it.
self in close juxta- position with barbarism
more fierce, more ruthless, and more untameable
than the Vandal pillagers of Italian temples or
the Tartar hordcs Of Jenghis Khan. The repeated
depredations of the Indians Of Oregon and New
Mexico upon peaceful trains of travclers-their
wholesale massacre of women and chldren-tra-
gedies aggravated by all the revolving incidents Of
savage warfare, have provoked the just ind gna-
ton of our government. Detachments of troops
have been sent against the hostile tribes charged
with the work of vengeance and retaliation.
That an armed force should be maintained in
the vicinity of the unfrendly Indians-to hold
them in check-and that the military authorities
should be invested with powers co-extcnsivc with
the assumed jurisdiction Of goveinme nt these
trbes-we are very willing to conceda. But a
of the character proposed by the administra-
tiOn-a war with no motive less ignoble than
revenge, and no object more credtable than
termination ga war of ambnscales and surprises,
and midnight masSacres proposing 10 re- cnact
the horrors of S .minolc definitions such il war
as this for which troops are mastering from
all the military ros:s OF The froniieri> unworthy
tn policy Of Government like this.
1t completely controverts in practice the hypo-
critical doctrine OF pae n II guardan>hi with
which the Federal Cove nmcnt has sought to hide
,he uolitical paradox implied in it, Indian rea-
tions. La treating them wards and ira .nIng
hen oh Oh, tt,n,
enemies, punish them rebels.
In a,sann= tn guar nShip of tn Indians, s.
we have practically denied their pncity for self
govcrnmet 1t. In de?riy ig I'll N OF thn privileges
of po ilc'l ndep II ;enc We have yirtu lily ig-
nored heir luiItIcni accountable ty.
Thy my b. reStra 1t, su ect d, GOV 4rrel
and even be made amenable t. gene al voi &c reg
uli;inps-but they c .nnot be huntc Gown, us the
British Governmen, tn less hypocrisy in It's
doctrn. of the subj ctipn Of fer ign races, can
hunt down its wild Caiirarian foes. \ war like
this provokcs the atroc t. it should s.e'; to dis
arm, and ini.ates the passions it should as
suage.
1t undo thu slow an patient work of christian
philanthropy, at II single blow-anI plants fresh
cause of hate over the incxtiuyu sha'ie memories
of the gigantic wrong by which mi ght sup
planted right in the long fcud Of races.
4 policy prcdicatej upon the received doctrine
Of our Indian relations, should avoid collision
with refractory tribes, should restrain hostile
dcpredations in their intentionally the presence
of adequate military force-and should incu!cate
the individual responsibility Of the Indians, by
singing out for exemplary punishment the re-
fractory members of nation, and not 10y compre-
hending a whole tribe in Il summary act ofretalia-
t;on-arouse the clannSh spite, which, in the In
dian heart, survives all traditions-and pctrifes
in an immortal Hate.