The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-12-18
The Indian VS.. the African.

WHY should the poor captured rebel Indians
In Minnesota be hung, when the Federals
have three regiments of Indians? If these
men are soldiers, rs by the act OF the govern
ment the three thousand in our service must
be considered. how can they be treated as fel-
ons and not soldiers? The red man, the orig
inal possessor of the soil, surely stands worse
chance than the Alrican.-lArgus.
The above is characteristic. We have failed
to detect in a careful reading Of that paper,
the first instance in which it has given the
government credit for single proper act or
in which it has tailed to find fault; and yet
the Argus is loyal paper, of course. IL mas
no sympathy for rebellion, though II never has
railing accusation TO bring against the RED
els; 1t has great sympathy for the government,
though II finds fault with all its acts; it has
very ardent desires for the success of our gov
eminent in putting down rebellion, though it
is innocent of ever giving expression to any
such desires. Yet the Argus is loyal, for its
editors are loyal men, of course; for who ever
knew Democrat who was not loyal, and
friend to his country.
1t Is known to our readers that three hun
bred Indians in Minnesota, guilty of the muir
ple of that State-the victims in most cases
women and children-have been arrested and
sentenced to death. The President has re-
fused to sanction the finding of the court and
their execution, except in the case OF thirty
nine. who, the evidence showed, were guilty
not simply of acts of war, but of wanton mas
sacre of the perfectly defenceless. But the
nd
have them treated not as ielons, but as prison.
ers of war-"swear them and let them CO. to
tomahawk and scalp still other women and
children We can imagine no possible rea-
son for this course of the Argus, except that
the culprits were the allies of its democratic
friends in the South-the plant tools of the
rebels, as shown by Senator Rice of that State.
But what we wish to notice specially is the
slur at the African, which the Argus con-
trives to get of. "The red man-the original
possessor of the soil-surely stands worse
chance than the African" The red man, the
Goriginal possessor," sold his claim to the soil
In Minnesota for an annuity, and has been
treated honorably and fairly by the govern
ment: but still he becomes the instrument of
rebels, ana lmDrueS MS MINUS III the warm
blood of defenceless women and children; but
for him the Argus has "bowels of compassion"
But the African, stolen from his native soil,
and for generations reduced to the most abject
bondage for no crime-for him there must be
no compassion. And yet who has ever known
the African to return evil for good? When
has he betrayed the confidence of those who
have shown him favor, or labored for his ele-
walton? When did he ever become the tool
of as sassns to murder those who had treated
him kindly? But he is black; God has made
him so, and though never treaeherous, though
characterized for his docility, and though his
affectional qualities dominate in his soul. the
Argus would show him no mercy; while the
ever treacherous Indian, because he is not
slave, but is the tool and instrument of slave
holders, it would treat with lenity of which
he has proved himself unworthy. Such, to
our mind, seems the exact ground occupied
by the Eastern Argus.