The New York herald., 1869-06-28
THE INDIAN QUESTION.

Previous Efforts at Civilixing the Savages
Have FaiIed-Dtsh0uesty Of Traders and
Asents-Sugsestions for a Practical Settle.
ment Of the Question-The Reservations
What and Where They Should BE.
The following letter from General r. B. Marcy on
the subject or placing Indians reservations teach
ing them agriculture and other elements OF civiiza
tion will be found very interesting and Instructive
WASHINGTON, D. G., June, 1869.
Messrs. WELSH, BRUNoT aud others, Commissioners
Tor Visiting Indians &c.:-
GENTLEMEN-{n compliance with your request 1
take great pleasure In submitting for your cousd-
Grafton the following v5ews regarding what con-
ccive 10 be the wsest policy that be pursued to-
war Ward 5ae inaiaas az the present time inc clyza
attention OF phantnrOpsts and Christians ever since
the discovery OF America; yet we seem to be to-day
nearly as remote from an acknowledged satisfactory
practical solution OF the question as Columbus was
when he landed upon the island Of San Salvador
S77 years ago. Among the prominent causes OF fail.
in, the Efforts that have from time to time been
made to reclaim the American savages from state
OF barbarism may be mentioned the salient fact
that no consistent, just and bengnant national pol
ICY has ever been inaugurated and persis emily ad-
hered to for any great length OF time Numerous
tfeates nave been made with the different tribes
and the negotiations attended by the observance OF
all the diplomatic forms ana ceremonies practised
among independent, absolute nauonalities. In
some instances however these treaties. before they
were ratified and carried into eject have been so
altered and amended as to very materially change
their original Specification, and this without the
sanction or knowledge of the Indians. In other
cases the failure OF appropriations the malfeasance
or negligence OF unscrupulous or unlaithful agents.
has prevented strict adherence to treaty stipula-
tons, and this has, OF course, occasoned assatsrac
ton among the Indians, as they expect every prom
Use TO be fulfilled to the letter. and when this s not
done they regard the Noncompliance as a wilful
violation OF good faith and integrity. No excuse
or explanation OF unavoidable accidents, or delays
contrayening the possibility OF literal fuldlment
OF compact has the slightest weight with them,
and and Tor tbs reason no pledges should be made to
Indians when there Is not absolute certainty as
TO the power OF executing them.
The policy adopted toward the aborgnes by the
early cOlonsts of New England Virginia and Georgia
was eminently humane and praiseworthy and the
preliminary labors OF missionaries among them were
attended with results decidedly favorable. I'm
other efforts to clvze and elevate the
moral character OF the Indians was then, as
has often been the case slnce thwarted by the mach
nations Of avariclOus and designing white men,
who, for the accomplishment OF their own selfish
purposes, have ncucated and practsed among these
simple minded children OF the forest all the vices that
disgrace civilized society; and these baneful adverse
influences have generally .preponderated over the
teachings OF better men, and the Indians have retro
graded upon the scale Of human progress to posi-
ton far beneath that which they occupied before
they came in contact with the pale faces.
wide diversity OF opinion exists among the
masses OF the thinking peone OF the United States
at the present day In regard to the wisest
cause and have cost many valuable lives and great
tribes. That these mercess freebooters have often
expenditure OF public money during the past three
years Is unquestonable. Those who have come In
contact with them and suffered from their lawess
and dlab0llca prOpensteS very naturally entertain
feelings Of implacable hostility towards them and
advocate war OF exterminatiOn as the only efrec-
tua means OF settling the perplexing question: while
the bengnant impulses Of others who have but htte
knowledge Of the dosyncratic nature Of these par.
tlcular tribes dictate the more benevolent and Con-
ciiatory policy OF purchasing their good VIII with
annuities and presents. The exclusive adoption OF
either policy 49, in my judgment, unwise and made
quate to meet the present eXigency Of the crisis.
