The Portland daily press., 1871-07-22


- .t.'
Crook and CoIIyer.
Vincent Collyer, the philanthropist, and
Gen. Crook, the soldier, are both on their way
to visit the Apaches of Arizona. The latter
goes with five companies of cavalry and fifty
picked Mexicans," and will hardly be a vel
come guest. The former goes unaccompani-
ed, his purpose being 70 induce the great
Apache chief to visit Washington, make
peace with the pale faces and SO render Gen.
Crooks visit unnecessary. Arizona has lately
been the scene of Indian depredations follow
ed as usual by an undiscriminating massa-
ere of men, women and children by the
United States troops.
This is the same thing that has been
done over and over again from the first
settlement of the country by the Enro-
peans to the present time. Instead of
uniform policy of either war and exter.
mination or peace, justice and Cancellation,
the two policies have caused infinite trouble
by being constantIy.put in contemporaneous
operation or being used alternately at fire.
quent intervals. Gen. Crook might have
killed them all long ago, if the shooting and
stabbing plan had been firmly and persistent
ly adhered to. On the other hand, We be-
lieve that Vincent Collyer, taking him as the
representative of those who have advocated
peace policy, might years ago have brought
the red men into condition of peaceful civil
lization, if his views had been adopted and
carried out. But Gen. Crook and Vincent
Collyer work badly together. They neutral
ize each other. And Crook following Coll
yer makes a bad matter worse. When
the latter has made gracious promises and
perhaps provision for the distribution of
goods among the savages, then comes the for
mer with bis soldiers and destroys an Indian
village, letting none of the inhabitants es-
cape. -e
The old way of dealing with the Aborigines
was this: On the approach of the whites
the Indians would be friendly and treaty
ceding lands to the intruders would be made.
Afterwards the whites would encroach on the
territory not ceded to them, and on their per-
sisting, a savage war would ensue, the IN
dams always being subdued in the end and
compelled to make other treaties to be vio-
lated in turn by the whites. In this way they
were driven step by step from the Atlantic
coast beyond the Mississippi. OF late years
the government has varied the programme
somewhat by ceasing to regard the tribes ex-
actly as independent nations. Though So
called "treaties" are still absurdly made with
them, they are treated as wards of the ma
ton and have their agents who are nomin-
ally entrusted with the distribution of the
government bounty, but who really plumber
them by divertinein to their own pockets what
is intended to appease the outraged red man.
Meanwhile the frontier settlers continue to
squat on their land, frighten away their game
government itself authorizes the running Of
railroads right through their reservations
without their consent and without a word OF
explanation. Exasperated beyond endurance.
and, probably very hungry, the savages take
up arms again, and are only quieted after a
few admonitory massacres. And can Indian
massacre" means in American history mas
sacre OF far oftener than massacre bg In
dams. ..a
Even under the Quaker policy of Gen.
Grant, Collyer often gives place to Crook, or
else they go foolishly arm and arm as to Ari
iona. 1t cannot be denied that the Quaker
policy has wrought great results and that an
immense saving of blood and treasure has
been effected by the Presidents wise human
lty. But he cannot insure the honesty and
humanity of each one of his myriad subordi
mates or the proper conduct of the pushing,
crowding frontiersmen. So the Indians get
more or less cheated by their agents, and are
frequently driven to the wall by white neigh
doris who covet their lands. Occasionally they
rise in arms, but it is gratifying to observe
that they now frequently send their chief
braves to be Modified at Washington instead
of going on the war path. ..r-l.stt t.t.,l
We shall not now undertake to discuss that
knottiest of all questions-the rightfulness OF
compelling the savage aborigines to give place
to civilized whites on this continent. Those
who are interested in such abstruse, ethical
questions may find in Kent plausible de-
tense of that questionable act, and in MANY
other authorities vigorous imprecations upon
it. The whole matter now belongs to the
past. There are now, according to the last
census only 25,O00 men, women and children
OF the aboriginal tribes in all the States and
organized territories. The practical question, |
disconnected from any consideration of NOR
ais, OF humanity or of religion, is how these
troublesome beings can best be dealt with 10
secure the comfort and security of their white
subjugatOrs. The question is whether thew
shall now be finally taken in hand by Crook
Or Collyer. We insist that one of these gen.
tlemen shall be finally discharged from further
employment in the matter If Crook be en-
trusted with the whole business he can soop
put them out of the way. 1t will be very ex- /
pensive and very cruel, but far less expensive
and less cruel, while the end is no more GER
tain, than the present plan of shooting them l
i'll instalments. But the cheapest way, as it |
is certainly the most humane, is to give Col. |
lyer and his associates full power to paeify
them by Kindness. If it should be necessary
for the government to charge itself entirely |
with their support, and to abandon forever
the notion that they are capable of supplying
their own wants, it would be more eeonomi-
cal than the present plan of alternate presents
and bullets. No such radical measures would
probably be necessary. The English in Can
ada have never come in hostile collision with /
the Indians. Instead OF driving them west /
ward as civilization advances they surround. |
ed them, recognized their rights and had
them incorporated with the body polite. in
stead of setting up the absurd hypothesis that |
they were Independent nations and then
treating them like intruders. The French
Jespits in this country found no difficulty in
sustaining peaceful relations with the Indians. |
We know of no instance in the history of |
this country where justice has been done the |
aoorlglnes and they have not appreciated it,
Inc trouble has arisen from the fact that self |
interest mas never permitted Americans to |
recognize the great truth which Bnffalo Goad |
uttered the other day at the meetno IN coon.
er Institute-the most pathetic sentence oua,
uttered by an orator, ancient or modern aUo
are there, and we can't help it."
TuE0DOpE Trr To>,c HolJo,,