Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-15

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observed by US with scrupulous GOO
faith, and in the absence of any in!
ground Of complaint, these cor
federated Indians entered int
an alliance with the rebel authorities an
raised regiments in support Of their caus'
Their organized troops fought side b
side with rebel soldiers, and detaehe
bands made frequent assaults on IA
ntighboring white settlements, whicl
were without adequate means of defense
and on the Indians, who malntdne'
friendly relations with this government
This state Of things continued untll IN
surrender Of the rebel forces west oil IN
Mississippi. Hostilities were then sus
pended, and, at the request OF the Indians
commissioners were sent to negotiate
treaty of peace. Such preliminary az
rangements were made as, II Is oeileNeu
will result in the abolllon OF siaN9rl
among them, the cession Wlthln the IN
dian territory of lands for the ~setgieuleil
Of the civilized Indians now residing OF
excavations elsewhere, and the ultimate
establishment Of civil government, sub
iect to the supervision of the United
states.
The perhdious conduct Of the indians
in making u~nprovoked war upon US Ina:
been visited with the severest T%etribution
The country within the Indian Territory
has been laid waste, vast amounts o
property destroyed, and the inhabitant;
reduced from a prosperous condition e
such extreme destitution, that thousands
of them must inevitably perish duringtht
present winter unless timely provision bt
made by this Government for their relief.
Hostile relations, such as have existed
for several generations, continue between
many Of the most fierce and warlike
tribes Of New Mexico and Arizona and
the white inhabitants. a considerable
military force Is necessary for the protec-
/ ton of the latter and the maintenance OF
public order.
The Indians of the plains, who subSist
chiefly on buffalo, follow them on their
migration toward the North in the early
part of the summer, n return IN
autumn, spreading over b western part
| Of the State of Kansas and the Ierrlto-
ries Of Nebraska, Dakota, Montana and
Colorado. Influenced by the u~ntriendly
Indians of the Southwest, and probably
melted by rebel emissaries, they MAIN
tanned active and vigorous Institutes
Our defenseless frontier settlements were
harrassed; the communication between
the Mississippi Valley and our possessions
J. OH tile / htllAC NtA lOlNAF AAANNAAAHNNN q
emigrant and government rains as
sailed; property of great value destroyed,
and men, ONE and children barbar-
Dusty murdered. 1t became the mpera-
tive duty Of the government to sent MIL
itarv expeditions against the saNages,
which created the commission OF further
o~utrages, and indeed them to u for
peace. On the recommendation OF the
generals i'm command of u forces, a
commission composed OF officers of the
army and civilians, wassent to "A upper
Arkansas and the Upper Missouri. sat
i~sf4ctorv treaties have been negotiated
with a large number Of these tribes.
some Of them could not be reached on
account OF the lateness of the season, but
il is believed that similar arrangement
can be made with them during the early
part Of the approaching spring.
It is difficult TO maintain peaceful rela-
tons with the Indians in Minnesota.
The terrible massacre of hewhite inhab-
itauts in the year 1862 is fresh in the
memory of the country. The intense
exasperation which followed led in that
State toa policy, which has also prevailed
to some extent in several Of u organ
lied Territories, inducing a personal pre-
datory warfare Between the frontier citi-
zens, emigrants and miners, and Isolated
bands of Indians belonging, in many IN
stances, to tribes at peace with the Gov
eminent. This aWakens a spirit Of retail
iatiOn, melting %2trOciOus acts OF violence,
which, oft repeated, result in ~irreparable
disasters TO both races.
The policy of the total destruction Of
the Indians has been openly advocated
by gentlemen of high position, inteill-
gence, and personal character but no
enlightened nation can adopt or sanction
it without a forfeiture Of its self respect
and the respect of the civilized nations OF
the earth.
Financial considerations forbid the
Inauguration Of such a policy. The
ATTEMPTED destruction Of three hundred
thousand of these people, accustomed to
a nomadic life, subsisting upon the spon-
taneous productions of the earth, and
familiar with the Businesses Of the noun
rains and the swamps of the plains,
involve an appalling sacrifice
of the lives Of our soldiers and frontier
settlers, and the expenditure of untold
It is estimated that the main
tepance of each regiment of troops en-
gagged against the Indians of the plains
costs the government two million dollars
Der annum. All the military operations
of last summer have not ocCasiOned the
immediate destruction Of more than a
few hundred Indian warriors. Such a
is manifestly as impracticable a.
il is in violation of every dictate Of
humanity and Christian duty.
1t is therefore recommended that strin-
gent legislation be adopted for the pun
violations ofthe rights Of per-
and property of members Of Indian
tribes who are at peace with the Govern
menL.
Sufficient appropriations should be
made to supply the pressing wants Of
these wards Of the Government, resulting
from the ~encroaching settlements spring
ing up in every organized territory. The
occupation of their hunting grounds and
fisheries by agriculturists, and even Of
their mountain Businesses by miners, has
necessarily deprived the Indians Of their
accustomed means Of support, and re-
iuced them TO extreme want. If the de-
icieucv so occasioned should not be sup
it is not 20 be expected that a
savage people can be restrained from ]
seeking, by violence, redress Of what
hey conceive to be a grievOus wrong.
That their growing wants thus caused
nay not become a perpetual burden,
every reasonable effort should be made
o induce the Indians to adopt agricultu-
al and pastoral pursuits. Il is recon-
neuded that Congress provide n civiliZa-
ion and educational fund, to be dis
cursed in such mode rs to ecure the CO.
operation and assistance Of benevolent
EXAMINATIONS, atiOrding an opportunity
or private citizens to dispense their
charities to these impoverished children
g r1.. E.w.a# HA-nrHHrI, che rraTrn1 IhuH.ra1a ]
it is believed that all the Christian
.hurches would gladly occupy this mis-
field, supplying a large per cent.
If the means necessary for their instruc-
ion, and thus bring into contact with
he Indian tribes q class of men and
women whose lives conform to a higher
standard of morals than that which is
recognized as obligatory by too many Of
he present employees Of the Govern
nent.
On taking charge Of this department on
he 18th day Of May last the relations Of
respectively engaged in the mill
AIRY and civil departments in the Indian
country were in an unsatisfactory cOudi-
ion. A supposed conflict Of jurisdiction
md a want of confidence in each other
ed to mutual examinations, whereby the
uccessO OF military operations against hos
lie tribes and the execution of the policy
# this department were seriously inn
,eded. Upon cOnferring with the War
Department, il was informally agreed
hat the agents and officers under the con-
rol of the Secretary Of the Interior
hOuld hold no intercourse, cX-
.ept through the military authorities,
With tribes Of IEdiaus against whom hos
lie measures were in progress; and that
he military authorize should refrain
rom interference with such agents and
in their relations with all other
RIDES, except 70 afford the necessary aid
or the enforcement of the regulations of
department. ThisinfOrmal arrange
uent has been executed in good faith,
PRODUCING, il is believed, a salutary
fleet on the bearing Of the hostile tribes,
nd securing the desired harmony and
cooperation Of those charged
With this branch of the public service.
1t is earnestly recommended that the
uperintendents, and also agents OF a
grade, be empowered % act as
ivil magistrates within the limits of
e-servations where the tribal relations
re maintained, and also on the plains
emote from the jurisdiction Of the civil
authorities. The want of an acceptable
nd efficient provision for the admins
Of justice has been sensibly felt
n eases arising between members of the
ribes, or between Indians and the white
len wis have been permitted TO reside
mong them. The extent of the Juris-
lotion and the mode Of its exercise should
e clearly defined by congressional en-