The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-01-28
The Government and the Indians.

IL is manifest from our Washing
ton correspondence that govern
ment is vigilantly and resolutely
attending to the case of ssLo, the
poor Indian" in all of it's phases.
Information has been received from
Montana showing that the most
vigorous measures have been adop-
ted to enforce the Territorial crimi-
nal laws against the Blackfeet In
dians, who last fall murdered NAL
comb Clark, prominent citizen of
the Territory, in his own house.
The murderers were indicted and
deputation was sent to washing
ton to urge on the President the
policy of instructing the United
States Marshall to execute, with
whatever force should be necessary,
the warrant of arrest. The duty
of the Government was at once full
ly recognized by President Grant,
but the question was not immedi.
ately determined as to whether civ
il process could be executed against
the resistance of a whole Indian
tribe. On December %, however,
the United States Marshal, accom-
panied by al adequate military
force, left Helena for Teton river
to demand from the Blackfeet In
dians the murderers of Clark, and
if necessary forcibly to arrest them.
This is the true policy for govern
ment, which has also, we under
stand, ordered military protection
in aid of the developement of the
Arizona mines.
At the meeting Of the Indian
Commission with the Senate and
House Committees on Indian AZ
fairs, the Secretary of the Interior
and Commissioner Parker on Satur
day last, Commissioner Colyer re-
peated his report Of the previous
day on Arizona and New Mexico.
Commissioners Brunat gave an &C.
count OF the trip of himself and
his colleagues into the Indian Ter
ritory, and the Secretary of the In
terror urged upon the Congress
joint committee the value of servi-
ces of the Indian Commission, very
justly calling attention to the
facts that although it had been in
existence orly six months it had
visited half the Indian tribes in
in the Union, at an expense of less
than one-third of the small appro-
priation-twenty five thousand
dollars-for the purpose, and had
served wholly without pay. Econ
omy is a startling novelty in any
thing connected with Indian affairs.
AT this meeting of the Indian
Commission general discussion
on the wisdom of abolishing the
treaty system arose. General Par
ker, the Commissioner of Indian AT.
fairs, presented forcible arguments
in favor of abolishing it, and
thought reservations essential. It
is, indeed, great fallacy to make
treaties with the Indian tribes. In
ferior in power, as in every other
respect they cannot be treated as
equals. Paper treaties with In
dians are trash. They are only
kept by the Government at pleas
ure, and oftener are not kept at all.
The Indians are wards of the
government, and should be treated
as such. They should be ctastised
when disobedient and provided for
when friendly. The quaker policy
will not answer so long as civil
process must needs be executed oy
aid OF an adequate military force
against hostile 1ndians.
AS for the peaceable Cherokees,
a delegation from whom has just ar.
rived in Washington, there is every
prospect that the new trsaty be-
tween them and goyetnmsnt,. now
pending before the senats," "wilf be
ratified. The treaty provides for
the sale to government of twelve
or thirteen MILL on acrss for about
three million dollars 90 that the
Cherokees may have ID ftr3her
! omplications with other trfbea,