Litchfield enquirer., 1856-01-24
The Indian Tribes.

.lencs. With full belief that the Great Spirit l delights in revenge, they have sought it when | they could but II was in the snllen silent re- 1 cesses Of Inc savage mind that the knife rested till Il ieii on the victims head. And when. less venseful, they cried for redress, their wsil has been drowned in the excitement and noise of our triumphant career, and they have cried in vain. They have been crushed under The wheels of our progressive car; and when . stricken and bleeding remnan, have made themselves new home in the wilderness, with solemn treaty pledge that it should be perpetual, stern necessity has been our plea fs disregarding our plsdge and breaking up their nest. We ~ho, in inc pride ofstrength. are ready 10 take the British lion by the beard # he ventures 10 dispute our construction of treaty stipulation, have several times viola ted solemn compacis with ihe Indian tiibes. Werejoice 10 hear voice raised in their be half. Weinvite the attention 10 the following graphic view of their present condition from the able report of Mr. McClelland, Secretary of t,e Interior
 For some of Ihc tribes permanent homes have been established, and many of The lndi- ans have contracted habits of industry, sobri efv and economy. The eff. ct of lhls upon The who'e is very percepiible and encoursg ing. Their numbers are increasing, their conduct improving, and they are being rapid- iy prepared Tor the heathful exercise of the privileges, and the proper discharge of 'he ciiixers.
 During the past year many Of the tribes west of the Mississippi have had 10 cortend with the most uHfowatd circumstances, ard it is really extraordinary tha, they have n"t been utterly dispiited. Ye. they have, under the everest diversity, exhibited a degree of for 1iiude anc forbesrance well worthy the miia. ton of many of the whites, who boast of their superior mental and morsi culture. Few of us would SO unresfsiingiy have permitted ourselves 10 be unceremonionsly thrust from our homes and de2rived of our 6resides.- They are necessarily pressed by the whites who, under ihe plea of necessity, exercise their superior sagaciIy in devices 10 evade their rights and despoi them Of their property.
 We must, however, provide for the existing siate oi things ard recurrence 10 the events that have transpired in Connection with them for the last few years wil show that 'cohdnion of affairs has arisen that nev. CT was contemplated, and could mt easily have been anticipated. This cannot he changed without an attempt 10 stay the on. ward progress of our people, which would he IruiIIess. The mode ot treatment must be adapted to their present pccula, position. and the policy fixed ore, as i. is not likely tie character of the crcumstances by which they ara now surrounded will ever change.
 Mary years have not elapsed since it was considered that mixed occupancy of the came territory by the white and red man was incompatible with the safety and happiness z of oithcr. A remedial policy was adopted, and the rsmoval of Indians west of ,he Mis- sissippi River determined upon. A guarran- ty was given them that they should have ex elusive possession of that country for. yer, x em2t from all intrusion of white men, wilh ample provision for the ir security against ex- fernal violence and internal comnioiions, and the extension 10 them of suitable fac,llt es for the,r advancement, in the arts of civilization. The country was congratulated by one Of your predecessors upon their removal 10 ,heu new homes, and the dawning 10 Them of a new and happy era was publicly proclaimed. But this guaranty has not been fulfilled, and that propiiious time has not arrived. A quarter of a century has hot elapsed before the same state of things, so much dcpIored, is found 10 exist, and the evil that was intend ed to be remedicd appears in far more ap- psling form. The strong arm of the Gov ernment is constaa,l, invoked 10 stay its progress, and the guaranty is continually held up to us for faithful performance. Our only reply to all the appeals made is, that the force Of circumstances has rendered 1t i'm. practicable.
 Congress has been generous in is more recent appropriations for the benefit of the Indiane. and displayed commendabe spirit in aid of thei, reclamation. The only increase desirable is n what is u.ually dcnom,na,ed the Civilization fund, being an annual appro- priation by The Act of March B, Is43, of Si0,000. This nigh, have been sufficient then. but it Is obvious il is not so now.
 Whoever will s,udy their history, in con ncciion with the conduct of our people, will nat be 70 much surprised al man, of the on, pages they commit. They are savages, and arc seldom tangh, 10 discriminate between white men. Individuality with them in case of wrong is out of the question. indian disturbances are too often traceablc 10 Inc indiscretions and aggressions of white men. We have reliable reports of such cases, and of the mos. marderous and unproy, ,ked al. tacks upon them when utterly defenceless. Notwithstanding the Mississippi was es,ab lishcd as boundary tc their country, our peo pic have passed il, and seized upon their cloic <st lands, and are circumscrbing lhe ahor,gn, e to the nArr.west limits. We ara rapidly clo. eng upon tho hun,er tribes from bo'h the At lan,ic and Pacific Oceans, and soon all the Buiislo and other game will hsve d. appeared, and almost every faot of farable land he oc- capscd by the white man. By conjnnc'ure of circumstances most unpropi,,cus to Lin, the 1adisn Is being completely hedsed in and never before has he been subjected ,o such . severe trials and hatdships. Many of them arc aware of ,he,r depiorabie and precarious condition, and speak of it with ihe deepest and most expressive sorrow. Y,i, wnh few exceptions, the offences they commit are no, of . high grade. and these arc palha,ed in many instances by extreme want Al this shsnld impress a generous, intelligent and refined peopte with the. necessity of kindness and forbsarancc toward them, which is 10, aiwavs exhibitrd