Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-04-13

Correspondence Of the Portland Press.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. Mar. 8

WASHINGTON, Mar. 80
OUR INDIAN foLIcY-wuAT THE oUAKERs FRO
| fosE
A good deal has lately been said with
regard to the true policy Of dealing with
our Indians, and recently about the Qua
kers attempting with the sanction of the
administration, q new policy. 1t may,
therefore, be interesting to know what it
is that the Quakers propose. Practical
men, whose knowledge Of the question
gives their opinion weight, declare their
proposition to be simply of the Old cloth
a patching up Of old garments, or rather,
not even that, a mending Of a portion only.
In brief it is this, Certain well-known
Quakers are to be selected by the Quar-
terly Meeting of Penn, are to give their
services gratuitously and Congress is TO
appropriate $4,000, 600, which sum it is
intended shall be expended under their
SUPERVISION in experiments for the civiliz-
alton and chrstianization Of the Sioux
on whom the Quakers propose to make
their first efforts. They certainly have
chosen most forbidding specimen Of the
genus Aborigine. This is really all they
propose-so far as legislation is concerned.
OF course they have definite ideas as to
what they will do for and with the tribes
put under their management, The Prcsi-
dent and Secretary Cox, have sgnifcd to
the proper committees in Congress their
approval and desire to see this attempt
made. But there will be no such partial
effort. Every one recognizes the charac.
ter and purposes of these philanthropic
gentlemen, but the remedy for the chronic
Indian difficulties must be altogether more
comprehensive and incisive.
The Quaker proposition does not GO
near the running sorc-for the present In.
dian war is confined and has been for sew
eral years past, to the State of Kansas,
from which Sheridan has only just succeed.
cd in dislodgiDg the warlikc nomads. Their
those who have been moving in this effort
are altogether from Pennsylvania. 1t is
evident that their brethren of Ohio and
Indiana. are anxious to share the honor
will not prophesy of the result.
There are several plans which have been
discussed Of late, bearing on this subject
The first proposes to transfer the Indian
Bureau from the Interior TO the War De.
partment. The Senate opposes this strong
ly. / do not believe it is regarded as fa
vorably as formerly in the House.
There are several salient objections
One is that the military have never pre-
vented breaches of the peace, which il
one of the things any efficient control o
the Indians should have power to do. Tho
army is not II police, TO prevent disturb
ances; it suppresscs war when once be
gun. Magisterial powers are needed, st
that white men who do wrong may b'
punished as we'll as Indians. Another j
that there is large body of Indians
least l00,000-who are pursuing
settled and peaceful habits. Thes,
people do not need military supervision
The army may be properly entrusted will
the care Of the tribes at war and them only
The second is to create new Depart
ment of Indian affairs, whose head shal
be Cabinet officer, with power, anon,
other things, to mass the Indians in larg
bodies in Territories or reservations, sufii
cicntly large to make with proper man
agement, permanent communities. Thi
however, with some desirable features, j
only continuance of the old system.
The third and the practical plan is nov
being considered by the House Committee
of Indian affairs, whose Chairman, Hon
Sydney Clarke of Kansas, has for hi
constituency, the greatest stake in speed.
and permanent solution Of the matter. i
is proposed to abolish by law the presen
corrupt treaty system. All stipulation
now made are to be fulfilled, but the civ
ilized Indians are to be offered and urge
to take citizenship and homes in severalt
thus getting rid of the barbaric triba
and clannish relations. The Indian terri
tory, South of Kansas, in which there ar
$4,000 Indians, quite far advanced in ci
vilization ; more so as u rule, (and | writ
whereof know, having been among thcr
before, and served in their midst durin
the war;) are better disposed, more law
abiding and peaceable, than are thel
white neighbors of Arkansas and Tcxa'
this Territory will, il is quite probable
be placed under some modified form of
Territorial government with the expects
tion of paving the way for their mergir
into full citizenship. Indian tribes at WI
IS will be considered as having abrogated a
0 treaties, and the policy proposed does NJ
H., th.. ,,,als,ne, of natv onoa Tarritn,