Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-03-17
THE AMERICAN INDIANS.
LECTURE ny GEN. SAN HOUSTON.

Last evening General Houston delivered a lee
ture on the above subject, in Niblo's Theatre n. Y.
before the New-England Young Mems Association,
A military band performed for an hour before the
commencement Of the lecture. Tho house was
nearly filed. Gen. II. was received amid loud APP
plause, and with three cheers, and three more. lie
commenced his address with au apology for his
want of preparation, owing to multiiarious adsoca-
tons, and haste in travelling. Still he was, from
long experience, not unacquainted with the Abo-
riginal Indians. Notwithstanding the inadequate
efforts made to civilizc and Christianze them, the
mismanagement of the Government, and tho Gu
piditv of its agents, they have made great progress
in civilization and religion. 1t has been supposed
that the Indian is inferior in intellect to the white
man. but he is by nature intelligent and susccpti-
bile aud from the discovery of the land, there
have been men of Indian birth whose valor and
genius should redeem the race front any slur.
The defeats of the Indian, Mt the hands of the
whites, were the result of thesupcrior arms of the
latter. Gen. II. claimed for the Indians an equal
ity by nature with the %proudest OF the whites.
They arc calculated to receive the influences and
rcfnemcnts Of the most elegant society. Among
them YOU will find neat and comfortable home,
ladies refined in conversation and beautiful IN APP
pearance, a government properly systcmatized, the
Sabbath respected, native preachers rroclalning
the gospel of peace to their Indian brothers, In a
manner and with Il feeling that would not dlscredit
the white man. To what are such good results
] uup ! 10 lUt tllllS VI llt ~ nv
action OF societies for the ameliOration OF the In
dams condition? Me-! OF the hundred millions
of dollars appropriated by Government for their
use, not more than twenty millions have been ben
efcially applied to that object. The rest has been
swallowed up by the cupidity OF agents. Had the
full sum been applied as was intended, 1t would
have reclaimed from the savage state all the lndl-
ans within the limits Of the United States, The
agents impose OH them, after getting them drunk
procure their mark, in signature, when they do not
know what they are marking. They are thus
abused through the counivance of the traders and
agents. In Minnesota, where starving Indian
mothers had to eat their children, Of S4SO,O00 APP
propriatod, only 100000 were used for the lndi-
ans. In Nebraska, the civil and military func-
tionaries have combined to cheat the Indians out
of the price of their Iand. What wonder that the
tomahawk does not rust upon the frontier, when
the thunders of the Executive do not fall on the
wrctches who act thus basely. The Indians are
not treaty-breakcrs but when they are abused,
| they naturally seek revenge. They commit muir.
ders; but so do people in this City, and 1t would
he unjust to brand this City as Il nest of murderers
I because of the crimes of a few. The breaches OF
E treaties and origin of wholesale mcssacres (Which
D generally fall on the women and children, for the
warriors are ABSENT lie properly at the door OF
: the whites. The Floida war is an instance
c jackson often defeated the Indians on the field Of
i battle; but when he became the arbiter OF thell
+ destinies, and dispenser to them of justice, he &C
+ ted so that, to this day, the name of jackson causes
the big tear to start in the eye of the warrior
e Raise these natives Of the soil, and when their ad
= vancement in civilization COMFORTS with our socie
l ty and Institutions, give them territory and meant
{ and appliances of Improvement; receive them into
our legislative halls, and give them an equal share
/ and an equal interest in the legislation sent
among them honest agents, and when you reduce
D them to "a local habitation and a name" they
will fulfill the destiny of men, live by the sweat o
l their brow, cultivate the arts and even elegancle'
; of peace, and in two generations they will be Al
D civilized as ourselves. Gen. Ii. adyertcd to The
D Indian waT threatened at present, and said 1t com
I menced in q slaughter Of the lndians by the troops
3 The Indian law-an invariublc custom-lS that
blood shall be avenged by blood not alone in tn,
; person of the offender, but Of his relatives. A
n Norman party were passing near the Sioux camp
n when a cow strayed from them to the Indians;
n Bear Indian who was among them killed tile COW
The Mormons complained at Fort Belknap, and
lieutenant Ca West Point cadet, who had neve
$ seen an Indian was sent with 20 men and tw
c pieces of artillery to adjust the matter. The In
dams offered to pay the value the man who kille
e the COW was demanded but he took refuge i'll
lodge, and said he would not DC taken he was
stranger among the Sioux, and they said the
would not give him up, but would pay for the am
mal-whereupCn the lieutenant fired his artler
upon them, and the result was that the white
lr were all massacred. This incident was made tn
foundation Of a requisition to Washington for a
II army to put down the whole race. Peace ha
II ever been the best policy with the Indians; wa
Id has produced only disasters. The agents sen
among them are either gentlemen who have dlssl
patel their estates, or poor loaiers who have
up claim on the Government and their chief or sol
I'd purpose, when they &c with a parchment in the
I'd bosom among The tribes, is to steal and rob frOl
he them. Gen. II. was not rejecting on the preser
ed ADMINISTRATION, but stating the condition of thing
ot for fifty years. lie related some incidents come
ny ted with the Texan war. A Mexican force W;
rs then sweeping the country in such power that
ss the Indians took the Texans or the flank and
n the rear, the result would have been inevitabl
ng fatal. y man of influence with the Indians Wi
ly sent among them and made IA league with thrice
ey nations. When the Texans were obliged to f
as behind the river Sabine, their fugitive women AZ
children were fed, relieved and helped forward |
m tire Indians. When peace was restored and
pr. a new administration installed in Washingto
III. these same Indians, a peaceful, agricultural poop
ew were set upon, driven out, and many of them ma
sacred. The result was a bloody retaliation, an
for years, the tomahawk cleaned over the who
'e district. Another Administration came in, an
W. though friendly, il took two years to restore peac
nS A delegation was sent among the Indians by II
1p' Polk administration but they had previous
agreed not to hear propositions from any one wi
sre did not bring the credentials Of 4 ring and certa
c. colors. As these could not he shown, the |
dams asked the delegates, Who sent them? til,
- answered, the Indians father, the latter repli
vi They had no father, but n brother Applausel
iIn and would have no ''talk' with the delegates.
nd
,ur A LEAF FROM "LLoYD's LIsT."-An interestiI
ng tabular return has just been published in Lloyd
ny List of the casualties to shipping, reported
- 4 l1-1t.- - IL ---Il II ---- - NJ