Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-28
he Poor Indiana AIerifOriOus
Compliment to an Honest OF.

The Poor Indiana MeritOriOus
Compliment to an Honest OF.
ficer.
Don PhrT, in letter to the Cincinnati
Commercial, dated the Doth, discusses sundry
matters, and among others the Government
Policy in relation to the poor Indian. His
comments are just. In connection with his
condemnation of the present policy, he
volunteers most just commendation of
the Indian Policy practiced by Col. GEO.
W. MANYPENNY, while Commissioner of
Indian Affairs. This commendation is the
more valuable from the fact that it is vol
unteered by a political adversary. Hap
pier for our people would it be to-day were
the offices filled at Washington-Legisla
tive and Executive-with men of the in
corruptibility, intelligence and undoubted
common sense of Col. MANYPENNY. Here
are Don P1ATT's views we have been ap-
probating:
When the reader learns, as he does in a
few pages, that the author in hand is an
accomplished Christian gentleman, he has
tens on for facts and opinions touching the
gravest question of American civilization.
we mean our treatment of the Indians. In
1
through Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and
New Mexico, one so observant and
| thoughtful must have gathered up much
worthy of our consideration. We are dis
appointed on finding that Colonel Meline
shares the prejudices of his profession and
breathes the poisoned air OF the border. IL
| is true he suggests the true remedy Tor our
| present troubles, and that is, to gather
| these wandering tribes into reservations,
i and treat them with care and consideration
so long as we may be encouraged by their
progress toward civilization. But with
this we have the same breathings OF brutal
determination that have so long dlsgraced
the army and dishonored our frontier.
It is difficult to conceive of policy more
cruel, stupid and eXtravagant than that
known as the government policy of the
United States toward the Indians. Com
mencing with treaties at time when the
Indian tribes were nations, and power in
, the land. we continue, now that they are
3 reduced to handful and so demoralized by
abuse as no longer to be held responsible.
Our treaties are eminently diplomatic with
, ignorant, brutal savages, who hnd That they
are oyerreached only when they attempt to
, carry out that which they have agreed to.
The Government makes the treaty for the
frontiersman to violate, and then we grow
: furious over what we are pleased to term
the treachery of the Indian. We treat him
, in council when driving our hard bargain,
as responsible being, and then justify our
murders by pronouncing him brutal saw
: age and totally irresponsible.
The enemies of good Government, with
which we have to contend, are not the In
dians only. The great throng of civilized
emigration, steadily marching westward,
crowds upon the Indian, and is his deadly
enemy, let him behave ever so well. 1t needs
the land for cultivation he only hunts over,
and our Government recognizing the rights
, of the one and the wants of the other.
; leaves both to fight it out through fraud
and abuse of the most fearful character
This advance guard of our civilization is
not refined, just or kind sort. Convicts
escaping punishment and criminals escap-
: ing conviction find on the border a refuge
and congenial pursuits. They abuse the
Indians in the name Of the whites, and rot
the whites in the name of the Indians.
Then, again, an Indian war is source Of
, great profit to the border when it RACES
Money expended in profusion by an ex-
travagant Republic finds its way into the
pockets OF the sufferers from Indian bru-
tality, and the more brutality the more
profit.
D But of all these foes to peace and just
government, the most efficient for evil, the
most heartless, grasping and grudging, IL
that known heretofore as the lobby" anc
more lately as the "ring." Having it,
= headquarters in Washington, in the person;
O Vi OGuaUOTS anu llo VI dhOh'
es stretch out like those of cancer to the
furthest extremeties of the border land, ant
S while it swindles the Indians it robs oul
o Government. An Indian agent has come
to be a man who has pre-empted the peni
tentiary by filling his pockets from the
r proceeds of theft and murder. What is i
q to him, if he has his gains, that whole
: tribes of ignorant red men, with theil
wives and children, are slaughtered in colo
blood; or that inoffensive white women
e are tortured to death in way that would
? make Christians blood curdle
J, We had one man once at the head of the In
dian Bureau, in Washington, soho fought thi
ring, and opposed ITS cofTuptions, by the name
:. George W. Manypenny 1t is not necessary t.
I sag that his reign aoas brief. For time h
, frightened the scoundrels, and zoe had q brie
period of peace and good ,eiU upon the frontier
Since then scOundreltSm has retgned suprem
alpOn the border. Women have been muir
l dered, and whole tribes exterminated, in
way to shock all humanity; while agent
who went in with scarcely enough of tht
worlds gear to cover with respectability
, their thread-bare pantaloons, have conn
out millionaires.