, 1865-07-21

u FRy the National O.bta
INDIAN POLICIES AND INDIAN WARS.
LocxFoK7, Ill, Ju1y 10, 1855.
Editors chassgo Tribune:
An aEtsc's p the editorial colnmna Of the
TRIBUNE, fsw days since, headed "That
Indian "A. prompts me to speak on this
sub1ect; ana .arnest devotion to the well
fare Of our Whoc country, and an intimate
knowledge Of 1ndIa> life for a quarter of q
century. ate any, quataca tions for speaking
on this question, I taus>1 may h.ve = short
hearing. \ a.,
Among public questions ut1lcalt to solve |
and impossible to be rid OF, t.1s Ina,au cues.
ton Is one Of the most troublesaroe. III 80,
not only to statesmen and phh.n nthropfsts.
but also. to selfish cltizens and un,r,ncipled
politicians. Nor is the magnitude 4 the in.
teri sis directly involved the true mes,nte Of !
its tor1nenttng Importance, hut We find that |
here, as elsewhere, principles are iuyolyd.
to disregard which Will be to do more thsa
wroDg an inferior race, but wilt be to wrong
ourselves, By fostering corrupt ideas aud
practices In our own citizenship. For We
know, by sad experience, In connection with
sIare1y, that the evil effects Of wrong doing
DO not all fall on the first sufferers, hut react
upon tDt QucJ5 " tAb NtOo& auu pol6ops TUG
whole body polite. This fact, hope, may
lead our public men into more patient ex-
animation OF the tangled web Of Indian ii.
faire, that ne nay be led Into no further
wrong by onr impatient rasbnoss.'
Cnilatlanlty and sound statesranahip
agree in the support Of Q principle that the
welfare Of all parts Of the human family Is
equally Increased b. the new advantage and
development Of It's weakest member. We
nre thna taught to cease living On the mis-.
fortunes Of cur fellows, and to feel that
wherever freedom gains victory, there our
liberty Is en1atgtd, and wherever humanity
rises from dtgfadstlen, there are ne al cnno-
b1td.
Building cn this principle, advance tho
proposition that whatcver conduees to tho
highest welfare of our Indian popu1atscu+is
also fer The best Interest Of the white people
Of the United States. In other words, 1t we
won1d seek the Issue Of these difficulties
which is best for the Indian. And all the
| history of our past connection with them will
| prove this position tue.
To secure their highest welfare we must
I give them three things: Government, edues.
Iior, and Christianity, And they must r,
together. n cur political CAPACITY ws mu!
I gl7s them the first, fos ter the second. and
Encourage forts which will insure The thtrt.
| We must give them government, for thy
! ntrer hare had it, and, next to the Christian
I religion, 1t Is their Etestest necessity. II ID
tie gstatess social ind political blessing Ee
con bestow, and. Of all things. 1t Is most ID
gitimate1y IN the sphere Of GoTernmentt 70
| giTe. To secure to them social order. lus.ice.
bttween man and man, and the secu1tty OF
| property necessary to encourage labor, would
be a greater gift than all tho annuitfes We
may a4uandet upon them.
| Of course We must 1emore from our official
| robes all tafnt. Of CT rrup'ton and Injustice
[ such as have dmgraced us and sowed the setd
Of wa1s nc ate now harvesting. But some-
thing moro Is Icfdsd than freedom from dis
honesty and mnl-admlnist1atIOn. We must
| ldopt and bring into action some prtnciplss
| fore tuled, and have conepired to make that
| d dsorCauiz4t1on called our Indian system.
!. The United atcsGovernment must de-
| clare and enforce ita sovereignty over all Its
Indian tribes and their territory. We havs
r,ndicated the .uaticnal. sovereignty against
extend it over our 1udlan tribes. For tue
evil doctrine Of States' Rights has spread it,
roots, even Into cur Indian Affairs, and Is ac-
couniable for much Of the present evil. 1t
has undoub: coly Influenced Us to aaopt OF
continue the policy g. treating Mta 1aS tns ID
have continued 70 do 50, Wht n we knew they
had no power to keep their part Of the agree
ment. We have thus acted alternately as
though they were responsible parties, and as
though they we're children or idiots, and 90
back snd forth and BY our own tnconsistan-
cles hare been led into policies both weak
and cruel. But extend our Government over
them us the sovereign power, aside from soy
treaty, and We will give them . great boon,
and rid ourselves almost entirely Of the
bothersome aud expensive system Of Indian
diplomacy.
!. We must give to the Indian the sdvau-
taees snd privileges ofa subject aud q c:ttz:n.
I TO make him Keep law, be must Know the
protection OF Law. To elevate him ab1Ee
p4upefltm and bfigandage We must develop
h,s manhood and Stimulate selEcu1surs IN the
ways OF civilization. Model farms aud board
Ing schoo1e are Of little use, IT, when they
hsve educated and civilized y man, he
il still ltgalIy savage. But give to every
savage the protection Of the law On h!s com"
ipg in,o srn.-ciglltxed condition. with the
and Won set NJ work Influences Tor his ur.us-
ipr which cannot be measured. have seen
IN Indian community stimulated 70 great ex-
and sgain their zeal al dainpened BY Its dc
5. We mnst bur no more lands and pay no
more Arnuities. We mnst Of course carry
| ont the provisions Of treaties nGw msde, uu'
less they haye been forfeited, as most oi
principle Il the s-ve7e,gnty Of The United
s Btes Government obysates the necessity d
loy,pg Indian lands. Let the luafaus kn0x
tLat there is but one supEttne EoyerDnent
and 1t must rule. At first the military p"
must instruct theun- Let them also feel TIM
the rover Of this Government Will be exert
I'd 10 maintain their rights as earnestly q
; those Of anr others Of Its citizenship. w
have often promised this, tut have new
done it, Tor We did not give citizenship. Fur
! thetmore secure to the Indian a reasonab1
homestead en- his foryat!pg hisrovlng habits
= and offer blm all needed help In the enront
' apemcut of agriculture and toe support 9
echoo1s, II W do these things and can sas
Ieiy Them OF our good taith, VIC shall need q
tait Of money OF leads OF blankets, to secur
thsir assent TO any 1nAs system pf ciylllraslor
Our mast policy has failed, In great r1eai
ure. OF eecu1ing either Place for Us or life f.
them. We tavc psmpered and decaiVe
th{1n, and what wonder that thsJ aghf rs
It ID but prof that We have not entirely q
etroytd ihelr manhood. We need not
batsh. but We muat be hEu1- We must
iust to them, and establish Justice Aroon
thtm, Hold By fear those Wtaso stu oppoi
uu> but bring those who sahn.. 70 ho9or 80
love Us, Then our border "afs Bill so1
sink to 1nsignIacance, aud Rs1 source I
political corruption viii be roMoyed. =.
Thus. there ia better TR5 TO settle U
uuesttou, "Wnat shall We DO with The !
d,sus p than either to hunt them down VII
'. bloodhounds or kill them With bad Whlsk,
7 and it is way better Tor ia as well ~ !
thtm, A. L. R1Gds.