The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-02-20
VOL. XXXVII.s
THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, ON
BEHALF OF THE INDIANS.
IMPORTANT ENT.

IMPORTANT ENT.
To the Senate and House ofRepre.e taiives
cf the United states In Congress assem-
The memorial Of the Religious Soci-
ETY. of Friends respectfully represents,
that your memorialists are representa-
tives, now assembled in conference in
the city Of Baltimore, Of the six Yearly
Meetings or General Assemblies Of our
people, whose members reside in the
States of New York, Vermont, New Jer-
sey. Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mich
igan, and Iowa, and the District of Co
lumbia: That the disturbances which
have occurred between the white settlers
and the Indians west of the Mississippi,
and the destructive war that has resul
ted therefrom. are subjects of deep So
licitude to your memorialists, and to
those whom they represent. We ear
neatly desire that the efusiou of blood
may cease, and that such just aud hu
name measures may be pursued as will
secure lasting peace, and tend to the
prese rvation and enlightenment of
those afflicted people, whom we regard
as the wards Of the nation.
It Is we'll known to your enlightened
body, that the Religious Society Of
| Friends. for a period of nearly two hun
dred years, has kept up an amicable in
| tercourse with the Indians, and that the
| faith first pledged between them and US
has never been broken. We know,
from long experience, that kindness and
justice, will generally secure their affec
| tion and confidence; and we feel assured
| that liberal and humane policy, execu-
| f.aI hx, fo:t mi
/ save them from determination, and pro-
mote the national honor, but, even on
the ground of economy. will prove great
| ly preferable to the course recently pur-
| sued towards them In corrohoration
of this sentiment, we quote the language
of N. 6. Taylor, the present Commiss-
ioner Of Indian Affairs. Hr says. "We
| can have all we want from the Indians,
| and peace without war, if We so will,
with entire security upon all our from
tier, and in all our territorial domain, at
cast of less than two days expenses of
| the existing war. to wit: a quarter Of q
million Of dollars, and in less than 100
| days; and this can be done simply by
retracing our wrong steps, and doing
right"
| We therefore earnestly entreat, that
| every wrong step which has been taken
may, as far as possible, be retraced,
| and that the holy principles of Christi
anity may be exemplified in our nation
al intercourse with a people once numer-
Gus and powerful, but now impoverished
| and wasting away.
A change in the Indian policy being,
| as we believe, imperatively demanded
| by every consideration of justice and
humanity, we respectfully solicit your
A. ell
which, in our judgement, would promote
| the welfare Of the Indians, and the hon
| or of our Governments:
FirH-As an inducement for them to
| remove from the territory required for
the great thoroughfares Of commerce
| now being constructed, and to secure q
lasting peace, let the most liberal terms
be offered in compensation for their
lands. and an abundant supply of food
| be provided for them.
Second.-Assign to the Indians
| number of fertile tracts of we'll watered
country, to be secured to them in per-
petuity, and provide them with herds of
cattle. and agricultural implements.
Let the agents and employees sent to
reside among them, be persons Of high
character and strict morality. Let all
intoxicating liquors be excluded. Let
| the Indians be secured from the intru-
sion of white settlers and traders, and
| provide a judicial tribunal. to which
| all their complaints of injuries inficte d
| by the whites may be submitted.
| Fourth Encourage benevolent eff
forts to improve and enlighten the In
dams, in order that they may relinquish
their nomadic habits. adopt the customs
of civilized life, and accept the benign
influences of Christianity.
! Your memorialists have, for a long
period been engaged in efforts to civil.
ize and enlighten the Indian tribes in
the State of New York. and within a few
| wears past we have witnessed the most
encouraging results. The Governor of
that State, in his last annual message to
the Legislature, bears witness to the
! steady increase Of those tribes in mum
bers, intelligence and thrift. The State
! of New York has, in the most liberal
manner extended to them the benefits
of it's school system, and many Of them
! are now enjoying the blessings of civili-
zation We believe that similar efforts
applied to the civilization of the West
ern Indians, would, in time, result in
! producing the same good fruits.
In promoting this end, and fulfilling
the benevolent intentions of the Gov
ernment, such services as we may be
able to renden will be given without re-
ceiving any compensation, from the ma
| ton or the Indians.
Our views on this subject are more
fully set forth in an additional memorial,
which is herewith presented.
| DELEGATES FROM BALTIMORE YEARLY
MEETING OF FRIENDS Martha Z. Tyson.
Lydia Jefferis, Catharine NJ. Smith, Re
beeca Turner, Margeret E. Hallowell,
Richard T Bentley, Thomas H. Matth
ews, Samuel NJ. Janney, Samuel Town
send, Gerard H. Reese, Chalkley Gill
ingham, VIM. b. Steer, Cyrus Griest
Levi X. Brown, Joseph M. Wood, Ben
1 Hnlo