Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-11
A Corral for the Indians.


The Indian problem is q simple one.
The question, What shall we do with
them ?" when Colonel Parker, the 10.
dian Commissioner, asks but does not
answer, would not need either to be an
swered or asked, had we not been for so
many years perversely upsn the wrong
track. We have continued wrong be
cause we began wrong.
When, in 1902, Thorvald Ericson's
crew of adventurous Mortimer landed in
Viuland--that crooked finger of sand
that is now known as Cape Cod-they
saw, at a little distance, three skin boats
inverted with three sleeping savages un-
der each; and they Immediately began
intercourse with the people upon whose
soil they were trespassers, by falling
upon them with axes, killing all but one,
who escaped. Next day the Indians am
bushed them, and slew Thorvald, and he,
in turu, found rest under the boats. This
explorer does not seem to have added
greatly to his brothers previous discov-
cries, bat he had inaugurated the Indian
policy of America, and his original
method of making overtures with bat
tle-axe has aimee been generally followed.
he was fair prototype OF our Indian
agents, and his fight of eight hundred
years ago has not yet been radically i'm
proved on. aa s ~
According to the last census, there
were in 1860 only 295, 400 Indians left in
a savage state, and, under their rapid
mortality, it is not probable that more
than 200, 900 now remain. is it less than
national disgrace that we manage these
few people so clumsily2 Our policy is
little better than fraud on one side and
savage violence on the other. Many of
our agents, through their bsngers'ou,
sell to the various bands at extravagant
prices powder, knives, tobacco and
whisky; they steal their rations and con-
fiscate their annuities. The Indians,
drunk and enrsged, respond TO these at
tentions without much respect for civil
ized methods. b aa9
There are two propositions that may be
laid down with much positiyeness: First,
the Indians are in the way second, they
must get out of the way. This continent
belongs to those races that are capable of
civilization, and whatever elements can
not be absorbed must be removed. -
Mrs. Swisshelm's scheme, to put all the
Indians into gunnybags, and throw them
into the Mississippi, like supeIauous
cats, is impracticabie--to state the OBJ
lection in its lowest form. What then ?
There are less than a quarter of q mil
lion in all-fewer than there are people
in Chicago; yet the clamor about con-
trolling them is absurd, and its cost
enormous. They are scattered from
Kansas to the Pacific; from Texas to
the Deer Mountains, in Montana, where
Colonel Baker has just driven the Black
feet over the line into British America.
Everywhere their presence is marked by
fraud blood and rapine. 49,.
An effective remedy for all this has
been often suggested, and it is time it
was applied. Let all the Indians in
America be corraled in one large reservs-
tion, and le. some adequate punishment
be made the penalty OF wandering beyond
its limits. Then let them be fed, if they
cannot feed themselves; let them be
protected from each other, if they can
not be reconciled, and let the Society OF
Friends have the control of them. Under
such policy, settlement would rapidly
flow across The present frontier Of States,
some regions even in the
alkaline lands, and our vast army might
seek some more dignifed service than in
shooting women aad children, as Bakers
party have felt compelled to do, and in
chasing breech-clouts beyond the red
posts of our boundary line. IL is time
Sheridan was relieved from this wretohed
police duty Chicago Republican.