Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-12-09
The Indians.

Correspondence of the Journal Of Commercel
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1864.
The forthcoming report of the Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs shows commend
able desire to ameliorate and to elevate the
condition of the original lords of the soil.
General Pope, it may be remembered, pub
lished report a few weeks since, in which
he denounced the making of treaties with
Indian tribes, and recommended placing
them under martial rule, which would COM
pei them TO reside in the vicinity of militia
nv posts, where they could be educated, and
instructed in the arts of civilization. Judge
Dole, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
takes q different view of the subject, and
presses the system of making treaties, to
which the Indians are parties, and as such
yield their assent, on the following grounds:
by the one course, it is contemplated
that the independence of the Indians shall
be entirely ignored, and that they shall be
reduced to absolute subjection; by the other,
that they shall not be altogether deprived
of their sense of nationality and indepen-
dence as q people. BY the one course, the
most savage and vindictive traits of their
national character will be fostered and per-
petuae /; by the other, they will be grad
lally led to more hopeful view of their
situation, and to regard us as friends, seek
course, they will ever regard us as merci
less despots and tyrants, who have deprived
them OF their homes ana liberties. by the
other while they are effcctually taught
their inability to cope with us rs belliger-
ents, they will gradually learn to appre-
ciate the advantages of civilization and its
attendant blessings. To my mind the adj
yantages of the latter over the former poll
cy seems so apparent that can hardly re-
aliZe that the former is seriously advocat-
ed"
Gen. Pope would gather the Indians
around military posts, disarm them, and
compel them either to become good farmers
and Christians under the salutary influence
of their association with soldiers, suffers
and followers, or to starve. But Mr..
Commissioner Dole would rather concen-
trate the Indians OH a hundred or more
reservations" many of them surrounded
by the advancing wave of white population,
into four or five Indian Territories. These
he would have selected with especial refer
ence to their adaptation to the peculiar
wants and requirements of the Inoians, and
protected by the most stringent legislation
against encroachment by the whites.
The commissioner. to sustain his position,
cites exampleso of military rule and of friend
lv alliances by treaties. In New Mexico,
the Indians have been managed by the for
mer policy, and have almost invariably been
hostile, while in the Indian Territory, from
the time of the first removal of the Chero-
KEGS down to the breaking out of the
present troubles, it was seldom necessary
to invoke the aid of the military.
There are at the present time thirteen
superintendencies and fifty-eight agencies,
having in charge nearly two hundred tribes
of Indians, with an estimated population of
100000. There are AZ schools with Gl teach
ers and l,45s pupils. The Indians have
under cultivation 1889 acres of land, in
addition to 267S acres cultivated by the
government for and in connection with
them. The wealth in individual property,
owned by Indians, is sreported at 1851, ,404.