The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-20

Between this frontier OF eager immigrants
and the protected settlements OF Colorado
and Montana is region in some places less
tban'400 miles wide, and diminishing at the
rate of, perhaps, halt mile day, within
which not only the indians, but their only
means OF subslstence-the butia)o-are in
closed. The crossing of this region by the
two railroads, and the stations aud forts
necessary for protecting them, inevitably must
interrupt, and in the end stop, the semi
annual migration of the butialOes between the
llaDos OF the South to the plains of British
America. Indeed, even last year these causes
operated to such an extent that the semi
civilized inhabitants Of the Red River country
of the North were unable to obtain their usual
supplies; and we had thence, in early winter,
piteOus walls of famine from the half breeds
and Canadian vOyageurs OF that remote cOuu-
try. Accordingly the Indian of the Plains
does or he is preparing to do, what every
human being under Like circumstances must
and only can do-turn and stand at bay.
A victory over the savages leads to settle
ment only to the extent that they are ami
hilated, for in no manner does it remove the
causes which melted them to robbery aud
murder since, after a battle, the same causes
still are in operation, and they are unchanged,
unless in receiving new aggravatiOns. For
when the food by which life is sustained is
withdrawn, no matter whether wilfully or in
there can be no peace, no redress, nor even
what we agree in calling human feelings,
until the warrior, his children, and their
mother can eat again. The present policy
leads to a continued renewal of atrocities, aud
to cOnvergiDg armies, and finally to eXtnc-
tiOD; for there ia no doubt that we have, or
can get, soldiers enough, and we have, or We
can borrow, money enough, by the help OF
which every man, woman, and child can be
destroyed. If this is to be the settled policy
of our Government, and such it will be if the
advice of border men is adopted, nothing
further need be said, and we may wait with
what peace of mind we can until the aveng-
ing deities, not Of the savage but of justice and
of right, measure unto us as We have mea-
sured unto others. But before this policy is
adopted, let us consider whether there is not
more humane, or easier, or, what would seem
most important of ALL a cheaper way.
In considering the Indian question we must
bear in mind that we deal with men, and with
a race compacted by a social law. The Indian
race has never passed out of the savage state;
aud although efforts have been made from the
first settlement of the country to induce them
to adopt the habits of civilized life, and
although many good men have devoted their
learning, their energies, and even their lives
to this object they have failed. They failed
for the reason that they did not consider that
man progresses by short advances, never by
including in one advance and in one age the
aggregate of advances which have marked
through many ages the progress of the Cauca-
sian race. The first advance which man makes
from the savage state is into the pastoral, and
it will be in vain to attempt to bring him into
the civilized, or even into the barbaric, until
he has been prepared by the pastoral. This
view is so obvious that, perhaps, 1t would
have been seen long ago, had not one class OF
such writers as mould public opinion de-
claimed upon the happiness of the savage
state, and another class ascribed to the red
man poetic and other fine qualities, which
those best acquainted with him never have
been able to see. The proper way, then, to
settle the Indian question is to set apart reser-
vations supplied with the means for their
leading a pastoral life. Almost in this present
age the Indian has made an approach to this
state by demonstrating one animal, which is
the horse, in the management of which he
shows judgment and skill, and now, with this
basis, no interval remains in an Advancement
to the care of cattle. That this is the natural
order of progress has been demonstrated by
the Creeks and Cherokees in the Indian terri
tory west of Arkansas, where, without spe-
cial assistance from the Government to this
end, they voluntarily and naturally entered
upon this life. Allot, therefore, districts
within our vast Western domain, suited for
grazing, with water and timber, where villages
naturally will be established, and here, by
proper management, and of course with Gov
ernment care, focks and herds will multiply,
and in a few years these people will become
self-supporting. AS to the adjuncts hitherto
deemed impOrtant-that is, schools and mis-
sionaries-there may be a few, but it will be
convenient not to attempt too much.
There is another branch of this subject of
still greater Importance. From unknown ages
the Indian women, and the women of all savage
| people have cultivated the soil while the men
roamed abroad. The reason why she has done
this is founded in the depths of her being. In
one sense the woman is primary, for she is the
mother; upon her, more directly, depend the
sentiments and the intellectual bias of the race;
| and in particular do her instincts impel her
! to provide food for her offspring; while the
man is removed to a secondary place, and be-
| comes the guardian and protector OF that
which she brings forth. The flesh OF animals
cannot, from day to day, be the most accept
able food for a child, while in case of illness,
| to which it must more or less be subject, II
will be loathsome, nor can spontaneous vege
table productions be found except during
brief periods of the year, and then only
by chance. Hence the savage woman would
seek by every art which love for her children
could suggest to increase in quantity and
in variety their daily food, and IN
particular to make the soil near her lodge
bear It; and she must have discovered early
that cultivation, rude though it was, largely
added to the harvest. From these impul5ive
labors Of hers to make more certain, aud more
grateful, the food necessary for her children
and in correction, to provide them with gar
ments to shield them from the cold of winter
the first dawn of civilization must be traced
While the man clings to the uncertain life o