1t Is probable that we might in time, with a large
force and heavy augmentation to our already
gigantic pecuniary national Liabilities, annihate
the Indians; but this would be slow process, as
they are Injured to war and are familiar with all the
arts and subterfuges necessary to prosecute sue
cessful partisan campaign, and with their numerous
neet and enduring horses they are at all times
except In winter enabled to elude pursuit upon the
vast expanse OF the great praries, every inch Of
which Is familiar TO them. Moreover they are Well
supplied with firearms ana ammunition, that the
discrepancy between them and our soldiers Is n0th-
Ing like as great now as IL was when their only
weapons were the bow and arrow and the lance. To
act against enemy who Is here to-day and Iar dis
tant tomorrow; who at one time stampedes herd
or animals upon the headwaters or the Arkansas
and when next heard from Is In the very heart OF the
populated districts OF Mexico, laying waste hacien
das ana carrying devastation, rapne and murder In
his steps; who leaves his women ami children con-
cealed In locality far distant from the theatre OF
hostities and has neither depots nor magazines 20
Defend nor lines or retreat TO cover; who draws his
rations and clothing from the country he operates
IN, and s not encumbered with noisy ysm0ving town
on wheels, In the shape OF a baggage tram; who
never comes into action without the advantage OF
numbers or position, and dsperses and vanishes
WHcucVeT tuc ISSUE OI b DdtLe lS against ana
who, under preconcerted arrangement, assemblies
again at point far distant; with such enemy ex-
termination would be slow and exhaustlng process,
exceedingly difncut OF execution.
The humane peace policy would, In my opinion, be
equally inadequate to accomplish the OBJECT desired,
provided no other means were adopted but that OF
giving annultes aud presents for so long as the In
dams are permitted to lead rowing life they will
whenever game fails to AFFORD them sustenance, be
compelled TO steal or take from their neghbors
TINS policy has been thoroughly tested during the
past twenty years, but has not thus far been at
tended with anything like satisfactory results. The
Indians OF the Plains do not seem TO have
the most distant conce ption OF the senti.
nenI S gratitude, a and ana appear unable to
nevoence or charity, and they unlike their brethren
who once occupied the Eastern States, who were
said TO have been grateful for iavors receivedj In.
variaby attribute it to fear the expectation of
reward. When they make present it is with
view OF getting more than Its equivalent in return.
The Indian practice OF giving and receiving pre
sents as well as their diplomatic attributes do not
seem 10 nave undergone any great changes from
arrived among the Indians living upon the present
site OF philadelphia he wrote letter to his frlend
treaties about land or tramc find them the Indlansl
deberative in council, and as designing as have
ever observed among the poiest OF our Europeans.
l have bought two large tracts, ana had two pre-
sented To me, which cost me alike.r D'Ibervie,
the first governor OF LOUISIANA in 1892, in manu-
script memorial on the subject OF Indian policy the
original OF which Is in the archives at ParIs says:
III Is imprudent to accustoin the savages to be
spoken TO by presents, for, with SO many it would
the trade. When they come to us 10 Will be necessary
TO bring them to snbjecton, make them presents;
compel them TO do as we wish, as II they were
Frenchmen.n
In my humble judgment the practice which mas
existed Tor many years OF licensing white traders,
who for the most part are OF the most dissoutc and
order OF humanity, is unwse In the
extreme, for the reason that they exercise q most
pernlcious and controlling influence over the
savages. They sell them whiskey, debauch their
women, furnish hostile tribes with arms and ammu-
nltion anu all their energies are exered 10 perpetu
0te tncr trdfilC which would be so diminished
become Improbable II the Indians had fixed habita-
tlons and cultivated the soil. D'Ibervle wrote to
the authorities In Paris In lT02:-"No Frenchman
ltraders) should be allowed to follow Indians on
their hunts, as IL tends TO Keep them hunters, Is
seen In Canada, and when they are In the. woods
they do not desire to become tillers OF the so.u
very powerful influence has, without doubt, been
welded by Indian traders for many years past but
II has only been about forty years since their claims
against the Indians for goods sold them have been
or provided for In treaties
On the Ith day OF December, 1884, q conversation