The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-01-25
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN THE UNITED
i, STATES-THE WHITE AND THE
RED RACES.
tFrom the N. Y. Herald.1

tFrom the N. Y Herald.1
Having given the interesting report of the
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs to our readers,
it has occurred to us that the occasion Is an
appropriate one to make some observations
upon the past condition of the tribes in
this country in connection with the rapid
extension of our frontier limits It Is i'm.
possible not to see that the nborigines are
everywhere regarded ms something less than
men. We have sought to improve their con-
dition by establishing missionary schools
amongst them; they have been pensioners
upon the public treasury-wards of the ex.
ccutive departments. They have always ex-
cited large share of public sympathy, and
strong hopes have been entertained that they
wright be reclaimed flsm barbarisni and ele.,
-vated to the spheres OF social, moral and reli-
gions enlightenment.
The Indians are certainly an interesting
race, and It is agreeable to read the accounts
which the federal Commissioner has given Of
the humane efforts of the government 10 pro-
mote their welfare. He is sanguine of final
success in these labors. He reports the ex-
istence, within our extended Territorial limits,
of three hundred and fourteen thousand of
these red men Of the forcst-these remarkable
links which seem to unite the brute with the
human species. Not a comment is made up
on the statement which the Commissioner
has published in regard TO the number of his
wards. He sees nothing in this fact to inhu-
ence his opinions concerning the destiny of
his people. He encourages us with consider
able progress among the Chipprwas of Mi,h-
ignn, and the combined Chippcwas, Oltawas,
and Pottawattamies of Wisconsin, and u MA
jority of fve.tlibes have also evnced no little
advancement in Texas! This is, with trifling
variations, the sum total of Indian civilization
after two hundred years of effort From
many millions Of men and the sole masters
of the continent-from many hundred tribes
existing in the pride of supcriority--the nc.
knowledged chiefs OF empire ind of domain
in Amerca-they have been reduced to
trife over quarter of million of men, and
to day give up scarcely single hope that hu-
man efforts are capable Of elevating them to
the scale of civilization and Christianity. 1t
would almost seem MS If Providence had closed
the doorsof progress against them. Unknown
to the Christian age, to the Egyptians, to the
Chinese, to the Hebrews, to the Greeks and
to the Romans, they have steadily resisted
every effort to introduce amongst them the
arts of civilization which existed in those nn.
tons. This may seem to be n harsh judgment,
and one unsutcd to the spirit of Christianity
and TO the temper of the present nge; but we
prefer to look the matter in the face and to
be rational and practical. We cannot ignore
the past if we would, and there is not in all
the variety of our relations with the red man,
in peace or in war, politically, religiously or
! socially, a solitary sign of their regeneration
and enlightenment.
1t is in vain to say they have been severely
and harshly treated-it is in vain to refer to
their original strength and rights on this con-
tlnent, aud to their present weakness and de.
pendence-these things prove rather their
stubborn resistance to all the efforts of civil
ization, than the cruelty of the white races.
The sun gives his rays to the white and red
alike; the earth is impartial in the fruit it
bears to those who apply the conditions of
production; and SO it is with the conditions
of civilization-they too, ure fortunately i'm.
partial, generous and communicative. The
examples to the Indian have been valueless
and it is precisely such causes which have
been foremost in leading the white race step
by step to its present condition of enlighteu-
ment.
A stationary people can no longer hope for
n protracted existence-and this is made oh.
vious by the simplest comparison between
the Anglo American and the aboriginal and
have driven ont the latter, just rs the English
nre driving out the natives Of the East, and
MS Russia is steadily advancing upon the o.
toman empire. The same grand scheme of
operations is going on in every part Of the
globe.
Judged by the standards of experience ard
philosophy, it is not difficult to come to the
conclusion that the native barbarous races of
both the Eastern and Western continents are
working out their destiny precisely as an
overruling Providence intended they should.
On this side Of the water the Indians never
held more than mere right of passage-a
highway privilege of the country They nev.
er turned the earth to uses of producton.-
They added nothing to the wealth or the
civilization of mankind. While population
was crowding on production in the Old
World, they occupied the New, and withheld
1t from the uses OF the human family
Their expulsion was n high Christian duty
IA work of humanity-and what is now
exhibited h sufficient proof of the justice of
this idea.
The chronic efforts of the government TO
educate, cipilze and Christianize them, con.
stltute one of those stubborn features of
policy transmitted to US from our ancestors,
which, Ike the Indians themselves, is capable
OF resisting the force of experience anG the
teachings Of common sense and Justice
They are actually degraded by contact with
the white race. They show n capability for
engrafting upon themselves all our vices, and
for successfully resisting all our virlues.-
Benpyoence and Dhilnntbronv in tbis ,y,y