The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-15
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Our Indian Policy.

From The Tribune
If we are at a loss to determine whether we
are at war or not, we may rest assured that
the Indians are still more so. Those General
Hancock met lately had no desire to fight;
and that they risked something for confer
ence proves that very conclusively. They un-
doubtedly ventured thus into immediate proxl-
nifty to the expedition in the hope oil avert
ing the storm, and the experiment has eVl-
IDENTIFY cost them some Of their baggage
They had certain rights and claims as tne
native occupants of the soil to urge on tne en-,
croaching Christian people OF the oniteu st0
States, and, in a spirit not improper VI tnS
nifed. wished to press them. IheH sCahu,
noint is somewhat different from ours, anu
their representative men and public servants
1uere not unmindful of the interests IL was
tbeir business to protect. That they met
Hancock at the very gates OF clvlllzauon, on
the most eastern portion OF their nomadc
beat. is evidence of their desire TO stay the
hand of war. ,r-.,-
and his men visit the camp where their fami-
Hos we're Perhaps it will be recalled that at
Ash Hollow, in 1885, General Harvey sent for
4be Indians "tO talk" He too had gone on
an expedition. An old lndian-fghter, he
knew the difficulty of finding them, and while
they were round him he proposed terms that
il was impossible to expect them to accept,
and fired on those who came to treat with him,
before they could return to their men. DO we
wonder that these naughty, wild Indians OF
the plains do not want a licentious soldiery
ouartered among their families When Gene
lal Hancock, therefore, determined to visit
tueir camp in the face of their protest, he left
I, ose who thus came to him no alternative but
t. lght or to flee.
That they did the latter rather than hover
round his outposts to pick up stragglers, is
evidence that they have not yet dismissed the
hope of peace. TO be sure, it cost them some
tents and baggage, valuable to them; but
these aborigines are shrewd children of the
plains. The tent-poles dragging at their
ponies sides must not mark the route of their
retreat. Their ponies must be burdened with
no more than will enable them to pursue
rapid fight. Where have they gone Where,
indeed, can they go9
Is this mode of treating the Indian question
worthy of great Christian nation Admit
the difficulties that beset the problem, we
still claim a great intelligence and the ques-
tiOn has surely an honorable solution No
means can certainly be half so expensive as
war. 1t is well known that the War Depart
ment desired the burden of Indian manage
ment to be added to its cares. Is it really a
plan to cut the unsolved questions by the
sword, and come to the next Congress with
fresh reasons against divided jurisdiction of
the Indian question? These may be hard
thoughts, but the circumstances suggest them.
Whatever may be the purpose, we apprehend
that the result will be to convince all Christian
men that the army, whose trade and only
trade now is war on them, is not the proper
custodian of these helpless interests.
Still mora Tho Vast yUbara oil our fa1a-
graphic stations are, is in the interest hostile
to Indians, which, really, would like to see
them eXterminated. And yet more. Near
these stations, with the commercial interests,
such wars and expeditions are gOdsends.
There are hay contracts and corn contracts to
let for the cavalry that go hunting for the
Cheyenne trail. There are beef contracts.
There is, in fact, money-money everywhere
in it. DO we wonder that the kilograms are
so contradictory? Are we astonished that
they are so bloodthirsty, and are, after all,
able to give us so little evidence to be relied
on of positive outrage or warlike dispositions
There is a vague idea in the public mind
that, in order to negotiate with Indians, it is
best to give them sound drubbing to begin
with. This is, in fact, true of more people
than the Indians. If we wished to annex
Canada for instance, we might find it more
easy after waging a successful war on Eng
land. 1t is true it would be expensive, and
might cost us more, as in the Cheyenne case
than it is WORTH but then, the Cheyennes and
Sioux are weak; and war, although expen
sive, would not be difficult nor its result
doubtful.
There is but one thing that the army in tn,
West can do-make the Indians willing t.
accept terms that we, as a Christian nation
ought not to impose on them. 1t is true tina
nothing can, or should, arrest the footsteps
civilization on the continents but it is ais
true that we owe to the wild inhabitants of tn
country we seek to possess all that can b
done to spare, to elevate, and preserve then
The plan of peace is far less expensive tina
that of war. Let our Indian system cease
be a paddock in which decayed politician
feed, and the sheath to rub the rust from a
idle army. God gave us our superior INTEL
gence; let us thank Him for it in good works