The New York herald., 1870-05-23
THE RED MAN.

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TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
II Mr.. Greeley Is wrong in his conclusions upon
the capital question and the reduction OF the army
he is sngularly so in his treatment of the Indian
problem. lie upbrads General Sherman for writing
| to the Indian Commission the following letter.
have your note OF May l3, and regret cannot be
present; doubt not the generous feeling OF good
| to me that they accomplish little or no good. Our
Indian question Is practical one, and not one OF
the wild indians are rather damaged than benedtel
| by the conflict OF extreme opinions which these
public meetings engender. The real question can
n you VIII adjourn your meeting TO Fort Sully, where
| you can see the Indians themselves, will feel
| strongly Inclined to attend the adjourned meeting.
W. 4. SHERMAN, General
| In our judgment General Sherman has seldom
done better thing than this. 1t Is absolutely i'm
| possible for men 10 sit In New York and integenty
discuss question OF which they know little, II any
thing from practical observation. No great question
| is more generally misunderstood at the East than
thls-inyOying the Character, claims and treatment
| Of the red man. In the name Of humanity and
| Christianity there has been display OF ignorance
| and misrepresentation absolutely shocking. At
| every meeting such as that convened In New York,
men, whose motives we Will not Impugn, have com.
mitted the grave error OF discuss ing what they do
| not understand aud making charges which cannot
be sustained. The Indian character Is not noble or
grateful but low and reacherous; and while the red
man may, IN Instances, have been wronged by the
whites he has ever been as he l. to-day his WORT
| enemy. For one outrage perpetrated in return for
unfair treatment he has been guilty OF dozen, cen
ceived In unprovoked but natural thirst for plum.
der and blood. AT this writing he Is, in almost
every Territory of the Union, committing the most
| wantOn and brutal depIedations, numbering in cold
blooi defence.ess travellers and settlcrs, VINO have
raised no hand against him ana violated no treaty
Under such state OF Affairs 1t is not to be won
dered at that General Sherman should deem 1t bet
ter for the Commission TO meet upon the frontier
than in New York. The Indian must be Sc m TO be
| understood and his habits must be studied to be
rightly appres lated 1t is the misfortune OF the Com
mis- son that Its agents go to the Indian country,
atal, so much prejudced against the whites and SO
are sefom imnaytiai or resi1e statemens baweves
| conscientlously made. Indeed, no correct idea or
the Indian character or the difficulties with which
the whites in the Territories have contend can be
formed from hurried visits and superficial observa-
tlons. Long residence among the Indians is
ta TO this, and CONCLUSIONS put forth by those who
| have not had sucn experience should be cautiously
received, especially by those whose desire seems to
| The fact about the Indian business ia that there
are tribes who disposed TO peace and with whom
| are others with whom war Is inevitable, and the
| more promptly and severely II Is made the better
Will the interests OF humanity be served. This dis
tincton should always be borne In mimi In discuss
| ing the Indian question. PIONEER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In your report OF the meeting held at Cooper Insti-
tutc TO consider the best Indian policy you say that
the president, in his remarks said he regretted to
have received letter from General Sherman suggest.
ing that the convention should adjourn to Fort Rice
Sully" &C., and that ne (the prcsident looked
| that letter In the light OF sneer, &c. General
Sherman Is right, and such meetings that held
recently can call forth nothing but sneers from any
one who has had experience In Indian affairs ia
| the far West. To give You an example,
Two years ago this spring party Of Sioux Indians
government rattons. Every few days war party
| was organized at that very camp, and committed
some most horrible atrocities In the immediate vi.
| attacking and killing parties OF wood cutters, sec
ton men and other employees Of the Union Pacific
| Railroad, and yet these miserable sneaks (Indian
agents and interpreters) will represent the people
OF the States that the Indians are badly treated.
could cite q hundred similar cases to these and am
willing SO to do. Let Wendell Phillips stuck to abOl
ton and let Indian affairs alone. and let Generals
Sherman and Sheridan and Colonel Baker and such
men pursue their policies and shall nave an end
W. II. CAMANCHE.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
Your editorial observations upon the proceedings
OF the late convention for the reform of our Indian
policy conclude with one to which, member OF
that body, beg the privilege Of a brief reply Re-
ferrng the prosperity OF the Cherokecs to the fact
| that they have been upon q reservation you say:-
"But all the tribes go upon reservations and keep
their treaties and there Is no probability OF trouble .
Precisely 50, and 1t Is the earnest aim OF the United
|
sirabe end. But are you aware 0f the reason why
the Indians, now threatening war, are not peaceaby
on their reseryationsS Let me beg your attention
| to IT,
| The treaties OF the Peace Commission under Gen.
eral Sherman in 1867, marked out reservation for
| them and promised that the government would pro.
vide for establishing the tribes upon IT, Those treaty
| provisions. though subsequently confirmed by the
| Senate, the House now refuses 10 recognize and to
provide for. Congress win not set apart the land
and confirm the Indian title to II; viii not furnish
| the implements OF agriculture and other means OF
| civilization for which the treaty provides
This unjust negligence, not to call IL by
| harsher name, provokes and exasperatcs the
Indians They have waited for two years In great
! suspense and anxiety; they complain that VIC
not dealing fairly with them, and the more restless
and excitable are commencing hosliities III reaa-
ti0n for this gross unraithfuness OF ours. Both the
President and the Secretary OF the Interior have
mOnsrated against this violation OF faith and urged
the appropriation OF the requisite funds Our OH.
GERS at the West declare themselves ashamed to
| meet the Indians, who say we have lled' to them
| And yet Congress does nothing IL seems as though
nothing but Q war would arouse our politicians at
Washington to sense OF their criminal derelicon of
duty. More than 1t would have cost to carry out our
| treaties must even now have been expended in
transferring the regiments which have already been
sent to the Plains.
May not beg, Mr.. Editor, that your valuable ala
would be given to the diffusion Of truth on this sub
ject and That you Will JOIN with those who deprecate
obligation which our treaties impose toward the
tribes OF the West Those tribes are not only willing
they are now for the first time anxious, to entel
upon civilized life. Let us aid ana not thwar
them. Let us honestly secure them the land an(
implements necessary to start them In their new
career and our settlements win no longer be de
vasated nor our Plains redeemed by the blood Of the
. settleS. y. n. MARTIN.