St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-03-09

T
; honestly with those who are unable to
bring him to account; and to feel his
responsibility to morality aud justice in
an almost irresponsible posftictr. Until
we can find among the followers of the
great parties Of. the day a sufficient
number of pure-minded and disinterest-
ed philanthrophis:s to fill all these agen-
ci.s, aud endure exile, discomfort, and
small salaries for honesty and righteous
ness sake, We must expect this evil to.
continue. The evil is in the system,
not in the men who represent it. If
the reproach can be addressed to our
government which was made to Tiberi-
uss: :; 1t is you that are to blame for
these things, that have committed your
flocks not to shepherds, but to wolves;'
the deeper reproaeh can also be uttered
against US, that We hare for years per-
"itted system which by its own force
has created those wolves even out of
the most trusted Of Our shepherds.
The course OF these remarks will in
disate what, in my humble judgment,
should be the course adopted by the
government towards the Indians.
In the first place, the whole system
Of treaties should be abrogatea: We
have filled one thousand octave pages
Of our statutes with such useless COM
pacts. We need no such plea to justify
US in taking the lands of the Indians.
If one hundred human beings can sup
port themselves on a tract of land where
one savage finds precarious subsistence
the one hundred have a right to 20
there aud take possession of and cult
vate it. The right of man to lite and
to the earth as meatis Of life is para
mount to I'LL else. But, in Selling the
Indians territory, the newcomers must
not cun>iyn him to starvation they
must share the land with him, and teach
tim those arts by which small por-
,ion Of it will sustain him as fully as
the whole did formerly.
II the next place, whatever land is
given to the Indians should be given
him by irrcvocable patent ; SO that he
can t,~vcr bc disturbed in his possession
by the pressure Of an advancing popu-
lation. 1t should also be guarded in
such manner that he cannot, for many
years, sell or 1ncumber it. The gov
crnment must treat him in this respect
as its helpless and dependent ward.
II the next place, it would be we'll
that each reservation should be located
near to or surrounding military post,
50 as to secure at all times perfect ad-
u,inistration of justice through the mil
it.ry authorities, aud full protection to
the industrious and deserving from the
vicious and depraved.
In the next place, there should be
erected for each family comfortable
log l,osse and a field should be broken
sufficient for their support upon the
land patented to them by the govern
ment. They should be furnished with
sufficient tools, seed, aud working cattle
for its cultivation. The aid Of the
government should then be given liber-
ally to the most deserving. leaving the
worthless to work or starve. A. few
successful farmers would civilize
whole community, even as among our
selves few cultivated persons will re-
finc an entire >ncighborhood.
In the next place while it is recol-
lectcd that the knowled &c of civili-
zed language does not constitute civili-
zation, nevertheless the English Ian
guagc should be introduced among
them aud the education of their chill
drcn should ut tae same time be made
compulsory. ..;s.
1t should be recollected that civiliza-
tion consists of certain habits of life,
productive of comfort and ease; upon
these may repose nigh structure Of
generous thoughts and ennobling reig-
ious impulses Christianity does not
consist in the holding of certain points
OF doc:rinal beliefs, nor in the employ
mcnt of any particular routine Of ex-
preston, but iu that adaptation Of the
whole inner nature of the man to the
purity and elevation Of its great prin-
ciples Hence 1t can never be the re-
ligion Of savagcs. To leave the Indian
in his barbarian state, and at the same
time seek to force into his mind the
sublime doctrines Of the Sermon on the
Mount, is to attempt nature in an in
vcrted order. The religious influence
Of the nation, should therefore first lend
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